Page 8 of The Demon King's Destiny

Chapter 2

Evelyn, Age 18

“Again,” King Edward commanded.

Evelyn exhaled harshly. Her father was taking his daughters’ training far too seriously. What, exactly, did he think was going to happen where they would need to use their powers in such a way? It was always better safe than sorry, but still.

“There are only two left, Father,” she pointed towards the straw targets across the courtyard, eight of which were either riddled with precisely-made burn holes, missing their heads, or blown to smithereens.

“I’ll have more made.”

Evelyn squeezed her eyes shut to stop herself from rolling them. They’d spent the entire morning fighting hand-to-hand with Nora.Her trainingwas their father’s primary focus these days.

The youngest sister’s hands or a physical weapon were her only defenses because of her lack of magic.Admittedly, Nora hadbecome quite proficientand the payoff was evident.

Edward had recently decided all three of his children should sharpen their skills. So, this morning, Eden and Evelyn were forced to join Nora. He’d sent them out behind the barn where many of his men trained.

After getting tossed on her backside one too many times, Evelyn chose to cheat and sent a current of air to distract her opponent. Unfortunately, her opponent happened to be Eden, the one least likely to appreciate Evelyn’s humor.

The oldest didn’t think having her own hair attack her face was as funny as Evelyn thought it was. Eden retaliated by singeing off one of Evelyn’s eyebrows. Eden grew even more frustrated when Evelyn only laughed in response.

Their father’s men had watched in amusement. Edward simply made them start over, muttering under his breath about the Goddess giving him such ill-behaved daughters. His eyes were alit with merriment, betraying his true feelings on the matter.

Hours later, however, he was no longer amused. Evelyn thought he might be a little disturbed by hisoffspring’s show of aggression.

“Eden, this time aim for the heart,” Edward ordered.

“As you wish, Father.”

As the oldest, Eden was the most serious of the three. Yet even she had grown tired of today’s training and started burning holes in the targets where no male would want to be burned.

The guards stopped laughing. Evelyn, however, could hardly stop snickering over the glorious attack. She was liking Eden more and more with each round.

Evelyn watched Eden blast the straw man from fifty yards away with a smooth and meticulously created beam of fire. She cut out a heart-shaped hole, nearly perfect in symmetry.Impressive, Evelyn thought.

Before Edward could give the next order, an arrow shot through the shape Eden had made. Evelyn clapped at Nora’s perfect shot.

“Well done, Nora!” she praised.

Nora took a dramatic bow then turned to her father and asked, “If I remove the last one’s head, may we end this for today? I’m exhausted.”

“Nora, why do you continuously insist on decapitating the targets?” Edward sighed.

“I—”

“It was rhetorical,” he said without feeling. “Let’s end here for today. Don’t think any of you are off the hook.”

“I’m not leaving Gwydion for another four years, Father. I think we have time.”

Edward patted Nora on the shoulder. “We always believe there is time, daughter. Sometimes things come at you that you never saw coming, and you wish you had been better prepared. Trust me in this.”

Nora’s face dropped and she nodded. Evelyn felt a pang, knowing her father was referring to their mother’s murder. Nora was the only one who didn’t know it wasn’t childbirth that had killed Queen Elora.

An ancient brotherhood, Sephtis Kenelm, had banded together to ensure a balance of power was maintained across Imperium. No single kingdom could be more powerful than the others. Elora was the most powerful elemental to ever live—and she paid for her natural talents with her life.

Their father, along with King Kellan, whose own father had lost his life to the group’s misguided mission, had long ago hunted them down and avengedhisqueen’s death.

Evelyn didn’t agree with his keeping the truth from Nora. She hoped someday, he would see Nora’s inner strength and tell her the truth.

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