The Lost Daughter: The Monarch's Daughter, #3

By Tirzah M.M. Hawkins

Stranded. Conflicted. Defeated.

 

Having fled the comfort of Lord Thyde's arms, Flynae wanders alone on a barren planet. Regretting her rash decision, the princess seeks a way back, but the path is fraught with danger. 

 

Cryptic messages travel from distant corners of the galaxy. A sister masquerades to fill an internal void. Mercenaries haunt the streets of the Kaliah Underground. The cruelest of experiments progress in dark and disturbing ways. 

 

Through it all, everyone is looking for The Lost Daughter.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tirzah M.M. Hawkins
• Release date: Apr 8, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224364220

Book preview

Tirzah M.M. Hawkins

The Lost Daughter

The Monarch’s Daughter, Book Three

First published by Tirzah M.M. Hawkins 2024

Copyright © 2024 by Tirzah M.M. Hawkins

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

First edition

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Contents

1. E122-124 Alone (Sekara)

2. E125/126 Starstruck (Fennec)

3. E127 Twelve Years Ago (Siah)

4. E128 Videos (Seko)

5. E 129 Devastated (Kovad)

6. E130 Current Time (Siah)

7. E131 Elora (Eksar)

8. E132 The Feral (Eksar)

9. E133 Illegally Secure (Senice)

10. E134 The Dress (Kovad)

11. E135 Leaving, Part 1 (Flynae)

12. E136 Leaving, Part 2 (Flynae)

13. E137 Happy Couple, Part 1 (Sekara)

14. E138 Happy Couple, Part 2 (Sekara)

15. E139 The Attack (Fennec)

16. E140 Invitation (Fennec)

17. E141 Thanatos (Flynae)

18. E142 Alone (Flynae)

19. E143 Morning (Flynae)

20. E144 The Village (Flynae)

21. E145 Night Flight (Flynae)

22. E146 A Fantasy (Flynae)

23. E147 Her Fantasy, Part 1 (Kovad)

24. E148 Her Fantasy, Part 2 (Kovad)

25. E149 Estate (Kovad)

26. E150 Her Victory (Flynae)

27. E151 The Bunny (Flynae)

28. E152 The Only Way (Flynae)

29. E153 No (Kovad)

30. E154 Mine (Kovad)

31. E155 Decision (Flynae)

32. E156 Despair (Flynae)

33. E157 Pet (Eksar)

34. E158 Banquet (Kovad)

35. E159 Punishment (Kovad)

36. E160 This Isn’t Me (Kovad)

37. E161 Rules (Kovad)

38. E162 Desperate (Flynae)

39. E163 The Fight (Kovad)

40. E164 Going for a Walk (Eksar)

41. E165 Confusion (Flynae)

42. E166 Seen (Flynae)

43. E167 Surveillance, Part 1 (Seko)

44. E168 Surveillance, Part 2 (Seko)

45. E(169) The Lost, P1 (Talen)

46. E(170) The Lost, Part 2 (Talen)

47. E(171) Leaving Diomede (Fennec)

48. E(172) Meeting Cellyna (Fennec)

49. E(173) Not all Fun and Games (Fennec)

50. E174 Scared (Flynae)

51. E175 Confused (Flynae)

52. E176 The Town (Flynae)

53. E177 Hello, Niece (Flynae)

54. E178 Yak Back (Eksar)

55. E179 Yak Back, Part 2 (Eksar)

56. E180 Breaking Humans (Flynae)

57. E181 Invitation (Kovad)

58. E182 Preparation (Flynae)

59. E183 Kovad’s Decision (Flynae)

60. E184 Bad News (Kovad)

61. E185 Weak (Kovad)

62. E186 Season Three Finale (Kovad)

About the Author

Also by Tirzah M.M. Hawkins

1

E122-124 Alone (Sekara)

Sekara wakes up the morning of her sixteenth birthday absolutely livid. She wonders why she expected anything to be magically different because of a date on the calendar.

For a moment, she listens to the sounds of the house, straining to detect a familiar voice, but she’s still alone.

The last four weeks, she’s remained at home waiting without any word from Eksar or Flynae. Every day, she expects one of them to walk through the door and talk to her.

The house is too quiet, and the isolation is driving her crazy.

A month ago, Eksar dropped her off at the house on Diomede and hadn’t returned, taking her sister with him.

Every morning, she slides out of bed and walks downstairs hoping to find one of them showed up overnight.

For the first week, Sekara laid around on the couch in front of the television, binging to catch up on the shows she’d missed since being on Moki. The media services on the remote planet were limited.

While past episodes of Engaged Overnight, Romancing the Billionaire, and I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant serve to pass mindless hours, each day ends in boredom and unfulfillment.

After several days, the preserved food in the house became unappetizing, and she decided to go grocery shopping, something Eksar usually paid a service for.

Sekara realizes the only reason she possesses money and owns a bank account in her name is because of Senice. He contributes weekly to accounts for both twins. Without him, she would be scrambling to find a way to acquire money.

After she shopped to stock the refrigerator, she stopped by the mall for some retail therapy. Clothes and physical belongings were her primary source of happiness. She needs some small pleasures to fill the hole left primarily by her sister.

Flynae never judged her, never said she was stupid, never made her feel ashamed when Sekara needed held after Flynae was abused. Her twin was her rock, and now she was gone. Sekara knows which one of them was the strong one.

When week three rolled around, she went to the last school she attended over a year ago to inquire if she could take part in classes only to be told they required a guardian’s signature. With no clue as to how to contact Eksar and too embarrassed by her behavior towards Senice to reach out to him, she walked home in low spirits.

Sekara drowned week four in ice cream and more reality media, giving in fully to a pity party.

Now, on her birthday, she requires interaction with someone from the outside world or her extrovert personality will go insane. After getting dressed, she descends two staircases to visit her sister’s room in the basement. The bottom floor of the house holds an eerie suffocating atmosphere she typically tries to avoid. But today, her loneliness and desire for her twin override the instinct to stay away.

Sekara walks over to the bed and lies down. Though Flynae hasn’t inhabited the room in almost a year and a half, the sheets hold a hint of her scent still.

Sekara runs her hand over her twin’s pillow. Where are you? I admit I’m not the best sister, but I miss you. I want to hang out and do each other’s hair and makeup.

While the girl’s personal styles were drastically different, Flynae opted for a subdued natural look when given a choice and Sekara liked flair and the dramatic, Flynae always humored her sister. She would lovingly style her sister’s hair and pencil the perfect smokey eye on Sekara when asked. Then, Flynae would patiently sit and let her twin have her way with her look.

Please come home. Sekara inhales again deeply before getting up and leaving the dark, cold room. I hope wherever you are is better than here.

Her gut tells her otherwise as it often aches and twists when she thinks of Flynae. Sekara doesn’t understand the inconsistencies between them and wonders ever more frequently the older she gets why Eksar treats Flynae so poorly.

Why did he insist Sekara but not Flynae call him father? How does she not carry any of the visual traits of having royal blood? Her lack of red hair and emerald eyes should be impossible with Issiah as her dad. Clearly, Flynae is her sister. The two of them share almost identical features except for a few glaring differences.

As Sekara climbs the steps up to the main level, she realizes she doesn’t miss Eksar. His presence would only remove her sense of abandonment while not bringing her any relief.

Unable to be alone anymore, Sekara leaves the house on her bike. The fresh air and sunshine are welcome and needed to shake some of the depression from her shoulders.

At first, she doesn’t think about a destination and meanders aimlessly. Exercise and the nearness of others are her only desires. Gradually, she recognizes she’s traversed to the neighborhood where Will lives.

Sekara rarely hung out with him as he spent his time busy ice skating with Flynae or hanging out with her and his brother’s band in his garage. Unlike the rest of the general population of the planet, Will ignored Sekara’s desperate actions for attention and revealing clothing in favor of the more modest and subdued Flynae. Her jealous nature took issue with his lack of drooling over her like every other human did.

If she shows up at his house now, she’s confident he would talk to her even if the conversation centered around Flynae.

When Sekara pulls up in front of the tan and light blue house, she observes not much has changed except for a few of the plants in the flower bed. She leans her bike against the side of the garage and walks up to the front door.

Immediately after she pushes the doorbell, she realizes she’s not disguised as a human and isn’t capable of making herself look like one. Eksar always cast the camouflage over her. If she spent a little more time with Flynae and Senice, she probably would have learned. Flynae consumed her free time practicing energy work while Sekara was caught up in acquiring the attention of as many human boys as possible.

The front door opens, and Will’s mom Emmaline McNeal appears.

Sekara, nice to s–. The woman’s eyes widen as the word sticks in her throat. To see you. She glances behind the girl, surprised to encounter her alone. The McNeals never saw Sekara without her sister present. It’s been an awfully long time. What brings you by? Alone?

Is Will home? I was hoping to talk to him. Sekara peers into the house and listens for signs of other humans being home.

Emmaline steps aside for Sekara to enter. How’s your sister?

She’s uh–. Her thoughts fail her and leave her without a valid explanation. She doesn’t believe Flynae is okay at all, not after witnessing how Eksar treats her. I don’t know. I haven’t seen her in a while.

Her head droops with sadness at the verbal admission.

Oh. The woman’s mouth hangs open for a moment before she tilts her head. Will’s upstairs in his room. I’ll go get him.

Instead of waiting, Sekara darts around and quickly scales the steps. She’d rather talk to Will privately than in front of his mother. Thanks, she calls back.

Without knocking, Sekara opens Will’s bedroom door. The tall, lithe, dark-skinned boy lays on his bed, wearing expensive noise-canceling headphones, watching something on his comm.

He jumps when Sekara pops into the room and pulls the listening device from his head.

Hey. He sits up.

Sekara watches as his eyes glance behind her. His scent reveals a trace of hope.

No. She groans and huffs. Flynae isn’t here. Just me. She closes the door loudly behind her and plops down right next to him, their knees touching. Whatcha doing?

Umm. Will shifts slightly creating a breath of space between them. I was listening to music and watching dance videos.

Sounds thrilling. She leans into his bubble. Show me.

Okay. He presses play and holds the comm where they can both observe the screen.

Sekara pretends to be interested. Watching other people do things wasn’t amusing to her; she wanted people feasting their eyes on her.

Sekara hears approaching footsteps in the hallway and adjusts to sit a respectful distance from Will before the bedroom door opens. His mom pokes her head in.

Hey, remember the rule about having girls in your room.

Yeah. Sorry.

Sekara detects a smidge of discomfort.

After his mom walks away, she drops her hand on his leg casually. Want to go for a walk?

Uh, sure. He pops up and slides on some shoes.

Once they’re out of view of the house, Sekara slips her hand into his. Will glances down at their locked fingers but doesn’t resist

So. Uh. Where’s Flynae?

Sekara sighs; she knew he would ask that eventually. I don’t know. I haven’t seen her for a few weeks.

Oh. Where did you guys disappear to?

Some remote planet in the middle of nowhere.

They continue in silence for several minutes.

You’re a little taller than she is aren’t you?

Sekara considers his question and realizes he’s correct. Flynae is two inches shorter than her. Finding another disparity makes her feel less like a twin. Their features aren’t perfectly identical because every part of Flynae is a little bit smaller and more delicate than Sekara.

So? She needs to distract him from Flynae somehow and make him start appreciating her. She wants to smell desire from him. The last four weeks of solitude left her needy.

Nothing. Just an observation.

Sadness pervades his aura. And something else. Sekara admits to herself no one ever smells about her the way he does now while thinking of Flynae.

You’re in love with her aren’t you.

Will stiffens.

Sekara can almost hear his mind working on her question.

Yeah. The word falls softly from his mouth like he’s admitting it for the first time. I can’t get her out of my head. When I close my eyes and go to sleep, I pray I’ll dream about her.

The neighborhood opens on a park to their right. They mutually turn and walk across the grass. Will sits down on a bench. He stares at her with a dazed appearance when she straddles his lap.

Well, she whispers seductively. She runs her fingers up and down his chest. I can’t change my height, but I can sound like my sister if that’s what you want.

She brushes her hand over his face, making him close his eyes. Keep them closed.

Do you long for me now, Will? She raises her voice slightly in pitch, mimicking Flynae’s perfectly. Her hand reaches up to stroke his cheek; his breath quickens. She caresses his face and teases a finger across his lips.

Do you want me, Will? Sekara breathes in his ear. One of her hands slides down between them to his crotch. If his thick scent of yearning isn’t enough to reassure her of his arousal, the bulge in his pants is.

His breath comes swiftly. Flynae, he whispers longingly before his eyelids fly open. Fuck. You’re making this way too realistic.

Relax. Sekara maintains the fake voice. Let me make you feel good. She moves her lips to brush his.

Will leans in and presses his against hers but quickly pulls back. Ugh. She got upset every time I kissed her.

Sekara suppresses her annoyance with difficulty. This is your opportunity to do whatever you want, she continues in her mock tone. You can kiss me, Will.

He gives in, closing his eyes and pulling her by the back of her head until her mouth collides with his. When she parts her lips, he drives his tongue inside and devours her with desperation.

Will grips her torso, alternating between kneading her body with his fingers and crushing her against him. She wraps her arms around his neck.

After several intense minutes, Sekara pulls back slightly and whispers, Why don’t you come stay at my house tonight?

They both pant from desire and lack of oxygen.

What? He shakes his head to clear away a little of his daze.

Well, we obviously can’t go back to yours. What was that whole deal about your bedroom door? She huffs dramatically.

My parents don’t want me hanging out with girls alone in my room. Their house, their rules, they say.

Lame. Not like you’re a virgin or anything.

Will doesn’t respond.

Oh, shit. Are you a virgin?

The slight change in the hue of his cheeks tells her everything.

She leans back against the length of her arms without removing them to study him further. Aren’t you like twenty or something?

Nineteen.

Close enough. Come on. She stands up and tugs on him. Text your mom and tell her you’re staying the night with a friend.

She knows I left the house with you. He resists lightly but gives in to her renewed pressure and takes his feet.

You bumped into a friend while we were walking and went back to his house and played video games and now you want to stay the night. Sekara rolls her eyes, annoyed he didn’t come up with a story for his parents on his own.

Don’t you live across town? He glances around like he’s wondering if anyone he recognizes is watching.

Only like fifteen miles away. I’ll call for a vehicle. Are you in?

Will hesitates. His scent reveals he’s torn between desire and responsibility.

Sekara hops on the park bench so he’s looking up at her. She drapes her arms over his shoulders and murmurs in his ear, mimicking her twin once again. I’ll talk to you like this for hours. Come home with me, Will.

His heart races. Hearing a voice so similar to Flynae’s pushes him over the decision edge.

Okay. He releases a heavy sigh. You win. My parents are going to kill me if they find out I lied.

Mmm. Sekara relishes the aroma of his desire though the passion behind it is for someone else. I want to make you smell like that all night long.

She nibbles at his ear lobe and is rewarded with a stronger fragrance of arousal. Yes, she softly says in his ear, remembering to sound like her sister. Crave me.

May I touch your ears? he asks sheepishly.

She giggles. Sure. Why? But sure.

I’ve wanted to ever since I first glimpsed them. His voice lowers. When you were lying, bleeding on the ice.

Sekara ignores that he’s talking about a memory with Flynae because he’s putty for her now. She slides her hand down his arm until she reaches the end and lifts it to the side of her head.

Will slips his fingers beneath her hair and caresses the length of her tall, slender ear, causing her to shiver in delight.

Do you want to kiss them? she breathes.

He grabs her head and brings it to his while pulling her long black locks back out of his way. His lips descend on her ear, kissing, sucking, licking.

Sekara moans. I’ll let you do that all night long. Gods, you feel so good. Let’s get to my house.

The two of them sit back down and make out until the vehicle she called for arrives. She hops into the back seat first. When Will joins her, she climbs on his lap and resumes like they’re still alone. He’s stiff and nervous until she mutters in her twin’s voice. Don’t think about anything except for me.

She hears his heart pick up the pace again. That’s it. She runs her fingers along his neck and gently scratches his scalp with her claws while her tongue returns to playing with his.

Will hesitates again when they’re standing on the sidewalk outside her house after the transport vehicle drives away. Are you sure your uncle is okay with this?

He’s not home. No one is. I’ve been by myself for over a month now. She takes his hand and drags him forward.

Where did they go?

I have no idea.

Not wanting to waste any time, she leads him straight up to her room, pushes him down on her bed, and straddles him. His eyes widen as she slips her shirt off, revealing a pink lace bra. She reaches behind her back and releases the hooks, allowing the lingerie to fall to the bed next to him.

When her hands move to the waistband of his pants, he shoves her off and sits up.

Wait. How old are you?

Ugh. You humans and your age hang-ups. What does it matter?

I’m several years older than you. And I’m not certain that I’m ready for sex yet. I’m sorry. I can’t do this. Sex is not happening.

We can do other stuff, she replies in her best Flynae voice while laying down on the bed and arching her back to highlight her bare breasts.

Will