over for him, I knew I'd never turn my back on such an important duty. Even if it means sacrificing many things. I will make sure I'm a very good queen-for my brother's sake.'
My eyes welled with tears. 'You'll make a great queen.'
She stroked my arm. 'We should go see your father now.'
I nodded. 'Okay.'
She glanced at Michael. 'Would you please go to Desmond's side and inform him that his daughter wishes to see him one last time?'
'Of course,' Michael said.
'Will you be all right, Princess?'
Yeah, I'll be fine, I thought.
There was a hesitation. 'I don't want you to forget me. I just wish there was another way this could work out.' Our eyes met and held for a long moment, then he turned and left the room.
After Michael left, Elizabeth looked at me with concern as my eyes filled up with tears again. I didn't think I'd cried so much in my entire life as I had over the last two days. 'Oh, Nikki, my dear. So much stress at such a young age. Is it too much for you?'
'I'll be fine,' I said shakily as I twisted my bracelet.
Elizabeth looked down at it. 'That's very beautiful.'
I looked down at it, too. 'My father gave it to me. It's a dragon's tear. He told me it would help focus my Darkling powers.'
'A dragon's tear? He told you that?' I nodded.
Her expression grew tense. 'I'm sorry, Nikki. The pain he is feeling must be making him delusional. There are no dragons-they are only a myth.' She looked thoughtful. 'Our father used to tell us stories about dragons when we were young so perhaps that's what Desmond is remember' ing. It's a lovely bracelet, but that's all it is.'
I studied the delicate chain and teardrop crystal and felt a stab of disappointment. 'Really?'
'I'm afraid so.' She walked to the entrance of the room. 'Now I must go get some fresh water for Desmond. It's all he's been able to consume for days. No wonder he's so weak.' She shook her head sadly. 'I'll return to bring you to his room. Please wait here for me.'
She left and I was all alone. I crossed my arms and tried to relax but found that it was impossible. So instead I began to pace back and forth across the cool stone floor.
I couldn't believe that nothing could be done for my father. This was the best he could ask for? Being stuck in this dreary castle as the last hours of his life ticked by? What about doctors? Or hospitals? But I supposed those were out of the question anyway, since he couldn't leave. I still couldn't fathom being trapped inside this place for all those years. Alone. At least he had Elizabeth to keep him company in these dark days.
I heard something then.
'Elizabeth?' an unfamiliar voice said. I looked around the room but there was no one there.
I heard it again. A deep voice calling out for my aunt. I walked toward the gazer and looked down at the shallow black water. I gasped when I saw a face looking up at me. The image of a man appeared on the surface of the water. It rippled when I clutched the sides of the basin.
He raised an eyebrow. 'You're not Elizabeth.'
I swallowed hard. 'No.'
'Who are you?'
'I'm… I'm Nikki.'
Both of his dark eyebrows went up at that. 'Ah, Princess Nikki. I've heard a great deal about you. It's a pleasure to meet you, even if it's not in person. My name is Kieran.'
It was Elizabeth's boyfriend-the demon prince from the Underworld, though he was definitely in human form. He looked a lot like the male model on the front of my mom's vampire romance book-dark hair, cool blue eyes, and strongly handsome features. He was so acutely good-looking that it seemed vaguely artificial, as if he were made of plastic-his eyes were so ice-blue that they gave me an immediate chill. His too-full lips curled to one side as he gazed up at me.
I looked toward the entrance of the room. 'Elizabeth just left. But she was waiting for your… uh… your call. I'll go get her.'
'No, Nikki. It's fine. I will speak with her later. How is your father?'
I swallowed. 'Not well.'
'But he still lives?'
I nodded.
'Elizabeth tells me that you were to drink a potion that the king provided to you. I will assume that you haven't yet.'
I touched the bottle. 'No, I haven't.' 'Do you want to be queen of the Shadowlands?' he asked.
I shook my head. 'Not if I can help it.' 'Then you have to drink it.'
There was that phrase again. Have to. Even somebody I didn't know was telling me what to do.
I let out a shaky sigh. 'I wanted to see my father again before I do anything.'
Something flashed behind his eyes and it wasn't entirely pleasant. 'You do realize that you're putting Elizabeth's position as the next queen at risk by delaying.'
'Look,' I said, sharper than I meant to, 'this isn't exactly easy for me, you know. And it's not easy for Elizabeth, either. It's not like she even wants to be queen.'
His eyes widened a fraction. 'Of course she does. It's all she speaks of and your actions-or rather inactions- are ruining everything for her.'
That was a very strange thing for him to say. I was ruining everything? 'She's accepted it, of course. It's not like she has much of a choice, does she?'
'No, of course. You're right. Please forgive me for being rude. The choice is yours alone, of course.' The edge of annoyance in his expression disappeared and his gaze slowly moved over my face and down my neck to the vial on the chain. 'If by chance you do end up becoming queen, I want you to know that you can contact me anytime. For any reason at all. I would enjoy the chance to get to know a lovely girl like yourself on a much more personal level. I'm sure we could become very close friends.'
The way he said it made me feel extremely uncomfortable. This was the man my aunt was head over heels in love with? He was a major sleaze. Really good-looking, but a jerk. I knew I'd just met him, but first impressions were enough to go by.
Besides, I'd already dealt with a good-looking jerk that evening-Chris-so I was a little more wary of this sort of thing now. I trusted my instincts. And my instincts told me Kieran wasn't a nice guy.
'I'll keep that in mind,' I said dryly.
'However, if Elizabeth does become queen of the Shadowlands, I would like to give her a little something special to… commemorate this event. Do you have any suggestions for me? Perhaps jewels, or furs. More obedient servants, perhaps?'
I really didn't like this guy. At all.
'I know she likes the perfume you already gave her,' I said with distaste. 'She even wears the bottle on a chain around her neck.'
'Perfume?' His frown deepened and confusion flashed across his expression. 'I've never given her perfume before.'
'Maybe I heard her wrong.'
'No,' he replied quickly. 'If Elizabeth said I gave her the perfume, then I certainly did. I give her many gifts and I have a tendency to forget some of them.'
He glanced over his shoulder at something I couldn't see. When he turned back, he said, 'I must go now, Princess Nikki. Please tell Elizabeth that I wish to speak with her at her earliest convenience.'
His image faded until there was nothing but shallow water in the basin.
