Nix: The Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Club, Book 7.5 by Candace Blevins Page A

each other for power, the strongest and most cunning winning the crown.
    Instead of finding another wife to give him sons, Raul is arranging for a contest between the other Swan royalty, with the strongest being allowed to care for her until she turns twenty five, and then marry her and eventually take the crown. Personally, I think Raul wants to step down and find a way to join his dead wife. The grief of her death still holds him.
    I’ve trained the past seven Swan Kings, including Sophia’s father, Raul. I know him well, and I know he loves his daughter. However, he’s still feels such pain over his wife’s slaughter, I worry about the decisions he’s making.
    There is precedence amongst some other supernatural species for his keeping Sophia in seclusion, finding a suitable King, and not giving her a choice in who she’ll marry. However, watching the toddler play and laugh and flirt, my heart hurts with the knowledge she’ll grow up with no control of her major life choices. Or, likely the minor ones, either.
    She’s such a happy baby, so full of life and adventure. I hope her life turns out better than most fairy tales.
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    T en years later , my heart aches as the court Herald announces me into the Swan King’s mansion for Sophia’s final unchaperoned lesson. I’ve been coming to the mansion once a week for a four hour session since she was six, but this must stop once she becomes a teenager, which in swan lore makes her a woman.
    I’ll be allowed to come four times a year for an all-day review session, but will never again be alone with her. After today she’ll have a chaperone or minder with her anytime she’s with a man besides her father — or husband, once she’s married.
    I’m going to miss my time with her. In my busy life, my half-days with the Swan Princess have been the sunshine of my week. Sophia is a special child, so smart, so willing to learn, and a joy to be around. My heart is happy when I’m with her, and we most often go to our spot near a manmade waterfall on their property so we can talk without worrying so much about being overheard. Someone from the house can see us, but our words are drowned out. Sometimes, though, my favorite part of the day is her smile when I arrive and she skips to me for a hug. Today will be the last time she’ll be allowed to hug me for no reason, just because she’s happy I’ve arrived. My heart hurts as I wrap my arms around her and tell her I’m happy to see her.
    We walk to our spot, sit on our rock and I open a few books as I give her another to hold. The rushing waters may provide white noise to block our voices, but we still need to appear as if I’m teaching her.
    “You know this is the last time we’ll be alone, right, Soph?”
    Sophia looks down, takes a breath, and raises her gaze back to mine. “I know. I’ll miss my time with you.”
    “And I’ll miss you, but you’re a Princess, and one day you’ll be Queen, and this is the way it has to be. I’ll be back to review the important stuff, but there are some things I’ve taught you that I won’t be able to review with you out loud. I’ll try to write it in a notebook and let you read it, so you’ll remember, but there is some danger in that, so I won’t do it every time.”
    “Why take the risk? If I’ll never rule, never make a difference, why put yourself in danger?”
    “Because I’m grooming you for power, Princess. No one knows for sure what the future holds, and to fully do my job I can’t just teach you the palatable parts of your history. I understand your family wishes to shield you and protect you, but I can see the strength in you.”
    Sophia sighed. “I’ll still see you at social occasions? Not just the four times a year you’ll be allowed to come for review?”
    “Yes, and I may or may not be allowed a dance with you. I will certainly not be able to take you outside for a conversation.”
    She nodded, and I carefully said, “Sophia, if ever you find