I

  did not go to see Laric leave for the final time, father had forbade

  him from returning to the castle as his final act of disapproval. In

  the end, we all knew that it was not really his desire to rid himself

  of Laric's actions that drove him to allow the marriage to proceed,

  but to avoid starting a conflict with the succubi kingdom. Forcing

  father's hand had been Laric's intention and the consequence of

  banishment was to be expected.

  Tying

  the final fastener on my training outfit, I pulled a brush through my

  hair and peered at myself in the mirror. I had been away for more

  almost a human season and I felt that I could see the subtle shift in

  my appearance towards a more demonic appearance. My features seemed

  just a little sharper, my eyes a touch more piercing, and the

  philtrum of my lips a bit fuller. The thought crossed my mind that

  perhaps if I had spent more time in the realm if I would have

  appeared less human. I used to lament the lack of demonic traits in

  my appearance, but I now I supposed it had worked out for the better.

  I was not oblivious to the fact that it had not only been my wit and

  cleverness that caught Toria's eye.

  Leisurely

  making my way to the training room, I kept my face relaxed and

  neutral despite the fact that I was planning complicated political

  moves in my head. The proverbial cat had been let out of the bag and

  it was only a matter of time before Laric alluded to something that

  might cast an eye my way. If I had been given a choice, my rebellious

  brother would not have made the list of options, but sometimes you

  must jump at opportunity when it presents itself.

  I

  had caught wind of Laric's impending nuptials through the idle gossip

  of the castle servants. In my time away from the realm the servants

  had become used to taking a rest outside of my room, just out of

  sight of the main corridor. During the late afternoons, several women

  would gather and talk about whatever petty thing they had heard that

  day. Seeing a potential opportunity for insight into the seedier

  workings of the kingdom, I made sure to surreptitiously enter the

  room prior to their normal break time and not leave until they were

  far down the hallway. A majority of their conversation seemed to be

  who was sleeping with whom and how tired they were, but it was not

  long for Laric's name to come up in their idle chatter.

  My

  brother was quiet famous among the female help, especially the young

  and beautiful. It was not lost on me that a lot of the servants found

  him attractive and his desire to overthrow the line of succession

  probably also appealed to the fantasies of insurrection and toppling

  of the status quo that commoners tended to entertain themselves with.

  Even the most gentle or iron-griped kingdoms had their mumbling

  masses, uncomfortable with the idea that they were not at the top of

  the hierarchy. His name had been brought up a few times followed by

  hushed giggles. I was mildly surprised to learn that there were a few

  active affairs between himself and some of the kitchen staff.

  Generally he deemed himself to be more important than everyone else,

  but I suppose that his base needs let him justify the affairs as a

  part of being a young monarch. He would be sorely mistaken if he

  thought such affairs would continue on once he ascended a throne, it

  would simply be too dangerous. It would be foolish to let someone

  into your bed who would be eager and willing to hold a knife to your

  throat for the promise of even a tiny fraction of power.

  Laric

  had proved himself to have loose lips with the women he bedded,

  making to them disingenuous promises for a better life if they came

  to his new kingdom when he sent for them, silly promises that make

  young girls continue with an affair even though they know their lover

  is betrothed. His words did not take long to make it to the gossipers

  lips, complete with even a timeline to the revelation to my father.

  It was simple enough to write a vague letter to meet with me alone

  and leave it beneath the crack in the door on my way to the meeting

  room. If it had been discovered, it would not have been hard to

  dismiss claims that I knew about his engagement under the pretense

  that had any of the siblings had such information they would have

  directly reported it to our father, all of us enjoyed seeing Laric

  get his just desserts.

  Once

  I had Laric alone and he had nothing left to lose in regards to our

  kingdom, it was simple enough to persuade him to my side. When I was

  younger, I used to find it frustrating that I would be continuously

  reminded that I was the only female sibling and would be more

  sheltered because of it, but I was quickly realizing that was a

  benefit. Laric had not seen it coming, granted he was not always the

  most observant person, but he was at least very cognizant of the

  ambitions for those in line to the throne. Perhaps if it had been one

  of the brothers plotting to take the throne, he would have noticed

  and worked to intercede.

  Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  “You?

  You, a half-born demon on the throne?”

  My

  gut reaction had been to unleash a scathing retort, but I remembered

  his fickle and delicate attitude in the moment and bit my tongue hard

  enough to figuratively draw blood.

  “Yes,”

  I answered, keeping my voice restrained, “regardless of what you

  might be inclined to say, I think we both know that of all the

  choices remaining, I am the superior.”

  He

  let out a smooth chuckle and turned towards me, a glint of humor in

  his eye.

  “Of

  the remaining choices,” he echoed, “now you're stooped so low to

  compliment me. Your new position has changed you sister, I have

  wondered what changes you must be going through for such an

  arrangement to work.”

  Laric

  gave me a mischievous gaze and a coy wink designed to make me

  flustered. Perhaps a commoner girl would lose herself in the

  innuendo, but I was not some scullery maid falling to pieces over the

  attention from a suave royal. I met his attempt with a stern look and

  a huff of annoyance.

  “Be

  serious now,” I commanded, “since you are out of the hierarchy,

  would you support my rise to the throne?”

  Laric

  donned a half-smile and began to pace in front of me, head to the

  floor, seeming to study the cracks in the stone. His silence drew out

  longer than just a dramatic pause, drawing forth a pit of doubt in my

  stomach. Would he be petty for years of ribbing and dismissal of his

  dreams of being king?

  “You

  know I could expose your plot right now and reap the rewards?” he

  said with a smirk.

  “That

  wouldn't get you much,” I retorted with a roll of my eyes, “there

  is almost nothing you could do at this point that might redeem you in

  this family. You have burned too many bridges.”

  “Almost

  anything,” he echoed, “except be owed a favor for helping you

  ascend.”

  “Yes,

  if we must be so overt to need to say it aloud, that is the gist of

  what I'm offering.”

  My

  brother stopped his pacing and looked back up at me, a smile on his

  face.

  “I

  accept,” he said simply, extending his hand for a handshake to seal

  the deal.

  I

  kept my arms at my sides, not acknowledging his gesture. I did not

  want to give him any reason to think that I might believe us to be

  getting an equal deal. While having his assistance would be helpful,

  ultimately I felt confident I could succeed on my own. He was the one

  being offered an invaluable chance to have some sort of power he

  otherwise would have alienated himself from.

  “I

  hope you understand that I will not bow down to you as an equal in

  this kingdom,” I stated.

  Laric's

  smile faltered for a fraction of a second before he let out a low

  chuckle.

  “I

  should have expected as such from you. You are certainly more cunning

  and calculating than our brother,” he said and lowered his hand.

  “Father is in for a shock when you make your moves.”

  I

  tilted my head in a gesture of agreement and cast a glance towards

  the door to the room.

  “It

  is best we keep this brief,” I stated.

  “Of

  course,” Laric agreed, “I should complete my packing and make my

  preparations to leave. I will await your correspondence.”

  The

  training room was empty, even at the early morning hour that was

  unusual. I had never beat Feros to the room, I wasn't sure whatever

  creature was beneath the layers of glamour even slept.

  A

  sudden cackle of laughter erupted to my left and though I distinctly

  heard the direction clearly, there was nothing there besides the

  various shields that hung on the wall. I opened up my magical conduit

  and probed the area. It was hard to detect, but approximately a foot

  away from the wall I found a solid magical field approximately the

  size of Feros. My heart sunk as the immediate implications propagated

  in my mind.

  “Yes,”

  Feros' voice rang out, tinted with glee, “exactly what you are

  thinking.”

  I

  should have known when he was no where to be found that he was up to

  something. I had let myself become too cocky and certain with my

  actions. I hadn't done the necessary sweep of the room.

  “Now

  you may be wondering just how much I know.”

  Slowly

  the trainer began to materialize, leaning back against the wall in a

  pose much like a parent catching a child from sneaking out at night.

  There was a wide grin on his face reminiscent of a cat who had

  cornered a mouse.

  “The

  answer is: much more than you'd perhaps be comfortable with.”

  “What

  do you plan to do with the information?” I questioned.

  “Oh

  my dear, you know I favor you on the throne,” he said, “you, out

  of anyone else in this kingdom, can trust me.”

  He

  wasn't wrong, he had been a confidant to many in the royal family,

  but he was partial to me. After all, he had been the one to encourage

  the seed of rebellion to grow within me. Still, I did not like the

  idea of anyone being able to so easily track my moves and eavesdrop

  on my meetings.

  “Monarchs

  live longer when they trust no one,” I claimed.

  “Now

  that is a bit of wisdom beyond your years, my dear Mistra,” he said

  with a wide grin, “and I admit I am not without my own ambitions in

  this impending coup. I have a request or two that I hope you may

  entertain.”