Perfect Storms (Storms of Blackwood Book 4)

by Elle Middaugh

  "All right," Zane said excitedly. "Let's see who we can fuck with this COCK!"

  Camilla rolled her eyes once more but smiled up at him like he was the most precious thing under the desert sun.

  "We'll gather as many soldiers as we can and make our stand at first light," Blane told us, sounding determined and confident.

  "And until then," Bria said, looking a bit nervous, "I’ll sneak across the barricade and retrieve the Eye of the Sea."

  "Not alone," Orion told her sternly.

  Rob nodded. "I’ll summon the demons."

  She groaned and protested, but since Rob wouldn't budge, she eventually nodded.

  "And I’m coming too," Orion decided. "You’re not the only fae who can use glamour."

  "But what if something goes wrong?" Bria asked, immediately touching her hand to his face. "What if you get hurt? Caught? Killed?"

  Orion chuckled, taking her hand in his. "Better me than you any day, love. You have a kingdom to rule at some point."

  You do too.

  I could practically hear the words burning across her unmoving lips. She wanted to say it so badly it hurt. I literally felt the pain and longing radiating off her in violent waves. It caused my chest to physically ache, forcing me to rub at it. She wanted him to be her king more than she'd ever wanted anything. She was just too scared to challenge her parents.

  But why?

  I sighed and locked eyes with each of my guys, postponing that question for now.

  One way or another… everything was about to change.

  Bria took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "All right. Let's do this."

  Chapter 18

  BRIA

  I stood behind a tent on the Blackwood side of the barricade and took a deep breath.

  It did little to calm my nerves.

  Glamour was something I knew how to use well, but I generally didn't like to. It was considered rude and evasive—and for good reason. It was literally a form of mind control, and everyone deserved free will.

  But this was important. Necessary.

  Glamouring other races was easier than glamouring fellow fae, though. You had to be strong and extremely well-trained in order to pull it off. Luckily, I was both, but so were my parents and their highest-ranking generals. I wouldn't be able to fool them all, so I'd have to be careful.

  And Orion...

  Gods, Orion was a greater fae, but he was no pureblood. He'd been trained, but not nearly as extensively as our royalty had been. He was going to get himself in serious trouble, I just knew it.

  I took another breath and pushed some magic through my veins. It seeped from my pores and coated my skin like a luminescent shield, solidifying the image of a fae soldier I'd chosen. I inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, allowing the final touches to move into place. A scar above my left brow. Black nail polish, chipped around the edges. Short hair parted sharply to the right. The scent of watered-down lilies and sweat clinging to my skin beneath dark blue crystal armor.

  When the glamour was firmly in place, I peered around the tent flap and watched the shadowy demons creep across the tundra, their bodies becoming more and more invisible the closer they got to the fae. My people.

  Gods, was I seriously about to let a demon possess one of my citizens?

  Just as the thought crossed my mind, one of the shadows slipped inside a fae soldier's body, causing him to jerk and twitch before settling into a suspicious calm.

  Yes. Apparently, I was.

  Shit.

  Magic permeated the air and affected those around me. I could make them tell me the truth. I could make them tell lies. I could make them see whatever I wanted them to see. I could make them forget.

  It was freaking terrifying the shit I could do, and I hated doing it.

  But I had to.

  As soon as all the demons were in position—or like, literally in someone else's body—I stepped away from the tent and walked toward them. Most of the nearby fae wouldn't see me at all until I was close enough; then they would only see me as a soldier. From the corner of my eye, I saw Orion approaching as well, his magic wavering a bit at the edges.

  Shit.

  I pushed some of my influence his way, covering him like an extra blanket. It meant a bit less coverage for me, but I wasn't really worried about these soldiers anyway. It was the greater fae I was worried about—like my parents. I'd have to stay well away from them.

  I started walking through the crowd, Orion and the demons flanking me closely. Fae harpies, sirens, and humans intermixed, huddled around fires and packed into tents. Groups of soldier guards patrolled each side of the barricade, making sure neither army tried anything stupid.

  Like what we were doing. Which was, you know, arguably quite stupid. And it was my own plan. How had I gotten myself into this mess? It wasn't really a question, though. I'd gotten myself into this by trying to make amends for my parents' piss-poor behavior—and my own.

  Was it my royal duty to take over when things weren't working anymore? Even if that meant dethroning my own parents? Or was it my duty to obey their rule and wait patiently for my own turn?

  I approached a soldier and aimed a steady line of glamour into him.

  "Where's the Eye of the Sea?" I asked.

  As far as anyone else knew, we were just standing there silently.

  He could feel it though, the pull in his chest, the part in his lips, the baffling urge to spill his deepest secrets into the air between us.

  "Somewhere in the middle of the camp," he replied. "Near the generals, officers, and, of course, the kings."

  I sighed. Of course.

  "Forget I ever spoke a word to you."

  He blinked and turned away. It was like we weren't even there.

  Orion shot me a confident grin. He always believed in me, especially when I doubted myself the most. I just hoped I was worthy of his admiration. His life could be in my hands right now.

  We moved deeper into the camp. I made sure that those closest to us didn't even realize we were there. Ahead, there was a group of taller, more elaborate tents with room for strategizing, relaxing, and comfortable sleeping. One of those tents were my parents'. A cold chill washed over my skin, and a trickle of sweat slid down the side of my neck. I couldn't allow them to see me. See us.

  I skirted the edge of the fancier tents, trying to choose my next target wisely. These people were higher up the chain of command, and therefore, they were also more skilled with glamour. It would take more work on my part to pull this off without any repercussions.

  I spotted a woman with dark blue hair, half shaved, half cascading down the side of her face, guarding one of the tents. Her brow was pierced, and her eyes were sharp—not the type of fae I wanted to try glamouring.

  I scanned the rest of the area. There were some walking by on business. Some entering and exiting tents. A small handful gathered around a fire drinking. I figured that was our best shot.

  We nestled in on a few of the unclaimed logs, and the soldiers graciously passed us drinks.

  "How's it going, Willow?" one of them asked us.

  Because, yeah, I was a woman, but one of the demons had also chosen a woman to possess.

  Gods above, they better not screw this up.

  "Not bad," I replied on behalf of both of us, hoping the demon wouldn't speak, but of course, he did.

  "It's freezing over here," the she-demon said, rubbing the arms of her coat. "Fae bodies are apparently not built for the cold."

  Gods almighty...

  But the soldiers just laughed. "You think?" they teased her. "How long did it take you to figure that out? We've only been trapped in this icy hell for over a week now."

  "It took me about ten seconds, I suppose," the she-demon replied honestly, earning another round of chuckles from the guys.

  Thank hell they didn't realize she was just stupid instead of sarcastic.

  "Any word on the Eye?" I asked them, sipping at the drink they'd passed me. It was warm and tasted
like cinnamon with a touch of almond and maple. It made me want to purr. I missed Timberlunian cafes.

  The soldiers' eyes shot over to me, studying me intently for a moment.

  Ah, shit. My question must've set them on edge. They were probably wondering if they were being glamoured as we speak.

  I leaned back, faking a relaxed posture, and sat my cup in my lap. "Last I heard, the king had positioned it in the center of camp. You don't think the enemy will try anything stupid, do you?"

  They sized me up for a few more seconds before shaking their heads.

  "Nah, I don't think the Blackwoodians have it in them," one of the soldiers replied. "They're on their last leg. That kingdom has become a shit show over the past couple decades. It's only a matter of time before they're face-first in the dirt—or the snow, as it were."

  Sadly, they were right—or at least, they would have been, before Camilla and the Hydratican twins had agreed to help. And me, I supposed, because there I was, fooling my own people in order to help acquire the Eye.

  Camilla and the twins were probably somewhere in this camp, right this very moment, secretly gathering followers. With the backing of the future kings and queens, Blackwood was about to get their bearings back and probably even gain more power than they had before.

  The weird thing was, with Alexis and the Storm princes in charge, I wasn't even worried about it. Same for Camilla and the Atwood princes. Same for me. We were all just inherently… good. I couldn't explain it.

  Unlike our parents who were… not.

  Did that mean I should overthrow them?

  I bit my bottom lip. "I suppose you're right. Still, I hope he put adequate guards on the Eye, just in case."

  The other soldier grinned. "He's got Javi and Remi on it. No one breaks through them."

  Son of a bitch, they were right. This was going to be harder than I thought. My glamour was stronger than theirs, but only by a bit. I wouldn't be able to shield myself and Orion against them. I'd have to do that part alone, somehow.

  I nodded and took another gulp of my drink. "Good."

  "You ever wonder where fae keep their wings?" the stupid she-demon asked, scratching at her back.

  The fae men chuckled, and one of them teased, "Yeah, maybe when I was five and hadn't learned about magical anatomy yet."

  "So, it's magic that makes them disappear?" the she-demon marveled.

  One of the other demon soldiers sighed dramatically, dropping his head into his hands. "Don't mind her, she's already had a bit much to drink."

  The fae guys grinned. "It's all right. She's keeping our minds off the upcoming war, so it's a welcome distraction."

  "You guys worried about it?" another of the demons asked, staring blankly into the fire.

  "No," the fae replied. "We're soldiers, right? Comes with the job description. I lost my fear of death long ago."

  "And honestly?" another fae soldier added. "I don't even look for us to lose too many people. Blackwood is weak."

  "Yeah, but I hear they've got the help of werewolves and werecats," one of the demons supplied.

  I could've cracked him over the head with my mug.

  The first fae soldier nodded. "Yeah, but we deal with the were-dogs all the time, remember? They're nothing to worry about. And cats? They're even easier."

  "What about the demigod princes?" another demon asked.

  I swear to the gods, it was like they were trying to give away any advantage we might've had. I knew they'd never betray their kingdom or their Spirit Prince like that, but holy hell. Were they literally that braindead? I started wondering if the little shadowy beasts were part zombie.

  The soldiers shrugged. "Not really. They'll be focused on the kings and purebloods, if they're even fighting at all. They won't care about us lesser fae. And by the time they realize we're beating them, it'll be too late."

  "Agreed." I finished off my mug and stood. "Thanks for the drink, gentlemen. We're gonna turn in. Good luck tomorrow."

  "Same to you," they replied, raising their glasses to us.

  I stormed off, and Orion caught up to me a moment later. "Those demons are going to get us killed."

  I sniffed out a laugh. "You're all going to get us killed. I think you should leave this next bit to me."

  "On your own? No way." He shook his head like a metaphorical foot stomp.

  Gods, why couldn't I just tell him I was helping him? That he was making it harder on me by trying to protect me? The answer, of course, was obvious: I loved him too much. It was going to be the death of me one day. But I didn't ever intend to stop. Even if my parents forced me to wed some other prince... my heart would always belong to him.

  My stomach twisted, making me nauseous. I'd tried to convince them to let me marry Orion. He was a fae; he was better for me than some Blackwood demigod or Valinorian werecat. Better than an Eristani harpy or a Hydratican siren. But as much as they despised the other races, their royal status was more important. I was a princess. I was destined to wed a prince. End of story.

  I sighed, staring at the tents, determining our best point of entrance while simultaneously thinking of ways to leave Orion behind. "What if I took a demon with me?"

  He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder. "One of those idiots? Are you trying to commit suicide?"

  "Of course not," I hissed gently. "I just... I need you to guard me while I do this. I'll have to put all my attention into glamouring, and I won't be able to focus on anything else—not even covering my own ass."

  He grinned devilishly. "I'll cover that ass for you. Later. Right now, I need to protect you. To make sure that you stay safe. I honestly don't believe one of those demon idiots can do that."

  We moved stealthily around the tent and finally found where Javi and Remi were standing guard, burly arms crossed, sour expressions on their brutish faces. Their armor shined like stars. Ribbons and pins decorated their chests, showcasing their plethora of military accomplishments.

  I was not looking forward to this.

  If I got caught, I'd be put under near-constant surveillance. My parents would ensure I remained at their side at all times. I wouldn't be able to help my friends like I'd promised. They might even think I turned on them.

  But if Orion or the demons got caught... they'd probably be killed. I didn't know how to kill a demon, but I didn't want to find out, either. And I never wanted to risk being without Orion. If he was gone… I shook my head, trying not to think of my feeble options.

  "Wait here," I practically begged him, pulling us behind the cover of a nearby tent. "This will only take a minute. You'll be close enough to watch everything that goes on."

  He frowned at me. "Yeah, but not close enough to actually help you if something goes wrong. What if they get violent? What if they force you to see your parents?"

  I shook my head. "Orion, please, do this for me?"

  Suddenly, his eyes went wide, staring over my shoulder to where I just knew Javi and Remi would be approaching.

  Fuck. It was already too late.

  I spun around kicked the closest one in the groin, dropping him to his knees where he coughed and gagged.

  I paused. That was… odd.

  "Bria, wait," the other one said. But I lashed out at him too, landing a solid punch right to the side of his face.

  "Ow!" he hissed, bending over to cradle his cheek.

  I put both hands on my hips. "Okay, what the hell is going on here?"

  "It's us," Remi said from where he rolled on the ground clutching his junk. "Sue and Kel."

  "Who the fuck are Sue and Kel?" Orion asked, a slightly lethal glint in his eye.

  He was mentally moving into protection mode and physically moving to stand in front of me. I could have rolled my eyes. He was adorable, but he was no bodyguard. I moved around in front of him once more.

  "Sue and Kel are two of the demons," I explained to him.

  For idiots, they'd actually come up with a pretty decent plan. Possess the two most difficult obstacles
to essentially get them out of my way. I hadn't even thought of that. Granted, I didn't really know what demons were capable of—besides running their mouths.

  I shook my head. "I can't tell if you guys are morons or geniuses."

  "Geniuses for sure," Javi—or I guess Kel—said as he rubbed his cheekbone.

  Sue nodded through gritted teeth. "Definitely geniuses."

  My eyes rolled so hard it was ridiculous. "Well, get up," I whispered, making sure they both stood straight and tall. "You're supposed to be guarding this tent, not getting your asses kicked by a lesser fae soldier."

  "Right," Sue whispered, still grimacing. I must've kicked his balls real good. If he was anyone other than Remi, I might've felt bad.

  I took a step toward the tent, but they crossed their spears, stopping me in my tracks. "What are you doing?" I asked impatiently.

  "Guarding the tent, like you told us to." Kel shrugged as if it were obvious.

  Gods above...

  "Not from me! Just..." I took a deep breath and tried to calm down. Anger, anxiety, fear... all of those things had ill effects on my glamour. I'd already been holding it for a while, so I was tired enough as it was. I didn't need holes poking through my magical armor because of two stupid demons. "Let me through, then keep anyone else from entering, okay?"

  They nodded curtly.

  I slipped inside the tent, and as Orion tried to follow, they crossed spears again.

  "You've got to be kidding," Orion mumbled.

  I simply grinned and let the curtain fall behind me. Guess that was one way to keep him safe.

  The inside of the tent was dark and filled with… junk. Stacks of crates and barrels. Sacks of spices and herbs—probably for magical rather than culinary use. If I hadn't known any better, I'd swear I just stepped into a makeshift kitchen pantry. Why would they put the Eye of the Sea in such a ridiculous location? I supposed that was both the question and the answer. Because no one would think to look for it here.

  I quickly got to work, opening lids and bags, peeking underneath cloths and tarps, ducking down to look underneath rickety shelves and stands. My father and his allies had secured the Eye long before I ever arrived, and I'd gone straight to the Storms, not here. So I didn't even know what the damn thing looked like.