Light once again flares from both the table and the magma pit, lighting the area. All of the witches’ eyes settle on Jarron’s stance around me.
His shoulders relax, and he retakes his seat.
“Speak,” the witch tells Jarron. “Tell us how you met the humans. Tell us how and when you selected your chosen.”
Jarron sits up straight. “Janice and Bruce Montgomery are potions masters, who were employed frequently by my parents,” he explains. “Eventually, they earned the crown’s favor as friends and were invited to stay at a private island on Earth along with us when Trevor and I were adolescents.”
“That is a very vulnerable time for young demons. This was a specific choice, then?” the red-haired witch asks.
“Yes,” Jarron says. “It was done knowingly. Though, the Earth family knew little of the significance.”
I remember hearing that the parents of High Orizians are very careful with whom their offspring comes into contact with before adulthood. Only those who are highly trusted and respected are allowed access to young demons.
The royal family of Oriziah essentially chose me and my sister to be in the running as their sons’ mates. That’s what they’re saying.
“Their daughters, Elizabeth and Candice, spent two entire summers—Earth’s warm season—in close proximity with us. We were friends. While Beatrice and Trevor were growing in intimacy, even before their bond was legitimized, I spent most of my time with the two human girls, Candice especially. I was enamored with her, but I did not make my choice firmly until near the end of the second summer. I knew weeks before I’d had my first shift on Earth that she was my choice. It was why I’d waited so long to come back to Oriziah. I didn’t want to leave her yet. One night, an act of violence between the sisters enraged me, and I made my first transition on Earth. This act made it obvious to any demons involved that my mate had been chosen during that time. It also made my two human friends afraid of me. We didn’t see each other again for many years.”
“UntilafterI’d won his true chosen’s heart and allegiance,” Vincent mutters under his breath.
All three witches turn their heated glare to him, and he clenches his jaw, gaze dropping to the table in submission.
“Vincent claims Elizabeth is your chosen, and that she has rejected you. You deny this claim?”
“Vehemently,” Jarron says firmly. “Elizabeth is a beautiful female, whom I care about, but she is not mine. I do not, nor have I ever, chosen her.”
A rumble of annoyance escapes Vincent’s chest.
“It is not uncommon for a young demon to wait to woo his chosen. To allow her time and space to grow and earn her slowly,” the black-haired witch says solemnly.
“Indeed,” the red-haired witch says. “And yet, in this case, to present a chosen so quickly after a rejection claim has been made is still rather suspect. Continue, Prince. We need to understand more.”
Jarron nods. “I kept my distance from my chosen, knowing I would have to re-earn her trust, but that distance was the best remedy for the time being. We were very young, and I was more than willing to wait for my chance to win her. I had intended to wait until after she finished her Earth customary schooling—when she reached adulthood by human standards.”
“She is not currently an adult in her culture?”
“My birthday was last week,” I say softly.
“She is only just now considered an adult by her culture,” Jarron says. “Though she hasn’t yet finished her schooling.”
“Liz is a year younger,” I add. “She is still a minor. Vincent is much older. For him to seduce her is a crime in my world.”
The witch’s brows rise. “We do not care much for Earth morality or legality, but it is noted.”
I bite the inside of my lip and let Jarron continue.
“As mentioned, I’d intended to wait until after she finished high school to pursue her, but my chance came sooner than I’d anticipated when Candice arrived at the school I’ve been attending at the beginning of this year. It was a surprise because she’d made it clear she didn’t want to be involved in the magical community. I confronted her and learned that her sister had been killed. She believed the killer attended Shadow Hills Academy, and I quickly offered to help her investigate. We began an alliance arraignment. I verbally claimed her as mine while doing everything I could to keep her safe, help her uncover the mystery surrounding her sister’s ‘death,’ and win her heart. I was close—so achingly close—to earning her until the investigation brought us to the Akrasia Games. We confronted the predator that hunted and harmed her sister—Vincent. He nearly succeeded in killing me, but my mate defended me.”
The three witches blanch as one. “You claim that a low-status High Orizian defeated you, but a magicless human protected you from that same demon?”
Jarron nods. “In order to follow Candice into the games, I needed to go through a spelled barrier that would harm a being with strong magic if they tried to pass. I took a potion of her creation to suppress my magic in order to follow her through the barrier. Vincent attacked me while in that vulnerable state and stabbed me, wounding me severely. Candice then used that same potion on him. I was mortally wounded without my magic, but this act made him vulnerable as well, and she fought him.”
All eyes turn to me. A soft surprise and curiosity in the witches’ gazes.
“I still almost lost, even without his magic,” I say under my breath.
“But she stalled long enough for aid to come, effectively saving my life. What I didn’t know at the time was that Vincent told her a heinous lie while I was injured. He told her that Liz, her sister, had been my chosen. He claimed Candice was my second choice.” Jarron’s hands clench over my thigh. His nose wrinkles, and his voice deepens. “He interrupted my quest to earn my chosen—with a lie.”
Jarron hadn’t shown emotion during his explanation that he’d nearly died or that I’d fought for him, but this bothers him deeply.
