Page 1 of Their Princess

ChapterOne

Three large demon portals made of thick, swirling black smoke appeared in the center of the city park. Hundreds of fighters from the werewolf, mage, dragon, hybrid, and elf clans surrounded the portal, some shifted, some with weapons, and all on high alert.

Tensions ran high as we waited for the enemy to come out of the portal, to begin this war that we had tried so hard to avoid and dreaded for so long. This is where it would all be decided. This is where the battle for the worlds would end.

From the center portal, the Grand Advisor with a strange staff walked out with Jolmach, King of the Demons at his side. Behind them a wooden cart pulled by two oxen-looking demons carrying my parents, bound in chains, were the first ones to exit from the demon world.

My eyes focused on King Jolmach, Jol as I called him. He wore his full armor, his helmet covering his face and blocking his eyes from me, but I could tell he was not the Jol I had known during my stay. The Grand Advisor had brainwashed him once again and he would not view me as the friend that I was right now. I dreaded facing off against him during this battle. If he hurt me seriously, he would not forgive himself, and I didn’t want to hurt him either, which would make for an intense and difficult fight.

The humanoid demon fighters that had been the hardest to fight last time we had faced them exited two by two out of the side portals. I realized then that they were the members of Jol’s Council. The ones I had spoken to when I had met the Grand Advisor. That all felt like a hundred years ago now.

Five bull-headed demons walked out of the center portal behind Jol and the Grand Advisor, stationing themselves behind them with their axes in their hands, a ready expression on their faces.

Those on our side tensed and waited anxiously for what was to come. Would there be a battle, bloodshed, and possibly death? Or could I still prevent it somehow?

Leona whistled high and loud, the note making me, and most nearby, cringe. Once it ended, the Grand Advisor’s fake appearance disappeared and his true one remained.

I stood alone, front and center, waiting to speak on our behalf and to try to prevent what had been foreseen. Especially the most recent one I’d had. Mason flew overhead, but quickly landed on my shoulder, tensed and ready to protect me if necessary.

Grandpa Nico, King of the Mages, teleported next to me, his staff in his hand. “Greetings, you must be one of my long lost brothers,” he said to the Grand Advisor in a pleasant tone.

The Grand Advisor scowled. “What are you talking about?”

Jol turned to look at the Grand Advisor and growled. “What is this? Where are your horns?”

“He has none,” I announced. “Because he is not a demon. This is his true form.”

The Grand Advisor’s eyes widened when he realized what had happened. “Will you remove my curse, or shall I remove your parents’ heads?” he asked me.

Every single one of our fighters growled at the threat against my parents, myself included.

“You would be wise not to threaten them when surrounded by their family and clan,” I said, and started forward. “I will remove your curse, if you agree to release my parents.”

“I am a man of my word,” he said.

That was a lie that I didn’t even need to feel or smell to know.

“I will come forward to remove the curse,” I said. “I must be near you to do it. Plus, I want to confirm the two in the cart are actually my parents and not a trick.”

He waved at me like a bored king. “Come. Let’s get this over with.”

I looked at Jol, but he was focused on Grandpa Nico. Why wouldn’t he even look at me?

It was likely because he realized that Grandpa Nico was the larger threat, which both irritated and made sense to me.

As I approached the cart, I realized there was another person inside, laying on their back … Talrinir. She was unconscious and I worried dead, but I couldn’t run to check on her.

“Dad?” I asked both mentally and aloud.

“It’s me and your mother,” he responded mentally and aloud as well.

Our mental connection wasn’t very strong, but since I was part of the hybrids, it did exist.

Mom looked towards me and nodded once to let me know she was okay, even though they had a gag in her mouth. It made sense, since she was part siren. But, so was Dad, or did they not know that?

“The woman in the cart?”I asked mentally to Dad.

“Alive, but sedated.”

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