Vulthus waved his hand impatiently. “Besides that?”
“We have not contacted or been contacted by any half fae.”
“Have you or any of your men aided a half fae student in her escape?”
“No.”
I didn’t dare to breathe. Technically, Olwen hadn’t helped me, so he was telling the truth, but we were on treacherous grounds.
Vulthus cracked his knuckles, then interlaced his fingers. “Have you or any of your men collected a half fae student and given her a safe place?”
My heart stopped beating as ice shot into my veins. My cover was about to be blown, and I had to be ready to fight.
“No.”
I blinked, trying to make sense of how Olwen had pulled that off, and that’s when I truly understood how far fae omission went.
Once I was out of Nocturnal Academy, I was no longer a student. Olwen was still not lying. He also hadn’t collected me. He had kidnapped. Also, in Olwen’s mind, he probably wasn’t giving me a sanctuary, but taking his daughter home. Or maybe this place wasn’t safe after all.
Vulthus rubbed his wrinkly forehead, clearly unhappy, but thinking he had asked everything he could. “Thank you.”
Olwen finished his drink. “Now that we have this behind us, do you want to tell me what actually happened so that I might be able to help?”
Vulthus gave Olwen a long hard stare before saying, “My property escaped with Mei Wu. Wu swears up and down she looked like Kristen, the fae she had purchased.”
Olwen nodded, but didn’t say anything.
“She must’ve used glamour.” Vulthus narrowed his eyes at Olwen, who didn’t betray a sign of nervousness. “Wu and her driver lost what is mine when she used magic on them.” Vulthus gritted his teeth. “No plant magic, but ice magic.” A vein in his forehead began to throb. “I’m pretty sure it was Onyx who attacked me at the party.”
Olwen rubbed his chin like this information was news to him and he had to process it. “You’re saying she’s a descendant of my court. Very interesting.”
Vulthus snarled. “Onyx escaped Wu and her driver in the outskirts of Denver. And despite Lady Cardinal dispatching countless guards, none of them could find that bitch. It’s as if she disappeared into thin air.” He leaned forward. “Can fae do that?”
Olwen clasped his hands together. “Teleportation is not a skill fae possess.”
Vulthus’s fangs descended, and he grabbed his glass and threw it against a wall. It broke into a thousand pieces, and I held in the scream of surprise that worked its way up my throat. “Then where the hell is she?”
Olwen didn’t address the outburst, but simply said, “She’s a half fae. She has no money or resources. I don’t think she’ll get far. Your men should find her soon.”
Vulthus paced up and down. “They should. But she shouldn’t have been able to escape in the first place. This bitch—” He stopped. “She’s different. I must have her.”
Ice shot into my fingers, and it took all of my self-control to rein it back in.
“I will have her. I bought her.”
Olwen finished his drink. “I hope Nocturnal Academy plan to reimburse you.”
Vulthus’s nostrils flared. “I don’t want my money back. They’ll search day and night until they find Onyx Logan. Until she’s mine again. If any guard doesn’t cooperate fully, I’ll flail him myself.”
I swallowed hard. Thorsten. He had always acted of his own accord. What if Vulthus decided that Thorsten wasn’t trying hard enough? Vulthus could easily execute Thorsten under the pretense of him sabotaging the search and thus take his revenge on the Steinbergs.
No. I would not think of him anymore. All he had done was play games. My emotions needed to stop betraying me.
“And the fae, they’ll pay too. No more treating them nicely. They’ll all have to pay for what Onyx did.”
A blade tore through my heart. Lily. Virgie. Blair.
“I’ll bring them all to their knees. No one will ever defy me again.” Vulthus flashed a wicked smile. “And you’ll help me.”
Olwen grabbed a new glass for Vulthus and poured them each more cognac. “The Summer fae must pay for their crimes. To the future!” Their glasses clinked.
I did my best not to throw up as the two drank their cognac. “Can I offer you an early lunch?” Olwen asked.
Vulthus shook his head. “I must be on my way, but I’ll be in touch soon.”
They exited, and the door clicked shut behind them. I slid to the ground and into a ball, burying my face in my palms. What had I done? The price of my freedom was condemning everyone else.
4
Onyx
I remained in the cubby behind the bookshelf, sealed into the wall, not feeling like I deserved to leave. Because of my escape, no other fae would ever have the chance to do so again.
No. No. I couldn’t let my weakness win. It was nothing but a trap to force me to go back to Vulthus. He was counting on my feelings to doom me. What were his plans for me now that he knew I had ice? Maybe he would pit me against Blair and force us to hurt each other when the fancy struck him, decimating our friendship one blow at a time. Or worse, I’d have to kill for him. Assassin by day, courtesan by night, my hands dirty with blood, my body defiled. Or maybe he’d just get off on the thrill of breaking a dangerous Winter fae.
No matter what he chose to do with me, he’d be ruthless. I had tried to kill him. I had dared to escaped. Next time we came face to face, he’d be ready.
The tea room outside remained quiet. If Olwen suspected my mental state, he made no move to acknowledge it. I remained inside, slowly pulling myself together. At last, the bookshelf slid back open with a whisper. The suited form of Atticus stood over me while Olwen remained at the table, newspaper in hand. Vulthus had vanished through the secret, sunless tunnel.
Pathetically, I remained sitting on the floor, arms wrapped around my knees.
Olwen motioned for me to rise, his expression infuriatingly calm as if he had just had a friendly conversation. “Onyx, I have mended relations with Gregory Vulthus for now.”
How could he be so casual? Fury rose within me. Atticus extended a hand to help me up, but I pushed myself off the floor, propelled by cold anger. Olwen had discarded the other fae with his words like they were nothing. He didn’t care if they suffered, even though these fae trapped in the human world weren’t the ones who had tried to steal the Winter lands. They were refugees.
“Do you realize what Vulthus will do?” My fists balled.
“He won’t do much. He still believes that I’m his ally.” Olwen offered a chilly smile as he rose, set down the paper, and circled the table toward me.
“He bought my friend and tortures her every day,” I blurted.
Immediately, I regretted letting out those words and showing weakness. The Winter Court was no place for any emotional warmth. I tensed, waiting for Olwen to scowl at me and threaten me, but his eyes sparkled with eagerness.
“You want revenge.”
I swallowed. “Yes. I almost had it at that party.”
“Ah. The ice stake.” Olwen nodded and motioned for Atticus to pick up the paper. “Gregory Vulthus will be difficult to kill. The key to destroying him is to get close to him. I have that ability."
Olwen was dangling bait before me like I was a cat. I hated it. But the guilt once again squeezed my wrists to the point of pain. Damn it. No matter how many times I blinked, I could not get rid of the image of Blair’s dead eyes, of how she was put on display in that cage.
“How do we take him down?” I forced my voice to remain neutral.
“Vulthus must be destroyed from the inside. But first, I need to be sure I have your loyalty.” Olwen’s cobalt blue eyes drilled into me.
The ultimatum wasn’t a surprise. Everything came with a price tag. Friendship. Freedom. Even family. Olwen was good at sensing and exploiting weaknesses.
“Swear loyalty to me and the Winter Court, and I’ll make you a warrior
. We’ll destroy Vulthus together.” Olwen gave me a slow, chilling smile, and a shiver ran up and down my spine. Contracts with pureblood fae were binding, at least for humans. What about me? Probably the same, otherwise, Olwen wouldn’t be asking for my word.
Once again, I thought of Blair. If I had doomed all the fae, then I had to at least make up for that. Also, my enemy’s enemy was my friend.
I met my father’s intense gaze. “You have my loyalty,” I forced out.
Olwen produced a dagger set with shiny garnets and took my hand. I didn’t pull back, not even when he sliced my palm and red-hot pain seared through me. I bit my tongue to stop from screaming.
Olwen sliced his own palm. “We’ll take down Vulthus together.”
We shook hands, our blood intermingling, and the air crackled with magic as the contract bound us.
Even though I didn’t like King Olwen and I remained on high alert around him, I had no choice but to side with him, at least for now. Compared to Vulthus and the other vampire at Nocturnal Academy, Olwen seemed like the lesser evil. Still, I couldn’t get rid of the bottomless sadness within me. I had given up a long time ago on meeting my father, yet I was still sad to discover that my family was like everyone else. People just used each other to get to the top.
At least King Olwen was upfront about it. Also, I’d much rather be a Winter fae warrior than a vampire’s slave.
The rest of the afternoon, I explored the fortress that overlooked the mountains, wondering what it must look like to non-fae eyes. The distraction worked for a while, but as evening approached, my dark thoughts returned.
I was here because I thought of myself. Had I worried about others, I’d probably be rotting in Vulthus's dungeons. And Olwen wouldn’t have come to rescue a weak daughter.
By escaping on my own, I proved I was a worthy and convenient addition to his army. He had kidnapped me so he could deny helping me if any of the vamps questioned him. My father was very cunning. I needed to remember that. And if I wanted to survive, I needed to become more like him.
I peeked into one of the libraries. The more the sun set, the more Blair’s emaciated form haunted me. Shit. I upped my pace walking through the mansion’s marble corridors, forcing my gaze to the mountains. I occasionally spotted guards in black and blue uniforms, fae men and women armed with bows and arrows, and they nodded respectfully as I passed. I ignored them. The last thing I needed was to get attached to more fae who could be killed at a moment’s notice.
Friends made you vulnerable. As did romantic feelings. I had learned that crucial lesson with Thorsten.
Hardening myself, I pushed open a door to a courtyard surrounded by pine trees. The air here was crisp and cool thanks to the elevation. I breathed deeply as I studied the cobblestone plaza and the ice statues of fae warriors that circled it. Even in temperatures above freezing, the statues held together with amazing detail. Fae men and women stood at attention with swords and bows. All wore armor. None smiled. Olwen’s magic had probably crafted these statues, just as I had crafted shapes with my own ice. His ability, though, was ten times mine. Would my powers grow as I aged? I hoped so. I was done being weak.
I ambled through the plaza and down a wooded trail, under the watchful eyes of the ice guards. After walking through thick trees, I came to a second plaza, this one set back in the woods. The ground was all dirt, and pine needles muffled the sound of my footsteps. I eyed the darkness between the trees, wanting to melt into it.
My eyes adjusted to the gloom, and I spotted wooden targets set around the area, abused from countless arrows. All the targets were so faded that I could barely see the red rings marking the bulls-eye on each. This was an area where the guards practiced their combat skills.
Good. I needed to hurt something.
Thoughts of Blair’s and Lily’s fates swirled around me like flies. I batted them away and allowed my ice to rise. Facing the closest target, I extended my hand and pulled enough moisture from the air to create a small ice dagger. With a nod, I sent the dagger spinning toward the target. It moved on its own, reflecting pale sunlight as it spun, and then it found its mark with a satisfying crack.
Cold darkness gathered inside my heart as memories crashed against my walls, not wanting to stay outside.
Summoning a second dagger, I let it spin toward the second target.
Crack.
A third dagger materialized before me.
Blair juggled fireballs in her cage as a vampire woman spilled wine all over her. Blair dropped the fireballs, and the vamp guard let the whip sizzle through the air.
I sent the weapon spinning. The target split on contact. Wood shattered and ice fell to the ground.
I was only giving my loyalty to Olwen for revenge, not due to fuzzy feelings. Revenge was safe. I would destroy Vulthus for everything he had taken from me.
The tormenting images of Blair suffering left me. Adrenaline surged through my veins, and excitement filled my chest.
Revenge.
That was all I wanted.
5
Onyx
The next day my physical training began. It was very different from what Mr. Chad had taught in PE at Nocturnal Academy. Mr. Chad had been interested in ogling our legs and asses, which led to a lot of stretching and gymnastics in leotards. Here, on the other hand, I was to wear a full-body suit, and Atticus, who was my trainer, informed me that we’d first work on my stamina. This translated into him putting me through a daily morning and evening run around the mansion, after which he made me do countless push-ups and sit-ups in the cobblestone plaza.
“How am I ever going to defeat anyone by outdoing them in sit-ups?” I asked with frustration as sweat poured down my brow.
Atticus chuckled. “Have patience. We need to build up your muscles first. Without them, you won’t be able to hold a sword or bow and arrow for long. And your stamina will come in handy for using your ice power.”
I sighed, but continued reaching with my elbow for the opposite knee. If his training ensured that no one, fae or vampire, could ever harm me again, I was willing to follow Atticus’s instructions to a T.
I didn’t see much of Olwen over the next week of vigorous training. Sometimes I spotted him watching me for a minute or two before vanishing. He didn’t speak to me, which was fine. Training that would save my ass in the future was preferable to a sentimental father-daughter reunion.
At the end of each day, I tumbled into bed, my muscles aching. At least my bed was comfortable, allowing me to wake up refreshed every morning. It also helped that I didn’t need to worry about fellow students or teachers picking on me. Atticus was tough, but never cruel.
But despite the betterment in my life, I wasn’t happy. Even the amazing view of the mountains couldn’t calm the restlessness within me. It would stay until I executed my revenge. Vulthus’s fear and suffering would bring me pleasure. An ugly monster lived in my heart, and every day it grew as I watered it with my memories of Vulthus sinking his fangs into my neck. The physical scars healed much too quickly. On the eighth day at Olwen’s mansion when I rubbed my fingers over my neck, there was only smooth skin. But while my body had recovered, my soul hadn’t. It wouldn’t until the monster was dead.
A loud knock on my bedroom door sounded, tearing me out of my thoughts.
“Onyx?” Thankfully, Atticus continued to call me by my name and not the preposterous title.
I opened the door. It was too early for our evening training session and I wasn’t sure I was up for running around the fortress three times.
“King Olwen wishes to see you in the main dining room for dinner.”
I tensed. This was a first in over a week. “I’ll be right down.”
Throwing on a baggy sweater, I headed into the main dining room. Like the Solstice Room, this room had an ice table and chairs with fur cushions, all illuminated in blue light from the inside. Despite this, the chairs weren’t cold to sit on and the food remained piping hot. The room didn’t feel too formal
thanks to the pine wood walls and thick tomes nestled in shelves, probably describing the wonders of the faeland. Not that I had bothered to open a book since my arrival. Theory and fables wouldn’t protect me.
I sat down on the fur cushion opposite from King Olwen, who had put on a dark gray suit today that looked like an angry winter sky.
“Onyx,” he said in his low, authoritative voice. “I have attended a couple of outings with Lord Vulthus. I have yet to find a way to get you close to him, but you are to continue practicing your warrior skills. Atticus has informed me of your progress. It is time to take your training to the next level.” Olwen’s eyes were all business. I was here to take orders.
My fists balled, but I nodded.
“After dinner Atticus will outfit you with weapons.”
I felt my forehead wrinkle. “Weapons?”
“Yes. All Winter fae are warriors, even royalty,” Olwen said with pride.
A couple of fae servants swept into the room with trays of food, and my stomach rumbled. The smoked salmon, wild rice, and asparagus melted in my mouth. I ate as much as I wanted, knowing I needed the strength.
Olwen didn’t speak much during dinner, which was fine with me. This was a business relationship. He would teach me how to be strong and turn me into a killing machine.
At least my target was one I would enjoy destroying. For now. Who would Olwen ask me to assassinate after Vulthus?
I breathed out slowly. I didn’t need to worry about that yet. One step at a time.
But what if I couldn’t bring myself to end a life?
I could and I would. I was a warrior, and I had killed before. My tongue itched to tell Olwen how I had ended Prince Preston, but I held back. My gut told me that wasn’t a good idea.
After dessert, a delicious Creme Brulee, the fae servants took away our plates. I studied them. They all seemed polite and reserved, but none were scared. In fact, they appeared to be proud to serve Olwen. The knot in my chest eased. My father might be ruthless, but he wasn’t a tyrant. His people were glad to serve him.
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