Ritual Magic by Selena D. Hunter Read Free Book Online Page A

happen?
    "Well, it's pretty simple, actually." She
paused to roll her lips between her teeth before continuing. "If we
don't get my other fathers to agree to the conception spell, there
will be a ripple in time that will affect the kingdom. Without the
combination of all five individuals, there will be an
imbalance of power and the kingdom will fall."
    "Fall?" Solomon's voice was sharp. "That's
not possible! Who would be strong enough or even insane enough to
try to take control of the kingdom?" His voice was incredulous and
he shook his head fiercely from side to side.
    "The shadow demons. If I am not conceived,
if I am not born, mother will be killed and all will be lost." Cora
almost sounded like she was whispering and her voice floated above
the room like a mist. We all simply listened to the cascade of
emotion as if it were the echo of falling tears.
    Solomon's hold on me tightened as he drew me
into his strength, making it clear that he would never leave my
side if it were his choice. My heart pounded in my ears and my mind
registered the beat of Solomon's speeding heart against my
shoulders.
    "She dies?" His voice shook as he asked the
painful question.
    Cora nodded at me as if I were the one
asking, our eyes making contact before I realized what she was
doing.
    Mother, I'm sorry , Cora's thoughts
touched my mind and I released a quick breath through my mouth
before anyone else caught the action. Cora's eyes were full of pain
and concern, but I nodded at her without replying. She knew what I
would have said anyway. It's okay. We will do what we
can.
    My head swirled with thoughts that would
have best been left alone. I die. I actually die. How could that
happen? By the hand of a shadow demon? Who were these demons? I
had just come into contact with my very first three demons, but now
they held my morbid future in the palm of their hands, or better
yet, at the tips of their wicked claws.
    The horrid black eyes flooded my memory as I
fought to keep my eyes from closing. My active mind wanted to
recall their wicked faces, their frightening bodies and razor sharp
claws. I wanted to hide from the future, but my mind kept dredging
up clear images in my mind's eye of my future killers. I had to
fight the desire to whimper as the images of the shadow demons
cascaded through my mind, but I couldn't show weakness in front of
anyone in this room. I doubted that they would be able to handle
the queen of the realm showing that kind of weakness.
    I just nodded at Cora to continue, like I
was simply accepting my fate.
    "But I'm the answer, Dad. I'm the key." Cora
said the words with conviction. "I am the ultimate bodyguard for
Mother. I am her sword, her killing blow. I am the one that saves
her life and allows her to save the kingdom."
    Silence reigned and we all avoided making
any kind of movement or eye contact.
    "And how is that, Cora? Where am I during
all of this? I would never allow anything or anyone to get close to
the queen, much less harm her. Why am I not the one that saves
her?" Solomon shook with what could have been anger but, judging
from his words, it was fear.
    "You aren't there, Dad." Cora shook her head
as her eyes pleaded with Solomon's intense stare. "You have to
believe me when I say that I am not at liberty to share any more
information."
    She nodded as she straightened and pushed
off of the couch again to begin pacing the room. She stopped short
of the coffee table and assumed her father's military stance. "I am
her protector, her blade, her fist of power and strength. I am a
weapon honed by my fathers, designed to protect and serve the
queen. And that is what I do—protect and serve. It is my destiny,
and you will be my guides, my mentors. You four will be everything
to me as well as my honing stones." Her chin lifted slightly as she
squared her shoulders and spoke, "I am a force to be reckoned with,
just like my mother. I have power flowing through me and I am a
weapon of unparalleled strength, unmatched by