by Dyan Chick
“I’m a healer,” she said.
“Like Ethan,” I said.
Her cheeks turned pink. “The Spring Prince?”
I nodded, forgetting once again to use his formal title. “The Spring Prince is an excellent healer.”
“You must miss him,” she said, lowering her voice to a whisper, “and your Winter Prince.”
“I do.”
“I know I miss my mate terribly,” she said.
“Will he come when they allow them back?” I asked.
“She will,” Malin said. “She’s already agreed to be my consort if I were to win. But you already know how I feel about that.”
“I do,” I said. “But I don’t know that I agree.”
She glanced over to where Rose was still shooting arrows into a target, then looked back at me. “I can see why you would say that but trust me. You don’t want me.”
“Can we just agree to help each other?” I asked.
She smiled. “That I can agree to.”
“Want to teach me how to use a bow?” I asked.
“I’d be happy to,” she said.
We made our way over to the targets. As we approached, Rose scowled at us. She hung her bow back on the wall with the others and walked away, giving us the whole space to ourselves.
I didn’t want to worry about Rose. There was no hiding the fact that I didn’t know how to shoot a bow and if it was a basic skill, I had to learn, and fast.
Thankfully, Malin was happy to show me the steps. Soon enough, I was able to shoot an arrow. My aim was terrible, but at least I could practice that. Arrow after arrow, I nocked, aimed, and fired, while laughing at my own inability to hit the center of the target.
Malin corrected my grip and helped me aim. Finally, after firing more arrows than I cared to admit, I started to get the hang of it. Fighting through the soreness in my arms, I kept working. I had to learn this.
The door opened and I lowered the bow I was holding, turning expectantly. I frowned as Lilian walked in, her chin held high without Dane. She ignored me and headed toward Rose who was throwing fireballs from hand to hand in the corner.
“Your turn,” Lilian said.
Rose extinguished the flames and silently walked to the open door, closing it behind her.
“You’re in trouble, human,” Lilian said. “Prince Dane’s the best instructor the academy’s ever had. He’ll see right through whatever spell it is you’ve cast on the Queen and the council to get in here. I wouldn’t be surprised if he sends you back to exile in the Winter Court.”
I bit down on my lip to keep from smiling. She really had no idea what she was talking about. All she knew was that I was the changeling daughter of the queen and that the council had made an exception to allow me to continue. How was it possible that she didn’t know of my relationships?
I knew secrets traveled quickly in Faerie, but I also knew they were kept so they could be delivered when it was most favorable to the keeper of the secret. The fact that Malin knew of two of my princes and hadn’t told them, let me know that Malin was worthy of the alliance I’d proposed. The fact that Lilian knew none of my secrets told me that she wasn’t as highly connected as she pretended. Maybe she wasn’t a threat after all.
Chapter Seven
I set the bow down, then rolled my shoulders and shook out my tired arms. We’d been at this a while and I was starting to wonder when Rose would be back to grab the next candidate.
Lilian had been silent since her return, which was slightly unsettling. No attempt at mocking me for my poor aim, though I had to admit, I was improving with practice. She’d been on the other side of the room, doing something with her magic. I couldn’t see what she was doing, but I could feel her using magic of some kind.
“Which court is Lilian from?” I asked Malin.
“Spring, like me,” she said.
“And Rose is Summer?” I asked.
Malin nodded.
“What is she doing?” I lifted my chin toward the corner where Lilian was moving her hands slowly in front of her.
“Working on her shields, I think,” Malin said. “Wonder if that’s her weakness.”
It wouldn’t surprise me if she’d been counting on offense, just as I suspected. Though, if she was working on her defensive magic now, my plans for outlasting might not hold. Hopefully, it won’t come down to a one-on-one standoff.
The door opened and Rose walked in, then walked over toward us. “I’m supposed to send one of you.”
I looked over at Malin. “Do you want to go?”
“I’ll be fine with them,” she said. “You go.”
“You sure?” I asked.
“Go, you’ll do great,” she said.
I nodded. “See you soon.”
Once I was in the hallway, one of the guards directed me to another room where the door waited open for me. I stepped in, then closed the door behind me.
The room was smaller than I expected. About the size of the bedroom I grew up in. Along the back wall was a desk with a chair. Other than that, the room was empty. Gray stone walls, gray stone floor. Floating near the ceiling were a dozen lanterns glowing with a buttery golden light reminiscent of afternoon sunlight. It made the room less gloomy than it would have been with torchlight.
The best part of the room, though was the male who stood in the corner, with his usual sideways grin. His blue eyes stared into mine and I could feel our connection simmering just below the surface.
I didn’t wait for an invitation before running to him.
Dane wrapped his strong arms around me, pulling me closer to him. I breathed in his scent, closing my eyes while I memorized this feeling. I didn’t know how much time we had or how long he’d be at the palace, I just knew I couldn’t waste a second of this gift.
Dane’s lips brushed against my ears. “I’ve missed you.”
I looked up at him, gratitude sending swirling flutters into my chest. “I missed you. How did you…”
“You heard Lilian, I’m the Academy’s best.”
I grinned. “And you’re all mine.”
“That I am,” he said as he lowered his lips to mine.
Dane’s kiss was like fire and it didn’t take long before his hands slid under my tunic, reaching for my breasts.
I broke the kiss, my breathing shallow, tingles low in my belly. I needed him and I needed him right now.
Quickly, I pulled my tunic off and then lifted Dane’s tunic. He grabbed hold and pulled the cloth over his head. My fingers were on his trousers before his tunic hit the floor.
Still struggling to pull down his pants, Dane closed in on me, grabbing my hands and moving them to his hips. He guided his pants down with his hands on top of mine. After he kicked his trousers to the side, he took hold of my right hand and set it on his manhood.
I knew what he wanted immediately and started stroking the soft skin. He groaned, rolling his head back as I wrapped my other hand around his manhood. Using both hands, I worked up and down until he was hard as a rock.
Dane reached for my leggings and I let go of his member. He slid my leggings down to my ankles. Then, he guided me over to the desk and lifted me on top of it so I was sitting with my legs hanging over the edge.
Too slowly, he removed my boots and my leggings. Just the feel of his fingers brushing against my bare skin was enough to make me slick between my thighs.
Dane grabbed my face, a large hand on either cheek and he pressed his lips to mine. His mouth moved savagely, possessing mine as his tongue slid past my teeth.
I felt his knee push mine aside, spreading my legs open. He didn’t ease up on the kiss, but I could feel a shift in his attention for a split second as he entered me.
I dug my fingernails into his back and broke the kiss, throwing my head back with a moan. The desk pounded against the wall as Dane thrust into me, fast and hard.
My breathing turned into short gasps as the pressure in my lower belly mounted. Finally, when I felt like I could
n’t take it anymore, the pleasure came to a peak and I cried out in bliss as Dane finished. He shook, his whole body trembling for just a moment before he pulled out of me.
I leaned my forehead against his damp chest, working to slow my breathing. “Everyone heard us, didn’t they?” I should have been mortified, but instead, I laughed when I imagined the guards outside the door.
“They did,” he said. “We are supposed to be training after all.”
“If that’s what training with you is, I have some serious questions about what you do at the academy.”
He laughed. “That’s what training with us is.”
“I like our kind of training,” I said.
He smiled, then he walked over to where we’d dropped our clothes and picked mine up. He handed them to me then went back to get his. “You know, we should have at least a conversation about your strategy for the trials.”
I tugged my tunic on over my head then grabbed my leggings, pausing with them in my hands. “I don’t have much of a strategy other than trying to stay alive.”
“That’s a good start,” he said, “but I need you to think bigger than that.”
“I worked on shooting a bow,” I said cheerfully.
“That’s great, but it’s not going to help you,” he said. “To win, you’re going to need to outsmart the council, the other candidates, and any visitors that make their way into your trial.”
“Visitors like monsters?”
“Perhaps,” he said. “Though, I’d be more concerned about the other candidates trying to find a way to eliminate you. Even in your own room, don’t get too comfortable. If anything feels suspicious, don’t take the risk. Better to look foolish and stay alive than try to save face and end up dead.”
I nodded. It was very similar advice to what Ethan had said. “So, what do I do in the meantime other than assume everyone wants me dead?”
“Practice your shields.” He moved closer to me. “Find ways to use the weapons of your surroundings. Pay attention to details. You never know when something you noticed will save your life.”
“Is that what you told Lilian?” I asked, a surprising bit of jealous flickering in my gut.
He smirked and moved even closer to me. “No, she wanted to practice hand to hand combat. I knocked her down every time and told her she wasn’t as strong as she thought she was.”
That explained why she was practicing defensive magic. She was probably in a foul mood after getting beaten so many times.
Dane was right in front of me now. He lifted my chin with his index finger. “You are stronger than you know. Trust yourself and you will be the next queen.”
He kissed me gently and for the first time since the trials kicked off, I felt like maybe I had a chance at this.
Chapter Eight
Malin took aim, sending an arrow flying straight toward me. I threw up my arms, calling on my shield to protect me. Magic hummed through me, warming my limbs. I urged the magic toward Malin. The arrow struck an invisible force, falling to the ground with a clattering sound.
We’d practiced with balls of yarn for two days before I had the courage to allow her to send an arrow at me. I dropped the magic I was holding, blowing out a long breath. My heart hammered and a sheen of sweat glistened on my bare arms. A smile tugged at my lips and I laughed.
Malin set down the bow and ran toward me. “You did it! I told you that you were ready!”
I tossed my head back, running my hands through my hair. It almost didn’t seem real. Malin grabbed me, hugging me tight. I hugged her back and the two of us jumped up and down in celebration. It was something that was probably minimal for most Fae my age, but to me, this was a huge deal. I wanted to be able to defend myself on purpose, not just by fear kicking in.
“Nice work,” Dane’s voice carried from the doorway.
Malin let go of me and turned toward him, straightening her posture before inclining her head in a slight bow. “Your grace.”
I inclined my head, copying Malin. “Your grace.”
Dane laughed. “None of that is necessary. You both know that. Even if I were the next in line for the throne, I’d still tell you not to do that.”
“How was your morning session?” I asked.
“As expected,” he said.
I knew he wasn’t allowed to talk to us about what he did with each of us during individual training time, for which I was grateful. We’d met twice so far and hadn’t done any actual training either time. I bit down on my lower lip, as I recalled yesterday’s session. He’d given me a lot of one-on-one attention but none of it would help me in the trials. I probably should have used his knowledge for something other than sex, but he was like the wild catnip plants and I was like the barn cats. Unable to resist his pull.
“The other two trained as a team this morning. Would you two like to do the same?” he asked.
“That would be nice for a chance,” Malin said. “Not that there’s anything wrong with being alone with you.”
“I know what you mean,” Dane said. “How about you, Cassia?”
I hesitated. If I trained with Malin, that meant no time to play with Dane. However, the trials were in a few days and I could use the practice. “Alright. Let’s train together.”
Suddenly, the lights floating above us went out, leaving the three of us in total darkness. I gasped in surprise and instinctively reached my hands out in front of me. “What happened?” I bumped into Malin. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay,” she said.
“You won’t know what kind of situation you’ll be in during the trials,” Dane said. “You have to rely on the skills you possess, your knowledge of the situation, and your instincts.”
“You turned off the lights?” I could almost feel his self-satisfied smirk.
“Of course.” He moved, making noise as he stepped, clearly wanting us to know he wasn’t in the same place he had been.
“I’ve hidden a gold coin in this room,” he said. “When you find it, it will unlock the doors.”
The sound of the door slamming sent vibrations through me. “I guess he left.”
“Guess so,” Malin said. “But this doesn’t seem so hard.”
“At least it’s not Cormac,” I said under my breath. “Then we’d be here for days.”
“Cormac?” Malin asked. “The Autumn Prince?”
I was grateful that Malin couldn’t see my eyes widen and my face turned red in the dark. “Yes. That Cormac.”
The room was silent for a moment, then I heard Malin move. “You’re mated with all four of them, aren’t you?”
I wasn’t sure how to answer that. As far as I knew, she only knew about Tristan and Ethan.
“It’s okay,” she said. “I’m not your enemy.”
I’d heard that before in Faerie. Yet, I believed her. “How’d you guess?”
“Well, I knew about the Winter and Spring princes. Once the summer prince arrived, I could feel the energy between the two of you. The rest sort of fell into place. It makes sense in a way since you’re the child of the queen. I hear you have the magic of all four courts. Magic helps us find our mates. If you have four courts worth of magic, it seems likely you’d feel a bond to four courts worth of lovers.”
“I never thought about it like that,” I said.
“It’s beautiful, really,” Malin said. “I just want an invitation if there’s ever a wedding.”
Her tone was playful and familiar. Malin and I had become friends. It was comforting, but also a little frightening. There were so many people I cared about here now. If anything, it made my drive to become queen even greater. These people - my princes, Malin, my mother, they all deserved to live in a land that was at peace in a place where they were treated with dignity and respect. I could provide that as queen. I had no guarantee of what life would be like for them if Lilian or Rose won the crown. I couldn’t let that happen.
“Deal,” I said. “Now, let’s find that coin, shall we?”
“First things first.” A flicker of light rose into Malin’s hand. It wasn’t fire, exactly. It glowed soft and warm. Like a small ball of sunshine.
“How did you do that?” I asked.
“If you’d grown up here, you’d know it’s not as impressive as it looks. Come on now, your turn. Make some light.”
Light was my first taste of magic. A blinding, painful light that was of little use to us. The only other light I’d ever made was fire, and I’d done it at the urging of Tiana in her testing process. My stomach knotted at the thought of purposely creating fire, an element that I should be able to control with the summer magic I possessed. Fire was wild and unpredictable. At least that was how it was when it was lit. Was it the same way when it was created by magic?
“Give it a go,” Malin said.
I took a deep breath and focused on finding my magic’s core as Cormac had taught me. Finding that little flicker where it all came from deep inside. Once I had hold of it, I concentrated on sending that magic to my hands, thought about heat and flame and light. To my surprise, fire danced in my palms. My spirits lifted and I looked up at Malin, thrilled with my success. Then, as quickly as it came, it faded.
“Don’t worry,” Malin said. “It gets easier every time you practice it. Try again.”
Rolling my shoulders, I refocused. She was right. That was the point of all of this after all. Once again, I started by finding my magic and grasping hold.
Suddenly, a roar sounded and I lost all focus. Malin and I both stepped toward the closed door.
“You heard that, right?” I asked.
The roar continued, a soft rushing kind of noise. Then, the door exploded as water poured into the room in a wave, extinguishing the light in Malin’s hand.
Was this part of Dane’s plan? As the icy water engulfed me, making my skin sting and stealing my breath, I knew this wasn’t something Dane created. Which meant it wasn’t just Malin and me in this mess. He was out there too.
I reached inside to where I’d just been searching for my magic and grabbed hold, tugging on it mentally with everything I had. Send the water away. Send the water away. I didn’t know what kind of magic had caused this or what I needed to do to stop it, but I had to get out.