Sela and Alden were the only ones who cautioned me to stay away from the Summer Court as I wasn’t queen yet. The other four generals were all too happy to invade the Summer Court.
Conversation and debate broke out before I could speak. I could count on that, always.
“But General Alden is right, we should move up the coronation,” General Zion said. The white-bearded, ancient male had never hidden that he considered me a necessary evil and missed King Olwen. I too missed my father. Not because he was the loving type, far from it, but because his experience and ruthlessness would come in handy when facing King Peter. Then again, if my father was here, he might forbid me from going after Thorsten. I doubted a vampire consort was someone he would’ve chosen for his only living offspring.
“Are you prepared to be crowned?” Sela asked.
I glanced at the black-haired fae with the blue wings, who had risked her life countless times for my father and myself. If I wanted the generals’ support, I needed to show them that I was all in. “As soon as the blacksmith finishes the crown and Thorsten returns, my coronation shall take place.” My voice rang with confidence, and for a moment, I even fooled myself that I was ready to become queen.
“Very well,” General Zion said. “We will attack the Summer Court for their transgressions.”
“We should split up.” General Maryn, who already had sharp features, looked like a Doberman ready to attack.
“No, we are not declaring war. Not yet. First, we’ll demand Thorsten’s release.” I stared the six generals down. Blair gave me a reassuring nod from her position at the other end of the table. Besides me, she was the only one in the room who wasn’t itching for a war. “We’ll make it clear that they can’t walk all over us, but we have to give them another chance.”
“And if they refuse to release Thorsten?” Sela asked.
“Then we’ll hear out their conditions.” I would not behave recklessly and give King Peter any reason to hurt Thorsten.
“I highly doubt King Peter will give us another audience,” Victor, the second youngest of my generals, said. He might be eager to strike, but he was loyal and experienced.
I smiled savagely. “Then we’ll have to convince him.”
3
Onyx
I decided to bring Sela, Alden, and Victor to the Summer Court, while the other three generals stayed behind. I wanted to show the Summer Court that we meant business, but in case something went wrong, I needed high-ranking individuals to stay behind to run the Winter lands. Blair and several guards would follow, too.
Victor led our group of four through the icy corridors of the palace, under icicles lit in every color. From there, we stepped through an archway and into the nearest and smallest courtyard. Blair’s orange wings fluttered with nerves, and I squeezed her hand. We were in this together.
The now-familiar aurora danced overhead, making the snow on the ground and on the pines sparkle with green and red. Though the night was frigid, I didn’t mind the temperature even in my midnight blue gown decorated with silver crystals.
Victor’s boots crunched on the snow as he stepped into the center of the courtyard. His gaze focused on the air before him, and we all grew still, waiting. My heart raced as Victor worked his ancient magic. The air shimmered. A blue oval appeared, rapidly growing bigger until a person could step through the portal with ease. Within the blue border stood the Summer Palace with the river running through it, the waterfalls cascading to the valley below. The outer balcony stretched out before us, lit with lanterns that hung off the white marble.
“Thank you.” I let two guards step through before me, not because I was afraid, but because as the only remaining heir, I couldn’t be careless. Sela and Alden went next, hands on their sword handles. Tingles swept over me as I stepped through with Blair and Victor behind me. A thousand bells went off in a loud cacophony as I set foot on the outer courtyard of the Summer palace, despite it being unguarded. A part of me wanted to march right into the heart of the castle, storm into the king’s bedroom, and shake him awake. But self-perseverance won out as I stood with my generals and guards, waiting.
“Remain in place,” I said and forced myself to remain still, despite the ice filling my veins, urging me to fight and kill. Within seconds, a dozen lean Summer guards in green and brown uniforms and with bronze wings burst from the archway and fanned out, surrounding us. They pointed wooden spears at us, but they didn’t dare step closer with the portal still open behind us and our ability to drag them through it and interrogate them. Victor was right. We needed to maintain the high ground.
“Princess Onyx Vinter,” one of the Summer guards mouthed, paling.
I nodded. “Do not step any closer.” I would not show weakness. “I need to speak to King Peter,” I said for pretense, already knowing the king would refuse.
“You can’t just demand to see His Majesty when it suits you,” another guard, one with forest green wings, replied. This tall, dark-haired fae man seemed to be the one in charge, judging from his tone and the way he looked down his nose at me.
“He’s taken something from me. I’m going to take something from him. Tell him that.” A glacier wrapped around my heart. No more niceties. If King Peter wanted to play dirty, so be it. I pivoted, my cape fluttering behind me, and stepped back through the portal, my generals and warriors following. Attacking them now would end in a bloodshed that would be the beginning of a war. I could not let my anger end thousands of lives.
Everything inside of me screamed at leaving Thorsten behind, probably in the dungeons below the castle, but I had to stick to my plan. I’d given King Peter the chance to talk to me directly. Now, I would go for an easier target.
“What are you going to do?” Blair’s forehead wrinkled with concern as I stepped back onto the snow of my courtyard.
I didn’t reply as the portal closed behind me. Instead, I turned to Victor. “I need you to take me to the Vasara Training Center.”
Victor nodded and focused on the air once more, opening a blue portal once again.
Blair grabbed my arm. “If you take King Peter’s earthbound fae, he might use that to justify killing Thorsten.”
A wicked smile bloomed on my lips. “Oh, but I’m not going to take someone who’s expendable. I’m going to take Nathan Bitterbay. Let’s see how well the king does without his High Commander.” Whatever vow Nathan Bitterbay had made to the king would have had to go two ways. Fae oaths were binding. King Peter would have to be loyal to Nathan.
I turned to General Alden. “Get me one hundred warriors before we go into the Center.” The words were barely out of my mouth as he sent off the two guards to get reinforcements. A minute later, Winter fae with blue and black wings, streamed into the courtyard, ready to do my bidding. Weapons clanked and quivers bounced on backs as soldiers lined up before me. No one spoke. Everyone stood with perfect military posture. Summer fae might be nimble, but we Winter fae were true warriors.
Blair grabbed my arm. “Wait. Aren’t Nathan Bitterbay and Virgie an item?”
I shoved Blair’s hand away. “Screw Virgie. That girl has never repaid me in kind, no matter how much I do for her!” I turned to the portal which had grown to its full size again, this time revealing a large meadow upon which a mansion made of wood and clay stood, supported by four redwoods. Stockades surrounded it, but I wasn’t worried about that, mainly because the portal had opened inside the grounds of Vasara, near a bunch of outdoor targets. Some sort of training ground. But no one was training at this time of the night.
I raised my hand, motioning for all to follow. Another set of alarm bells sounded from within the mansion as my warriors and I set foot on the grounds of the Vasara Center. Trodden grass whispered underfoot as I stormed to the back entrance and past lunch benches. The wooden, back door was shut. I turned the knob. Locked. I lifted my boot to kick in the door when it opened.
The air tingled and turned brighter somehow. Light spilled out of the mansion as an imposin
g figure with greenish white hair emerged, jaw matching his proud stance. Nathan Bitterbay stood with his golden wings in plain view. Virgie walked out on his heels, purple wings folded tightly. “Onyx?”
Behind them stood a sea of former earthbound warriors decked out in green and brown uniforms, weapons at the ready. As the alarm bells continued, I recognized one of the faces—Kristen. No longer a wannabe socialite, her hair was bound back into a tight ponytail and a bow was slung across her shoulder. In the fae realm, she had bronze wings, the mark of a warrior fae sans plant magic.
“Onyx,” Virgie repeated, her eyes widening.
Behind me, my warriors readied their weapons with clicks. Tension thickened the air. At my word, my warriors would attack and kill. And at Nathan's, the Vasara students would do the same. Taking Nathan would not be as easy as I thought, but I knew my warriors would decimate the inexperienced Vasara students in no time. I read fear in dozens of their eyes. Nathan, though his silver eyes were steely, stood between the students and us. It was clear he did not want to order them into battle.
“Your king is a coward,” I snapped. “If he wanted to declare a war, he could’ve done so without taking Thorsten hostage and forcing the decision onto me.”
Nathan opened his mouth to protest, but Virgie put a hand on his chest and shook her head. “Let me handle this.”
I snorted, remembering all the times Virgie had turned her back on me in favor of Peony. Where was Peony, anyway? “There’s nothing left to handle. Unless the king is willing to hand over Thorsten immediately and apologize, as well as write up a peace treaty that will be extremely favorable to the Winter Court.”
“He won’t and you know it,” Virgie said quietly. She stepped even closer and dropped her voice as Nathan tensed. “Please, Onyx, if you declare a war, you’ll be playing right into King Peter’s hands.”
“He’s left me no other choice,” I hissed. I glanced past her, mentally calculating how many fae we’d have to kill to snatch Nathan Bitterbay.
As if reading my intent, his hand went to the crystal sword hanging on his hip.
Virgie took another step, blocking him even further from my view. “You’re going to condemn a lot of people. Your people, our people, and especially the earthbound fae. You know they’re going to be the first line of soldiers your warriors will fight.”
I paused, unable to deny that, and Virgie pushed on. “Please, let me find another way.”
Her voice vibrated with sincerity, and I realized that taking Nathan Bitterbay wouldn’t solve my problems. I breathed out the black ice in my chest. Taking him would be an eye for an eye or tit for tat. Did I really want to stoop to that level? No.
“Where is Thorsten?” I asked. Maybe I would only have to kill the soldiers who held him hostage. Just maybe, Virgie could help.
“He's in the palace, but even if you get him, it won’t do you any good.” Virgie exchanged a worried glance with Nathan, and he reached out for her arm, stiffening and ready to pull her back.
“Virgie, I can’t allow you to do this,” he said. Was that regret in his voice?
“No. Let her speak,” I demanded. Stepping around Virgie, I poised an ice blade above his heart, which floated in midair, as weapons drew everywhere.
“That is a threat on my life!” Nathan cut my ice dagger in half with his crystal sword. The blade glowed with golden light. Interesting. He had no plant magic, but his sword was special.
He raised his blade again, but Sela met it with hers. The two glared at each other, trembling, as they held one another in a stalemate.
“Both of you, stop it!” Virgie stepped in front of Nathan. “Onyx, please. I’m telling the truth. If you get Thorsten now, it won’t do you any good. He’s been transmuted into a plant.”
“Virgie.” Nathan glared at her. “You’re going against the king by telling her.”
She glared right back at him as all the oxygen seemed to leave the air.
I stared at the two, feeling as if I had been punched in the stomach. “Thorsten has been what?”
Sela and Nathan lowered their swords. Virgie had somehow calmed them down.
After watching them, Virgie turned to me. “He’s fine, but no one from your court will be able to turn him back.” Virgie inched closer so that her nose was almost touching mine. She was unafraid of my power, even though I could kill her within a second, and she wore no armor or had any plant magic, as far as I knew. Her next words were so quiet, I had to strain my hearing. “You’ve been wondering what my position here is, haven’t you?”
I nodded, mutely, even though I didn’t understand what this had to do with Thorsten. To my shock, Nathan stayed back, staring past us and at my warriors, giving the impression he didn’t want to hear what we were talking about. That was strange, but I'd take it.
“I’m a mentalist. I can help you, but I need time. Peony will help too.” Virgie’s brown eyes shone with meaning, and I wanted to question her further, but with Nathan so close to her it wasn’t wise.
“Have you sworn the loyalty oath to the king?” I breathed.
Virgie gave a tiny shake of her head, and my lungs filled with air. There was hope. Time. A chance for a new plan. Perhaps Virgie wasn’t going to turn her back on me now.
But I had to lay on the pressure.
Glancing past Virgie, I addressed the High Commander, relieved that kidnapping him wasn’t my only option. “Nathan Bitterbay, inform your king that if Thorsten is not released in a week’s time, the Winter Court will have no other choice but to accept the Summer Court’s invitation of war.” Not waiting for his response, I pivoted, ready to return into my realm.
4
Virgie
Anxiety streamed through my chest as I watched Onyx, dressed in her royal blue-and-silver dress, leave. Nathan raised his hand, indicating that none of the soldiers behind us should attack, but he also drew closer to me, angling his body protectively. But the Winter fae didn’t even give us any dirty looks. Onyx’s generals and soldiers turned around to walk in formation to the portal, offering no emotion. They were hardened warriors and killing machines I was glad the Vasara students had not had to face.
Still, a shiver ran down my legs. Onyx had been really close to attacking. She would next time, unless Thorsten was released.
As the last Winter fae disappeared into the portal, Nathan dropped his hand. His expression remained steely, but a quiet sigh betrayed his relief as the blue portal closed to the Winter Court.
Nathan raised an eyebrow at me. Without words or even telepathy, I knew what I had to do—use my mental influence on the fae. I needed to convince them all to be brave as Blythe had instructed. Kristen had been freaking out when the alarms had gone off, which still reverberated in my ears, even though they had stopped a while ago.
I turned around and smiled at everyone who stood inside the mansion, crammed against the doorway. It’s all right. The threat is over.
Weapons lowered with clicks and whispers. The students, all dressed in green and brown uniforms, had been eating a late dinner after a night training when the alarms had gone off. Nathan urged me to compel them to gather and I’d done so, making them run into battle with much more experienced warriors. I hated myself for doing this. Yet, if I hadn’t done it, Blythe would’ve reported negatively to the king, something none of us could afford.
“Great job, everyone,” I said, screaming on the inside as I re-entered the house. “We can all return to dinner. Whatever the Winter Court wanted, they aren’t going to find it here.” The other students hadn’t heard my quiet conversation with Onyx. A few fae pumped their fists in victory, but most looked at me as if they couldn’t believe that a war with the Winter Court was a real possibility. Whispers flowed through the crowd.
Kristen stood near the front of the hundred or so students. Her eyes were huge with fear. I took a deep breath, pushing away my own rising panic. Once I got through to Nathan, all of this would be under control. I gave Kristen a reassuring nod, hoping it
came off warm rather than dominating, but she turned away, offering me a view of her bronze wings and the quiver of arrows on her back. Within minutes, all fae had silently vanished into the mansion. Despite my influence, the atmosphere was thick with unease.
I faced Nathan. I hadn’t seen him all day at Vasara, but he’d appeared in the main corridor when the alarms had gone off. He’d been around all along, avoiding me until now. Even now, his gaze was focused on a giant tree behind me.
What are you hiding? I let the words flow telepathically, but since I hadn’t yet mastered mind communication with Nathan, I wasn’t sure if he heard me.
He flinched and when his voice came out, it sounded weary and much older than his twenty-four years. “You did well, Virgie.” Nathan still faced the tree. “You are right. War is not what we need. I never wanted it. But I am the High Commander, expected to lead troops into battle.”
I nodded, still frustrated, but having a new understanding of his position. “I didn’t want to lead the students into a battle with experienced Winter warriors, but I still did it. I was hoping that Onyx would be there, and she wouldn’t attack. I got lucky.” I twisted my hands, feeling pathetic and foolish at my knee-jerk reaction. At least, I’d been able to tell Onyx the truth about what happened to Thorsten. It was a small weight off my chest, even as a larger one remained. I had helped deliver Thorsten to King Peter. If she ever found out...she had saved me, and I had repaid her with more horror.
The Nocturnal and Fae Prison Academy Boxset [A Complete Paranormal and Fantasy Series Boxset] Page 87
