Interruption War Year 3: An Academy Reversed Harem Paranormal Bully Romance (Fallen Fae Academy Book 4)

by Rachel Angel

“You’ve become a pathetic shell of a man, my Stephen,” Harvestia said. “You may think you’re strong and in control, but nothing could be further from the truth. Your weakness has allowed the darkness to take over you, and don’t doubt it for a minute; it is the darkness that has complete control over you. You are nothing more than a puppet, a feeble marionette.”

  “Strong words for a woman who now finds herself in such a feeble position.”

  Harvestia closed her eyes. “Feeble? You leave me no choice, Stephen.”

  “What are you going to do, Harvestia?” Stephen smiled wickedly.

  With the speed and lightness of a gust of wind, Harvestia was upon Stephen, her armored forearm in a death grip around his neck. “Let my daughter go.”

  “Suddenly, the motherly instincts, Harvestia?” Stephen asked. “After all those years she grew up amongst humans, hidden away in their world, you finally found her and wanted her as your child?”

  Harvestia was stunned for a second. “I didn’t know Harley was alive. I didn’t know she was placed amongst human parents as a changeling. I thought she died along with you…”

  “Well, she didn’t, Harvestia. And now, you and I both know…what she is,” Stephen said.

  Chapter 3

  With Harley safe in the arms of Red and Zed, Harvestia fought her husband. It was not what she had imagined her reunion with him would be. She’d thought of him so often over the years, worried about him and had prayed for him, but now…

  She couldn’t understand why or how he had turned to the dark side. He’d always been a good man. A strong and honest man.

  A loving and tender man.

  And now, she found her arms in a death grip around Stephen’s neck and contemplating the possibility of snapping it.

  But he was the father of her daughter. She knew she wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she was responsible for the death of her child’s father.

  “What’s the matter, Harvestia?” Stephen growled as she held him in place. “Has motherhood made you soft?”

  “Motherhood has made me compassionate, understanding and patient, my dear Stephen.” She looked directly into his eyes, trying to find a sign of the man she’d once loved.

  “Ah,” he said with mock affection. “You always were a little weakling, weren’t you? Call it what you like, Harvestia. You could perhaps also add blind and naïve.”

  “The darkness doesn’t suit you, Stephen,” Harvestia said, still intent on bringing him back to the light. “Come with me. Take my hand and leave the darkness behind. Bathe in the love I have for you.”

  He shook his head and chuckled. “My love, I have too many responsibilities on the dark side. So many little dark faes look up to me for guidance. So many little dark faes need a strong and forceful leader.”

  Her eyes widened as she looked into his vacant eyes. “No,” she murmured in disbelief. She refused to believe it could be true. “You’re not the leader of the dark faes.”

  “Oh, Harvestia,” he said with a satisfied grin. “But, I am.”

  She backed away suddenly, no longer able to touch him. She felt dirty and tainted.

  “You’re a monster,” she said.

  He licked his lips in an exaggerated and grotesque manner as he glared at Harley.

  Harvestia turned to Red and Zed. “Get her out of here!” she shouted. “Get her out before he goes after her again.”

  ***

  As Red and Zed moved to bring Harley to safety, Prince Harris swept in, blocking their path.

  “I order you to release my sister,” Prince Harris said. He stood, feet apart, his hands firmly on his hips. He was a formidable figure, and with Ethan and Colin at his side, he took a step closer to Red and Zed.

  “We’re bringing her to safety,” Red said.

  “Get out of the way so we can save her,” Zed added. “The Dark Fae Wizard is after her.”

  “You’re from the Kingdom of Fall,” Prince Harris said with suspicion. “What safety could you possibly offer her?”

  Prince Harris pulled his sword out of its sheath and lunged at Zed while Ethan attacked Red.

  As she tried to explain to them what was happening, Harley fell into Colin’s arms. “Stop them,” she told Colin. “Stop them before they kill each other.”

  But he didn’t listen. Instead he pulled her aside and kept her away from the fighting.

  “Colin, you don’t understand. None of you do.”

  Staring toward the top of the knoll, he seemed troubled and wasn’t listening to her at all.

  In the distance, the General of the Fall Kingdom saw the skirmish below him as a threat.

  “He doesn’t look happy,” Colin said, almost to himself.

  Harley looked back and followed his gaze to see the General. From where they stood, they heard him.

  “The Kingdom of Spring has chosen to attack,” the General cried out to his troops. “We must respond.”

  Chapter 3

  While Colin kept his eye on the General, Harley sneaked away and hid in the bushes to watch the fighting. She wanted to jump into the fight but feared her presence would only confuse matters.

  Biting her lip, she watched as Zed didn’t back down. Prince Harris was hard-headed and determined as he continued to swing his sword at him. Zed ducked and jumped and swung his sword with just as much intensity as his opponent. After dozens of swipes, he finally managed to break away from Prince Harris.

  Harley was both proud of her brother for attempting to protect her and infuriated by his refusal to listen to reason.

  But as she watched him get back on his horse and gallop away, she was happy to see him leave the fight uninjured.

  Red was also successful in his fight. After effectively throwing Ethan into a muddy pond he caught up with Colin and did the same.

  Finally rid of their opponents, Red and Zed quickly ran to Harley and rushed her up to the top of a grassy hill.

  “You guys should have explained better,” Harley said, chastising them for warring with her brother. “That was my brother you were fighting with.”

  “Dang, Harley,” Red said. “You’re welcome.”

  “Don’t give me that,” Harley argued. “You know darn well what I mean. He was just trying to protect me as much as you are.”

  “You saw them, Harley,” Zed said. “They refused to listen. It’s not like we didn’t try.”

  Harley pulled in a long and frazzled breath as she crossed her arms over her chest and calmed herself down.

  “Sorry,” she finally said softly. “All this warring and fighting… it’s just so awful. I don’t know what to think anymore.”

  Red nodded as he came up beside her and put his arm around her shoulder.

  “The war is intensifying everywhere,” Zed said, looking out over the valley below.

  The sounds of death reached up to them, cries of young men losing their lives for reasons they barely understood.

  Already, the metallic smell of blood competed with the pleasant scents of the wildflowers and won.

  “How did it come to this?” Red said as he shook his head. “Despite everything, despite our differences, I always thought we’d find a peaceful resolution.”

  Zed shrugged. “Not this time.”

  “Come on,” Red said. “We have to get Harley out of here. We have to bring her to a safe place where that dark fae of a father can’t get her.”

  They turned to head up into the mountains, but Ethan and Colin came to stand in their path.

  “Hand over the girl,” Ethan said.

  “She’s staying with us,” Zed said.

  Colin pulled his sword out and took a step toward Zed. “I don’t think so.” He charged him, forcing Zed to engage in battle while Harley took a step back.

  Before Ethan could charge, Red ran to him, his sword in the air.

  Harley watched them, all four men fighting with such intensity and a desire to kill.

  “Wait,” she said, trying to get their attention. “You guys do
n’t understand.”

  While they all remained so intent on each other, a strong arm wrapped around Harley’s waist while a big hand clamped down on her mouth. Before she knew what was happening, she was dragged away.

  Kicking and swinging her hands up to slap him, Harley tried to fight her way out of his hold, but his arm was like a vice, holding her tightly to him. Through her struggles, she looked over her shoulder to see that it was Oldman.

  With the realization that he had her in his clutches once again, Harley doubled her efforts to get away from him, but all her struggles were in vain.

  He unceremoniously threw her over his horse, climbed into his saddle and headed off to the top of the mountain.

  On a ledge, he stopped to look down at the battle between the twins and Colin and Ethan. Farther down, the battle between the Kingdom of Spring and the Kingdom of Fall raged on.

  “What do you want with me?” Harley said when Oldman threw her off the horse.

  “For starters, I want to show you what you’ve started,” he said, his tone flat and cold. “Peace reigned here before you showed up.”

  “I have nothing to do…”

  “Shut up!” he shouted into her face as he grabbed her arm and kept her close. “You’re responsible for this. All of it.”

  Harley pulled her arm free and tried to reach up to slap him, but he caught her hand.

  “Truth hurts, little girl,” he said.

  “You know damn well that I have nothing to do with this,” Harley said. “Men… You seek any reason to go to battle. A man such as yourself… what do you do if you’re not fighting? I seriously doubt a man like you indulges in cerebral activities.”

  He furrowed his brow and looked quizzically at her.

  “Does using big words make you feel smarter, little girl?” he finally said.

  “First off, there were no big words,” Harley spat. “And secondly, if you didn’t understand what I just said, you’ve proven my point.”

  Again, he just looked quizzically at her.

  “Whatever,” he grunted. “Now that you’ve seen the devastation you’ve caused, it’s time to throw you back into the dungeon.”

  Harley pulled back, yanking her arm out of his grip. “Dungeon. What for?”

  “Oh, precious little one,” he said, bringing his face close to his. “You convinced Prince Kingsley to banish me from my own kingdom. Do you really think I’m going to just let you get away with that? You’ve ruined my life. You’ve ruined everything.”

  “Well, good luck with that,” Harley said glancing down at the war below. “The minute you go back down there, those men, Colin, Ethan, Red and Zed are all going to tear you apart in order to get to me. You’re going to get nowhere. Absolutely nowhere.”

  “Ha, ha,” he chuckled softly. “Your little friends are helpless to help you, dear. You’re on your own from now on.”

  Gripping her shoulders firmly, he turned Harley around so that she faced the battles below. Still holding on tight, he pressed up close to her backside.

  “Don’t worry,” he whispered into her ear. “We won’t be taking that route, so take one last look at your little friends while you can.”

  She looked down at the men she knew, then glanced back at him and tried to hide the fear she felt.

  “Close your eyes, deary.”

  While refusing to close her eyes, the world around her nonetheless turned black. The scent around her suddenly changed. It was no longer the blended scent of blood and lavender, but the musty, moldy scent of a damp and dank room.

  “Welcome to your new home,” Oldman whispered hoarsely into her ear. “Hope you enjoy your stay.”

  Harley tried to look around her, but it was too dark. She could barely make out a dim light coming through a small opening near the ceiling.

  It took a few moments, but she soon realized that she was in the same prison he’d brought her to before. A wave of panic shook her as a damp chill penetrated down to the bone.

  She turned to Oldman, but he’d already left her and was now standing on the other side of the thick wooden door, looking at her through the small barred window.

  Harley concentrated and tried to conjure up the magical powers that would bring her out of the prison cell, but it was useless.

  “Nice try, little witch,” Oldman said. “Your powers are far too feeble to get you out of this.”

  Hugging herself against the cold, Harley looked around the small dark cell. There had to be a way out.

  Oldman let out a long, low whistle. “I’ll tell you one thing,” he said in a lust-filled tone. “Kingsley sure knows how to pick them. I’ve never seen such a bewitching harlot, such a mesmerizing wench.”

  His eyes on her, he licked his lips and made a disgusting sucking sound with his mouth. “What I wouldn’t do if you just gave me one hour with you.”

  Harley ignored him and continued to look around. At this point, she didn’t care what he said. All she wanted was to get out of there.

  “No wonder we are at war.” Clucking his tongue, Oldman shook his head dramatically from side to side. “No wonder the Kingdom of Sea has decided to bury the hatchet with the Kingdom of Spring. They have become allies. Who would have ever thought that possible?”

  “You’re a very short-sighted man,” Harley said bluntly. “You know that?”

  “If you want to talk about short-sighted, then you have to bring up our very royal Prince of Sea. After all, how short-sighted was it for him to even consider bedding the Princess of Spring?” His eyes bore into Harley. “Yes, the lovely Princess of Spring,” he said thoughtfully. “What is so special about the Princess of Spring?”

  “I’ll assume that it’s something that you’ll never understand, Oldman.”

  “Ah,” he said. “But I doubt you even know why everyone wants you. I doubt you know much of anything about this world. Even the Dark Fae Wizard wants you.”

  “That happens to be my father,” Harley said. “I’m sure that despite everything he felt a need to find me again after so many years.”

  “Oh,” he said with mock surprise. “Well, you can try to continue to tell yourself that, but I seriously doubt he’s interested in reminiscing about years lost without his precious little girl. No. I’m sure that his interest in you is more of the mystical nature and not so much paternal.”

  Loosing her patience, Harley walked to the door. “Let me out of here. You have no idea of the wrath that awaits you if you keep me in here. If you think Kingsley was hard on you the last time you imprisoned me, imagine what will happen now.”

  “No,” he said quietly. “At this moment, you are the most valuable hostage in the history of these kingdoms. I may be too ignorant about these things to know what it is that makes you so special, but I do know that I have control of the situation so long as I have you under lock and key.”

  “You’re a fool who doesn’t know what a big mistake he’s made.”

  To her surprise, Oldman unlocked the door and opened it. But as she was about to take a step to walk out of the cell, Oldman rushed in and pushed her to the far wall.

  “You’re right,” he said with a lust-filled grunt. “I’m making a big mistake. What a fool I am to have such a lovely creature in my possession and not take advantage of it.” He leaned into her, pushing his hardness against her.

  Harley gagged at the thought. Just having him up against her made her want to vomit. He reeked of old clothes, mothballs and stale beer. He was ugly, not because of his big nose, thin lips and deep sunken eyes, but because of the hatred in those eyes, because of the sinister line of his lips.

  With a forceful shove, she pushed him off her, but he came back at her with even more force. As he reached out to grab her arm, she snatched his hand and bent it back, forcing him to almost touch his ear.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing, wench?” he growled.

  “Putting you in your place, you letch,” Harley said.

  He reached out to her with his other han
d, but Harley twisted the hand she still held, almost breaking it.

  As she held him at bay, she tried to make contact with Kingsley, Red, Zed and Oak. She even tried to see if she couldn’t connect with Ethan and Colin but got no response.

  Fighting with Oldman and trying to escape the cell, Harley thought of the war that was still going on. Would any of them still be alive if ever she made it out of that prison cell? For all she knew they could be lying dead in a field.

  With a violent thrust, Harley threw Oldman to the wall and while momentarily dazed, she ran for the door.