by Laynie Bynum
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 taking 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, th
eir 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.
Chapter Three
“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.
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.
“Please, that’s not necessary. I’ll go willingly.” I let out a sob.
Don’t make a spectacle out of yourself. You’re always so dramatic, Peony. Mother’s voice boomed in my head. She was getting louder by the minute.
“You should’ve been more careful,” was all Nilsson said to me before he whispered something to a second guard, who nodded.
“I’m sorry! I’ll make it up to you! Please, just give me a second chance!” I screeched, hating how weak I was, but Nilsson didn’t reply. The two vampire guards dragged me toward the museum exit.
Nilsson turned his gaze away from me and said something to Mrs. Wu who seemed very pleased with herself.
The night was very dark and the alley behind the museum even more so. The guards, both men, threw me into a black limousine. One sat in the back with me while the other took the driver’s seat. As soon as the engine started, the guard next to me produced a syringe.
“Where are you taking me?” My voice wobbled, and tears brimmed in my eyes. Way to go, Peony. I needed to get a grip on myself, try to sweet-talk my way out of this, but how could I when I was shaking all over?
“You’ll find out soon enough,” the guard with the syringe replied and jammed the needle into my left arm.
Burning pain shot through me, and then everything went black.
I woke with a start to find myself sitting on a cold chair, my hands still shackled behind my back, my feet chained to the stool legs. A deep burn had settled into my flesh from the iron. The room made out of black stone was unfamiliar. There was not a single window, and only a dim candle burned on the table before me. The damp smell told me I was in a dungeon, but where and how long would I stay here? Certainly, not that long if Nilsson planned for me to make a replacement plant for Mrs. Wu. I struggled against my chains, welcoming the pain as they burned and rubbed against my skin. My whole body trembled at the contact with iron. I deserved this just as I did the blistering the iron was causing. I deserved it all for being so careless.
Use your damn head. It’s not just there to look pretty, Mother had said so many times. I had never listened. Now, I was paying the price.
I groaned as I remembered telling Mrs. Wu and Nilsson that it would take a moon cycle for me to recreate the fertility plant. If they made me rot in here for twenty-eight days, it would be nobody’s fault but my own.
Steps sounded outside my
small room. I realized that a large wooden door was on the opposite side of the table, as well as another chair. I was in an interrogation room, then. The steps got louder, and then a key turned in the lock. I swallowed hard, expecting a brute to come in and give me my first punishment, but the person who entered made me gasp with surprise. The female vampire, who would’ve been middle-aged in human years, but was actually a few hundred years old, had her hair pulled back in a tight bun. Her lips were pressed into a firm line as she closed the door behind her.
“Hello, Peony. How sad that we have to see each other under such unfortunate circumstances. You were such a promising student at Nocturnal Academy.”
“Headmistress Cardinal. Where am I?”
Headmistress Cardinal smirked. “Nocturnal Academy. Where else?”
I glanced around. Was this a different part of the prison school? In the dungeons, I had been thrown into a tiny cell in an unknown location. I had been left alone...mostly. I was given enough food, water, and clothing to not die from hunger or cold. Would I get as lucky this time?
“I’m very disappointed in you, Peony.” Lady Cardinal stepped closer. “I thought you learned your lesson after your theft.”
“I didn’t steal that blood crystal. I swear it.” As a pureblood fae, I couldn’t t lie. “I also wasn’t involved in the plant disappearance.”
Headmistress Cardinal tapped her long stick against her open palm and paced around the table, playing with my nerves. “That might be so, but you must still be punished. You allowed the plant to be stolen and took your position for granted. Nilsson bought you because he wanted a magical fae who could follow the rules. This, you did not do.”