by Patti Larsen
Ah, family love. Wonderful, wasn't it?
Grandmother's power tightened around me like a blanket, bringing goose bumps to the surface of my flesh. “Sydlynn,” Grandmother said, “I rename you Sydlynhamitra.”
More gasps, wide eyes, shaking of heads. I was sure Sass or Dad would explain why when this charade was over even as Grandmother's power leeched inside me. My demon struggled suddenly, bound, though the amber fire could do nothing against Shaylee and the vampire, nor the other four elements I controlled. I felt them push Grandmother back. She retreated to only my demon who finally relented, though in that moment I was well aware if Ahbi Sanghamitra wanted to push me, it was likely I'd be a crushed smear on the floor.
Grandmother's lips curled into a partial smile, her massive presence hovering over me.
“Well met, Sydlynhamitra,” she said. “For your strength and the purity of your power, I declare you a Princess of the Second Plane.”
***
Chapter Ten
I knew I was in trouble the moment the words left her mouth. The stunned silence meeting most of the afternoon's revelations so far was shattered by a chorus of protests, both from my father's now agitated and angry family, and from Dad and Sassafras.
My demon cat leaped free of Grandmother's lap only to spin and glare at her. “Preposterous,” he said. “You can't assign her so high a position.”
Grandmother's eyes tightened just a little bit, but her voice carried the weight of her power. “I can,” she said, voice a rumble of thunder, “and I have.”
That quieted the masses, but Sassy simply sank to the ground with his ears flat back, a soft growl emerging from him. “She is untried,” he said even as Dad, his face now showing just how angry he was, put himself between me and Grandmother.
“What have you done, Mother?” His body shook slightly as his anger rippled from him in waves. “What is the meaning of this?”
I slipped around him, refusing to be cut out of the conversation even as Grandmother fixed my father with her cold amber eyes. But this time it wasn't she who spoke.
“You again question Ruler.” Vandelarius's voice made me want to punch something. Preferably his ugly face. “An unseemly habit, Prince Haralthazar. And a dangerous one.”
Dad ignored him. “Surely you're aware what this game means for my daughters?”
Grandmother finally showed real emotion, a storm of feelings flickering over her face, including so much frustration I thought Dad might burn up right then and there. “Had you brought your daughters to me as they developed, they would have had time to grow accustomed to their station. As it is, you've left us with no choice. None, Haralthazar.” One pointed talon of a fingernail jabbed at him. “This is on your shoulders.” Her gaze settled on me as her mask returned. “They are what they are, experienced or not. Now it is up to them to keep what they've been given.”
Um, what? I really, really didn't like the sound of that.
Dad didn't back down right away, still rigid with anger, glaring at his mother.
“Is it time, my son?” Grandmother's smile was almost welcoming. “Have you decided to finally take your proper place at my side?”
Vandelarius did not look happy. In fact, his face turned so red I thought he might bust a major artery. But he remained silent, though the hate-filled stare he focused on Dad worried me.
Hey, wait a second. Proper place? At her side?
Dad was supposed to be in the throne next to her?
Worry about the whole status thing, a problem or not, faded at the thought of Dad as Second Seat. What would that mean for us, for our family? And if he was meant to rule, what happened to put his brother-in-law on the throne instead?
Dad backed up a step, breathing steady, calm returning, though I knew him well enough to see it was all a show. “I bow to your wisdom and leadership, Ruler,” he said in a voice dripping sugary sweetness even as his hands tightened into fists at his side. Clearly, Dad wasn't all that great at the whole politics thing.
“You are dismissed.” Grandmother surged to her feet. “Until dinner.”
Everyone bowed. It was just as hard the second time. I hated feeling subordinate and being forced to show it. Made me stabby.
Pagomaris hurried to us as Grandmother, Vandelarius trailing behind her with a million or so courtiers and flunkies following, strode off further across the mountain peak while our guide ushered us back toward the elevator.
The ride down was no less puke inspiring, though we only descended one level before getting off again. Pagomaris stood aside as Dad swept open the doors to a large chamber filled with comfortable looking seating, the walls the same polished stone as the rest of the mountain, one side of it open to overlook the city.
I purposely avoided the view, wondering where my acute height issues had come from all of a sudden and tried to settle into a chair covered in some kind of red mottled leather, over stuffed and very soft. Only to rise again almost immediately and begin to pace while Dad softly spoke to a handful of demons. His servants maybe? Pagomaris just hovered as though we might need her.
Not.
I really wanted her to leave, if only so I could actually speak candidly with Dad and Sassafras. No way was I saying anything in front of her that could get back to Grandmother. I'd learned in a few short minutes before the thrones of the Seat, trust wasn't much of a way of life here and I wasn't about to play myself the fool.
Yup. Growing up. Sigh.
Theridialis hurried in, round body bouncing slightly as he brushed past Pagomaris and nodded to Dad who finished dismissing his people. He turned and noticed the aide, scowl firmly fixed.
“That will be all,” he said, voice harsher than I'm sure he meant.
“But, my Prince,” she said, almost babbled really, “I must ready the Lady and Princess for the banquet. Now I know their rankings, I can dress them accordingly.”
It seemed like that was the most important thing to Pagomaris. Which made me wonder if she really was a threat after all. Still, wasn't risking it.
“We're fine.” I stepped toward her, herding her to the door even as she spluttered and begged me with her pleading gaze. “Come back later.” Was it rude to slam the heavy portal in her face?
Yeah, I'd apologize later.
I turned back to the others with a scowl of my own, doing my best to cross my arms over my chest without exposing anything in my ridiculous getup. “Please,” I said, “tell me what's going on? Because as far as I can tell, being a Princess isn't such a bad thing.” I picked at the sleeve of my outfit. “Aside from the ugly clothes.”
Meira grinned at me and nodded, but the tension returned to her face so I knew she took this as seriously as I did.
Sassafras answered me, grunting his way up into the chair beside Meira, front paws on her leg. “This is very serious,” he said. “Your grandmother just put the two of you in a great deal of danger.”
What had every single person I told back home said to me? Oh yeah. Be careful. Like I had a choice in the matter. Looked like careful had its own meaning on Demonicon. “Okay,” I said. “Keep going.” Voice steady? Check. Heart suddenly doing back flips? Yup.
“You remember what I told you,” he said as Dad and Theridialis both took seats with heavy sighs and downcast expressions, “how I was banished and why?”
“You were fighting another demon,” I said. “Stripped him of his magic.” It was really all I remembered, shame on me, but it had been a pretty traumatic time and my memory wasn't the best. At least Sassy was nodding so I got that much right.
“I was fighting for status.” He paused, let what he'd said sink in.
Which it finally did. “Fighting?” I dropped my arms and approached, whole body suddenly wide-awake and listening with every single pore. Even the vampire inside me perked up.
Sassy nodded. “If one wants to rise in status, you must fight for it. Take the power of other demons—but only part of it. That was my final arrogance.”
He soun
ded so sad I reached out and scratched his cheek while my brain whirred and clicked and made connections. I met Dad's eyes with a surge of understanding.
“You weren't given a raise,” I said. “You had to fight for it.”
Dad sat back, looking tired. “I didn't want your mother to know,” he said. “But my return to Demonicon wasn't met with enthusiasm.” So much sarcasm. “In fact, the majority of the family was disappointed I wasn't dead. I understand there were bets paid, large sums that made the winners very unhappy.”
Oh. My. Swearword. What the hell kind of people were they?
“I hadn't fought in years, by choice,” Dad said. “But I wasn't given a choice. First I had to defend my place on the Seventh, but that wasn't good enough for Mother.” It was Dad's turn to leap to his feet and pace, hands clasped behind his back. “I spent the months after my return battling one family member after another until I reached Second Plane status.”
“And then, what?” I glanced at Sassafras who hummed softly in unhappiness. “They just stopped attacking you?”
Dad nodded. “Your grandmother had what she wanted. At least, the first part.”
Theridialis snorted softly, hands patting his wide belly. “Ahbi Sanghamitra will never have what she wants. That is, until you ascend the Second Seat.”
“I'm not so sure now.” Dad's look of concern when he focused on me made me shudder. “I fear she might have a new heir in mind.”
Why was he looking at me like that? “Um, what?”
Dad shook his head even as Sassafras spoke.
“There's more to this,” he said. “It's bad enough she made Syd a Second Plane Princess, but to grant her name, and not as a prefix... Ahbi hasn't given Syd a chance.”
“Explain.” I know it came out gruff, but I wasn't in the mood for half-truths or protecting me from what was going on.
It seemed for the first time in my life I was about to get the whole story up front without having to go hunting for it myself. Wonders never ceased. “You noticed she renamed Meira with a prefix.” Sassy head-butted my sister gently. “Hathenemeira is a mix of Haralthazar and Henemordonin, your father and grandfather.” Meira's hand stroked his fur as he met her eyes. “Both noble names she can be proud of.”
“But me?” I caught Dad's jaw grinding as he stared at the stone floor while Sassy turned to me.
“You she gave a suffix,” he said, “from her own name.”
“Got that part,” I said.
“Not quite,” he said. “By doing so she declared you her favorite. Which means it's now open season for any demon who wants to challenge you.”
“Wait, challenge me?” I'd known it was coming, I really had. But hearing it out loud, knowing now I'd have to fight, I was suddenly freaked out it was real.
“If you were to stay here with such status, with the name she gave you,” Theridialis's voice reached me from where he sat, shaking his head, kind face pale, “you would be forced to fight to keep it.”
“And fight and fight and fight.” Sassy's golden eyes locked onto me and held me still. “Until you beat them all or you were destroyed.”
Holy.
“Good thing I'm going home then, huh?” I met my sister's gaze, found her grim, but resolved.
“Will I have to fight, too?” She hugged the silver Persian.
“Only if you stay,” he said. “But yes. Both of you would be forced to defend what you've never earned in the first place.”
Part of me was a little stung by his words. I was pretty powerful after all. Who knew if I didn't deserve my station? But that part was pretty tiny while the rest of me wanted to hop into the veil right now and head for home, dinner or no dinner.
“You said grandfather?” Anything to distract me at this point. “Will we meet him at some point?”
No one said anything for a long moment and I wondered what I'd stumbled into. Finally, Dad broke the sad silence.
“I really should just send you two home right now.”
“You can't.” Sassy's sigh was so loud it snorted from his pushed-in nose. “She'll make things even worse for you, Harry. But once dinner is finished, the girls can go and you will have fulfilled your obligation.”
“Until the next time she pushes me.” Dad resumed his pacing. “I'm so tired of taking orders from her.”
Sassy and Theridialis both gasped. “You didn't mean that, my friend.” The portly scientist's eyes drifted around the room. Were we being observed somehow? Likely. And I could only imagine what Dad said was pretty much treason in such a tight-ass society.
“Dad,” I said. “Where do you stand in line for the Second Seat?”
“I'm second heir,” he said. “His son, Cypherion, is next in line. If something happens to Vandelarius, he takes his father’s seat and I’m made heir.”
“Okay then.” I hesitated before asking him my next question. “And where am I?”
Dad's eyes were sad, but he didn't pull his punch. “You're right behind me,” he said.
Well, well. I really had to ask, didn't I?
The door swung open while we all absorbed the gloom of the room. Pagomaris peeked in, a desperate smile on her face.
“I really have to have the Lady and the Princess,” she said.
I didn't have the strength to argue.
***
Chapter Eleven
I had Sassy in my head, linked to Meira, the entire time Pagomaris and her squad of beautifier demons ruthlessly tugged and stuffed us into a new set of clothing.
You'll both be fine, he sent. There shouldn't be opportunity for a fight at this point, as long as you are in the banquet. Don't accept any offers to wander off and don't agitate anyone. He sighed. I know that's a lot to ask of you, Sydlynn, but I'd like to deliver you to your mother in one piece.
I scowled as Meira giggled. So you don't think anyone will step up? That was a big relief.
Not during the banquet, he sent. As long as you don't push it, it's kind of frowned on.
Good to know. I felt my shoulders unknotting as Pagomaris firmly gripped my head and stogged it into some kind of fur hat. I felt immediately itchy and wished I could get away with swatting her.
For all I knew, she'd like it.
Now, my demon cat went on as if I weren't being turned into some kind of overly feminized Sasquatch, if you are challenged, accept right away. No hesitation, no fear. So be prepared just in case.
And my tension was back. Lovely.
Strike first. Meira sounded more than a little bloodthirsty, though I supposed her attitude was a good thing under the circumstances.
Exactly. His thick, silver tail thrashed once. Nice outfit, by the way.
I glared at him. Shut it, smartass cat.
If Meira's fur-clad legs, arms, head and shoulders were any indication of what I was wearing, I'd had enough.
I spun with a snarl on Pagomaris, jerking the fur hat from my head and throwing it on the floor. “I want clothes,” I snapped. “Not a costume. Now.” Offending body coverings followed the hat, now a pile of crumped white fur on the polished stone while Meira followed suit with a wicked grin on her face.
Pagomaris gripped her cheeks in both hands, aghast. “Your Highness!”
“I mean it.” I shivered a little in the barely-there underwear she'd forced me to don, though at least I'd been allowed to change behind the screen her little people seemed to carry around with them everywhere. “Normal. Or as normal as you've got.”
Sassy's laughter in my head almost made me snap.
As I was saying, he went on as Pagomaris nearly wept, clapping her hands at her servants, sending them scurrying for something suitable to my taste, your opposition won't expect you to be ready since neither of you has experience.
I beg to differ, I shot back. I've been in lots of fights. That helped me feel a little better. I'd been through a hell of a lot and managed to survive. Surely I could handle a demon or two considering the firepower I had at my disposal.
I remind you,
Sass sent, stern and almost harsh, no use of other powers. Only demon. Unless you want to be put to death?
Oh crap. Gotcha.
Slash attack, Sassy sent. Take out their shields first then work from the bottom up. Most don't expect you to attack their foundation right away. They'll be going for your core, so duck and take out the feet.
You did this a lot. Meira's eyes lit up at the sight of the new clothes coming our way. I looked them over as Pagomaris held up what looked like a one-piece red pantsuit. Yes, it had some kind of crystals stuck all over it, but at least it seemed I could move in it. I sighed and nodded to her, bringing a smile back to the aide's face.
I did, Sassy sent. But remember, I was a champion. It's likely my methods have been studied and incorporated into current fighting techniques.
I wanted to chastise him for his arrogance, except I knew he was right.
Damn it.
That means you really can't help us? I winced as Pagomaris and her horde of helpers slid me into the suit. It hadn't looked skin-tight when she held it up originally. Though it covered my whole body, there was not a thing left to the imagination. Seriously?
I didn't say that, Sassy sent. There are no rules against having power support if you can convince another demon to help, but it never happens. Surprising? Not. I'm closely connected to both of you, enough I should be able to guide you if things go wrong. Oh yes, this outfit is so much better.
Maybe I did want the fur back after all. But when Pagomaris lifted a further piece of clothing from the hands of her servant, I changed my mind. The poncho-like shape was so sheer it seemed to ripple as though alive, crusted with its own wealth of jewels along the hem and neckline. It shuddered its way over my head, falling to my feet, tickling my toes. The sleeves brushed my fingertips and, for the first time, I actually smiled back at Pagomaris with genuine happiness.