New Assignment, New Family
1646 Words
Charles gripped the armrest of his seat, his knuckles turning white with tension. His eyes were glued to the security camera footage, and he took in a deep breath that made Isa flinch beside him.
"Do you have any idea what you have done?"
"What? She attacked me first. You can clearly see that."
"I don't care who attacked who first. You are a member of the royal court and you are meant to act like one. You can't just go out and attack anyone."
"Are we still talking about the hybrid queen or someone else now?"
Charles narrowed his eyes at his daughter, his jaw set in frustration. Queen Taylor had approached him when news of the prince's death reached the council. She had warned him that there would be an investigation into who killed the prince and it would lead back to Isa. Charles wasn't sure if he was angrier about his daughter killing a member of the royal family or being manipulated by someone else once again. He wondered what promises the queen had made to Isa to make her play along so well. The thought even crossed his mind to have her act as his daughter within their own home.
"For years, we have been trying to reunite the hybrid kingdom with the council. And now you've gone and ruined it."
"Of course, this has something to do with that bloody council. Everything was much easier when there was a queen in power."
Isa met her father's gaze boldly, sensing his fear and anger radiating off of him. Her own magic crackled and hummed in response, causing the air in the study to feel tight and dry.
"You will be confined to our home. A death notice will be sent out. It seems only one of my daughters is capable of following orders. There will be no more outings, no use of magic, and no spilling of blood, do you understand?"
"Yes, father."
Their tense eye contact lingered for a moment before Isa's magic receded, allowing Charles to breathe again.
It had been ten years since that argument, and in those years, Isa had been stuck inside, stripped of her powers and constantly hungry. She floated three meters above the ground in her chamber, meditating as it was her only escape. Her magic may have been dormant, but it still rippled beneath the surface, causing chaos and destruction within the walls of their home. Without meditation, she would surely go on a killing spree.
"Your Highness."
Isa glanced down at her chambermaid with a frown. Everyone knew not to interrupt her while she meditated.
"What is it?"
"Your father wishes to see you, Your Highness."
With a sigh, Isa lowered herself back to the ground and followed the chambermaid into the house. It was rare for Charles to come home, preferring to work from outside while Isa was present. The last time they were alone together in this house, she had almost killed him. But now, his light magic was starting to lose its hold over her.
Isa pushed open the study door cautiously, unsure of what was about to happen. The last time she had stepped foot in this room, Charles had sent her away to Saint Patrick's. But despite his attempts to erase those memories from her mind, they were starting to resurface.
“You called for me?”
“I have an assignment for you, a rather significant one.”
“What’s the reason this time? Last time you gave me a major task, you said it was to keep me safe from danger at home.”
“I’m giving you this assignment so that I can finally live in my own home without fear.”
Isa frowned and slumped back into her chair. Charles gave her a small smile, causing her frown to deepen. He never smiled. He slid a file across the desk, perfectly landing on Isa’s lap. She looked up at her father one last time before grabbing the file. As she ran her fingers over the name written on top, she asked -
“Who is Brent Telfast?”
“One of my responsibilities involves managing soul intake in the demon kingdom. This boy has used a soul without authorization, and I need you to keep an eye on him by living with his family.”
“That's all? Do you remember what happened last time you sent me to be around a boy? Aren't you worried that will happen again?”
“You will be posing as his sister, so no, I am not concerned about that happening again.”
Isa grimaced and opened the file. He definitely wasn't her type, but now that she couldn't have him, she had an urge to sink her teeth into him. But no matter, she would be adopted into this family, which took all the fun out of the situation.
“Can't you ask Zuki to watch over the boy? He is the king of hell.”
“That boy has always been useless in helping the council.”
“Why do you hate him so much? He was supposed to be your son-in-law once upon a time.”
“That's precisely why I don't like him. Why would a god settle for someone like you?” “Just like how my mother fell for someone like you?”
Charles stared at Isa as she calmly continued reading the file in front of her. She was right, of course. Charles had no valid reason to hate Zuki except that he did, like any father-in-law would when a man takes away his little girl. He hadn't expected these emotions to hit him or for Isa to remember such a significant event in her life.
“So what's the plan?”
Charles cleared his throat, making Isa raise an eyebrow at him. She looked momentarily blank, as if her previous words had been erased from her memory.
“The family has requested adoption, and since I didn't want to create a new identity for you, you will become a part of their family. You will attend their academy, behave like a daughter should, and not get involved with anyone.”
Isa nodded and took the file with her as she floated downstairs. She stopped outside Jace's office. He looked up from his desk and motioned for her to come in. She flopped onto his bed and let out a sigh.
“Are you being sent away?”
“Yes.”
“Am I going with you?”
“No.”
“Do you know where you're going?”
“No.”
Isa was met with silence as Jace continued working on his paperwork. She didn't know why she bothered coming down here. Jace hadn't been the same since the incident in Rome. Somehow, he managed to keep his life and job intact. Isa wasn't sure if even Charles knew how much Jace was involved in everything.
“You should change your appearance. Robert knows about your death but we can never be sure these days.”
Isa nodded and made her way back to her sparsely furnished room. It was a daily routine for Charles to make sure she was out of sight before ever leaving the house. With an eye roll, she pulled the dresser away from the wall and reached into the small hole hidden behind it. She retrieved a worn picture frame, its photo taken almost two hundred years ago featuring a nine-year-old Robert. Isa had taken him in during one of her docile phases after a memory wipe, not considering the long-term consequences. Now, after all this time, they were finally catching up with her. But she wasn't prepared to resume that part of her life - if she ever would be.
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The third kingdom was mainly located in the rural areas of England, spanning across multiple cities. Despite being in the middle of summer, the sun was nowhere to be seen. The demons may have originated from hell, but they seemed to prefer inhabiting the gloomiest places on earth.
Right before their departure, Charles finally lifted the ban on Isa's powers and she could breathe normally again. While Charles had considered taking a plane, he didn't want to put the lives of others at risk. The thought of being stuck in a small metal box with just the two of them quickly dissuaded him.
Charles knocked twice on the imposing door in front of them, and it was opened by Mrs Telfast with a wide smile. She welcomed them into her home and they sat down at the dining table. After about an hour, Charles abruptly left without saying goodbye and took a stack of signed paperwork with him.
"Now, darling, what should we call you?"
"What do you mean?"
"King Charles mentioned that the orphanage didn't give you a name."
"I wouldn't exactly call it an orphanage; it felt more like a dungeon."
The smiles on Mr and Mrs Telfast's faces faltered slightly, causing Isa to frown. She wondered what her father had told this unsuspecting family.
"You can call me Rhea. I've always wanted to be called that. What did the high king tell you about me?"
"He said you were born into the first kingdom, abandoned when you were young and taken in by the royal orphanage. You were the oldest candidate. Unfortunately, Brent is almost twice your age."
"That's fine with me."
Just then, heavy footsteps interrupted the awkward conversation in the room. We heard a door slam before the footsteps came to a stop in front of us.
"Brent, this is your new sister, Rhea."
"It's nice to meet you."
Isa locked eyes with Brent and she felt her heart drop to the floor. She knew her father had orchestrated this on purpose.
"The pleasure is all mine."
- Writer
