“Hundreds,” I repeated before I dropped to my knees in front of her. “But Bree, you seem so...”
“Normal?” She let out a bitter laugh. “I’m far from it. When I’m in my wolf form, all I can see and smell is blood. I haven’t killed anyone though. Not yet anyway.”
That last bit she muttered so softly that I almost didn’t hear her.
Her hand snatched my wrist, and her fingernails sunk into my skin. So hard that my veins began to pulse. “Not all of them are able to control themselves as well as I can, Norah. They’re more beast than human. I came here to warn you. You need to learn how to fight. One day, they’re going to come for you.”
“Me?” I whispered. “But why me?”
Soft footsteps thudded on the living room floor, and Bree’s body went razor sharp. She stood, letting the sheet pool around her feet. Slowly, she backed up to the window, her eyes so wide that they reminded me of twin full moons.
“Norah?” Sophia called out. “Who are you talking to?”
“Go,” I whispered furiously, my gaze locked on Bree’s waxen face. “If you’re right about all of this, you need to get out of here.”
“You’re not safe here, Norah,” she hissed back.
“I’m safe enough.” In two quick strides, I crossed the room and took Bree’s arms tight in my hands. She was so solid, so real. And I had to make sure she stayed that way. “I don’t know what they’ll do if they find you in here, and I don’t aim to find out. There are a few small villages near the edge of the Autumn woods. Go there. Hide. Steal food when you need it. I may be able to fix this, but I need some time.”
A soft knock sounded on my door.
Bree swallowed hard and nodded. She backed up to the window and disappeared behind the billowing curtain just as Sophia cracked open my door. I stayed there, gazing outside with my back turned her way. My heart trembled, but I suddenly felt a clarity of mind that calmed the frantic beat in my chest.
Bree was alive. She might be in some serious trouble, but she was alive.
“Norah?” Sophia’s voice held a frown. “What are you doing? Is someone out there?”
I took a moment to ready myself, but then I turned her way with an expression of intense weariness painted on my face. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you. Kael has me learning about some plants, and I have to recite a bunch of stuff out loud to him tomorrow. I was just practicing.”
She scrunched up her face, her eyes flicking to the discarded bedsheet on the floor. “I could have sworn I heard another voice in here. A girl.”
I laughed and shrugged. “Must have just been me talking to myself. I think I’m so tired I’m getting delirious.”
“Okay.” A pause. “You should get some sleep. We have History of Fae in the morning. It’s so dull that you’re going to nod off if you’re this tired.”
“You’re right. I should get some sleep,” I said with a nod. “Probably a bad idea to burn out during my first month here.”
With a smile, she moved back to the door but hesitated before she left my room. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine.”
And I was. For the first time since I’d arrived at Otherworld Academy, I felt as if I knew exactly what I needed to do. I would no longer flail around, seeking answers to questions I didn’t even know I was asking. I would find a way to cure Bree, even if it meant lying to every single person here. It wasn’t like they’d bothered to tell me the truth either. Not even Liam.
And if any Redcaps came at me? I’d be ready.
Chapter Sixteen
Finn taught History of Fae. Despite his upbeat personality, even he couldn’t make the long, boring tales he shared sound interesting. It was a class we had every Tuesday and Thursday, yet it felt as if we’d covered no ground at all. Maybe because he was keeping the juicy parts of history to himself.
So, I decided to rectify that.
Halfway through class, I raised my hand and gave him a steely smile. I’d been waiting for this moment all day. Hell, I’d been waiting all night. After Bree had disappeared through my window, I hadn’t been able to sleep, too worked up by the knowledge that my fae instructors had been lying to us.
They’d been lying to me.
Finn’s sparkling green eyes caught mine. It was hard to imagine he could be behind something like this. Rourke, I could believe. Maybe even Kael, though his anger toward the Redcaps would seem to suggest otherwise. Liam? It certainly wouldn’t be the first time he’d hidden something from someone, but I’d let him kiss me…and more.
But Finn?
“What is it, Norah?” Finn asked. “Do you have a question about the lineage of Sterk, the great fighter from the Age of the Moon?”
I didn’t even know who he was talking about. I’d been so zoned out that I hadn’t been listening to the long list of Sterk ancestors. None of us had.
“Sterk was clearly awesome and all,” I began, shifting on my seat. “But I think I can speak for everyone when I say that what we’d all really like to know? The history of the changelings.”
Several of the other first-years murmured in agreement.
Finn’s brows winged upward. “I see. Unfortunately, that topic isn’t on our syllabus for today.”
“It’s not on the syllabus at all,” I countered, anger building in my chest. I knew. I’d looked in the middle of the night when I couldn’t sleep. “Look, we all know you don’t want to tell us, so it must be something pretty bad. But that isn’t fair on us. These are our lives. We deserve to know the truth about where we came from and why we’re exchanged with human babies. Not to mention, what happens to them after you send them back to the human realm?”
“Yeah,” Griff spoke up from behind me. “What happens to the humans?”
Finn crossed his arms over his chest and scanned the room. “Do you all want to hear this then?”
Every single changeling in the room spoke with a resounding yes.
“Very well.” His eyes flicked to mine, full of amusement but something else. Suspicion, almost, and disappointment. Fine with me. I didn’t care. He and the other fae inside this godforsaken castle were transforming innocent humans into murderous beasts.
Still, he carried on. Most of what he told us, Bree had already explained to me. The Tithe. The human transformations. I was relieved to see that everyone was just as horrified as I’d been.
“Can’t you do something to stop it?” Lila asked, her voice shaking.
Finn merely shook his head. “The Tithe cannot be broken. If it is, both the human and faerie realms will suffer. Yes, what happens to the human children is terrible. I hate it as much as you do, but we don’t have any other choice.”
I ground my teeth together. Surely there was always a choice.
Sam raised a hand, and Finn nodded to her. “What exactly is the Tithe? Is it sending sixteen changelings into the human realm or is it taking sixteen humans?”
“Ah.” Finn’s smile widened. “Clever girl. It is taking and returning sixteen humans each year. The fae changeling swap is merely a bi-product of that.”
I furrowed my eyebrows. “Why swap at all?”
“Another good question,” Finn said with a nod. “Our realms require balance. If we take sixteen souls, we must give sixteen. So, each year, when we take sixteen humans, we must give sixteen babes of our own. And when we return the humans, we are able to bring you back home. In fact, we must bring you back home, or else the balance of our realms is disrupted.”
“Disrupted how?” Griff asked.
At that question, Finn merely gave a shrug. “We have never tested it, and we do not intend to. I think I can speak for all fae when I say that we will not do anything that would risk the safety of our people.”
Five more hands shot into the air, but the distant clang of a bell interrupted our questions. Grumbling, everyone stood to gather their books and papers, readying themselves to head to the next lesson. It was the first time anyone had seemed even remotely reluctant
to leave History of Fae, though I had a feeling we’d be bored stiff again soon enough. Finn had indulged us, but I had a feeling he wouldn’t again.
“Norah?” he called out as I slung my bag over my shoulder. “Can you stay after class for a moment?”
Uh oh. I might very well be in trouble. I’d kind of taken control of the class and run with it, but I didn’t regret it in the least. Now, everyone else knew the truth about the changelings, and I’d gotten more answers, though I still had so much I wanted to know.
The classroom emptied as I walked up to his grand oak desk. He perched on the edge, tossing an apple aimlessly in the air. He didn’t even glance at it as it landed perfectly in his open palm.
“Interesting discussion today,” he said.
“Yep. I thought so.” I crossed my arms and met his steady gaze. “That’s why I asked the questions.”
“Indeed.”
“You should have told me what the Redcaps really are,” I said, narrowing my eyes. “It seems a little odd that you would keep it from us for so long.”
“You’ve been here less than a month, Norah.”
“And you should have told us from day one.”
“Why?” He arched a brow, still tossing the apple. “So that you could begin your time here fearful and upset?”
“Oh, I’m not fearful,” I said, edging toward him. “I’m angry. Innocent humans are dying, and you’re doing nothing to stop it.”
I glared at him, heart pumping hot blood through my veins.
“Do you know what would happen if we didn’t commit to the Tithe?” he asked, bouncing the apple once more. And then he stopped. His fingers tightened around the red skin. “The Dark Fae would destroy every single one of us. We have no other choice, Norah. Hate us all you like, but we’re not the ones who started this entire thing. The Dark Fae are.”
A chill swept down my spine.
“But what I want to know is how you knew all of this already. Something tells me you didn’t read it in a book.”
Uh oh. Time for a diversion. I didn’t want him to get any weird ideas in his head, or to wonder where I’d gotten my information. If he discovered that Bree had come to visit me—in Redcap form, no less—he might tell the others. And the others would insist on tracking her down.
I would never again let anything happen to Bree. I’d protect her with my own life if I had to.
“You know, I’ve been thinking a lot about what Court I might belong to,” I said in a teasing, singsong kind of voice that sounded a lot like the way he spoke. Smiling coyly, I stepped closer to him until my hips brushed against his.
Amusement flickered through his eyes, and he raised his brows. “Is that so, Norah?”
“It just seems—to me, at least—that Winter and Autumn don’t make sense.” I shifted slightly closer. So close that the wild, fresh scent of him filled my head. “For one, I’ve never really been fond of the cold. And they’re just so serious, you know?”
His green eyes sparkled. And, this time, he was the one who shifted closer. Now, his mouth was only an inch from mine. My heart raced through my chest.
“Something tells me that you’re suggesting you might be mine,” he said, his voice dropping an octave. “You know what they say about Spring mates, don’t you?”
“No,” I whispered.
He grinned. “When true Spring mates make love on the ground, flowers bloom all around them at the height of their pleasure.”
I swallowed hard, and my cheeks blazed. Was he serious? I couldn’t be certain.
“So, if you truly think you’re my mate...” He slid his hand around the back of my neck and massaged my hot skin. With a gasp, I dropped back my head and stared up at the ceiling, my skin sparking from his touch. “I can throw you over my shoulder and carry you into the forest where we can test it for ourselves.”
Oh my god.
He was still massaging my neck, something that felt so good I thought I might melt into a puddle on the floor. Not to mention the bit about him carrying me outside. I knew firsthand that he wouldn’t hesitate to throw me over his shoulder. But would he really take things further than that?
My heart pounded against my ears.
I had a feeling that he most certainly would.
“Or,” he said, dropping his hand away. Cool air whispered against my neck in its place. “You could be trying to distract me from the fact you knew about the changeling humans before you asked about them in class. Have you been talking to the older students?”
My brain was fuzzy, and my body begged for more of his touch. But I couldn’t let him see how much he’d gotten to me, or the fact that I’d actually been considering letting him carry me outside...
“I guess you caught me,” I said in a faux-abashed voice. “I got curious, so I asked around.”
“Hmm, well I can’t blame you, but I’d appreciate it if you didn’t try to show me up in class like that.” His eyes dropped to my chest where my nipples had hardened and were clearly poking through my shirt. That was how much an effect his little massage had on me. “Though, I have to say, it seems we’ve both enjoyed our after-class chat. Be sure to let me know when you want to take that little trip into the forest.”
With a wink, he turned back to rifle through some notes on his desk, and it took a very long time for my face to cool down. Was that just another joke? A tease? A way to throw me off my game?
Or had he meant it?
And why did I desperately want to find out?
When I strode into the library after dinner, Kael was glowering out the window, as per usual. I dropped my study books onto the table and crossed my arms over my chest, conjuring up a strength and confidence I’d never known I had until now.
“I want to ramp our training up a notch,” I said. Voice firm. Eyes clear. I wasn’t going to take no for an answer. “I want to know more about that plant, and I want to practice ways to fight the Redcaps. No more reading, Kael. I’m ready to learn how to fight.”
I expected him to argue. He’d been dead set against physically training me so far, and I didn’t expect that to change anytime soon. But when he turned from the window, his eyes held a hint of defeat.
“I know about Bree,” he said.
My mouth opened, but no sound came out. This couldn’t be happening. I hadn’t told a soul about her visit, and I didn’t know what I would do if he insisted on tracking her down. He might think she was a threat, but she wasn’t. Bree was a lot of things, but she wasn’t a killer. She wasn’t anything close to that.
“Sit,” Kael said. Even though I wanted to stand tall, I obeyed, practically falling into the chair.
He strode closer to me and braced his palms on the wood surface, leaning so close that his breath whispered across my cheek. “I assume she’s spoken to you because you look like you’re about to vomit.”
Swallowing hard, I tore my gaze away. I wanted to look anywhere else than into his glittering eyes. Those eyes that always felt as if they could see through every barrier I tried to put up between us.
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to send Hunters out to kill her,” he said, still leaning close. “I won’t tell the Head Instructor either. Or Finn, Rourke, or Liam, though I believe you’d find them more understanding than you think.”
“What?” Heart in my throat, I glanced back at him. Nothing in his eyes suggested that this was all some sort of trick or a joke. In fact, Kael never joked. He was far too matter-of-fact for that. A trickster, he was not. So, when he said something, I felt as though I should believe it.
“You heard me.” He pushed away from the table and stalked back toward the window, glaring through the thick panes. “Your friend is going through a torturous time right now, but there’s no evidence to suggest she’s fallen prey to the beast. As long as she keeps the blood off her hands, I’ll make no move against her.”
My heart thudded against my ribcage and I curled my fingers against the edge of the table. “How do you know about her? What do you m
ean about the beast?”
He let out a heavy sigh. “Many humans who are attacked by Redcaps become one themselves. Unknowingly, they seek out Otherworld, since they belong here more than the human realm. Somewhere, deep down inside, they know this. When they do enter the faerie realm, one of two things usually happens. They either join the Wilde Fae and embrace the savage monster within. Or they fight it. Unfortunately, neither option ends well.”
“Bree is fighting it,” I said. “She’s not going to become a savage beast.”
“You’re right,” he said with a nod. “And she will likely die because of it.”
I gripped the table tighter, so tight my knuckles went stark white. “But she’s alive. I saw her. She came in through my window. Sure, she was in pretty bad shape, but she was alive.”
He turned to me then, a deep sadness echoing in the hollow black of his eyes. “Her body cannot withstand the place between human and beast, as she is right now. She’s infected. As long as she fights for her human self, her life is forfeit.”
“No,” I whispered. “You’re wrong. She said there were others. Redcaps who were like her. Ones who are still human.”
“There are.” A pause. “And if they do not give into their transformation, they’ll die, too.”
Suddenly, I could no longer stay sitting. I stood from the table and pushed back my chair so hard that it toppled to the floor behind me. “But if she gives into the transformation...”
“Then, she’ll become a beast permanently, like the one who attacked her in Manhattan, like the ones we hunt. She’ll no longer be able to transform into a human, and there will be a savagery to her that isn’t truly Bree. She’ll be in there, but she’ll be...twisted.”
I shoved my hands into my hair and stormed away from Kael. This couldn’t be happening. I’d just gotten Bree back, and now I was discovering that it had all been a twisted lie, one she didn’t know the truth of herself. She wasn’t going to survive this. And, if she did, she’d become something so wrong and so twisted that it would be even worse than death.
A Dance With Darkness (2020 Ed) Page 15