Trusting the Devil

Chapter 7: Sage

"Be confident. Don't feed them your fear. Those people could eat their own families if they had the chance." Logan put his hands on either side of my face, steadying me for what would come.

"Then why the hell did you let her into their den?" Nina's anger sent a shiver down my spine.

Logan let go of my face and I turned to reply to my sister, but I answered before he could.

"It's fine, Nina. I need to start making a name for myself as the new Phoenix Princess. We need all the alliances we can get, even if Bemilis doesn't have a ruler now."

I turned to Logan and continued. "What am I supposed to talk about?"

He thought for a moment, looking past me to the chateau. "People need security and authority to not do whatever passes through their minds. Show them you'd stick with them until a new ruler steps up. Thomas and I don't like it, but neither of us can rule on Bemilis. A new bloodline will eventually rise. Until then, you need to make sure they believe that nothing is going to touch them until this happens and that you'll protect them as if they were your people."

I nodded, slowly digesting everything. A question burned my throat, afraid to be asked for what its answer might be. "How are they going to believe that I'm the Phoenix Princess?"

Logan's eye hardened and the redness shone brighter as he looked back at Thomas. They both shared a look and I recoiled, "No. Absolutely not."

"We have to, Sage." Thomas' tone was apologetic. As if it would excuse what they were asking me to do.

"No, Thomas. I won't hurt anyone to prove that I'm the Princess." My tone was final. I would not go through with it.

"Then, I suggest you control your powers fast. Tic Toc." He was messing with me. I could feel it, but his eyes showed the opposite.

"Brother," warned Logan while glaring at Thomas. "She doesn't need to control them. I would be glad if you died."

I gasped, "I'm going to attack you?" I gaped at Thomas as I looked between him and his brother.

Thomas laughed.

Straight up laughed.

That guy could never take anything seriously.

"How is this going to work? She already knows that she's getting a false attack." huffed Nina impatiently.

"That's because we have no choice but to tell her or else this whole kingdom would become barbecued." Nina shoved Thomas for his comment and looked expectantly at Logan."Well?"

"Thomas will be disguised and his smell will be masked for the other vampires' sense of smell is also developed. He will be playing the role of a rebel against his own Phoenix Princess and Sage is supposed to put him in his place."

"Define putting me in place," said Thomas, concern breaking through his comedic facade.

Logan turned back to me and smirked, "Well, whatever definition she makes out of it."

The palace was nicer than I had expected when I saw it outside. Everything was ornated with silver; from flower vases to sofas, to tables, even drinks, and the ceilings with pictures of what looked like a story about two lovers. Sofas were everywhere and people with what looked like alcohol mixed with blood were drinking and laughing. The chatter quickly died down as every single vampire took a sniff toward us. I never asked Logan what I smelled like compared to a normal vampire and decided it was best if I knew before the beginning of the speech.

I snaked my arm through Logan's and leaned into him while whispering, "What do I smell like?"

He seemed taken aback by my question, I read it in his slightly dilated eyes before he replied, "Like the sweetest human blood mixed with the sourness of a vampire hunter's and the coldness of a vampire's. You smell delicious, Sunshine." A shiver ran down my spine and Logan smiled before continuing, "Not only are they interested in this new creature that you are, but they are weary about your sister. Don't forget who your parents are, Sunshine. Both you and Nina are a threat: you by your mysterious scent–that they don't know belongs to a Phoenix Princess–and Nina by her huntress heritage."