Chapter 798: Ruler
The sparkling kneepads attached to my heavy leather pants caught the light of the triple suns overhead as I shifted for the millionth time, foot bobbing on the end of my crossed leg. Sassafras hissed at me. The bobbing stopped.
For the moment. The longer we sat here, the more agitated I felt. Didn't help it took Pagomaris an age and a half to dress me while Meira was being man-handled in her bedroom.
"Your demon form would be so much easier to dress, Your Highness." Hopefulness lit the aide's eyes as she smiled and scrunched her shoulders like talking to me as if I were a child would endear her.
"Not." I scowled at her. "Work with this or nothing." I gestured down at my human form.
And she sighed.
Gestured for her minions to come forward.
Left me to them as though I was no longer worth her effort, returning to my sister who grinned at me through the open door of her bedroom.
Argh.
I did concede to shifting my size, remembering how small I felt next to Meira when she was in demon form at the betrothal. But my skin remained softly pink, eyes blue, hornless and nails as clear as they'd ever been, not a hit of scaly blackness to them. Which meant the dressers were saved the trouble of altering the clothing on my body to fit my smaller size.
No way Meira was towering over me this time.
Platform boots presented themselves on the arm of a weakly smiling demon girl.
I stuck out one foot, just hoping I could remember how to walk in the damned things and not fall on my ass.
Magic, Meira sent, as though knowing exactly what I was thinking.
Splutter. Sorry?
Syd, she laughed in my head. Have you really learned nothing in all these years? Showed me an image of the two of us, her just a little girl, both robed in black.
Holding candles.
Mine leaking smoke into my eyes while hers formed a perfect plume.
She'd taken pity on me that night, so long ago. Showed me how to control the wisp back when I still refused to use my power.
And winked one amber eye at me. Always magic, she said.
Okay then.
I stood slowly, pushing down with my earth power, feeling Shaylee latch onto the ground beneath me.
Keeping me upright.
Allow me, my vampire sent, spirit power releasing some of my weight, making it easier to balance.
And me, my demon growled, her fire blazing around me a moment before forming a column of power supporting me in the air.
Hell yeah.
Meira laughed in my head.
And I couldn't help but laugh, too.
Magic. You betcha.
Sydlynn. Sassy's voice hissed in my head.
I stopped my knee from bobbing as I jerked my attention back to the throne room. Shouldn't this damned thing get going already?
Sass swatted my leg with his claws just as the gathered family fell silent.
I stood abruptly beside my sister as Dad strode down the aisle toward us.
Toward his throne.
Our grandfather walked behind him, looking angry. So did Dad, for that matter, face darker red than normal, power crackling outward. When he saw us, he faltered a step, then marched the rest of the way to our side.
His bride stood to the side, her elaborate gown, consisting of so many layers of fabric and fur and what looked like plate mail weighing her down as much as the four-foot tall headpiece her hair had been piled into, watched with bated breath from the sidelines, managing to dip a curtsy without falling over.
Even with magic, that took skill.
Personally, I wished she'd fall on her face and never get up.
Dad stomped past Meira and me, stopping at the top, spinning to face us all. I half turned, Meira too, breaking protocol as Dad's voice boomed through the whispers of the gathered court.
"I have served you as Ruler for only a short time," he said, hands clenched into fists as Henemordonin stared him down with a deathly glare from behind my sister. A glare so intense it drew my attention before I returned my eyes to Dad. "In that time, I have come to understand I am not the demon for this throne."
Um.
What?
"I am abdicating my Seat," he said. Gestured at Meira while our grandfather ground his teeth, his own face turning a brilliant shade of crimson, "in favor of my heir, Hathenemeira." She gaped up at him.
Dad.
What the-
Meira bowed to Dad, barely missing a beat while I continued to stare like he'd punched me in the stomach.
"I accept," she said in a clear and ringing voice.
Holy crap, she sent to me as Dad's tension eased.
I'm sorry, girls, he sent to both of us. Mostly for you, Meira. I never wanted this.
But I was made for it, Meems sent. Let it go, Dad. I'm ready.
Was she? I had no say in the matter. Not when Dad was already opening himself, the power of Demonicon surging above him as the court gasped and shrieked in shock.
It hovered a moment, a column of twisting amber fire, as Dad shuddered. Met Meira's waiting eyes.
"Senne Hathenemeira," he said. "I make you First Seat, Ruler of all Demonicon."
The power descended on my sister in a rush, hitting her with the sound of a barreling freight train, the very air cracking as the sound barrier snapped in half.
She didn't sway. Took it full in the chest, her eyes lighting with the flames of this plane as the power of Demonicon claimed her as its own.
Before anyone could react, the veil parted and, with a suctioning sound almost as loud as the boom just prior, Ahbi's essence pulled free of the veil. Smiled at Meira who spun to smile back at her. Turned her motherly happiness on Dad.
Brilliant, she sent.
Scowled at Henemordonin.
Idiot.
And flew at my sister.
Hit her as hard as the first power had.
This time Meira did sway, but only for an instant. And I'm sure no one besides Dad, Sass and our grandfather saw it, because we were so close to her.
When Meira's eyes snapped open, Ahbi shone behind her gaze. Only for a moment, but long enough.
My sister was in for a hell of a ride. But at least I knew she wasn't alone.
Meira tensed, power crackling over the uproar of the court as the massed family tried to protest, yelling and throwing magic around. She crushed them instantly, Ruler's force coming to bear as though she were born with it.
"Silence." She didn't have to roar. They listened instantly, suddenly trembling, quiet. "We will always be grateful for the service of Teris Haralthazar." How had I not known Dad had a second name added when he became Ruler? Way to pay attention and stuff, Syd. "And we name him Prince of the Second Plane." They gasped. "Though he will never again be asked to take the Seat."
Whether they liked it or not, Meira didn't seem to give a crap.
"Now," she said, voice louder, backed by power, and I wondered how much of this moment was courtesy of Ahbi, "bow before your Ruler."
And they did, to a demon.
All but Dad's bride. No one could blame her, not even my sister, when the sobbing Zinniaperimote bobbed a fast curtsey before running from the room, her massive train thudding and banging along behind her.
I locked eyes with my grandfather and grinned.
"Good luck with the two of them," I said.
And laughed in his face.
***
