One side of the closet had gowns, some long, others short, but all in pastel colors. Those looked modern. The opposite side had skirts in various colors, pants, tops, coats, and sweaters. The cloaks, all black with different-colored linings, weren't exactly this century. The inner curved wall had shelves of shoes, boots, and sandals. High heels, medium and low, as well as flats. Whatever world this was, it was a blend of new and old, which was intriguing and scary.

"Boring...boring..." Solange kept saying, flipping through the dresses and making faces. "Whoever shopped for you had no idea what flatters someone with your coloring."

I winced at my reflection. I had no color to speak of and my hair was a wet, stringy blend of red strands. Not liking what I saw, I looked at the dresses and pointed at a sleeveless white silk dress. "That's pretty."

Solange shuddered. "No way. First, no sleeveless gowns for you. You are too skinny to pull them off. Do you know they had to pump fluids into you like they do humans? Totally gross." She swept a hand across the gown. Plum color inked into the fabric, until every white thread was suffused with it. The white lace became black.

"What do you think?" Solange asked.

"That's amazing," I said. "Is that your power, changing colors?"

"No, silly. I can manipulate solids, among other things." She kept walking and running her white-tipped nail across the fabrics. Cool pastels became rich and warm-burnt orange, red, magenta, navy-blue, fuchsia, rose... She laughed. "Much better."

"Did you fight in the Great Battle against the Archangels, too?" I asked.

She stopped smiling. "Yeah, the evil fiends. I remember..." She stopped and frowned. "Nothing. Like you and every knight and soldier on the island, my memories were wiped clean by those sons of b.i.t.c.hes. I'm rediscovering my powers, just like you will. At least I don't have to go to Mount Hermon Academy. School and I never mixed. I'd rather run it." She shrugged, chose three outfits-one each in navy blue, burnt orange, and emerald green-thrust them in my arms, then sat beside me, crossed her legs, and c.o.c.ked her brow. "Try them."

I hesitated.

"Don't tell me you're modest. I'm your sister."

My face grew hot. I didn't have any underwear. "What's that got to do with modesty?"

"What have you done?" Lady Nemea demanded from the doorway, and I looked up. She carried a tray covered in plates covered with dome-shaped silver lids. "All her beautiful clothes. You have no right to-"

"Right? Get out!" Solange ordered.

"But-"

"You don't dictate anything to me about my sister."

Lady Nemea's eyes flashed. "Your father-"

One second Solange was beside me, the next she was in front of the older woman. "Remember, I don't need his permission to send anyone below, Lady Nemea. And by the time he realizes what I've done, you will have spent a few hours with energy-starved criminals."

Lady Nemea grew pale, but her cheeks had the telltale redness of anger. She looked ready to strangle Solange. Then she disappeared.

"That was a bit harsh," I said.

Solange shrugged. "You have to let them know who's in charge. I don't just mean the workers in the castle. I'm talking about all of them-minions, lower, middle, and upper level Hermonites, even the regional lords. Our father is the king. He refuses to use the t.i.tle, but everyone considers him our king. As his children, we sit at the top of the hierarchy. You tell them what to do, not the other way round." She paused, angled her head as though listening, and smiled. "Father just arrived. Get dressed. I'll bring my stylists to fix your hair and makeup so you look less like a starving Nosferatu."

She disappeared and I exhaled. Note to self-never get on the wrong side of Big Sister. She had a complex. What were Hermonites? Nosferatu? My head was going to explode from the information they kept throwing at me.

Back in my bedroom, I was surprised to see the tray Lady Nemea had carried on a round table in the middle of the room. Whatever was hidden under the silver lids smelled nice. My stomach growled again.

First things first-underwear.

I stood in the middle of the room, pointed at various parts of the room and waved like a conductor leading a band. Band. Conductor. More things I just knew about. Windows slammed shut, curtains closed, and the doors to the closet, the bathroom, and the one leading out of the room all slid open. No drawers.

Before I could close everything, a man dressed in black appeared outside my bedroom. The red hair gave him away. He was huge with broad shoulders. The black tunic and pants made him look intimidating. Our gazes met. He had dark, cold eyes, unlike my moss-green ones, and his expression gave nothing away. I shivered and waited for a flood of memories.

Nothing. Not even a flash.

"Father?" It came out as a question.

His eyes narrowed. Not a hint of a smile on his face. Once again, I shivered.

"Good afternoon, daughter. Will you join me for lunch?"

I looked at the covered food and then at my robe, my hand clutching the opening. "Uh, okay. Give me a moment to change."

"Of course." He flicked a finger and the door closed.

I released a breath, my heart pounding and feelings I couldn't explain making my stomach flutter. I couldn't tell whether I was nervous or scared. My father didn't appear to be doting or act remotely like my idea of a father.

Walking to the bathroom, I waved a hand, and a dozen drawers and cupboards I hadn't seen popped out of the walls. Bath and hair products. Seriously, I needed a map to find my way around this place.

Closing my eyes in frustration, I took a deep breath. Something interesting started happening. A sparkly white glow appeared around objects in the room. It was as though I could see with my eyes closed. See-through walls and doors. Eyes still closed, I walked through the door and went through my bedroom to my closet. Finally, the drawers with my underwear.

Grinning, I opened my eyes and got dressed. I chose a ruffled goldand-black skirt that went all the way to my ankles, with a simple black top. The outfit was a perfect fit and comfortable. Blowing out air, I hurried back to my bedroom.

My stomach churned with nervousness and apprehension. So, I was about to have lunch with the ruler of my people. He also happened to be my father, someone who loved me even though I hadn't seen anything resembling love in his eyes earlier. I moved my finger the way he'd done and the door slid open with a bang.

I cringed.

Lord Valafar turned and scowled. Seeing me, he nodded and then went back to the conversation he'd been having with two men. The men were nearly as tall as he was and dressed in black, including long trench coats. One of the guys had dark brown skin, and something about him made me smile, though I couldn't explain why...until he turned and his catlike eyes narrowed on me. My smile disappeared.

He pressed his fist to his chest and bowed. "It is nice to have you back with us, Princess Lilith."

His companion, who had s.h.a.ggy brown hair and a thin moustache, bowed too and said, "Nice to have you back, Princess."

Once again, I wasn't sure whether to bow too, so I just nodded. "Thank you."

"Get it done," Lord Valafar said dismissively, and the two men's bodies turned into black smoke before disappearing. The way they teleported was different from the way Solange and Lady Nemea did.

"How do they do that?" I didn't realize I had spoken until Lord Valafar spoke.

"Teleport? I'll explain while we eat."

His voice was cool and impersonal. I wondered what kind of relationship he and I had. Swallowing, I watched him warily as he slowly moved closer to where I stood. It was weird the way he slowed down as though afraid I'd bolt. Sure, he was intimidating, but I wasn't that scared of him. He stopped and studied me as though waiting for something, his gaze probing.

"It is truly nice to have you back, daughter. You had us worried."

Strange. He didn't make an attempt to hug me or anything like that. Lady Nemea's words zipped through my head. He loved me and never gave up searching for me after I was stolen by our enemies.

"I'm okay now, right?" I asked.

"Yes, you are. Come on. You must be famished." He turned around abruptly and led the way into the room. "We have much to talk about."

I followed. Once again, I wondered about our relationship. He seemed, I don't know, uncomfortable around me, which didn't make sense.

-2-.

My stomach reacted to the steaming bowl of soup. Sandwiches were piled high on a plate beside two gla.s.ses and a pitcher of the same orange drink Lady Nemea had given me earlier. A platter of tropical fruit sat at the center of the table.

"Eat," Lord Valafar ordered.

I picked up the spoon and took a spoonful of the yellowish soup. I scooped more and didn't stop until I saw the bottom of the bowl. I glanced at Lord Valafar and cringed. He was watching me while munching on some grapes, a weird expression on his face.

My face hot, I mumbled, "Sorry."

"Don't be," he said sharply. "You haven't eaten in months. We had to feed you through tubes." His voice gentled a bit. "Now you need to eat to get your strength back. Have a sandwich."

The sandwiches didn't look appetizing. "Can I have more of the soup, please?"

Lady Nemea appeared with more seconds later. "She shouldn't eat too much too soon, my Lord," she said.

"She's hungry," Lord Valafar said firmly. "Leave us."

Lady Nemea bowed and teleported. Once again, there was silence in the room, but this time, Lord Valafar ate. I studied him on the sly. I still couldn't bring myself to think of him as Dad or Father. He was too cold and curt, and he barked orders. It was impossible to guess his age by looking at him. His red hair didn't have gray in it and his face was unlined. His hands were large with trimmed nails. On his right index finger was a silver ring with weird knots and symbols and a red stone. It reminded me of the same red stone on Solange's dagger.

"So, uh, Solange said something about starting school," I said, hoping to get a conversation going.

He shook his head. "Not yet. You will work with a private tutor before joining the other students."

I wanted to protest. How was I going to recover my memory cooped behind the castle walls with a tutor? Maybe I would meet someone who could trigger my memories at the banquet.

"Is it true we're having a celebration tonight?"

Annoyance flashed across Lord Valafar's face. "No, not tonight. I'm postponing it for now. You need to get your strength back and our people need time to prepare. They can't wait to meet you."

I frowned. "They've never met me before?"

"No. You were lost to us for years, Lilith. Having you back means a lot to our people." He became silent, his expression dark as though he was reliving something unpleasant. "That it took the Great Battle for it to happen is something we must live with."

"So, I haven't always lived with you?"

"Not since you were three years old."

Maybe that was why I couldn't think of him as my father. "The people who kidnapped me-"

"Are traitors to our race," he said calmly, like it didn't bother him, but I noticed his clenched jaw. He studied me intently. "How much do you remember?"

I searched my memories. "Nothing about me or you or any of this"-I waved to indicate the room-"yet I know basic things when I see them and hear about them."

He nodded. "It will come back to you, but in the meantime, we'll fill in the blanks. You will have doors and k.n.o.bs and anything else that you need to make you feel at home. The one thing you must never forget is who you are. You are my daughter, a descendant of the mighty Princ.i.p.ality Azazel. Our destiny is to bring light to the human world, to guide them and protect them from themselves. Humans," he added in the voice of a father talking about a difficult child, "are incapable of taking care of anything or themselves. The Princ.i.p.alities gave them knowledge, but what do they do with it? They use it to kill each other, pollute their bodies and minds, destroy everything they touch." He paused and studied me as though checking my reaction. "Do you think it's wise to allow someone to destroy your home while you stand back and do nothing?"

I shook my head. "No."

"That's the situation we are in with humans. If we do nothing, they will destroy this world. This is our home, too." He poured himself a gla.s.s of juice and sipped, but I was impatient to hear more.

"How do the people who kidnapped me fit into all this?"

His eyes flashed with hatred, but his voice continued to be calm as he spoke. "The Guardians are our misguided brothers and sisters who have appointed themselves protectors of the human race. They enable humans to continue in their foolish ways and hunt us down instead of joining us. They don't care about this world, because they have theirs in Xenith."

A feeling I couldn't explain washed over me. Was it sadness or longing? I couldn't tell. "Xenith?"

"It was once our world, the world of all the Nephilim, but some of our people didn't like our progressive way of thinking and banished us. Those who follow this faction of our people are the Guardians. They hide in Xenith and only send their most powerful to Earth to protect humans. So when all this"-he lifted his hands to indicate the world-"is destroyed, they can just retreat to the safety of Xenith. But this is our only home and we must protect it."

It made perfect sense. "Why did they kidnap me?"

"Because you are special," he said with conviction, his eyes locked with mine. "There is a prophecy about a child with the power over all elements. That child will unite our race. Under her, Hermonites and Guardians will once again become one."

I frowned. "Power over all elements" sounded daunting. "You think I'm this child?"

"I don't think," Lord Valafar said. "I know, and so do the Guardians. That's why they wanted you on their side. You belong with your family, with me and your sister." He studied me intently as though waiting for my response. What could I possibly say? Of course I belonged with my family. "I never gave up searching for you, Lilith. Nothing gives me greater joy than having you here with me." He patted my hand. "Rest. If you want to explore, call for a guard or Lady Nemea to go with you, but stay within the castle walls."

"But-" I protested before I could stop myself.

"What is it?"

For one brief moment, I wasn't sure whether to speak up. His expression said he wasn't used to being contradicted or challenged, but something egged me on. "I'm too old for a babysitter."

He scowled. "You're only seventeen, eighteen in about five months. And yes, you need to be guarded."

"Why?"

"I don't want the Guardians sneaking in here and kidnapping you again."

Great. From kidnapped victim to a prisoner in my own home. My emotions must have shown on my face, because he added, "This is for your own good, Lilith. Anything else you'd like to know before I leave?"

"How did Mom die?"

There was silence, but a change came over his face. His eyes blazed and his lips tightened. "Your mother died the night the Guardians took you. She'd be here with us if it weren't for the events of that night."

I was seriously beginning to hate these Guardians.

"But I blame myself for her death," he continued. "I failed her as her husband and chosen mate. I should have made her understand who you are and our duty to guide you. The problem was that I didn't know everything at the time, either." He sighed. "Sometimes things happen that we regret, Lilith, and your mother's death is one of them." He paused, his expression softening for the first time since we sat. "You are a lot like her. Stubborn and brave but kind." He looked over my shoulder. "She loved b.u.t.terflies."

I followed his gaze to the embroidered canopy over my bed. "Did she make that?"