A Song of Shadows

by Jenna Wolfhart

  “Sophia.” I dropped my fork onto my plate where it clattered against the porcelain. “You know I don’t hate you, right?”

  “Yeah.” She let out a sigh. “But you don’t trust me either, do you?”

  For a moment, I hesitated. The truth was, of course I didn’t trust her. Even though I understood why she’d told the Autumn fae about Bree, it didn’t change the fact that she’d betrayed the unspoken clause between roommates. Between friends.

  “You could have come to me first, you know,” I finally said. “I could have explained what was going on with Bree.”

  “As much as I hate to admit it, that wouldn’t have helped.” She bit her bottom lip. “I was convinced that Bree was a murderous monster. If you’d told me that she wasn’t, I wouldn’t have believed you, especially not after the Redcaps attacked the Academy. I’m so sorry. I’m stubborn like that.”

  Stubborn, like Liam. Stubborn, like a Summer fae. Was she his mate?

  “Well, I’m stubborn, too, so I understand,” I said. “And you don’t have to keep making me breakfast to get me to trust you. Just...promise me that you’ll never do something like that again. If there’s a problem, a question, any kind of concern, just...come to me before you do anything drastic.”

  Drastic. Like a Summer fae.

  After she nodded, I lifted the fork from my plate and began to pick at my eggs, my mind zeroed in on a thought I couldn’t shake. The image of Sophia cuddled up to Liam. And I finally had to admit he was right. The Barmbrack Ring wasn’t some herald of good fortune. It meant I would soon lose three of the people I most cared about.

  “What are the chances the ring picked the wrong girl?” I finally asked. “It just seems so unlikely I’ll even know who my mate is within a year, much less be ready to wed him.”

  Sophia lifted an eyebrow. “Don’t tell me you’re having second thoughts about Kael.”

  Kael. Of course her first thought would be of him. As far as she and the rest of the changelings at the Academy were concerned, Kael and I were a certain match. My greatest strength so far was shifting, a specialty of the Winter fae, and we’d kissed in front of the entire school during the Royals Ball. No one else knew how conflicted I was. No one knew I’d shared a moment with Liam, other than Head Instructor Alwyn, and she wouldn’t tell anyone about that. And no one else knew I felt drawn to them all, as if my very soul was torn in four directions.

  “Well, you saw my powers in the forest that day,” I merely said. “I’m just not sure it’s a done deal, that’s all.”

  She frowned. “Head Instructor Alwyn said that was normal, that you were able to tap into different powers because you’re raw and untrained and you were an emotional wreck. She said any of the rest of us are capable of doing the same.”

  That wasn’t exactly what she’d said. I could remember the way she’d phrased her explanation to the other changelings as clearly as if it had happened yesterday, partially because it was the first time I'd truly understood just how well the fae could twist their words.

  “Now,” Alwyn had said, raising her hands when we’d gathered into the gymnasium after everyone had a chance to shower and change into fresh clothes. We’d only just returned from the fight in the forest, but she wanted to have an assembly to make sure everyone was fine. “I’m sure you all have some questions about what you saw tonight.”

  A hand shot up in the front. Griff, who had been giving me strange looks the entire trek back from the forest. “Yeah. What the hell is up with Norah’s powers? How come she was able to do all that stuff? I thought we could only have the power of one type of fae, but she clearly did more than that. Is she like Marin?”

  Head Instructor Alwyn’s lips pressed together into a white line just as every gaze in the room turned my way. I swallowed hard, flicking my eyes from one face to the next, reading a range of expressions. Curiosity. Fear. Even anger.

  “I understand why you all might be confused,” she’d said, raising her voice to be heard over a chorus of whispered questions. “But yes, Griff. You are correct. Typically, as a fae, you can only harness the powers individual to your natural-born Court. However, you’re all still so new to the faerie realm. Your powers are yet untrained. They’re raw. Norah was put into a terrifying, impossible situation, and the power of the realm answered her call of need. I daresay that could happen for any of you, if you were Norah. That said, it was a unique and unlikely situation. And as your powers become more focused and refined, you should not depend on receiving that kind of help from the realm. You need to focus on your own gifts. Understood?”

  Her eyes had laser-focused on me with those final words. A warning. She didn’t want me to explore the full truth of my gifts. But why? I’d tried to ask her—again and again—but I could never get any other explanation than what she’d said to the crowd.

  And all these months later, I still didn’t understand.

  One thing I did know was Alwyn’s words. I daresay that could happen for any of you, if you were Norah. The truth was hidden in that sentence. If you were Norah. But none of the other changelings were Norah, except for me.

  “Maybe,” I said. “But...”

  Could I share the truth with her after what she'd done to Bree? Could I tell her that—in secret—I’d been practicing every gift I could? With the help of my instructors, I’d begun to master not only shifting, but animal communication as well. I curled my fingers tighter around my fork as memories flicked through my mind. Bree’s anguished face. The look in Redmond’s eyes when he’d told me exactly where he’d heard the truth about my best friend. The way Sophia had turned away from me when Redmond had taken me into the dungeons. Yes, I forgave her, but could I ever forget?

  Sophia raised her eyebrows. “But what?”

  “Nothing,” I said. “I guess I’m just surprised I got that ring.”

  And it seemed as though everyone else was just as surprised as I was. Including Finn, who darted out of his open classroom door when I passed by it on the way to my first class of the new Autumn Semester.

  His eyes twinkled as he stepped in front of me, his familiar grin spreading across his golden face. “Norah. Just the changeling I’ve been looking for. Tell me. Is it true the Barmbrack Ring has found you?”

  “Maybe.” I said, raising my eyebrows. A sly little smile played across my lips. For some reason, Finn always had a strange effect on me. He brought out a side to me I’d never known was there. “Guess you’ll have to wait and find out.”

  He let out a lyrical chuckle that sent my heartbeat fluttering in my chest. “That sounds like a yes to me. I suppose that means I should begin making the proper arrangements. Don’t want to leave it all to the last minute, do we?”

  I blinked. “What arrangements?”

  “For our wedding, of course.” He winked at me. “You found the ring, and I don’t fancy you the bride of anyone else. I’m thinking a mid-Spring wedding would be best, no? Blooming flowers and sunshine. Plus, a wedding in April would give us plenty of time to get everything in order.”

  He was messing with me. Or was he? With Finn, it was impossible to tell. Cheeks flaming, I lifted my chin and met his dancing green eyes. Two could play this game.

  “Actually, I think May would be better. It’ll be a little warmer, and we won’t have to worry about all the April rain. Because we’ll need to have the wedding outside, of course.”

  “Of course.” His grin widened. “Spring fae could never get married indoors. How terribly dreary that would be.”

  “Not as dreary as this ridiculous conversation,” Rourke snapped.

  I twisted to face my Autumn fae instructor, whose scowl was as deep as the blush on my cheeks. How long had he been standing there? Had he heard every word? By Finn’s low chuckle, I had a feeling Rourke had heard everything. And I felt a horrible need to explain it all away.

  “Rourke, we were just...” I trailed off, not knowing how to define it. Just like the time Finn had told me that having sex with him would cause t
he flowers to bloom all around us, I never knew when he was totally serious. As far as I could tell, the fae rarely outright lied. But make lighthearted teasing comments they didn’t mean? The jury was still out on that one.

  “Joking?” Rourke arched an eyebrow. “I’ve already spoken with Liam. He told me all about the Barmbrack Ring. I know it was in your slice of cake. Hell, the entire Academy knows about it. It’s practically all the gossiping changelings can talk about.”

  Rourke was not amused. That said, he rarely ever was.

  A few whispering second-year students passed by and trailed into the nearest classroom, casting the three of us curious, furtive glances. They were, no doubt, discussing the stupid ring and what it meant. Receiving it had felt fun at the time, but I was quickly realizing that no gift came without consequences.

  Finn’s grin, on the other hand, had only grown since Rourke’s arrival. “Looks like students are starting to arrive for class. I better get to work. Enjoy your day, Norah.”

  And with that, he disappeared into his classroom, leaving Rourke and I staring at each other in the hallway. Rourke was different than the others, in a way that was hard to define. In some ways, he was the embodiment of the Autumn fae. He was often cold and calculating, and his intelligent eyes saw far more than he ever said. I’d never forget how he used me as bait to trap a pooka after pretending it was a training exercise for me. He was tricky and sly, but I was convinced that there was a warmth to his heart underneath that icy exterior. And he was nothing like the Queen his fellow fae served.

  “We really were just joking around,” I said. “Finn and I aren’t getting married.”

  Right?!

  He pursed his lips. “That is yet to be seen. Liam is convinced the ring was wrong, but the magic of it is ancient and great. The truth is, you will likely find yourself a bride within a year’s time. Though to who is still a question.”

  My heart rattled. A part of me wanted to ask if he thought he’d be the one getting down on his knee, but I didn’t dare voice the words aloud. Out of all four of them, Rourke had been the least vocal about our bond. He was colder than the rest. More withdrawn. And much more cloaked in shadows. Shadows I had yet been able to penetrate.

  One day, I thought. One day, I’ll figure out what makes Rourke tick.

  But until then...

  Head Instructor Alwyn strode down the hall, her deep golden hair flowing behind her dainty shoulders. Rourke turned, as if sensing her presence, and held up his fingers in question. Her glittering eyes caught his before they flicked my way. It was almost impossible not to shudder under the weight of her glance. Alwyn, I’d decided, didn’t like me. Probably because I kept creating problems for her.

  “Alwyn, can we have a moment, please?” Rourke asked, though the inflection in his voice said that this wasn’t a request or a question. It was a demand. “I need to speak with you about...the course plans.”

  The course plans, my ass. I wasn’t an idiot.

  “Of course, Rourke,” she said, tearing her sharp gaze away from me so that she could give my instructor a curt nod. “Come with me to my office.”

  She turned and strode down the hallway, and for a moment, Rourke hesitated with his hand hovering inches from my elbow.

  “I’ll see you later, Norah. Try to keep your thoughts about the ring to yourself. If the other changelings hear you talking about your...uncertainty...it might cause some issues. Understood?”

  No, I didn’t understand. Why would it cause any issues?

  But before I could ask, he was halfway down the hallway, his golden cloak billowing behind him.

  Chapter Four

  “Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome back to another semester at Otherworld Academy,” Alwyn Adair said from her perch behind the podium at the front of the stage. After lunch, our instructors had rounded up the entire school for what appeared to be a last-minute gathering in the gymnasium.

  Sophia, who had taken a seat by my side, leaned close and whispered, “What do you think this is all about?”

  I shrugged, though the solemn expression on Alwyn’s face suggested it wasn’t anything good.

  “First, we must sadly address what happened a few days ago at the Feast of the Fae. The Summer Court has lost the entirety of their Royals to poisoned blueberries, and several of the realm’s Hunters fell in the subsequent attack.”

  Whispers of shock went through the gathered changelings. The Hunters were the strongest fighters in all of Otherworld. They protected the Courts and the Academy from the dangerous creatures spread throughout this land. To hear there were fewer of them left now...well, it was a little bit frightening, especially after the attacks we’d already endured.

  Alwyn held up her hand and twisted her lips into a tight smile. “No need to panic. The Hunters are still many, and we have a dozen guards patrolling the perimeter of the Academy grounds at all times.”

  Indeed, these past few months had seen a sudden reduction in Watch Duty for us. It was far too risky and far too dangerous in Otherworld for the changelings to continue training that way.

  The room quietened, and Alwyn plowed forward. “However, despite our enhanced security, I thought it was important to bring you all together after the events of the Feast. As I’m sure you’ve all realized, the realm is no longer the safe haven it has been in years past. There is turmoil. War is brewing. The Courts will retaliate, and the Autumn fae are likely to respond in kind. We are continuing with our courses as planned because your safety depends on your ability to harness your gifts. However, not a single one of you is to leave these grounds under any circumstance. No matter what. Do you understand?”

  There were no murmured voices this time. Only open mouths and wide eyes. Fear churned through the room like a thick, invisible fog, one we all felt deep within our bones.

  The full reality of the attack on the Summer Court finally sunk in. The realm was no longer at peace. The Courts no longer worked together in harmony. They were at war.

  At the end of the assembly, Head Instructor Alwyn had the Academy chefs pass out freshly-baked cupcakes. I assumed it was some kind of futile effort to make us all feel at least a little bit more comfortable with the bag of rocks she’d just dumped onto our heads.

  But I wasn’t about to complain about eating cupcakes.

  The doors of the Hall flew open, and several redheaded male and female fae strode inside. They were quickly followed by Liam and the Summer third-year instructor, a female fae named Shea. They were a procession of fiery fury, their gazes locked on Alwyn’s pale face, whose white-knuckled hands gripped the podium on the stage.

  “Alwyn, we need to speak with you,” barked the male fae in front. It was Alastar from the night of the Feast. A scabbard was slung across his back, and two daggers were strapped to each muscular thigh. He’d come prepared for battle, though against who and what? Surely the Summers weren’t turning their vicious anger against the changelings now.

  “Alastar, this is highly inappropriate,” Alwyn said, bristling. “You absolutely cannot storm into the Academy like this and make a scene in front of our students.”

  “Looks like I can. And did.” He crossed his arms over his chest and levelled his eyes at our Head Instructor. “You can try to throw me out, though it looks like your guards and your instructors are on my side. Or you can come and speak with us. Now.”

  Alwyn narrowed her eyes, her steely demeanor a perfect contrast to the stormy anger of the Summers. “I daresay I will not be commanded in my own home.”

  “This is not your home, Autumn fae. You belong in the dead leaves with all the rest of them.”

  A murmur went through the crowd, and I found my spine going stiff and straight.

  “Liam,” Alwyn snapped, her eyes flicking to my instructor. “What’s the meaning of this? Why did you allow this Hunter onto our grounds when he clearly means me nothing but harm?”

  Liam’s eyes flashed. “I think you need to hear him out.”

  “How dare you,
” she hissed.

  Slowly, Kael whispered into the center of the room, a perfect mask of calm. “I think we can all agree that emotions are running high at the moment. Perhaps this discussion would best take place behind closed doors, rather than in front of the entire school?”

  The fury on Alwyn’s face faltered as she scanned the crowd of changelings. Every single one of us was on the edge of our seats, watching the exchange as if it were some kind of once-in-a-lifetime sporting event.

  “Fine.” She sniffed. “Changelings, go back to your rooms.”

  A knock sounded on my door less than an hour later. Deep within my gut, I knew it was one of my instructors, though which one I couldn’t be certain. I gave Sophia a silent nod, and as if reading my mind, she scurried into her room. She probably thought it was Kael and that she was giving us a much-needed moment alone.

  But when I opened the door, it was Liam.

  “What the hell was that all about?” The words were out of my mouth before he’d even said hello. “Those Summer Hunters looked like they were out for blood. Alwyn’s blood.”

  Liam sighed and dragged a hand down his face. “They want something, alright, but it’s probably not what you think.”

  Frowning, I waved him inside and shut the door behind him, blocking out the curious glances of the other changelings in my wing. No doubt Sophia was also in her bedroom, keeping out an ear for any tidbit of information she could get.

  “Let’s go into my room,” I said, words that sounded far more suggestive out loud than they had in my head. A heated blush filled my cheeks. “I mean, for some privacy. Not that kind of privacy though. Just so we know that we’re alone. For the conversation. Not for anything else.”

  God, I was an idiot.

  Liam smirked but shook his head. “As tempting as your little invitation is, we don’t have time for any distractions. I’ve come here to tell you that we’re going on a little trip.”

  I arched an eyebrow. “A little trip? To where?”