The shorter leg of the room ran along the windowed wall, and a long, high-backed couch acted as a divider to create a comfortable sitting area invisible from the doorway. King Arik and Queen Tanya lounged on the couch. Alex and Jenneva sat in overstuffed chairs facing the couch. “Who would have thought that Niki was capable of defeating a demonkin?” offered the king. “I always remember her magic as being puny and uncontrollable.” “You never understood her gift,” the queen responded. “No one can blame you for that as I have never truly understood it, either. Her magic is unlike Jenneva’s or mine. While she may have trouble using spells that come as second nature to me, she can do things with animals that I could only dream about.” “Her attack on the demonkin was effective,” interjected Alex. “No one can deny that. Has there been any luck in locating her?” “None,”
