“You’re so pathetic, Caleb. Do you know that father captured that disgusting vampire you worked with?” Percival sounded like he was about to burst with self-satisfaction.
I exchanged a grimace with Nathan. The brat prince was the last thing we needed.
“Well, what do you think? Hey, you can’t ignore me!” Percival shouted.
Nathan tensed, and I ran my hand instinctively through his hair, trying to calm him. The gesture was so intimate and unexpected, we both froze. Despite everything, my attractions and feelings for him were growing daily. I shook my head. This was not the time or place to think about my personal life.
Thankfully, after a few more taunts, Percival ran out of steam. “Whatever. If you don’t want to talk, that’s fine. You and your stupid girlfriend can rot in here for all I care.” The door flung open, stopping an inch away from our faces as it blocked us from view, and Percival sauntered out. To my surprise, he didn’t close the door or lock the cell and as soon as he disappeared down the corridor, Nathan moved the door and motioned us out of the alcove.
Instead of entering, he focused on his palm, making a golden-white globe form above it. He threw it into the room, which let out smoke.
“What's that?” Peony asked from inside the cell.
“Just a bit of magic,” Caleb said with a hint of a grin in his words. “We might be about to have a visitor.”
What are you doing? I asked. This magic was similar to that I'd seen around his crystal sword last night.
This will ensure the camera’s feed freezes for an hour, Nathan replied, lifting an eyebrow.
I sighed with relief, even though so far, I hadn’t spotted cameras anywhere in the palace. Thanks to the crazy media, I knew that fae had special magic instead of technology that was probably much more sophisticated.
I grabbed Nathan’s arm. “What about the corridor?”
“No cameras there. Just the cells.” Nathan turned to Kristen. “Watch the corridor. Let us know immediately if anyone comes.” She nodded.
Nathan and I stepped into the cell, and I realized that besides the guards, there was another reason why Percival didn’t have to lock Caleb and Peony inside. Both had vine handcuffs around their wrists.
Peony’s eyes were wide, and Caleb stood beside her. Smoke billowed from the white ball, which hovered near the ceiling and spread out overhead in silence.
Then they both spotted us, and Caleb smiled.
“We can speak quietly,” Nathan explained. He stepped closer to their two cots and working desk that had two chairs and several bell-shaped plants on it. The snowdrops I had stolen. Why were they here?
“The king wants us to produce armor suitable for fighting in the Winter lands,” Peony explained, following my gaze. “Something that can protect from the elements. He believes the snowdrops are the answer.”
I nodded and I was relieved to see that Peony and Caleb both wore clean clothes and looked like they’d been fed well and treated decently. They seemed to have been stored here and made to work. It could have been much worse.
Short on time, I got to the point. “King Peter has Thorsten. He’s baiting Onyx into a war.”
Caleb balled his fists. “Unbelievable.” He took a step toward us, but the vines around his wrists tightened, digging into his flesh, and he retreated. So that was how the bindings worked. If they tried to escape, the vines might even take off their hands.
“What happened?” Peony tugged on a blonde curl nervously, and I quickly updated them on King Peter sending Nathan and me to the Winter Court, supposedly to retrieve Lady Cardinal as punishment for Onyx interfering in the Summer Court’s affairs. Then I explained how since Lady Cardinal was missing, Thorsten offered to come with us, and King Peter turned him into a cactus.
“Oh my God! Onyx will tear the Summer Court apart!” Peony clasped a hand across her mouth.
“I’m assuming you’re here because you have a plan, not just to keep us updated,” Caleb said, cool as a cucumber. After seeing how his younger half-brother treated him, I wasn’t surprised that he had such a quick grasp on his emotions.
Nathan sighed. “We do if Peony can learn transmutation.”
Peony flinched, making her blonde curls bounce. “You want me to turn Thorsten back into a vampire?”
I nodded. “You’re the only one who might be able to. Blythe told me that fae with greenish-white wings like yours have the ability, but it’s advanced. So you’ll need to practice on whatever you can.”
“But I’ve never done anything like that,” she protested.
“Not true,” Caleb interjected. “You’ve transmuted before. Back at Nocturnal Academy when you worked on the fertility plant, you combined three plants to create a new one. That is simple transmutation.”
“Combining plants is one thing,” Peony said slowly, “but transforming Thorsten into a vampire…so much could go wrong.” Peony glanced past me and at the door. “Also, we don’t know when King Peter will release us. It may be too late for Thorsten when he does.”
“Don’t worry about that. Focus on the transmutation. We’ll do the rest.” Nathan pulled a box out of his pant pocket. The box moved and made a clawing noise. “Here’s something for you to practice on.” His face contorted with pain as he put the box on the table. “We have to go,” he croaked, his hand flying to his chest.
“Nathan? Are you all right?” I stepped closer, but he waved me away.
“I’m fine.”
Peony opened the box to find a squeaking mouse inside. She quickly closed the lid before the rodent escaped.
“We can’t risk returning, but I’ll be in touch, and I’ll send you more animals to practice on,” Nathan gritted out, then grabbed my hand, leading me to the exit.
“I’m not sure if I can—” Peony started.
“We have to stop this war,” Caleb interjected.
We exited the room, and Nathan’s face relaxed. “Let’s return,” he said to Kristen as he closed the door, not providing any explanation.
“Peony is fine.” I forced a smile at her and led the way. With Kristen terrified, and Nathan once again in mysterious pain, I’d be the one to get us out. But even as I managed to lead us past the guards, back up the stairs, and find Nerissa, I didn’t feel relief. Nathan didn’t have to tell me what ailed him. No matter how much I wanted to deny it, I already knew that his pain was my fault. He was breaking his oath to the king. He was suffering because I made him question his loyalty. The pain on his face had vanished for now, but it would be back. To stop the upcoming war, I’d have to hurt the man I was falling for.
6
Virgie
The worst part about waiting to hear if Peony was making any progress with animal-to-plant transmutation and vice versa was the fact that we couldn’t easily communicate. I heard nothing from her during the next few days at Vasara. Every time I passed Nathan in the corridor or saw him watching over the training yard on the back grounds, he shook his head at me ever so slightly, indicating that he too had no news.
“There’s no updates from the Winter Court,” he said on the sixth day. “King Peter told me he has set the conditions of Thorsten’s release and that they haven’t been met.”
“It’s been almost a week and Onyx’s conditions are drawing to an end. Maybe she’s having to reconsider, but how do we know? And of course, she can’t meet King Peter’s demands. Onyx can’t just venture into the fae wastelands.” I kept my voice low while students filed past me to lunch, weapons and armor clicking as they walked past.
“It’s an impossible deal,” Nathan admitted. His face contorted in agony, and he placed his hand on the wooden wall of the corridor.
Guilt surged through me. This was the price he would pay every time he broke his oath of loyalty to the king.
“Has the king decided on a release date for Peony and Caleb?”
Nathan’s features relaxed. “King Peter won’t give me a straight answer. I don’t know if he’s still planning to release them aft
er a week or extend their punishment.”
I nodded. “I think he wants to keep them in the dungeon until they finish their project.”
Nathan sighed. “I have a feeling that Caleb and Peony are stalling.”
I agreed. Peony had expressed regret over making the fertility plants for the vampires so they could force the slaves to breed. She’d think twice before completing another questionable project. While I didn’t want her to provide the Summer Court with suits that allowed them to invade the Winter Court, we couldn’t just dawdle. “We need Peony and Caleb out of the dungeons to help Thorsten.”
Nathan folded his golden wings tightly behind himself. “Right now, all we can do is wait. I’ll keep my ears open for any news, but I must be careful. I cannot come across as disloyal.”
“King Peter suspects that you don’t want a war to break out.” Red-hot hatred for the Summer Court King rose into my chest. “He’ll try to back you into a corner when the time comes.”
Nathan’s silver gaze dulled. “Perhaps.”
“I’m sorry.” I took his arm, feeling tension radiating off him. “Nathan, I don’t want you to suffer from this pressure.”
He forced a faint smile. “This is nothing compared to what will happen if King Peter succeeds.” Nathan’s lips pressed against my forehead, and I lifted up my chin, so that his next kiss landed on my lips. “I should’ve seen him for who he really is earlier.”
“The past is the past. We can’t change what we did, but we can make better choices from now on,” I whispered and pressed another kiss against his lips, wishing I could stop time.
I was a ball of nerves the rest of the day, wondering how I could protect Nathan from hurting and coming up empty. When I had come to the faeland, the media had sold me the idea that I could have both success and love. I’d forgotten my mom’s and grandma’s teachings—that nothing in this life was free and everything required sacrifices. And yet, even though I was torn between doing what was right and further endangering Nathan, I still sought to keep him.
After dinner, the combat students went out to practice fighting in the dark while I retreated to my apartment. Running out of time and knowing Onyx wouldn’t allow me to pacify her a second time, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I was going out tonight to find out what King Peter was up to. Since I hadn’t made a vow to him yet, I could go against his wishes.
Swallowing, I studied my dresses. The white suit wouldn’t work. Neither would anything bright pink meant to impress the media. I would go in a plain plum dress that was made out of satin and hit my ankles. It was the least noticeable thing in my closet. I tied my dark, straight hair back into a low ponytail and slipped out of Vasara.
Nathan could not know about my plans. Allowing me to spy meant he’d further break his oath and suffer pain.
Outside, I eyed the front gates. The only times the gates had let me out was when Nathan or Amanda from PR was leaving with me. But there was another way. I knew what I had to do.
The grounds of Vasara were beautiful at night, with lanterns hanging from tree branches and casting a relaxing glow on the flowers that made up the lawn. I froze as I realized the stableman was walking in my direction. He had already seen me. It was too late to turn around and hide.
“Virgie, what are you doing out so late?” Uniformed in brown and green, Jacob waved at me. He was a friendly young fae with hunter green wings.
Relax. It’s all good, I whispered straight into his mind. “Jacob, so good to see you,” I said out loud. “Is it all right if I groom the Pegasi tonight?” I flashed what I hoped was a winning, sweet smile. As far as Jacob knew, I had only spent time with the magnificent horses once.
Jacob frowned. “I have already finished the task.”
I let out a girlish giggle. “Oh, it really would be more for me than for them. The Pegasi help me relax. I always fall asleep quickly after spending time with them.” Take pity on me. You can let me do this, there’s no harm in it. I pushed more of my compulsion into his mind.
Jacob nodded slowly as the gate slowly opened just a bit, probably from some sort of magic that detected his intent. “Sure. There’s no harm in brushing them again.”
“Thank you!” Forget you saw me. I hurried past him and through the gate, making my way to the stable and my white Pegasus that I had taken on a nightly ride several times before. “Hey, darling,” I cooed.
The Pegasus blinked his long, straight lashes at me and inclined his head. I petted his mane and gave him a few carrots from a nearby bowl, which earned me a contented snort. The Pegasus turned his head to his stable mate and back to me, briefly eyeing the empty space beside me. Sadness filled my chest as I realized what my Pegasus was asking. “Peony. I know. I miss her too. I’ll see how much longer she’ll be gone, and let you know. Can you take me to the Palace?”
The Pegasus kicked the ground excitedly. I assumed that was a yes and undid the wooden latch to the stable. Using an overturned bucket, I swung myself onto my winged friend and wrapped my arms gently around his neck. We walked out of the stable and I checked that no one was watching us before guiding the Pegasus into the open field where he took off running and spread his magnificent wings.
The balmy night air kissed my face as we rose, and I bathed in the blissful sensation of flying, forgetting that I was on an important mission until the Summer Palace came into view twenty minutes later. The fields and fireflies spread out below along with little houses. The Summer Castle grew bigger, lit from within. No guards stood on the outer balcony, and thus, we landed there.
“Thank you,” I said, rubbing the Pegasus’s neck. Nathan had used telepathy with the Pegasus, so I should be able to as well, but just in case, I spoke out loud. “Can you hide, but stay close?” The Pegasus neighed in response and nodded his head. “Please keep an eye out for me. I’ll call on you when I’m done.”
The Pegasus neighed again, then rose into the air. He flapped his huge wings and vanished.
No one stopped me as I walked toward the palace and waited in an archway, trying to sense how many guards were out patrolling. My mind felt a few pairs of guards nearby. No one was particularly alert, and a pair were walking down the main courtyard, next to the river, heading away from me. I took the chance to dart from the archway and into the long corridor with the waterfalls, where no guards patrolled at the moment.
I flattened myself into an alcove, closed my eyes, and let my senses expand even further, straining as I tried to feel who else was in the castle. I sensed a few guards congregating in a nearby garden. They seemed to be having a passionate discussion. I ignored them and tuned into a powerful presence somewhere above me. Percival, maybe. He gave off gentle waves of magic as if he was sleeping.
Then I felt the mind and magic I’d been looking for, vicious and dangerous. King Peter was a few corridors away. I followed his crackling magic, discovering that another presence, a cold one, was with him. I couldn’t feel out this one very well, but I was certain the two were talking. I had to move. I peeled myself from the alcove and hurried to the end of the corridor. Multiple, narrow passages connected parts of the castle, though Nathan hadn’t shown them all to me. I descended one flight of stairs and walked past rooms filled with food supplies. This was a storage level. Why would the king be meeting someone here?
I paused and checked again to make sure I could sense the king. Yes. Him and one other presence. With the doors opening out and to the left, I slipped past the room he was in and waited beyond it in the shadows, so that if they exited, I wouldn’t be discovered. Trying to calm my racing heartbeat, I pressed my head against the wall and strained my ears.
“He brought it to me. I’m keeping it in a safe location,” King Peter said. “Don’t worry, I’ll honor our mutual agreement.”
I bit my lip, trying to make sense of what the king might be talking about.
Someone else in the room spoke, but in such a low voice I couldn’t hear the words. Who was the king secretly meeting with and why? H
e could do whatever he wanted, so why sneak around?
“Patience. For now, I want you to remain here, Lady Cardinal. No one can see you,” King Peter said. The door opened, and I pushed into the alcove behind me, not a second too early, because King Peter closed the door, then locked it. If he glanced to his right, it would all be over. Mercifully, he was preoccupied and stalked away.
Lady Cardinal.
Our former, evil headmistress from Nocturnal Academy.
I couldn't breathe.
Trying to collect myself, I stayed hidden for a few minutes, then rushed out of the castle, the new information circling in my head like a tsunami. Lady Cardinal was here and even though King Peter had locked her, it didn’t sound like she was his prisoner.
7
Virgie
As soon as the Pegasus landed on the outer balcony, I jumped onto his back, not needing a stool or anything else in my desperation to get away from the Summer Castle.
Take me back to Vasara, I whispered into the Pegasus’s mind. He neighed, crouched, and rose into the sky. I didn’t pause to celebrate my telepathy success, still too shaken from what I’d heard. Lady Cardinal, one of the most menacing vampires, was here in the Summer Court. Coming to the faeland, I’d wrongly believed I’d left the blood-thirsty creatures behind. Lady Cardinal working with King Peter would be the end of us.
I had witnessed her ordering the whipping of fae students back on Earth. She saw us as slaves just as King Peter saw us former earthbound fae as deserters. My thoughts spun as the ground passed far below. The night seemed to have darkened. The sky was an endless void gulping up the stars.
The Pegasus touched down on the grounds of Vasara Center, and I led him into his stable before slipping back into the mansion and running straight toward Nathan’s office, from which I could see light emanating. He was still up, and I had to tell him what I’d seen, no matter how angry he’d be at me for sneaking around.
The Nocturnal and Fae Prison Academy Boxset [A Complete Paranormal and Fantasy Series Boxset] Page 89
