A Dance with Darkness

by Jenna Wolfhart

  “Yes, he would say that.” Rourke sighed. “And truth be told, it’s best you don’t question it, Norah. If Viola got wind of a new recruit being rebellious, she could make life incredibly difficult for you.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “Who’s that?”

  But his answer was cut short when a boom shook through the night. We both turned toward the sound, only to get blinded by lightning that split the sky. As I frowned at the rolling clouds, something dark blurred in the corner of my vision. Something from within the forest. I lifted to my binoculars to my eyes. There, just between the trees, a small creature charged across the forest floor, its clawed hands kicking up bright green leaves. Its slick dark green skin rippled underneath the light of the pale moon, and its veiny, pointed ears flopped against its wrinkled face.

  “I see something in the forest,” I said, though the little creature didn’t look all that dangerous. Just...kind of weird. “It’s probably nothing though. You said look out for furry things, and that’s not furry.”

  Rourke held out a hand, palm up. “Let me see.”

  After he held the binoculars to his eyes, he let out a low whistle. “That’s not nothing, Norah. It’s a pooka, and it’s been a long time since one has come anywhere near the Academy.”

  Shivers coursed down my spine. “That doesn’t sound good.”

  “Pookas thrive on mischief and trickery. Sometimes, they’ll transform into horses and carry riders to the nearest stream where they’ll drown and then devour them.”

  I blinked and tried to still the frantic beat of my heart. “Right. So, definitely a danger.”

  He gave a nod and dropped the binoculars to the floor of the watch tower. “Interested in some one-on-one training? I can give you an up close demonstration on how to take care of a pooka.”

  My mouth suddenly went very, very dry. “I thought we were supposed to sound the alarm when we spotted something dangerous out there.”

  “You are. But I’m here, and I’m perfectly capable of taking out a pooka. It would be a good experience for you.” A beat passed as his lips curled into a devious smile. “Or are you too afraid to face the beast?”

  “I’m not too afraid.” The words popped out of my mouth before I could stop them. Truthfully, I wanted to say no and stay here in my safe little tower out of harm’s way. Yes, I did want to learn how to fight. Eventually. But I was all too aware what had happened when I’d tried to shoot an arrow at a fake target. I didn’t want to know what would happen when I tried to take on a real creature, one that sounded pretty freaking terrifying.

  “Then, shall I show you how it’s done? It might give you an edge, one you’re going to need.”

  My heart thumped. I could read between the lines on that one. I’d screwed up with the bow and arrow, and this was my chance to get some important one-on-one training before classes started. I might have failed the challenge, but maybe this would keep me from failing the next.

  “Okay,” I said in a small voice.

  His laugh only added to my terror. “Good. Then follow me.”

  Chapter Eleven

  The forest looked different at night than it did in the day. The bright green trees had transformed into dark and twisting vines that choked out the sky above, and a heavy fog drifted through the undercurrent of leaves. Gone were the sparkling lights and the singsong of the birds. In its place, darkness had come.

  Twigs snapped underneath my boots as I followed Rourke deeper into the woods. He’d been quiet since we’d left the watch tower, and I couldn’t stop staring at the muscles in his back, and at the way he held his sword as if it were merely an extension of his arm.

  Yep, he had a sword. For some reason, that unnerved me even more.

  “Are you really sure we should be tracking this thing down by ourselves?” I whispered, trying my best to keep my voice as low as possible. I didn’t want that pooka creature to hear us coming. I distinctly remembered Rourke saying it liked to devour its prey. Much like the Redcaps I’d encountered.

  “Shh,” he said sharply. “Just follow me. Don’t say or do anything.”

  Right. Because I was really only here to watch and learn. As far as Rourke was concerned, I was a useless girl who had failed her first challenge. One who needed to be dragged into a forest so she could stand by helpless while he took care of the pooka. Not that I could blame him. I’d really sucked with the bow and arrow.

  Suddenly, he stopped short and held up his hand. He jerked his chin over his shoulder, and his glittering eyes met mine. He pointed at a spot just to my right. When I turned, there it was, lurking between two thick tree trunks, the color of its skin melting into the forest surroundings.

  And it was staring straight at me with a pair of bright red eyes that were the color of blood. I swallowed hard, my heart trembling beneath my ribcage.

  “What do we have here?” it asked in a hiss. “A girl who dreams of returning home. A girl who doesn’t belong here. Well, then this is your lucky day, my dear. Take a ride with me, and I can return you to your native lands.”

  Swallowing hard, I glanced at Rourke, but he’d disappeared from my side. Heart shaking in my chest, I swung my head left and right, desperation and fear rising up from deep within my bones. Where had he gone? Had he left me here to face the creature by myself? Surely he wouldn’t. He was one of my instructors. He was tasked with keeping me safe.

  My heart thumped hard.

  Or was he?

  He’d seemed chilly to me from day one. Maybe he didn’t want me around. Maybe this was his way of disposing of me quickly and easily, without any witnesses. I didn’t know these fae. How could I be certain they were trustworthy? I’d gone along with this whole thing without question. And maybe, just maybe, I’d only been walking straight into a trap.

  The pooka’s sharp grin widened, and it scuttled forward. I yelped and jumped back.

  “What do you say then, Norah of Manhattan?” it hissed. “Shall I return you to your realm?”

  As it took another step closer to me, I bent my knees in preparation to run, but before I could whirl from the creature, another dark form lunged from the depths of the forest. It all happened so quickly, and the shadows around me blurred at an impossible speed. One moment, the creature was before me, extending its hand toward mine. The next, a sword protruded from its neck, and a waxy blood dripped down onto the forest floor.

  Rourke yanked his sword from the pooka and wiped the blade across a cloth he pulled from the depths of his golden-hued cloak. “And that’s how it’s done.”

  My heart hammered as I stared up at him open-mouthed. “You just left me out here with the pooka. It could have attacked me while you were lurking around in the bushes.”

  “No, he was trying to lure you away from here,” he said with a quick shake of his head. “He would have attacked me if I’d stayed near you, so I had to let him get distracted by your newness. He sensed your heart isn’t truly here.”

  “So, you left me out here by myself to avoid getting attacked,” I said, narrowing my eyes.

  “No.” A pause. “It’s next to impossible to kill the pooka when faced head on. They need to be distracted long enough to sneak up on them from behind. It’s the easiest way to get in a killing blow without things getting messy.”

  Realization dawned, and I had the sudden urge to show the fae what a messy fight could really look like. “You used me as bait. This wasn’t about giving me a demonstration on how to kill a pooka. It was about making your life easier on you.” I shook my head and took a step back away from him. “I can’t believe it. I actually believed you were trying to give me some training. I’m an idiot.”

  His smile was pure ice with a hint of that fae mischief I was beginning to really despise. “Two birds with one stone. I needed someone the pooka would be interested in, and you needed to learn how to approach one.”

  “You know what?” I fisted my hands and took another step away from him. “Next time you want to help me, don’t bother.”
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br />   His quiet, eerie chuckle followed me all the way back to the watch tower, and I could have sworn he kept stopping by my corner for the rest of the night, though he stayed hidden. The cloying scent of crackling leaves and rich, dark earth stayed with me until I stumbled onto my bed for my precious hour’s sleep.

  The next week passed with more of the same. We spent our days holed up in classes, learning about all the various types of fae and faerie creatures that called this realm their home. Our physical training also began. Fight moves and strategies were discussed, though they didn’t introduce weapons again just yet. It was clear we were all very much beginners, and the only one of us who seemed particularly good at anything (and everything) was my roommate.

  If she wasn’t also my best friend in the whole of the Academy, I might be kind of jealous.

  Okay, so maybe I was jealous, but I didn’t hate her for it.

  For the third night since I’d arrived, I found myself prepping for a long, quiet stretch in the northwestern watch tower. Lila and I kept coming last in the tasks for the Manhattan recruits, so it was always either her or me who ended up having a sleepless night. Rourke hadn’t visited me again after that first night, though I’d always partially held my breath, wondering if he was somewhere nearby.

  I was still angry that he’d used me as bait, but the dance with danger had also been thrilling in a way I couldn’t define.

  A knock sounded on the door just as I slid my feet into the dark boots I wore during my Watch Duty shifts. I glanced up, heart in my throat, half-expecting to see Rourke’s golden eyes boring down on me. But it was only Griff, the changeling fae from Wales who seemed to enjoy coming last in tasks so he could spend his nights on Watch Duty.

  “Yep, I’m coming,” I said as I zipped up the side of my boot. “I don’t even want to imagine how Rourke would react if we were late.”

  “Came here to tell you that Watch Duty has been postponed for tonight,” Griff said with a frown. “Really sucks.”

  “Wait, what?”

  “You heard me. No Watch Duty tonight for us. We’ve got to entertain some royals or something instead.”

  “Royals?” My ears pricked up at the words. While we’d spent many hours learning about Otherworld— the creatures, the ancient history, the types of weapons we would one day learn to use—my instructors had been strangely silent about the political side of the faerie world. It was almost as if they weren’t yet ready for us to know. That coupled with the strange dark clouds in the sky that Rourke had pointed out…well, my curiosity had been piqued. Like, seriously piqued. I was dying to know more about the four Courts.

  “Some members of the Winter Court have come to meet the new recruits or something,” he said with a shrug. “We’re supposed to go to the dining hall and be on our best behavior or something. Sounds dumb. I don’t care about royalty or politics. I just want to learn how to fight and keep everyone safe.”

  “Trust me, Griff,” I said, giving him a soft pat on the back. “I’m sure you and I will be right back on Watch Duty tomorrow night.”

  Griff and I were the last two recruits to enter the dining hall, and I could see that we were somehow late even though I’d just learned about the visit from the royals five minutes ago. The fourteen other first-year changelings were sitting quietly and tensely at the table where we usually gathered for breakfast, lunch, and dinner while a cluster of extravagantly dressed strangers turned their gazes toward me and Griff.

  “Ah, here we are,” Kael said as he flashed me a tense, irritated smile. “These are our last two recruits, Norah and Griff. They were assigned Watch Duty for this evening, hence their late arrival to meet you.”

  A tall thin male fae strode forward and sniffed. His coal black hair hung in loose curls around his angular face, and his eyes were a deep black that seemed almost endless. I sat hard on the bench next to the other recruits, struck by the aura of power that radiated off his golden skin.

  “This is the King of the Winter Court, Brannon Glass,” Kael said as he gave the ruler a half-bow. He then turned to gesture at the woman who stood just behind the King’s shoulder. Her hair was nothing like his. It was a bright, brilliant blonde that lit up the entire room. “This is his Queen, Orla Glass.”

  The recruits and I merely sat silently, staring at the two royals. They were dressed in varying shades of gray and black, with the male in a thin cloak and the woman in a sparkling gown that touched her toes. I glanced down at my black tee, my black jeans, and my muddy boots. Clearly underdressed, as always.

  Kael cleared his throat and gave us all a strained smile. “The Winter Court was interested in seeing the new recruits for the year. As you know, four of you will be joining their ranks after you graduate from the Academy, so your development and training is of interest to them. They wish to see a bit of a demonstration from you.”

  Blood drained from my face, and I shifted uncomfortably on the hard bench. A demonstration? Surely he didn’t mean that we had to show the Winter Court what we could do. Because...we couldn’t do much. Not yet, at least. And certainly not me.

  And this could be my court. As the days passed, it seemed more and more likely that Winter was where I belonged, and I didn’t want to look like a fool in front of them. My roommate was very obviously a Spring fae while Lila and her fiery temper could only fit into the Summer Court. That left me with either Winter or Autumn, and seeing how those Redcaps were drawn to me...

  Fingers crossed this demonstration had nothing to do with a bow and arrow.

  “King Brannon,” Kael said, turning back toward the tall, commanding male fae, and his crown of twisted brambles. “What would you like to see from our recruits?”

  “Skill with the bow and arrow is essential, particularly for our Court.” His words solidified the dread around my heart. “Our fighters specialize in long-range attacks.”

  Kael bowed his head. “Bow and arrow it is.”

  Outside, the moon was obscured by thick, rolling clouds, and thunder echoed in the distance. There was no moonlight to help us this evening, only a few torches the instructors had rounded up from the Academy grounds. I stood shivering, sandwiched between Griff and Sophia, though I wasn’t cold. My nerves were rocketing around in my gut like a bullet ricocheting from one metal object to the next.

  “Norah.” Kael flicked his fingers at me, of all people, motioning me forward. “Let’s start with you.”

  “Why?” I wanted to ask, but I kept my mouth shut. I could feel the eyes of the royals watching my every move. If they’d come here to see their potential new members, then there was no doubt in my mind that they had an idea of who and what I might be. Kael had probably filled them in on everything, including the Redcap’s strange attraction to me.

  I stepped forward and took the bow. He pressed the arrow into my hands and locked eyes with me. No words came from those strained lips of his, but it felt as though he spoke to me. Through his eyes, through his mind, through the intense connection I suddenly felt with him.

  Stop pushing it away. Accept what you are and fight back.

  Frowning, I slid the arrow into the bow and lifted the aim to my eye. If only it were that simple. If only my mind and my acceptance could make my body perform. With a deep breath, I pulled back the bow string and loosed the arrow across the field.

  And then it just sunk into the ground two feet from where I stood.

  Kael let out a heavy sigh and ran his fingers through his coal black hair. The two royals muttered something to each other, too low for me to hear. But I didn’t need to hear their words to know what they meant. I sucked ass. They probably didn’t want me in their court.

  Kael’s hand landed on my arm, and he gripped tight. “Come with me.”

  Suddenly, the world blurred around me and a deep cold settled over my bones. Everything went pitch black. The summer night became nothing but a darkness so pure that it felt as though we’d entered a black hole.

  And then the world was right again, the buzzing inse
cts roaring up around me. Blinking hard, I stumbled back. “What was that?”

  Kael’s eyes were pools of night. “I know you can do more than what you’re letting us see, and if you don’t improve, things are not going to go well for you.”

  “What are you talking about?” I glanced around me, but the royals and the recruits were no longer there. And neither was the Academy. Instead, we stood high on a cliff that plunged low on every side but one. One that led to a cave set deep into the side of a mountain. No lush greenery. No swaying trees. It was all rocks and mist. “Where have you taken me? How did you do that?”

  “There’s something we haven’t told you all yet because we didn’t want to frighten you.”

  My heart thumped at his words. “Okay, well, you sure are frightening me now.”

  “It’s possible to fail at the Academy. Those who do not pass are banished from the courts. You must join the Wilde Fae, and it’s a fate I do not wish on anyone, Norah.”

  “The Wilde Fae,” I repeated. “So, they’re...not part of any court?”

  I mean, that didn’t sound that terrible.

  “They’re savages,” he said. “Vicious and cruel and violent. You wouldn’t survive.”

  “Okay. Not ideal,” I said, wiping my palms against my jeans. “Look, I’m trying. I’ll work hard. We’ve only been here a week. Surely it takes a lot longer than that to learn how to shoot a bow and arrow.”

  “You’re holding back.” He slid a quiver of arrows from his back and dropped them to the ground in front of me. “You’re better than you think you are. Good luck.”

  Before I could ask him what he meant, Kael disappeared from the cliff. As in, he actually disappeared. One moment, he was there, and the next, he was gone. A shimmer of darkness surrounded him, and then there was nothing left but the quiver of arrows he’d dropped onto the ground. A low growl sounded from behind me, a sound that skittered up the back of my spine. It was coming from the depths of the cave.