My father chuckled amused when my thoughts entered his head about time and how it felt slower to me in a way that I didn't understand. Time is slower, yes, he said, and I had a feeling that he mentally nodded. I am able to control time and have been slowing it down just a tad to help you both get whatever it is that you need to get done done.

I bit back a small grunt and closed my eyes while I tucked my head closer to my chest. I didn't say a word before I took a deep breath and released it with a small whoosh, waiting for whatever it was that my father wanted to do so that he could help us get to the armory safely without anything happening to us.

Hmph. My father smirked, amused, and I had a feeling that he had tucked his head closer to his chest. Take another deep breath before you release and open your mind to me. What I am going to do is show you where you need to go and basically guide you there that way. He paused. It will basically be like having two people in one body where I take half control over you.

The hair on the back of my neck stood at attention, and a small shiver went down my spine. Abso-

How many times do I have to tell you that I am not going to hurt you for you to believe me, Joy? my father asked with a small snap in his voice, interrupting me while he pursed his lips in annoyance. Pain and anger filled his voice when he asked me that, and I couldn't help but flinch, grimacing.

"Neeley?" Timothy asked when he noticed me flinching and pressing my lips into a thin line. He moved closer to me but didn't touch me like he wanted to as if he was afraid that he would break whatever "spell" was placed on me. "Are you ok?"

I didn't say a word and shook my head, not answering either of them, especially Timothy, for I was not ok; I was not ok at all. I grabbed my gun tighter in my hands while I waited for my father to say something else, to tell me what was going on through his mind.

My father bit back a tired sigh, and I had a feeling that he moved a hand through his hair and across his face. I will tell you this time and time again until you believe what I say, Joy, he said, you can trust me. All I have ever done, and all I will continue to do is to have your best interests at heart. I will continue to protect you in any way that I can even if it means giving up my life for you.

I pressed my lips into a thinner line and tried to keep my thoughts private, even though I knew that I couldn't because my father was still a part of my mind, and someone that I had no idea how to get rid of. Then why did you give me away..?

Images of my time at the Committee flashed through the my mind, all of the sneering that I had to put up with, the goads that people sent my way, everything that I had to endure for the thirteen years I had lived there with only a few people stopping over the years because something that I had done or helped them complete.

Even the higher Committee members did nothing to stop people from tormenting me, making me feel like an outcast amongst them because most of them didn't like me at all, especially since I was a half-breed born from those that had been a pain in their side for years and then a human that they have known and was captured.

They didn't want me there, but there was nowhere else I could go...

My life and everything that I was was tied with the Committee and to its people. I was not able to live on my own, could not escape the Committee to live and survive, especially since they were still scared that I would turn out like the others and eat children and something else besides my normal diet.

But eating children never suited my needs anyway...

My father sighed and mentally shook his head when those thoughts crossed his mind. Guilt filled his body while he listened to my thoughts and watched some of the more recent memories that had happened between me and the Committee. I am sorry, Joy, he said, guilt lacing his tone with his voice becoming barely above a whisper. I didn't know.

Of course you didn't, Your Highness, I said sarcastically and wiped my eyes before any tears could fall. How could you when you sent me away like garbage?

No, Joy, my father said and mentally shook his head, and pain filled the bond between the two of us. I did no such thing. I gave you to Briggs because I had hoped he would be able to give you a life that you so desperately deserve and not be locked in a cell waiting for your death because they would have killed you.

Tears pricked the corner of my eyes, and I didn't say a word to him or to the boy, well man, that was staring at me with concerned eyes and lips pressed into a thin line. I could tell that Timothy wanted to ask what was going on, but he didn't because he had no idea if he was going to interrupt anything that was happening between me and the prince.

It killed me to give you away to them, my father said, his voice cracking while it became barely above a whisper. Pain and sadness filled his voice, and I knew that it would have been etched on his face while he looked at me. It killed me to not have any contact with you at all, to see how you were doing and how you were holding up while you lived with the Committee. He paused and cleared his throat, biting back a tired sigh. It felt like my whole world had fallen apart the day that I had sent you away and the day your mother died.

My father paused and sighed, and I had a feeling that he bowed his head in pain and sadness. You are going to hear this from others, but I wanted you to hear it from me. He paused and cleared his throat before he took a deep breath and released it with a small whoosh... I was the one that had killed your mother, my wife. I had to, Love. I had no choice.

And yet you want me to trust you... I thought and pursed my lips in annoyance, not caring that he had killed my mother, who he had "claimed" to love. I had this small inkling I understood why he had done it and had her permission to do it, but I didn't know if I wanted to hear the whole story or not.

I did love her, Joy, my father said and mentally shook his head, not commenting on the thoughts that were going through my head. He paused and sighed, and he licked his lips and cleared his throat.

I have loved her with all of my hearts and still do even to this day. I would have risked everything for her if she had allowed me to make sure that she stayed alive and well. He sighed, and I had a feeling that he moved a hand through his hair and grew serious, mentally shaking his head. I will explain everything to you about what happened and why I did what I did and why your mother did what she had to do, too.

He paused and sighed while he mentally shook his head and cleared his throat. However, for right now, I need to know if you trust me enough to get you two to the armory by doing what I want to do. You two have to get going to either let the Committee into the building when they get here or to start getting the kids out of their rooms and go somewhere else where they will be safe until they can get extracted from your group. Whichever you choose to do, we will do the latter so that we can make sure that everything gets done and you stay safe.

I can't lose you, too...

I pressed my lips into a thin line and let my shoulders sag in defeat, ignoring the last thought that crossed my mind because I had this feeling that he didn't want me to hear it. My mind was going a mile a minute in which questions upon questions tumbled over each other and into the other man's mind that was connected to mine by a bond like no other that I had shared, for he was still my father and tried to help me in any way that he could while he tried to stay alive for his people.

Finally, I mentally nodded and sighed, not hiding anything else from the other male, even though I had no idea how to block him out of my mind at all. Ok, I said, my voice barely above a whisper and laced with defeat. Go ahead and do what you need to do to help us get to the armory... Dad.