The Crowned Destiny

Ch. 1 On The Eve of Destiny

Evangeline's POV

I pace my room, bracing for the impending clash with my father. Being a princess isn't all it's cracked up to be, especially with King Alister. Sure, I'm cloaked in luxury—fine clothes, gourmet meals, and hunky bodyguards—but it's a gilded cage. My father keeps me sheltered, forbidding me from conversing with anyone he hasn't vetted. People fear him; I, on the other hand, know him as a powerful demon.

Yet, behind his protective veneer, he's been both mother and father to me. Still, I yearn to break free for three reasons: to explore my future kingdom, unearth hidden aspects of myself, and seek justice for my mother's murder.

I remember the day I first questioned why I didn't have a mother. Aza, my closest friend and lady-in-waiting, innocently asked, sparking my quest for answers. My father, initially evasive, finally divulged the truth when I turned ten. It was a revelation that shattered my blissful ignorance

Memory

"Are you sure you want to know?" Father asked, his expression tinged with sorrow. I nodded eagerly, oblivious to the weight behind his hesitant gaze. Little did I realize, this tale would be far from the bedtime stories with their neat endings.

"When you were born, it was the happiest day of our lives. We knew immediately you were different. You had tiny wings folded tightly, devoid of the usual demon talons, and black horns that marked your heritage. I rejoiced that you turned out to be a demon, but then came a blinding light from you. When it faded, your glowing eyes and skin marked you as a demi-goddess—the first hybrid in history," Father explained, his gaze piercing to ensure I understood the gravity of his words.

"I didn't see the connection to Mom," I admitted, feeling a pang of regret for wanting to unearth the truth.

"Now, this part is less cheerful. Are you certain you want to hear it?" Father's voice wavered with emotion.

"Yes, because I still don't understand," I insisted, folding my arms in determination. Father nodded, steeling himself before continuing.

"We tried to keep your status a secret, fearing how people would react since your form manifested so early. Some celebrated your birth as a blessing, but others feared you. We attempted to quell the rumors, disguising you whenever we ventured out. One autumn day, we thought it safe to show you to the kingdom, hoping they'd see a normal baby beneath the swaddling. We were wrong," Father confessed, tears streaming down his face. I leaned into him, finding solace in his embrace.

"A few days later, while I was away attending to matters in the Woods, our castle was attacked by traitors—rebels who sought to exploit your uniqueness. Your mother, weakened from locking away your powers to protect you, sacrificed herself to save you. In her final moments, she sent you to me, and they took her from us," Father's voice dripped with bitterness and sorrow, his eyes gleaming with restrained anger.

"How could they take her from us?" I whispered, the weight of the revelation settling heavily on my young shoulders. "Aren't demi-goddesses hybrids? I learned in class that they're part human and part god or goddess. So, wouldn't that make me a mixture of all three?"

"We don't acknowledge the human part. It's inconsequential to our kind. Humans lack mates," Father responded with a dismissive tone, his disgust evident. Guilt twisted in my gut. My mother's fate, a consequence of my existence. The desire for vengeance burned fiercely within me.

"As if you don't know, but what have I told you about the formalities?" I quip, smirking at Aza as she shuts the door behind her, rolling her silver eyes.

"You know I have to play nice with those hunks guarding the door. Can't have anyone catching wind of your restless pacing," she jokes, tossing her curly white hair over her shoulder. "Nakoa and Argent are on duty this morning, by the way."