My stomach turned as Nilsson said, “Consider it done. Let me escort you back to the party, Mrs. Wu.”
Numbly, I followed Nilsson and Mrs. Wu out of the office, allowing myself half a minute of shock before I turned my smile back on and twirled a curl between my fingers. Unless I wanted to die a long and torturous death, my loyalty was to the vampires. I would do exactly as they asked and be pleasant at all times. That’s how Mother had survived for all those years, and that’s how I would too.
2
“Saffron. Red ginseng,” I muttered, waving my hands around two of the potted plants that Nilsson had ordered. Both were known to be aphrodisiacs, and if I could blend both species into one, and then blend the hybrid with the stinging nettle resting on the end of the wooden table, I might have an herb strong enough for Mrs. Wu's goals. Stinging nettle was meant to help fertility, and I had already grown the plant to three times its normal size. Its clusters of toothed leaves were a bright green under the strong lights of the Experimental Room, the place where I worked during the daytime hours. I hoped this would satisfy her and Nilsson.
You had better hope. Fail, and they’ll stomp on you.
“Okay, Mother,” I muttered, trying to push her angry, narrow face out of my thoughts. Waving my hands and letting my magic flow, I grew the saffron and red ginseng in their individual pots with ease, watching them become taller, wider, and brighter. I poured my life into my subjects through my open hands, which tingled with invisible energy. Once satisfied that I had three large, vibrant plants on the table, I grabbed a large clay pot that rested on top of Nilsson’s discarded notes.
I would not think of what this plant would be used to do.
I would only focus on what I needed and be done with it. It was Mrs. Wu's idea, not mine. If I resisted, she would only find someone else to complete the job.
Time to combine my three plants into a single new one and pray there was no adverse reaction. Sometimes herbs were unpredictable. Thankfully, Nilsson wasn’t here in the daytime to witness me screwing up if something terrible happened. Since the museum was only visited by vampires, it was empty during the daytime, and I was left at peace. And Nilsson, not wanting me to suffer a drain to my powers or focus while working, had ensured the Experimental Room held as little iron as possible.
Watch it, unless you want to screw this up, Mother hissed.
“I know.” I hauled the pot to the middle of the table and grabbed a bag of fresh dirt. Transferring the three herbs to the same pot was easy, as was filling in the fresh soil. Now came the tricky part: combining three herbs into one. Taking a slow breath, I lifted my hands over all three plants, curling my fingers. This time the hand motions weren’t for show, but to help me focus and mold my magic. When creating new plants, combining was the most difficult part.
I brought my hands together, and with my magic, the plants moved through the loose dirt, roots obeying my commands and twirling around each other. The three herbs danced around each other in a circle, tightening and speeding up like a figure skater pulling her arms in, and a faint golden glow surrounded the potted chaos. Yes. It was almost done.
With a burst of golden light and the sound of crackling, the plants merged. I jumped back at the outburst of energy and blinked. The golden glow faded and before me was a very green, almost glowing plant with a central stalk of narrow, scarlet flowers that hung down in bunches. The plant itself stood three feet high. The sweet, overpowering scent, similar to lilies, made my body tingle in dangerous ways, and I backed toward the door, sensing danger.
My heart raced, and I forced myself to breathe through my mouth to calm down even as excitement rolled through me. I had done it. Just smelling this plant told me that Mrs. Wu would be happy with its effects.
I took another breath and my body once again tingled in a sexual manner. Then I pulled my shirt over my nose. The bizarre hybrid plant I had created could easily make anyone, human or fae or perhaps even vampire, jump a member of the opposite sex. Backing away, I reached for the door and pulled it open. I needed to get away, not just because of the plant’s effects, but also because I’d rather not think about what I had done. Mrs. Wu would use the plant on her servants and they’d be helpless to resist, breeding like rabbits.
I almost wished I had failed.
Almost.
But the nasty internal voice stayed quiet, and I’d take any relief I could get.
And if I wanted to keep my blessings, I needed to do what I was told. That was what Mother always—
The doorbell rang, tearing me out of my thoughts. I left and closed the door to the Experimental Room, not bothering to lock up as I knew who had come to visit me. Entering the main museum, I hurried down the cobblestone walkways past flowers and trees and answered the door to find none other than Virgie, another member of my crew from back at Nocturnal Academy, standing on the steps that led up to the street.
A fellow pureblood fae, but without any apparent magic, she had dark hair and features that could best be described as Eurasian. Virgie nodded as I stood aside to let her in. Her master, Griffin Steinberg, had bought her as his newest courtesan, but unlike the other fae courtesans, she wasn’t trashy. Today, she wore a classy blouse and skirt, and her dark, straight hair was pulled back into an immaculate, low ponytail, a strand hiding the band.
Unlike other fae, Virgie had let herself be bought by a respectable master, who even let her visit the museum during the daytime. She knew how to play by the rules thanks to my teachings.
Stay with the powerful and win.
I bit my lip. And yet, she hadn’t thanked me. Sure, I had threatened her with ruination if she didn’t stay with my group, but if I hadn’t, she would’ve gone the way of the unfortunate fae who got bought by sadists. Being soft did not work in the vampires’ world. Befriending those who had a future, on the other hand, was a wise choice. Tough love worked. I knew that very well. Mother would say that keeping Virgie out of hell was a job well done.
“Peony.” Virgie’s voice was tense, her posture rigid. “What’s cooking?”
Funny she should ask. “We’ve been busy. Business has been booming thanks to my displays. How about you?” I didn’t want to mention my latest experiment. Why bother? It was Mrs. Wu’s business.
“I’m just out running some errands for Steinberg,” she said. “Lots of news floating around, too. I guess Thorsten’s keeping all of Vulthus’s fae servants. The Wus are still pissed they lost their position in the Elites.”
Yes. The Steinbergs were back in the ruling circle of vampire families after being disgraced. After Vulthus’s death, Thorsten, the Steinberg heir and the killer of Vulthus, inherited all his assets, including his position in the Elites. He even got all of Vulthus’s weak fae servants. Griffin Steinberg, Thorsten’s sire, had therefore gotten his place back too since Vulthus had been working against him. The Wus, who were just filling in for a while, lost their spot. Perhaps Mrs. Wu wanted this breeding herb to prove to the Elites how innovative she was and to get another chance to join their inner circle.
“Are you picking up or dropping off?” I asked, preferring to get down to business.
Virgie cocked her head to the side. “Picking up. Steinberg wanted that exotic spice. I forgot what it was called, but I’m sure that you have the paperwork.”
“Right away.” I walked behind the big welcome desk.
The doorbell rang again, and Virgie opened it as I searched the drawer for the right paperwork. Magicus Spice. Ah, that one, the cross between oregano and basil that tasted far more exotic than either. It helped relax and yet ensured that the drinker had no hangover the next day. I imagined Griffin spiked his blood goblets with it. Again, not my business.
A fae guy entered the museum after ringing the doorbell and after Virgie let him inside. He was a young man with messy brown hair. Behind him, the sun was disappearing. It was getting dark, and Nilsson would arrive soon as would the vampire crowd. The fae wore a brown janitor’s uniform and looked as if he was ta
king a break from his job. Sometimes fae came in to look around at the plants during the day, wishing they could somehow find or awaken their magic. It was futile. Most had magic leached out of them generations ago. Living in a world of iron was not good for us.
“Hi,” the fae said shyly, nodding at me.
I ignored him as I was not required to talk to servants. “Let me grab the order,” I said to Virgie.
“Excuse me,” the fae guy said, giving me a nervous smile.
“You can look at the displays. Don’t touch anything.” I brushed past him. The orders were kept in a back room behind the reception desk. After handing Virgie her herb, she paid and left, apparently unable to stay and chat. I turned to take a closer look at the fae guy, but he’d disappeared into the museum somewhere.
The doorbell rang again some time later, and when I answered, Mrs. Wu occupied the doorway, sunglasses over her eyes. Behind her, dusk had fallen, dark blue devouring the orange light. She had risked venturing into the open earlier than most vampires.
“Mrs. Wu.” I curtsied and inclined my head. Just because the Elites didn’t think much of new money didn’t mean I was allowed to display such attitude.
“I would like to check on my order.”
I swallowed. It had been a week since Mrs. Wu had placed it. Nilsson had been giving her updates, but clearly, she wanted to see the progress for herself. Unfortunately, Nilsson wasn’t here yet and wouldn’t be for half an hour. I wasn’t supposed to let clients into the Experimental Room, but as Mrs. Wu took off her sunglasses and trained her stare on me, it was clear she would not take no for an answer. I didn’t want to handle the newly made plant myself until I was certain it was stable, so carrying it out here was out of the question. So, I did the only thing I could. “Please, follow me this way.”
Mrs. Wu’s heels clicked behind me, and I had to do my best not to glance back, hating not being able to see what she was up to.
When I opened the door to the Experimental Room, letting out its bright, white light, Mrs. Wu gasped at the sight of the hybrid plant. Unlike me, Mrs. Wu approached it. She put a silk scarf over her mouth and nose before touching the red flowers. “Impressive. Green is the color of fertility, and red the color of passion. I can tell by the scent that you have done well so far, Peony. However, I will need to speak with Nilsson before I pick up such a powerful plant and make arrangements to have this made into a potion.” Surprise and curiosity filled Mrs. Wu’s eyes as she surveyed me. She hadn’t expected me to succeed.
I remained in the doorway and tilted my head. I might have magic, but I’m not a threat to you, I meant to say. “Thank you, Mrs. Wu.” The words were hard to speak, but somehow came out flawless.
Her fae servants should’ve worked harder to avoid the situation they were in.
But they didn’t deserve to be bred like animals. No one did.
Peony, that’s enough!
Yes, Mother.
Mrs. Wu left the room, and I followed, my head spinning from what I had done and the scent of the plant. Voices muttered in the museum, and I found Nilsson and his assistant, Emily, whispering in the walkway. They'd arrived a bit early. It was time to get to work and prepare my next plant display. An apple tree tonight.
Not giving me another glance, Mrs. Wu stalked toward Nilsson, who would have to approve my handiwork before selling it.
I progressed to the apple tree in the middle of the museum and eyed the branches which were bare of fruit. I would make the tree rain fresh apples for the guests tonight. Vampires still enjoyed the taste of food, even though all they needed was blood for sustenance. As there was still time before my first show, I did a few practice runs, immersing myself in my tasks and trying to forget Mrs. Wu’s creepy intentions. If I made the tree produce green, golden, and red apples simultaneously, the vampires would love it.
An ear-shattering ringing went off. The alarm.
I jumped, whirling, and faced the cobblestone path that led to the back room. The only thing that set off the awful shriek of the museum’s security system was someone leaving through the back door, which was against the rules unless there was an emergency. My stomach dropped as Nilsson crashed toward me. Mrs. Wu and Emily followed, stopping on the trail behind him, their brows furrowed, their mouths open.
“Who used the back door?” Nilsson shouted.
“I don’t know.” A horrible feeling of dread bloomed in my stomach, and I swallowed, throat suddenly dry. Something was off, but I couldn’t figure out what. Together, Nilsson and I ran to the back room. Nothing was missing, but the emergency exit door was shut, so whoever had used it was long gone, but it was the other sight that sent cold blades of panic down my spine.
The door to the Experimental Room was partially open, revealing the empty wooden table inside. In my distraction, I had forgotten to lock the room, and now, Mrs. Wu’s order was gone.
3
“The fertility plant is missing.” Nilsson spoke, his words echoing in the sudden silence that followed the alarm stopping abruptly. My stomach turned.
“My project is gone?” Mrs. Wu shrieked from behind us, dropping her ladylike guise. “But it was here a minute ago. Peony showed it to me.”
Nilsson turned to me, gaze hardening. “You should never let anyone into the Experimental Room. Anyone.”
“Yes, but—” Nilsson’s cold stare shut me up.
He drew close, redness creeping into his eyes. Someone had to pay for this. “Who visited the museum today?”
“Virgie.” At Nilsson’s blank stare, I added, “Steinberg’s courtesan.” My mind raced, and I struggled to make sense of anything. What if I got her in trouble? “But she left a long time ago.”
You never think, Peony! Use your brain.
I paused, unsure whether I should mention the male fae. Yes, I had to, even if I got in trouble for not kicking him out. He had to be the thief. Unless somebody else managed to sneak into the museum while I was showing Mrs. Wu the plant, it was him. He could have hidden in the foliage. Then he waited for us both to leave before entering the Experimental Room and then using the back exit.
“Did you escort the courtesan out?”
I nodded. “She came for her master’s order and left a while ago.” I pushed the next words out. “There was also a male fae servant. I’ve never seen him before. I didn’t speak much to him. He must’ve stolen the plant.”
Mrs. Wu’s eyes narrowed. “What’s his name?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?” Her nostrils flared. “Don’t you keep a visitor’s log?”
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
“Peony is supposed to.” Nilsson crossed his arms. “But apparently she’s been ignoring a lot of her duties lately.” He showed me three fingers, letting me know I had failed him thrice in one day.
I wanted to collapse on the cobblestone path as my life crumpled and Mother glared.
“What does the fae look like?” Mrs. Wu grabbed my shoulder and shook me. “We need to follow him. He can’t be far.”
I tried to think hard. “He has messy, brown hair. Brown uniform. And he was tall and of average build.”
Mrs. Wu released me with a shove, and I staggered backward. She spoke rapidly in Mandarin, probably cursing, then turned to Nilsson. “Do something! This plant was of a very high value to me.”
Nilsson stepped aside and took out his phone. He recited everything I had said to the security team, dispatching them after the fae. But already, I knew that the chances of them finding the thief were small. The museum was nestled deep in the city. Too many human scents would muddy the waters. Even if they did find him, I’d still be punished.
I backed into the wall beside the door. Why did I have to be such a big failure all the frigging time?
“My team will do anything they can,” Nilsson said. “Of course, if we don’t retrieve the plant, Peony will recreate it as soon as possible, and we’ll deduct twenty percent of the agreed price for the delay.” He glared at me.
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I bit my lip, knowing that what I was about to say wouldn’t be received well. “One of the ingredients will need another moon cycle to mature.”
Mrs. Wu shook her head. “A month! You want me to wait a whole month!” She gritted her teeth and turned to Nilsson. “I don’t just need the plant. I need to be the first to present it to my colleagues. The idea has been circulating through the Elites for a long time. It’s only worth half with all the time delay.”
Nilsson pursed his lips, but nodded. “If we don’t retrieve the plant and have to recreate it, I’ll give you a thirty percent discount. That’s my final offer.”
Mrs. Wu paused, then she flashed a smile. “Very well. But I can count on a favor from you in the future.”
Nilsson’s shoulders tensed. “Consider it done.”
“And, of course, you’re going to punish this imbecile.” She glared at me.
I tried my best not to show any emotion, even though everything inside of me contracted. I was a high status fae. How dare she call me an imbecile?
“Yes, Peony will be punished severely. That I can promise you.”
At Nilsson’s words, my hurt pride gave way to fear. I knew how the vampires punished. Mostly, I had avoided getting in trouble. However, less than a year ago, I’d been accused of stealing a mind-manipulating blood crystal and was thrown into a dungeon. I couldn’t go through that again.
Nilsson stepped aside. As if on cue, a black-uniformed vampire guard with shackles approached. Security had arrived, and they were here for me. I wanted to fight, but anything I’d do would only cause more problems. So I didn’t protest as the guard grabbed my hands and shoved them behind my back. Cold iron wrapped around my wrists, burning, and the lock snapped into place. The awful noise and the weakening sensation of the iron broke my resolve to hold myself with dignity.
The Nocturnal and Fae Prison Academy Boxset [A Complete Paranormal and Fantasy Series Boxset] Page 59
