“Some believed that the three of them were foretold in aprophecy that claimed they would vanquish this dark power. Oh, how wrong they were.” Nana’s voice caught. She looked down at the table before meeting my eyes with an expression I’d never seen before—regret mixed with resolve.
“My people—ourpeople—have access to a power called channels. And the ancient foe wanted it. Eons ago, our people created a Veil over the kingdom to shield us from his eyes. But the Veil has been failing.” She reached across the table and squeezed my arm. “I know I’m not making this very clear.”
Correct, Nana.This was clear as mud.
Griffin spoke, in his deep voice. “There is a need for you to return. A need for the princess of Serentyn.”
“A princess.” My voice was flat as I swung my gaze to Nana. “You’re telling me I’m a fucking princess?”
Nana just nodded as he said, “That is correct,” in a maddeningly calm manner.
“And I’m supposed to… what? Pack up my entire life and embrace my princess destiny because some strange man in fine clothes with swords shows up at my doorstep and tells me so?”
He blinked lashes that were surprisingly long and dark for someone whose hair was so light, and glanced down at his clothes. As he raised his head, something flickered in the depths of those hazel eyes. “It’s as you said. It is your destiny.”
What the hell did he know about my destiny?
“More than you do,” he replied evenly.
I guess I had said that part out loud.
“So tell me, strange man in fine clothes with swords, what is my destiny?”
He hesitated, not long, but I saw it. “There are some,” he began slowly, “who believe the lost princess is the one who will save us all.”
I stood abruptly, and he stopped talking, but I didn’t acknowledge the concerned look he gave me. Because what did you do when you found out your whole life was a lie while the mud on your shirt stiffened and flaked onto the floor? You changedyour clothes.
I certainly couldn’t change anything else during this talk of destiny. I didn’t even know if I believed in fate, and now I was being told I was some prophesied savior and a princess to boot. What other lies were I about to learn?
I ducked into my bedroom and hurriedly stripped off my ruined clothes and boots before changing into a clean shirt and pants. Lacing a vest quickly over the shirt, I pulled on my spare pair of boots. There was no time to deal with my hair.
Taking a deep breath to restore some order to my reeling thoughts, I walked back out to the kitchen, where I leaned against a counter. Too much energy was coursing through my veins to do something as mundane as sitting.
“Explain. More.” My tone was harsh, and I didn’t care.
“You are the princess of Serentyn, prophesied to defeat the darkness and restore balance to the world,” he said evenly.
Right. That’sanexplanation.
“Princess.” The word came out flat. “Like something out of a fairy tale with a kingdom and a castle and everything?”
“Yes.”
“And who are you exactly? Some sort of knight?” I demanded of Griffin.
“Actually, your Champion.”
What. The. Fuck?
“Say I believe you,” I said in a tone that made it abundantly clear I didn’t. Except something in his words resonated with me. Something feltright. Like nothing in my life had before today. But I ignored that. “Say Iama princess.” I rounded on Nana. “That would make you…” I trailed off, unable to voice that thought.
“A queen?” she finished, with her eyebrows raised. “That would be correct. Or former queen, I should say. Your mother held that title last.”
Too much. This was too much. I spun back to the window, staring unseeing at the landscape of fields and trees in front of me.
“Which makes you a princess. The only princess,”Griffin said.
“I’m not a princess!” I shouted.
