I raised my eyebrows. “I am happy.” It was difficult to meet his shrewd gaze. Did he know my mind was failing?
“I can protect you if you let me.”
I blushed, and he angled his head as if he found mecharming.
Wrong. This is wrong.
I pushed the voice away. Just because I was having a few issues with my memory didn’t mean I had to ruin my relationships.
My chest tightened as I glanced back over my shoulder. The door waited for me.
I couldn’t explain it–would sound insane if I tried–but seeing that door made dread walk icy fingers down my spine. Was this another example of my mind being impacted by my injury? If so, I needed to conquer it so I could serve as grandfather’s ambassador.
I suddenly had an inescapable feeling of…loss.It tore through me, incinerating my lungs until I couldn’t breathe. It took everything in me to smile up at Pischiel.
I had to get through that door.
3
DANICA
Iknew I was dreaming. That was my first clue that something was wrong.
The second? The dream had a strange, realistic edge to it. Even surrounded in white mist, I was too aware, tooengaged,for this to be just a normal dream.
“Little witch.”
I jumped about a mile in the air as a demon appeared out of the mists. He was tall—so tall he towered over me. And he was built like he could throw several of my grandfather’s guards across the room—at the same time. His wings gleamed, and something about them made my hands itch.
But it was his silver eyes that stood out—even in a face that seemed as if it had been carved by the gods themselves. They almostglowed, and they looked at me with what appeared to be pure, unfiltered love.
I almost tripped over my heavy skirts as I backed away from him. Grandfather had warned me about people who dream walked. If you engaged with them, they could take your soul.
His expression tightened. “Danica?”
“How do you know my name?” A stupid question. Most demons knew of the underprincess.
Shock warred with grief and his hands fisted, as if he was barely holding himself back from reaching for me. He froze. And then an expression of such devastation twisted his features that my chest ached. He looked as if I were breaking his heart.
No, this is one of their tricks.
I’d also been warned about our enemies–and the lies they would tell in a bid to take my grandfather’s throne.
The throne that could one day be mine. As long as I could prove I was worthy of it.
“Release me from this dream!”
The blood slowly drained from his face. It hurt me, for reasons I couldn’t describe, to see this demon look… shell-shocked. But his jaw clenched, those lush lips firmed, and his brows lowered.
“What did they do to you?”
“I’m unsure what you’re referring to.” When in doubt, it was always a good idea to use my haughtiest court voice.
“Little witch–” He took a step toward me, and I backed up again. He froze. “You don’t need to be frightened of me. I’d never hurt you.”
“I’m not frightened. And I’m not a witch. I don’t know who you think I am–”
“I think you’re my bondmate. And somehow they got to you.” His laugh was hollow. “Everything Lucifer has done and somehow, I never expectedthis.”
