A Cage of Moonlight

by Jenna Wolfhart

  “Fuck off,” Bree said.

  “Very well.”

  Taveon left Bree to stew in her thoughts. She was alone down there with nothing but the dim light of the moon to illuminate her surroundings. While he might not know her well, he was certain about some things when it came to Bree. She hated feeling trapped. She hated being caged. She was fiercely independent, eager to explore. She wouldn’t have left Otherworld to come with him if she wasn’t.

  After several hours, he tried again. This time, she was much more agreeable, though the scowl remained on her face.

  “Are you ready to wear the chains now?”

  She nodded glumly.

  “Good. First, I thought I’d show you around.” He held open the cell door, and Bree ducked under his arm. The top of her head brushed against his shoulder, and his entire body tensed instinctively. Just as she got two steps away, he snatched out his hand and wrapped his fingers around her wrist. She winced, and a pang went through his gut. He hadn’t meant the ropes to hurt her. He’d only been trying to keep her from bolting again.

  The entire way back to the castle, she hadn’t complained. It was only when he’d removed them that he saw the angry red marks his bonds had left behind.

  “You have to wear the chains,” he insisted. “I will put them on in a way that will not hurt the raw skin around your wrists.”

  When she didn’t argue, he fastened the wrist braces and gave a curt nod before leading her down the corridor and up the stairs to the rest of the castle. In truth, he would not be showing Bree much of the castle. She would stay in the wings that held no windows so that no one would see her pacing around inside. He couldn’t afford the wrong eagle-eyed fae getting a look at her.

  Still, he knew she needed to stretch her legs after a night spent in that cramped cell.

  From down the hallway, Taveon spotted his old nemesis, Lord Dagen. His entire body tensed as the golden-haired fae approached them. It was strange seeing him here at this hour, though it was to be expected. Taveon suspected the Lord was intrigued by the new arrival at the castle, and he wanted to get a look at her himself.

  And, despite himself, Taveon didn’t want to make the introduction. He suddenly felt strangely protective of the girl.

  “Prince Taveon,” Lord Dagen said with a slight bow when he reached the two of them. “Good dawn, good day.”

  “Good dawn, good day,” Taveon said in the standard morning greeting of the Dark Fae realm. “Bree, this is Lord Dagen. He was one of my father’s closest allies and sits on the council with me. He’s currently trying to assist me in determining the best course forward for this realm.”

  There was an undercurrent of hostility in Taveon’s voice, though he wasn’t sure Dagen or Bree would pick up on it. It was dangerous, introducing Bree to this male. He knew that Dagen would want to see someone else on the throne, possibly even himself. And he would see Bree as a little pet to be played with. Unfortunately, there was no way to avoid this introduction. Dagen needed to see Bree for himself. Otherwise, he’d hover around like the annoying insect he was.

  Bree didn’t respond. She just glowered at them both. Irritation flickered through him. Did she not understand her position in this Court? She was his servant, his slave. And she needed to show the appropriate amount of respect, or she would find herself on the wrong end of a sword.

  “Bree.” He frowned at her.

  She arched an eyebrow. “Are you not going to introduce me to him? I got his credentials, but you didn’t give him mine.”

  Lord Dagen let out a low chuckle, and Taveon shot him a sharp look.

  “Very well,” he said, narrowing his eyes. “Lord Dagen, this is Bree. My slave.”

  Her scowl only deepened.

  “It is a pleasure to meet you, Bree.” Lord Dagen smiled as he took Bree’s hand in his and brought it to his lips. A strange kind of anger flared in Taveon’s stomach. What in the name of the forest was this nonsense? He’d been right. Dagen wanted nothing more than to play with Bree, like some new toy or pet. And Dagen must have seen just how infuriated Taveon had become because he let the exaggerated kiss continue on for just a moment too long.

  He even shot Taveon a wink when he was done.

  And, the forest help him, Taveon swore that Bree’s cheeks were a wild shade of pink. Lord Dagen had made her blush. Blush, for fuck’s sake. Little did she know, Dagen probably wanted nothing more than to see her blood flow freely all over the castle’s stone floors.

  Taveon would need to be careful. If he wasn’t, he feared Bree’s head would end up on a stake.

  Chapter 4

  Bree

  It seemed like the food of Underworld sucked some serious ass, though Bree was fairly certain that wasn’t the real problem at all. The actual issue? Taveon had ordered the cooks to bring her their scraps or the worst combination of food imaginable. He was trying to get his point across, and it was actually working.

  Do what I say. Don’t make an ass out of me. I can make your life better or worse. It all depends on you.

  But despite knowing that she could catch a few breaks if she just played along, she couldn’t bring herself to back down. Her anger at Prince Taveon went too deep. She’d never wanted to punch someone more, and yet, the only thing she could do was stage small, silent rebellions.

  Prince Taveon showed up at the same time—she thought, anyway—as the day before. He didn’t make her change into some fancy dress this time. Instead, he handed her some well-fitting fighting leathers, ones that were threaded with rich golds and reds. As usual, he stood on the other side of the cell bars, his back turned toward Bree as she changed. She tried to ignore the feel of his eyes on her naked back, but that was next to impossible.

  A part of her wondered if he got some delicious thrill out of this, but she knew better than that. Every time he looked at her, there was nothing but disdain written all over his face. There was no intrigue or curiosity or attraction. In fact, it felt like the complete opposite. He couldn’t care less about Bree Paine.

  “What’s your problem with me anyway?” she asked as she pulled on a thick but light-fitting boot.

  A snort was Taveon’s only reply.

  “Seriously,” Bree pressed on, yanking the other boot onto her foot. “What’s your deal?”

  “You murdered me. Is that not enough?”

  Bree rolled her eyes. “I didn’t murder you. You’re standing right there, alive and well, on the other side of the cell bars, glaring in at me with that gloomy look of yours.”

  “Well, you attempted to.”

  Bree let out a heavy sigh as she laced up the boot. “I was trying to get away from you, Prince Taveon. I don’t want to be your slave. I don’t want to kill people for you. You won’t let me go. What else was I supposed to do?”

  A pause.

  Bree whirled to face him, her fists clenched tight by her sides. “Tell me you wouldn’t have done the same if you were me.”

  At that, the look of disdain flared across his face again. “No, I would not have. I would never be in your situation in the first place. I am not human. I am not Light Fae. And I am certainly not a shapeshifter.”

  Ah, so there it was. He thought of himself as better than Bree, just because of what she was or what she had been. Of course he would look down on humans. They were his food. And he would look down on Redcaps as they were merely vessels to be controlled. And the Light Fae? Well, the Dark Fae practically controlled them, too.

  “You’re an asshole,” she said.

  He raised an eyebrow, seemingly unfazed by her insult. “Are you finished yet, human? Or shall I leave you in there all day and come back tomorrow?”

  Panic flared in her chest. She hated that he knew her this well already. Bree couldn’t bear the thought of sitting in this dank, dim cell for an entire day. She wanted out. She’d do practically anything for a few breaths of fresh air, and that included snapping her mouth shut.

  When Prince Taveon saw the look in her eye, he gave a nod and
unlocked the cell door. Relief whooshed out of her, but as she stepped into the corridor, he snapped the wrist braces around her arms again. They were hard and cold to the touch, a grim reminder that he was her master and she was his slave.

  He led her down the corridor, but this time, they didn’t go up the stairs. Instead, they continued on past a bend in the darkness, the fire-lit sconces dropping away to reveal nothing but black. Bree frowned but kept her feet moving. Where was he taking her? Surely he hadn’t decided to get rid of her already?

  “Stop panicking,” he said in a gruff voice as he jerked on her chains. “I am not leading you to your execution. At least not today.”

  Gee, that really put the warm fuzzies into Bree’s heart. “So you do plan on killing me eventually.”

  “Not if you cooperate.”

  Bree shot a sideways glance his way. He was nothing more than a silhouette in the darkness. His strong jaw. His broad shoulders. His tall form that radiated pure, chaotic power. There was something so unnerving about Prince Taveon, and it made her entire body shiver from the force of it. What was it about this fae? What was it that made her feel as though she could reach out and—

  Bree blinked and ripped her gaze away, heart hammering. What the hell was wrong with her?

  Prince Taveon seemed completely oblivious to her gaze. He just kept on striding forward, occasionally yanking hard enough on her chain to make her stumble. He really was a complete asshole, and it seriously pissed her off that he could look so good while being such an insufferable dick.

  “Here we are.” Prince Taveon came to a stop just before a small wooden door. He pulled a heavy set of keys from his pocket, jammed an old silver key into the lock, and then turned. The door creaked as he pushed it open, sending a wave of shivers down Bree’s spine.

  Yeah, this wasn’t ominous at all.

  “What is this place?” Bree asked as she stumbled in behind him. She dropped back her head and gazed around, thankful that a few sconces had been lit in the expansive cavernous room.

  It was empty, grim, and dark, the domed ceiling rising high overhead. There was a small square window at the very top, poking up into the sky. A sliver of the moon cut through, causing the cobwebs to glow.

  “This is the new Academy of the Dark Fae,” Taveon said in a matter-of-fact tone, though Bree could see a hint of pride in the way he threw back his shoulders and lifted his chin. “You will be training here.”

  “The Academy?” Bree raised an eyebrow. “Don’t you need, I don’t know, students for that?”

  “You are our first student, and you will not be the last.” He took a deep breath. “It will take time to build it up to its former glory.”

  “Former glory?”

  He gave a nod. “We once trained many a fae here, though for different reasons. My father put an end to it, just as he put an end to all good things in this realm.”

  Footsteps echoed on the floor behind them, and Bree whirled to find another fae whisper out from the darkness. Her heart battered her ribs. Where the hell had he come from?

  “This is your first instructor, Rafferty,” Taveon said, gesturing to the male who approached them.

  Bree’s eyes widened as she examined the new arrival, and her breath got caught in her throat. He was unlike anyone she had ever seen before. With bright silver hair and eyes that matched, he looked like the moon personified. He was tall and lithe, but he wasn’t skinny. His dark fighting leathers clung to his frame, highlighting his biceps and the strength of his thighs.

  All Bree could do was blink at him.

  “Right.” Taveon gave a nod. “I will leave you to it then.”

  “Wait,” she said in a strangled voice. “I don’t understand. I thought you were the one who was going to be training me.”

  It wasn’t that she was particularly disappointed that this gorgeous specimen would be training her. It was more that she was confused as to why Taveon had shoved her off onto someone else. She knew he hated her. The feeling was mutual after all. She knew she often angered him unnecessarily...okay, so maybe she did understand why he didn’t want to be around her anymore, but she felt more than a little nervous about being trained by this stranger. She’d just gotten used to Taveon’s presence. He was an asshole, but at least he was an asshole that she knew.

  The truth was, she didn’t actually despise being around Taveon as much as she thought she would. She kind of liked irritating him. It made this whole new mundane existence as a servant of the Dark Fae a little more bearable.

  “There will be different elements of your training. Rafferty will be focusing on the most important, and it is something that I am afraid I cannot help you with.” He gave a curt nod. “I shall see you later, Bree.”

  And with that, he was gone, leaving Bree alone with this strange—albeit breathtaking—fae.

  Chapter 5

  Bree

  He’s dangerous, Bree reminded herself. And he’s full of chaos, just like all the others. He probably thinks Prince Taveon is some kind of hero for capturing me.

  Hell, he might even be a supporter of King Midas, which would make him pretty much the exact opposite of the kind of male Bree could ever be attracted to. Still, she kept her eyes on his chiseled jaw, those bright silver eyes, and that body corded with some serious muscle.

  “Hello, Bree.” He flashed her a smile, one that was almost blinding compared to the one that Taveon rarely showed. “My name is Rafferty, although you may call me Rafe.”

  “Hello,” she said dumbly.

  He let out a chuckle. “If you are wondering why I am here, I am a shapeshifter. And I have been assigned to train you on how to control the shift and on how to control yourself when you are in your alternative form.”

  She lifted an eyebrow. “So, you’re a Redcap?”

  She supposed she shouldn’t be surprised. The Redcap virus had originated from the Dark Fae’s realm after all. Still, she hadn’t expected to encounter any of them here.

  “Oh no. The Redcaps of our realm are not shapeshifters. Our beasts are merely beasts, much like what humans become when they are infected. They begin by being able to transform their bodies, but when the beast finally takes over, they are gone. Only the Light Fae have enough immunity to withstand the venom enough to shift forms indefinitely.”

  “Right,” she said slowly. “Because of the Starlight.”

  The Starlight flower was a plant only found in the Winter season of Otherworld. It was difficult to find and required trekking through snow-covered mountains in order to find even one flower. If an infected human took the Starlight, they would be saved as long as the disease wasn’t too far along. They would no longer have the beast within them, and their lives could continue on as if normal.

  Bree had been human when she’d been infected by the beast. And she’d taken the Starlight. But instead of being cured, she had become something else. She had become a fae, one who still held the beast within her, and one who wasn’t controlled by its vicious rage. No one understood why or how it had worked differently on her, but Bree had a sneaking suspicion it was because she had wanted to become a Light Fae.

  “Of course. Although if a beast here took the Starlight, I do not believe anything would happen. They are creatures of rage. They are not fae.”

  “Some might say that all Dark Fae are creatures of rage, and I can’t see much of a difference myself. Not when you had a King like Midas. And not when your Prince is...well, an asshole.”

  Rafferty stared at Bree for a long moment, his glittering silver eyes piercing right into her soul. It made her shiver, in spite of herself. She hated that he could see that this one look of his could get to her.

  “I must say that I am surprised the Prince has not better warned you of what might happen if you speak so brazenly in front of the wrong fae.”

  Bree shivered again.

  “You are lucky that I have such a close relationship with the Prince and that I myself find the actions of King Midas and several of his allie
s to be what you imagine us all to be.” A pause. “But you are likely to lose your luck at some point. King Midas’s supporters slither through this castle still. And they will eat you alive if they hear you say a word against their King.”

  Bree lifted her chin, keeping her gaze locked tight on his. His words had shaken her, and especially his eyes had made her feel like a trembling mess, but she wouldn’t let him see just how much he’d gotten to her.

  “I thought you were here to train me on shapeshifting, not lecture me on courtly manners.”

  His eyes widened at that, and he let out a low chuckle. “Very well. It’s your head on a stake. Not mine.”

  “So, what kind of shapeshifter are you anyway?” Bree asked as she eyed up Rafferty once again. She couldn’t help herself. There was something so...mesmerizing about the way he moved. She realized that it was similar to how Norah moved—graceful, like a dancer. Only he radiated a kind of physical power that made him seem far more lethal than that. “A cheetah?”

  He grinned. “No, my form is much more useful than that. I shapeshift into a raven.”

  Bree blinked at him for a moment, thinking he was somehow joking with her, even though he didn’t really seem like the joking type. But he wasn’t laughing. He wasn’t even smiling.

  He couldn’t be serious.

  “A raven?” She shook her head, taking a step away from him. “You do realize that I transform into a massive wolf beast who can rip people to shreds within seconds, right? How can you possibly protect yourself if you’re a bird?”

  “I have no intention of doing anything of the sort.” He stretched his lips into a wicked smile. “I’ll remain in my fae form while you become the beast. And I can assure you that I am perfectly capable of protecting myself against anything you can throw at me.”

  Bree didn’t miss the emphasis he placed on the word you. So, he thought she was a weakling who wasn’t a threat. She’d found him attractive at first, but she was starting to get that punching urge she got around the Prince.