They reappeared in the center of Jasper's father's office. The transition was a sensory assault; Daniela's body felt as if it were being stretched and torn apart by invisible hands. Her stomach turned violently, but she forced herself to remain upright, fighting the bone-deep strain that begged her to succumb to the darkness.
Hermes was already there, pacing the floor, his stringy black hair clinging to his balding, sweat-slicked scalp. When he saw King Michael, he dropped into a deep, trembling bow.
"Your Grace," Hermes stammered, his eyes darting toward the heavy oak doors where raised voices and the clatter of steel could be heard. "The Supreme King's guards... they are becoming restless."
"Let them wait," Michael said in a chipper mood, a stark contrast to the irritation he had shown in the dunes. Hermes noticed the shift, his eyes widening slightly as he processed the King's sudden lightness.
The portal on the floor continued to glow, the runes pulsing with fading energy. Quickly, two maids rushed forward with brushes and solvent, erasing the runic marks to ensure no one from the High Heavens could see the evidence of their transit.
Daniela wobbled, feeling faint and queasy. Jasper's hand hovered just behind her waist, a protective arc that never quite made contact. He couldn't risk it; he knew the moment their skin touched, their powers would synchronize and explode in a visible wave of emerald and black, exposing their secret to the entire wing. He remained a silent, hovering guardian.
King Michael gave a sharp nod of approval before walking toward the entryway. With a flick of his wrist, his guards moved aside.
The doors swung open. Patrick stood there with a dozen guards, looking angry and itching for a fight. His blood-red eyes scanned the room, hoping he wouldn't be forced to start a bloodbath.
"The King's patience has run its course," Patrick boomed, his voice echoing off the stone. "Where is the Prince and Princess?"
Jasper and Daniela stepped into view.
"In a castle full of royalty," Jasper provoked, his tone cool and sharp, "you'll have to be more specific."
Patrick stiffened. His eyes raked over the pair, and for a long moment, he simply stared. They looked altered. Jasper wore unusual robes of deep navy and orange—a garb that was jarringly odd compared to the tailored suits typically worn by the men of the court.
But it was Daniela who truly forced Patrick to re-evaluate his reality. Her dress was a scandalous, sheer-like material that looked moments away from falling apart, riddled with holes and short enough to show her knees. Her evolution was staggering. She had arrived at the castle a frail girl, transitioned into a haunting siren, and now she stood before him a warrior. The change was so rapid it felt impossible to coincide with the girl he had seen only days ago. Her dark green hair, which had reached the middle of her back when she left, now swayed in wild, heavy waves past her bum.
Jasper, too, was different. There was a new, predatory possessiveness in the way he stood over her—a lethal stillness that radiated a warning.
"I will inform the Supreme King that you have returned," Patrick said, his voice straining for neutrality. He gestured to his men, who split into two ranks. "They will escort the Princess to her quarters so she may correct her appearance."
Jasper didn't acknowledge the command. With his hand still hovering around Daniela's waist, he began to walk. Without needing to be told, Daniela moved with him. They were in perfect, silent sync, her body reacting to his lead in a display of total synchronicity. Jasper guided her straight toward his own chambers in the West Wing, ignoring the protocols of separate quarters entirely.
"Hermes!" Jasper called.
The servant scrambled to keep pace. "I am at your service, Your Majesty!"
"Go. Prepare my bath and clothes for both of us," Jasper ordered.
"Yes, right away, Your Highness!"
As they crested the steps to the West Wing, Daniela's eyes narrowed on a shadow lingering in the corner—Deacon. The spineless coward was spying from the dark. Jasper didn't give him a glance. He pushed open his bedroom door, ushering Daniela inside.
In the center of the room, a large tub steamed. Maids stood ready to assist, but the sight of them near Daniela triggered a spike of irritation in Jasper.
"Out!" he commanded. The room cleared instantly. Jasper watched them go, his chest tight. He hoped this was just an issue of re-acclimating to the world, but he knew this visceral need to keep her shielded and separate was a problem—a dangerous issue he wasn't sure he could control.
In the Great Hall, the sovereigns sat in silence. Patrick entered and moved quickly to the King's side. "Crown Prince Jasper and Princess Daniela are in the castle. They are freshening up and will be here shortly," he whispered. Elderon nodded, a small, triumphant smile playing on his lips.
Across the table, King Michael re-entered the hall and took his seat next to Dahlia, giving her a subtle nod. At the other end, the princes were huddled.
"They are back," Deacon hissed lowly to the other princes. "And I don't think they were in the dark realm!"
Miguel cut a large chunk of meat before placing it in his mouth. "Only a fool would believe they were," he muttered, looking at Deacon with disgust.
"Where else could they go? Humans cannot survive in the demon realm," Linden said, giving Miguel a withering look.
Miguel hadn't told them how he had used his power on Daniela, or how Jasper's abilities had blown him straight through the castle walls. He knew Jasper's power was phenomenal, and he would bet anything that if there was a way to survive the demon realm for humans, Jasper would know it.
Prince Eric clawed at the armrest of his chair, a silent fury breathing under his skin. He didn't care where they had been. He only knew that if Daniela didn't choose him, he would reveal the secret of her power and let the world pick her apart.
Then, the heavy doors groaned open.
Jasper and Daniela entered with a quiet, lethal grace. They did not stop to bow at the threshold. Instead, they walked the full length of the hall in a heavy, pregnant silence.
Daniela was radiant in a black gown, the bodice covered in green beading. She wore the black choker she had adorned before her departure; each gem hummed with Jasper's power. Her long hair had been artfully curled and swept into a high bun, with pieces left to fall around her face. Jasper was dressed in a sharp black suit, an emerald brooch on his lapel. His hair had been trimmed back to just beneath his ears.
Only once they reached their seats did they offer a measured bow to the Supreme King and the other sovereigns. Jasper pulled out Daniela's chair himself before her maids could touch it.
King Elderon waited for a sign of submission from Daniela. When none came, his voice boomed. "In the evening, the Princesses will journey to fight the trolls. Your mission is simple: kill them. There should be no more than six."
"At this moment," Queen Aurelia added, "every princess is required to participate. Being chosen changes nothing."
"How long is the journey?" Daniela's sultry voice drifted through the hall.
"The trip will take five days, Princess," Patrick answered.
"Will we be assisted by guards?"
"There will be a group of Sentinels. Each princess will have a vanguard of fifteen men."
Daniela leaned back, calculating. Fifteen men per princess was a significant force. While Fox looked on in desperation and Bella bowed her head in a silent prayer for mercy, Ashley looked at Daniela with a new kind of focus. She had seen the change. Daniela was a force now, and Ashley knew exactly who she was going to follow.