A Court of Silver Fae: Silver Fae Book Four

by KB Anne

  Christian scowled.

  Coda’s escape tale took too long for my tastes. My curiosity was bursting. “Did they see you?”

  “No, she threw some type of spell on me that hid me from them. We got lucky too because they didn’t turn on the lights upon their return.”

  “I wonder why?” Ben glanced at Rebecca.

  “I don’t know. The Fitter, as they called him, probably spends most of his time at the forge. Maybe the light hurts his eyes,” Coda said.

  “Did you see them install the new iron cross?” Frank whispered. Christian’s eyes flashed brightly also wanting to know the answer. He was like he and Christian shared the same brain, and only Frank was capable of asking the questions.

  Coda shook his head sadly. “As soon as they passed me, I ran up the stairs and didn’t look back.”

  Rebecca pursed her lips. Ben’s forehead etched in concern. They stared at each other silently communicating. Christian was oblivious to them. He stared at Coda waiting for something, anything more about Starr.

  Ben finally said, “You need to let her go.”

  Christian growled. “What?”

  “You need to let her go. You have a duty.”

  Christian’s chair flung backward as he jumped up. “My duty is to Starr.”

  “Your duty is to your People.”

  “You keep speaking about my duty to my People. I have nothing. I have no people if I don’t have Starr.”

  Rebecca shook her head. “You can’t mean that.”

  Christian’s nostrils flared in and out. “I do.”

  Ben and Rebecca glanced at each other. Ben nodded ever so slightly. Rebecca sighed and began speaking. “Once there was a man who…” Christian backed away, his eyes wide, “cared about his love so much that he was willing to sacrifice…”

  “No,” Christian shouted and tried to edge out of the room, but something was preventing him from leaving. “Don’t do this!”

  Tears rolled down Rebecca’s face as she kept talking. Christian’s arms got pinned to his sides. His eyes rolled into the back of his head. The blue shifted to white. His body tilted backward.

  Ben and Coda rushed over and caught him before he hit the floor.

  “What’s happening?” I whispered to Frank.

  “I don’t know, but I think it’s the Keeper of the Stories magic.”

  My nose tingled at the magic swirling around the room. It wasn’t a smokey mist like at the Silverlain’s Estate, but it felt ancient, as old as the world itself.

  Ben and Coda carried Christian’s still frame into Ben’s bedroom and laid him on the bed.

  Rebecca walked in and stood beside me. “What did you do?”

  “Ensured that the Chosen One didn’t risk his life.”

  “I thought you said their love was infinite. That it would last forever.”

  Tears fell from her wise brown eyes. “It was, but that was before Starr broke free from her iron cross.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Starr

  * * *

  Treadwell, Kenneth, and the Fitter (he still didn’t have a proper name or at least none that I heard) yanked my arms behind my back and forced me face down onto a metal table.

  I hissed realizing it was iron. My cheek burned when it hit it. I gritted my teeth. I refused to acknowledge any pain if I could help it.

  My head was shoved into some type of cushioned headrest. Thank the gods for small mercies because every piece of exposed skin burned against the iron table. My cheek, the most painful of all.

  One by one, my arms and legs were strapped to the table in iron cuffs. Sick and twisted rose to the next level.

  “Lemme fire up the forge. The iron must be pliable enough in order to manipulate around her shoulders,” the Fitter said sounding almost gleeful.

  Please let it be because he took great pride in his work and not at the prospect of contributing to my torture.

  Combat boots echoed through the cavernous room before stopping at the head of the table. Treadwell’s shiny leather steel-toed boots mocked me. A single tear dropped and hit them. Anger flared within me. I didn’t want to reveal any emotion in front of this bastard.

  “The straps don’t need to be perfectly shaped. Some harsh angles and rough edges would do her some good. Help make the point.”

  “Silence,” Grandmother said, her voice spiraling around us. “Her straps, along with every aspect of the iron cross must be aligned with her body. It must be hidden behind her dresses.”

  “But Lady Silverlain…” Treadwell said trying to disagree.

  “Don’t,” she warned.

  He fell silent clenching his fists. His boots disappeared from my line of sight.

  I froze. He was headed toward Coda’s empty cell.

  I prayed that Coda disappeared up the stairs when he had the chance. He better not play the hero if he knows what’s good for him. I would skin him myself.

  “Where is he?” Treadwell roared. His boots thundered back over to me. He ripped my head back. “Where is he?”

  Did he actually believe I would tell him anything?

  He shoved his face inches from mine. “Where is he?”

  I grimaced as his spit hit my cheeks. The day couldn’t get any worse.

  “General Treadwell, get your hands off my granddaughter.”

  Kenneth appeared beside him. “Let her go.”

  “Or what?” Treadwell said. “What are you going to do?”

  “That empty cell will become yours,” my grandmother promised.

  “Fine.” He threw my head down. It smacked against the table. Stars swirled around my brain, but it was better than whatever cruel punishment Treadwell had in mind.

  “Ready?” The Fitter asked as if the scene that just played out before him was as typical as any other.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of the red-hot rod held in iron tongs. Nausea spread me.

  “Bite this,” Kenneth ordered shoving a piece of thick leather into my mouth.

  I fought it. Revolted at the idea of biting a nasty piece of leather.

  “Trust me,” he said.

  A tingling sensation swept through me. My eyes watered as my mouth opened on its own accord. The leather went in, and my teeth chomped down on it.

  “Ready,” Kenneth said.

  Palms rubbed together. The harsh sound of callous scrapping against each other filled me with even more disgust. It was Treadwell’s way of saying, “I’m going to enjoy this,” without actually voicing his opinion since my grandmother forced him into a corner.

  “Are you sure you want to watch my Queen,” the Fitter asked.

  “I want to make sure it is done to my satisfaction.”

  “As you wish,” he said. A loud thunderous whack reverberated through the Fitter’s workshop. My teeth dug into the leather. Pure agony blinded me. Pain like I’ve never felt filled my body emanated from the iron rod the Fitter hammered into me. Silent screams roared from my throat. Tears poured from my eyes. My body quivered.

  “Next one,” he said or at least I think that’s what he said.

  Whack.

  Pain. Pure hot pain tore through me. It was the last thing I remember.

  Chapter Thirty

  Starr

  * * *

  “Drink this,” Kenneth said.

  I blinked awake to a dark space. As far as I could tell, I was no longer in the cold, damp dungeon, and I was most certainly not in the six-sided iron cell unless it was redecorated with same sheer fabric that matched the canopy of my bed.

  “Will she be alright?” Jude, the traitorous bastard asked.

  “She will, but she needs to keep drinking this elixir,” he said.

  “How often do I apply this ointment?” Jovie raised the small green bottle up to the only source of light, a single white candle.

  “Every hour, unless she requires it sooner,” Kenneth replied.

  She rested the bottle on the nightstand next to the candle. “Okay.”
<
br />   Sami’s red eyes flashed in the darkness. “Are we still going on that stupid date Wednesday?”

  Kenneth turned to her. Her eyes widened before immediately dropping them. “I… I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

  He hadn’t said or done anything other than look at her, but that was enough.

  Who exactly was Kenneth aka Brawny?

  My grandparents trusted him. Treadwell trusted him too. Afterall, it was Kenneth who provided the information to Treadwell which led the general to figure out I was Starr Bishop, the girl he wanted as an assassin, as well as, Jessalyn Silverlain, heir to the Silverlain throne.

  Upon Kenneth’s mere suggestion, Treadwell immediately dropped his physical assault on me after he discovered Coda’s empty cell. Thus far, my grandmother was the only person who had exhibited more power and dominance.

  I managed to evade him though during my attempted escape. Did that make me more powerful than him and my grandmother?

  I fought to stay awake to find out what else I could discover, but my eyelids grew impossibly heavy. I faded back into oblivion.

  * * *

  I traveled in and out of consciousness. Flashes of Jovie propping me up with pillows and Jude making me drink the elixir Kenneth filled my subconscious thoughts. When Jovie applied the ointment, pain consumed me until the elixir took root, and I slipped back into unconsciousness. Eventually, the pain grew less and less.

  Each time I came to, I became more and more aware of my surroundings. I remembered Sami’s red eyes in the darkness, and Thomas standing cross-armed at the door. Each guard was prepared to subdue me if I tried to fight or escape. Night passed into day or at least I assumed it did. Sunlight never penetrated the darkness of the room.

  During a longer period of consciousness, I understood why. My favorite window, the one place I found solace during the insanity of this new life, was blocked off with iron shutters. Every window was blocked off with iron shutters. A single tear tracked down my cheek. I swiped it away.

  Jovie missed nothing. She glanced over her shoulder, before leaning over to adjust the pillows behind my back. “It should only be temporary. They want to make sure the iron cross will hold.”

  “Is there any doubt?” I didn’t recognize my own voice. My screams damaged my vocal chords. It didn’t matter. My broken voice matched my broken body.

  “That should also go away in a few days.”

  I fell back asleep.

  * * *

  Later, I woke to Jovie and Jude whispering on the side of the bed.

  “I don’t think she should go on the date tomorrow,” Jude said in a quiet undertone. He didn’t want Sami or Thomas overhearing their conversation.

  I’ll bet you don’t. Want to keep me all to yourself now that you and Jovie are my nursemaids.

  “Her grandmother insists she be healed by then.”

  I could sense Jovie’s eyes slide over to me, somehow knowing I was awake. “We’ll make sure you’re okay by then.”

  I stared at the iron shuttered window. I couldn’t even repel down to the front portico now. Wings or no wings. I’d never get away from my grandparents with the new iron cross. Jude gave me another round of elixir. I closed my eyes and let it take hold.

  In the late evening, well I assumed it was the evening, because Thomas had brought me dinner an hour ago, my grandmother glided into the room. Even in my drug induced haze, my finger nails dug into my palms but not Fae claws. The “new and improved” iron cross prevented that.

  My grandmother was responsible for my current condition. More than that, she watched my torture. She did nothing when I cried out in pain. Didn’t interfere when I pleaded for it to stop. Her worst crime? She went along with Treadwell’s suggestion to nail iron bolts through both my shoulders. My shoulder blades itched. My blood revolted against the iron in my body. The elixir was the only thing keeping the pain at bay.

  She stopped at the side of my bed. Her hands pressed together as if in prayer. “How are you?”

  I glared at her.

  “Don’t blame me for your choices.”

  Anger seeded itself in my belly. Hello, friend.

  She patted my head. “You’ll thank me someday. Trust me.”

  “Doubt it,” I grunted.

  Her blue eyes sparked with light before returning to their disinterested cold blue shade. It was the first time I provoked her Silver Fae nature. It wouldn’t be her last if I had anything to say about it.

  “The helicopter leaves at 10:00 AM. Jerry will meet you at the Heliport.” She watched me. If she was expecting me to jump up and down in anticipation, she was sadly mistaken.

  When I didn’t give her the reaction she wanted, her lips curled into a sadistic smile. She’d get her revenge one way or another. “How exciting! A day at the lake with the most eligible of bachelors. It is gorgeous this time of year.”

  I forgot about the lake part. A day on a boat would entail swimming. I could escape even without my wings.

  “I look forward to it.”

  She patted my head again. “Now, that’s the spirit.”

  I’ve got spirit alright along with an incredible lung capacity.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Di

  * * *

  I stood beside the bed staring at the prone body. Minty freshness filled my nostrils as Frank stopped next to me.

  “Do you think this was necessary?”

  Frank breathed in and out taking in Christian’s inert form. “Ben seems to think was. Rebecca too since she spelled him. Coda’s too shocked to form any opinion.”

  “But to knock him out?” I lifted my gaze to Frank’s beautiful green eyes. They were absolutely stunning against his dark skin. “He trusted me. He got into the car because of me. If he had any sense what could happen, he never would have allowed himself to get caught.”

  Frank took my hand in his, resting his other one on top of it. “Di, we have to trust that Ben, Rebecca, and Coda know what they’re doing.”

  “But why now? They knew Starr was Silver Fae royalty. The Silver Fae and shapeshifters didn’t just suddenly become mortal enemies. I mean sure Christian’s the Chosen One, but what changed?”

  A new energy entered the room. Over the past few days I’d become more and more aware of them. They each possessed a distinctness that made each one unique and identifiable. Ben squared his shoulders watching Christian.

  “Everything.”

  “How?”

  “She shed her iron cross.”

  “Rebecca already told us that but what’s the big deal?”

  “That should be impossible. It is impossible.”

  I crossed my arms, prepared to stand my ground and protect my friends the best way I knew how... Shear stubbornness. “Yet Starr did it.”

  “Yes, she did.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “That the Third Coming is here.”

  “But still nothing we didn’t already know.”

  “Except for what would ignite it.” He ran his hands through his hair. He hated Christian’s current state as much as we did. “When the iron cross falls, the world will burn.”

  My hands curled into fists. Old habits I guess. “But if that prophecy is about Starr why did you knock out Christian?”

  “The enemy cannot possess any of our weapons.”

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Starr

  * * *

  The sunshine blinded me when I stepped out the front door and onto my grandparents’ portico. I shielded my eyes. The sun burned a hole into my retinas. I felt like a rock star after a night of drinking. Why didn’t I ask Willingsbee to get sunglasses? I asked for everything else including the bathing suit I was wearing, flipflops, and the beach wear outfit, so why didn’t I think of asking for freaking sunglasses? If there was anything right and true in this new hell of mine, Jerry Jr. better have a spare pair on the boat or someone will die a long and painful death.

  Thankfully, the elixir dulled my senses enough to
tolerate the pain of my new iron cross along with the inability to dwell on anything for very long.

  “Miss Jessalyn, whenever you are ready to enter, you may do so,” said the driver I had yet to meet. Kenneth normally tended to that chore or at least he did when Lord and Lady Silverlain went out.

  He was younger than Kenneth, but older than Jude and Thomas. Maybe early twenties or so. I glanced at his name tag.

  “Thank you, Dursley,” I said. “I have to ask. Is that your first name or last name?”

  He winked. “Last name, but my first name’s Ace, not Dudley.”

  “A fellow Harry Potter fan?”

  He put his hand to the side of his mouth as if sharing a big secret. “Of course, Harry, Rob, and Hermione’s adventures are tame compared to the supernatural happenings of our real world.”

  I stiffened. “Really?” I’d experienced some pretty awful things so far, but nothing too terrifying. Although the combination of Treadwell and the Great White bared a striking resemblance to Voldemort.

  “You’ll see.”

  Thomas cleared his throat. “We’ve got a schedule to follow.”

  I rolled my eyes at Ace Dursley. “Wouldn’t want to mess up the schedule.”

  “No, we wouldn’t,” Ace grinned. “I’ll step on it to get there on time. It’ll be like we used a portkey.”

  I laughed at the reference. “Thanks Ace, nice to meet you.”

  He clicked his heels together. “Nice to meet you too.”

  Jude tried to guide me into the limo.

  “Do you mind?” I snapped.

  He backed away like a scolded puppy. I couldn’t muster an apology. After the crap I’d been through, he could deal with it.

  I climbed in and sat beside Jovie. She and Jude kept checking to make sure I was comfortable. Thomas sat stiffly and on-guard as if I could explode at any second and fly away. As if.

  Sami looked like she wanted to drain me. I understood her reaction better than anyone else’s. Though if her fangs so much as grazed my skin, she’d soon discover I was capable of exacting intense pain even with my iron cross.