I was back here for another dinner with the Thirteen crowns. It was not an exact thirteen. It had twelve, only waiting for the next demon king, then Baal was arrested. It was down to the eleven, the two candidates were not allowed to attend this dinner.

I did not have to let my mind wonder why. If the prophecy was only passed to the crowns. Then the two candidates were not allowed to know. Narnia did not even know until he was brought into the circle. He came straight to me to tell me.

Why did he want me to know? You start in the crowns, and you do that? He was supposed to bring in the traitors, not become one. Suppose he felt I should know. I was the one who was wandering around and trying to figure myself out.

There were two chairs not filled at the table, not including Derkila's. They had not brought out food either. Narnia was sitting next to me, checking the door, then looking too me. All the crowns were, what were they waiting for?

The doors opened and two familiar faces came through. I stood up, smiling. "Anna, Shura. It is so good to see you."

Anna Spoke as she walked up to me. "Likewise dear, how is my favorite princess." She looked at Narnia, nose crinkling. "I requested a seat by Viola for Princess Shura and I.

"The seats are first come first serve, but if you wish to sit here, I shall move."

"Please do so." Narnia shifted one seat over, and Anna took his seat.

"I am doing well, how are the farmlands."

"Growing, the trees are blooming again. You must have poured magic into the soil. We are still doing as you said and rotating the field. They are growing slowly but growing. Might I ask you to do that wonderful thing you do in like a week or so? We are currently staving off malnutrition and bringing the health back up to living standards."

"Of course, after a day I sleep I can be there. Um, two more days in this sleep cycle."

"Sleep cycle?"

"Oh, well I sleep every seven to ten days for about twelve hours."

She nodded. "I almost forgot, all that mana must be keeping you awake every night."

"I found hobbies to busy myself."

She looked at Narnia. "I am sure you have, do take good care. She is more important than your reputation and ego. Anyways, Princess Shura told me you make music."

I whipped my head to her, and she shrugged. "Sorry, you are my favorite Akudol right now. Your so, different from the rest and I like it."

I facepalmed. "How many people did you tell."

She looked around. "Anna, and then everyone at the table unintentionally."

I looked around. "Where is the food, this is a dinner."

Grandpa raised his hand and snapped his fingers. The servants can I and out with plates of food.

I leaned over to Shura. "I suppose it is not too bad, I just didn't want to many to know because I also have adult things."

"Honestly, you can be everything at once." She shimmed her shoulders, and I chuckled in my throat.

"You're talking more and not using your flowers."

"I found this easier. Formalities of speech need to die off anyways. An addressment of title, but as for the rest it is silly. Your song made me want to be a little more than what I was. I want to be and have fun too before I succeed my mother."

A plate of food appeared in front of me. It was all the things I would eat. I peered down to Narnia; he remembered the last dinner I had and all my aversions. Anna noted this sudden plate transfer, and she leaned over covering her mouth.

"He's a keeper if he's willing to do that in front of people. Picky eaters are not smiled upon anywhere in the Netherworld. You're not to abide by them either."

I leaned back. "He really is, he takes great care to make sure I eat and am well cared for."

"You really must come by for a tea party. Oh, and on the way up here Shura said something about a sleepover. That all should do it and paint nails. I wish to experience said things." She looked at her nails. "Can you do a Devi-cat or even a dog."

"Sure."

"I never showed you my full castle, I feel like I have not been the most welcoming. I cannot wait to show you everything."

"Yeah, sounds nice."

"Okay, so Lord Sullivan is your grandfather?"

"Yes, he adopted me."

"Narnia is your courting partner." I choked on my drink, were not exactly public yet. It was more under the table than public knowledge.

I wiped my mouth. "Yes."

"So, you're basically a shoe in for becoming a part of the thirteen crowns with Princess Shura's and I as an alliance. No one has said anything to you?"

"I may or may not have called some of them a box of rocks."

"Well, they are, they do not do much. You are, Derkila would be raving if he had one like you to share the load."

Princess Shura giggled. "I am one of the oldest here and I agree. The last set was worse, give them a little credit."

Anna clicked her tongue. "Fine, have you heard what is happening in the west? They are fighting with the north."

"I am unaware."

"Ah, okay. North is all the frozen tundra area. They live in the mountains like we do underground. They are pushing in to gather more resources. I believe you might be about to stop this waring conflict and help them come to some terms."

"What kind of resources?"

"Well, the basics. Food, and materials. Although most of it is race based. Winter demons think themselves superior for their ability's to stave off the cold."

"She does not need to involve herself." We looked too Grandpa. "She has done a lot already, your giving one person a full load."

"Then do something old man, the south would still be at each other's throats if it were not for her. Our city is slowly turning into a prosperous one. I have nothing but gratitude and hope that the future will be filled with peace."

I tuned out all the noise. It was too much. She just kept talking, bringing things up. Not a soul was telling her to shut up or not talk that way. Henri had even detested me at one point. Narnia was sitting there like it was like this everyday event, and I wanted to go home.

A flower popped up in front of my face, making me jump. "Are you okay?" I shook my head. Her lips moved, but I did not hear a thing. I wanted to leave; I closed my eyes. Home, border patrol, Narnia's castle. Anywhere but here.

I looked up and the room was still; frozen in time. I tried the doors, but they would not budge. "This is not funny, let me out."

"Why?" A female voice spoke back.

I looked back, Derkila was sitting there smiling head on a propped fist. His face changed to another demon, and then another. All smiling with the same pose, it cycled through five more faces, stopping to a female.

Her whole body changed; she filled the chair nicely with her grey dress flowing over the side in tendrils of mist. Her long black hair was pulled back in neat braids, a crown of black diamonds. Her horns protruded from her temples, out and up. Her all-black eyes staring at me and into my soul.

She stood from the chair approaching me in a slow graceful walk. I yanked on the door, but it would not go in any direction. I was done with the dinner, and I was ready to go home. I turned to check the distance; she was behind me smiling. She had shrunk down to a little taller than I.

She cupped my face. "Child, why are you trying to run away."

"It's too stuffy in here." I braced on arm on the door.

"It is rather full, but why are you really running?"

"I don't want to be this, a monster controlling others."

"Ah, there it is. I am Queen Lilith; it is good to meet you again Violetta." Her thumbs stroked my check. "You must understand it is in a demon's blood to follow one mind. I choose you. My how you have blossomed." Her hands moved to my shoulders.

"Why me?"

"I chose you to change the world back when everyone turned themselves into a mess over one of my offspring's actions. I was killed young by my offspring, and then they followed the same pattern for control. I never passed the crown to any of them, they only inherited the one power: control, and it was not absolute."

She pointed to my head. "It weakens with each child without this. Your brother was the first on the throne not of my blood line."

"So, every time I controlled a demon in the evil cycle it was because of the crown?"

"Yes, when they are close to the origin state, they can recognize their master. They listen with absolute loyalty. Derkila had followers and did many things without that kind of power. I told him where the crown was, as I planned to have him do what my kin could not. He had other plans."

"He never let me go, did he."

"His heart always had a space for you in every decision. Sometimes, I would watch him ask himself what you might say or do. He had the crown, but he refused to wear it. He tried to make a deal with a ghost, and I rather liked the idea of a new female on the throne. A kind one at that.

I went to the Garden of After life and found your flower. It was a fight, but I managed to make a deal. To which I told Derkila and gave him the prophecy that was to follow. When the time came, I picked the flower and watched you fly away. Twenty-eight years later you are here."

"Why tell me all of this?"

"You deserve to know; you also should know I stole his flower too. I thought it would be sweet to see you two together. He does not remember yet, but I have seen him around."

My mouth gapped. "Where is he?"

"You must find him, as for what is the now. Share your blood and start the purification process." She moved me to face the crowd frozen in time. "One drop is more than enough to bring them all back from the tainting."

"I can't force that on them."

"Then ask them for yourself." She waved a hand. They all moved, eating like they had not been stuck in one position. I was pushed forward by Lilith, as eyes watched me. "Tell them all you learned."

I looked up. "But."

She moved my head forward. "Shh, they cannot see me."

My heart raced in my chest, why now, why me. Narnia looked at me, then behind me. "Vi, come this way."

I heard her laugh softly in her throat. "The dog can see me; remember he is not your master. Go on, it is not like they do not know." She rubbed he top of my head. All of them were staring, I covered my face.

"She is not ready, back off." Narnia, I looked up, I tried to move and was held back.

"She is ready, backup guard puppy."

Narnia growled. "I do not answer to you. What you think and how she feels is two different things."

"The world is ready, and she needs to catch up. Somya would be disappointed in you. After all, it was what he worked towards for her and Derkila." Her hands released me, and I went straight to Narnia. "Time is only ticking as the race weakens."

His arms wrapped around me. "Are you alright?"

"Why me? Of all the demons in this world, why me?"

"What did she want?"

"Lilith wanted me to use my blood to change all of you and start the prosses of purification of demons' blood. I told her no, that it should be a choice. I don't want to be a monster."

"Let us finish dinner. I promise, everything will be fine."

"Move." Narnia was pushed from me, Anna cupping my cheeks. "Baby girl you are not a monster. I know most of this is still new to you, and you might feel like one, but you are not. Think of all the lives you saved, not just I'm my Queendom but all over."

"So, that doesn't change what I can do. I never asked for this."

Her hands moved to my shoulders. "You might not have, but you still do good with it. That's what counts. I never asked, but how old are you?"

"Twenty-eight."

"Awe, you're still a baby. Give it time."

"Not helping."

"I mean you're still young, very young by our standards. To them you are a fresh adult, but for what you are, you're basically a child. You still have a lot of growing to do."

"Still not helping."

Her eyes furrowed, Narnia moved her hands away. "Enough, your stressing her out further."

Two Hand were placed on my shoulders, I looked up to Grandpa. "Narnia's right." I wanted to leave; every time I tried it would not work. I couldn't teleport anywhere. "I know I've kept I lot of secrets, and many are spilling at one time. It's overwhelming for someone not accustomed to this world."

I could use this to leave. I tucked into his long coat. "I want to go home; I can feel her looking at me. All of you are." I hid my face. "Home."

"Vi, you not usually like this. What all did she say to you?"

"Narnia, back away. You have done enough."

"Like you know what's best, you've done nothing but keep secrets from her and the rest of us. This whole running for demon king with the three oh so Great's grandchildren. It was always her, yet you made a show of us all."

"I know more than you. It only goes to show how naïve the rest of you all are. She's done more than enough for how long she has been here. Give her a break, from Border Patrol, from this table, and from you."

The table erupted in shouts and comments. Saying I should do this or that. How Grandpa had been lying and should be brought in to Border Patrol. How Grandpa had only been doing as he had been told. I tried to tune it out but kept listening.

I could hear the cackle of Lilith in my mind. I clutched Grandpas clothes. 'Look at them, fighting one another. You could have prevented this if you had listened to me.'

"Shut up." I murmured.

'It's your fault, one drop and this could have been avoided.'

"Leave me alone." I spoke a little louder as the arguing continued.

'You are acting like a child, seems that soul of yours did not gain much maturity being human.'

"Stop it."

'He wanted a grandchild; I should give him that until you do like you were supposed to. Res-Quan-da-kresh-rig.' She laughed and then I no longer felt her.

Grandpa suddenly grew taller; I lost grip as my feet dangled. I slipped, over my shoes and clothes. Falling back and hitting my head, holding it close. I screamed, grabbing my head, and the room shook. Utensils and plates rattled falling to the ground and breaking.

A blanket was thrown over my head, I fought to get free. "Sorry." My head freed; hands worked fast, wrapping me up in the blanket restricting my arms and legs. Scoped up in someone's arms, a hand caressed the back of my head, and the pain was gone.

They pressed me to their chest. "It's okay, everyone is quite now."

The room had not stopped shaking. "Big meanie."

"Yes, I know. The meanest of all meanies." Narnia searched my eyes.

"Meaness meanie of ah da meanies."

He chuckled. "Alright, meanest meanie of all meanies known to meanness in the whole world."

I wiggled my arm free, touching my chubby face. "Nah da whoe ward." I covered my mouth, why was my tongue not working right?

"You sure? I have quite the reputation for being mean." The grip loosened and my hands were free.

"Not ta vi." I covered my mouth again; I pulled my hands away. Tiny nubby fingers, I open and closed them. The room was in small trembles as tears ran down my face. I dared not look at the mess I made, a monster. I cried, smashing the tears everywhere. "Why, me."

"I saw my baby, crying hard as babe could cry. What could I do?" He sang as he wiped the tears from my face with a wet rag. "My baby's love had gone, left my baby blue, nobody knew. What kind of man can put a smile on you? With smiling tales, with a puppet on a tail? Through the thunder and lighting and baby said?" He had a little Devi-cat puppet covering his hand, nodding at me.

"Dance, magic dance." He swayed back and forth repeating me. "You put a smile on me." I giggled, looking up. He wiped my hands clean, brushing my hair back. "I sowwe. Sow-er-e."

A smile tugged at the side of his lips. "Don't be, can you tell me what happened?" The room was quite, I glanced with a side eye. Many eyes were looking down on me, Narnia blocked them with a hand. "Focus on me."

"Da lady was mad, ah. She say mean words in here, Tink brain. Spell, Res no ras, den quan." I huffed, Tapping my head. "Kr-esh."

Anna looked over Narnia's shoulder. "Kresh-rig?" I nodded. "A regression curse spell. It's not permanent, but it depends on her, and this ghost's good will. Did she say anything before it was casted."

"Uh, Grampa want grankid… do wha I sppose to."

"Okay, now we know. Can I hold her, please? She's so cute." Anna opened and closed her hands.

"She needs clothes, her dress is too big now."

Anna summoned clothes. "Done, I can change her."

Narnia's eyes furrowed. "Is that alright with you?"

"Is otay."

Anna squealed as she picked me up, rubbing her face on me. Shura climbed on her shoulder, peering over. "Look at those eyes, like amethyst flowers." Shura jumped down, walking behind us as Anna walked out of the room with me.