Chapter 3 You’re not my daughter

Allie’s Pov

We got to the silver palace; Ty’s dragon kinda made a very dramatic entrance, spitting blue fire and announcing our presence before finding a good spot to land, and when it finally did, by this time all eyes in the field were on us.

I just sat there staring down at everyone, now too shy to come down from where I was.

Hmm…hmmm, Prince Ty let out a dry cough, uhm… Jasmine, expects that to be your cue… he said with raised brows.

Uh? What? Who’s Jasmine? I asked with furrowed brows, but before he could respond, his dragon sighed deeply.

Oh right, your dragon. How foolish can I be? I replied with a soft smile. Right… I added softly as I made my way down, followed by the prince, while Jasmine the dragon made her way to where the other dragons were.

Shall we? Ty asked with a smile, making me stare at him in shock.

Me…me? I asked, surprised, because in my fifteen years of going to the palace academy, I haven’t had a girl speak to me, not to talk of a prince asking me to walk with him into another prince’s coronation, all thanks to my sister, who made it her sworn job to turn everyone against me even before I got enrolled for the training, as she went about spreading the word that I was the evil twin because she overheard Mom and Dad talking about the darkness they think I have inside me - so my life has basically been just me and Lucifer all this while.

But I gotta admit, he still wasn’t able to fill the void I had inside me because for all I know, he could just be my coping mechanism and imaginary friend I made just to comfort myself. There’s no way in elves that he could be real, I thought.

Weren’t you taught it’s bad manners to keep a prince’s hands suspended in the air? A familiar voice whispered in my ear, making me force a lump down my throat as just the scent from the cologne he wore sent shivers down my spine.

Uhm… yea… sure. I’m so sorry, of course. I replied with a smile, taking his hands as we walked and got mixed into the crowd.

Come on, let’s sit there, he said, pointing to a table just around the corner, but there was just one problem: there were only two chairs.

I paused for a while, turned to my side, only to see Lucifer standing there with a tight jaw and clenched fist. You’re not about to go sit there without me, now are you? He asked.

But then I remembered: I promised to ignore him for the whole of today, so maybe the two chairs being there wasn’t that bad after all, I thought.

I shrugged the feeling off, turned to Prince Ty, and said, "Sure, of course, that’s a perfect spot for such a crowd," I replied with a smile.

He chuckled lightly as we made our way to the seat. You seem like you’re not used to such a crowd, he asked.

And you seem like you are not from around here, I replied.

Feisty, I like you already, he said with a smile.

Just the sound of those words alone made me wish this moment never ends, as it brought a lot of adrenaline into my body.

Well, you’re right there. I just returned from my training, same as Prince Xavier, and soon it would be my coronation too… and you’re invited.

I paused, holding my mouth in shock. Wait a minute: did I just get a VIP invite to the coronation of the dragon prince? I asked playfully as I watched him take out a chair for me.

Oh, he’s such a gentleman, I thought.

‘Oh, he’s such a gentleman,’ Lucifer mimicked, obviously from a place of pain because I found someone else other than him to talk to.

I guess you can put it that way, he said softly as he took his seat.

The honor is mine, I replied, bowing lightly with a smile.

Oh please, he said, waving the air playfully, making us both chuckle. You look beautiful by the way, he said, commending my outfit, the same outfit Lucifer called bad.

He obviously has a bad dress sense too, like you; it’s almost like you both were made for each other, Lucifer chimed from behind.

Then maybe you can leave us alone, huh? What do you think? I said, looking up at him from where I sat.

No way in Hell I’m doing that, he fired.

Is everything okay? Prince Ty asked, making me turn my gaze back to him.

Yea, yea, sure… I’m good. I said with a smile, but he didn’t seem convinced enough as he just stared at me with confusion written boldly on his face.

Way to go, Lucifer, best in making me look crazy to someone I just met, I said inwardly.

So, what’s your deal here, hmmm? I began. I’m guessing you’re new in town, that’s why you’re acting different from the others, or you’re hiding something under your skin.

What do you mean? He asked.

Carried me on your dragon? Walking with me in the presence of everyone makes me feel extra special; I usually don’t get that kind of reaction from people, particularly not from a prince, I said.

Then thanks for the heads up, he said with a smirk on his face.

On what? I was confused.

On the fact that everyone in this room are complete fools for dissociating themselves from a girl as pretty as you, he replied, making me chuckle.

Right, he’s a prince; of course he’s good with words, I said out loud.

We shared a laugh before everywhere suddenly became silent as we stared deeply into each other’s eyes.

And just then I felt something in my chest that wasn’t familiar, but I just tried to keep my cool through it all.

Okay, now this has to stop!! I heard Lucifer say behind me, but I didn’t pay much attention to him as I was becoming too focused on this moment.

Minutes later, I felt a familiar presence in our midst.

Prince Ty, Aria’s voice echoed. Allie, aren't you going to introduce me?

The minute Ty saw her, his face turned white.

There’s… there’s two of you? He asked, holding his chest.

I just sat there shooting Aria deadly glares; of course she’s here to ruin this moment for me, I thought.

Yea, Aria - Prince Ty. Prince Ty - meet Aria, my twin sister, I said with an eye roll.

Oh… really? Things just got really interesting then. So you’re Allie and she’s Aria? He asked, pointing to the both of us.

Yes, we said in unison.

Wow, he exhaled.

Hey there, if it isn’t my man Ty!! A deep voice echoed.

I turned my gaze in its direction, locking eyes with the one and only Prince Xavier, looking ravishingly hot and handsome in that royal attire of his.

Ty got up with a smile, gave him a tight hug, and a handshake. "Hey man, it’s been quite a long time," he greeted.

"Long time, you say? It’s been ten years, Ty; it’s been more than a long time," Xavier said, making them both share a laugh. "Thanks for coming, man," he added softly.

Of course, Ty replied. "Tracy sends her congratulations; she couldn’t make it."

Yea, I understand, Xavier said, but what I don’t understand is what you’re doing here with the evil twins. He said, shifting his gaze in my direction.

Evil twin you mean? Aria said, immediately throwing herself at him. She’s the evil one, not me, she added, pointing at me.

Wait, what’s going on? I don’t understand, Ty asked, confused.

Hey everyone, come take a look at Allie!! The one with the darkness, Xavier mocked. Let’s see if my father’s school has helped even a little bit, he added with a smirk.

Come on, man, you don’t have to do this, Ty said, trying to put a stop to this.

But me, I just sat there, keeping my cool, back to pretending none of this matters because in my quest for living, I’ve been taught to control emotions I’m not even sure I have.

This is what you get for ignoring me; you should have listened, Lucifer said, staring at me with glassy eyes.

Yea, I should’ve, I muttered.

You have to leave; I don’t like this feeling, he added softly.

You’re right, I replied.

I got up and tried to leave, but instead, I got stopped by Prince Xavier. I’m not done with you, beast, he spat at me.

You’re hurting me, I cried out.

Oh really, soldier? Guess what? It’s my coronation, and in a few weeks, I’m going to be your king, and trust me when I say I’m going to hurt you in more ways, enough to prove to Ty that you’re not good for him, he sneered, staring at Ty with some kind of reassurance in his eyes.

Message received, Xavier; now let her go, Ty said.

He said you should let her go!! I snarled, taking Xavier’s hands off me, but to my surprise, just that little touch sent him flying, making his head hit his own throne, and for that moment, it felt like time itself had paused as everyone turned in my direction.

Allie?… Dad’s voice echoed in my ears, but as I turned to him with tears in my eyes, he went pale.

You… you’re… you’re not Allie, you’re not my daughter!! He yelled at the top of his voice, and all of a sudden, I could feel the fear in his eyes; his legs weakened, and with that, he fell to the ground, rubbing his butt on the floor, trying to get away from me.

But I just stood there, wondering what he meant by I was not his daughter, and right at that moment, a fairy appeared in front of me, and with the help of her wings, which glowed like a mirror, I could see my face.

But there was one tiny problem: it wasn’t my face I was seeing. It was Lucifer’s. He was standing there, staring at that mirror with anger in his eyes.