Lily and I entered the dining hall. The smell of butter and grill hung in the air, and everyone, fae and vampire alike, showed up to dinner, making the dining hall more crowded than usual. Peony was at the front of the line, heaping tons of food onto her plate like she was celebrating something. Virgie stuck behind Peony and Kristen, playing her minion role, though she didn’t heap nearly as much food onto her plate. Instead, Virgie sent me a warning look and raised her eyebrows.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked, resisting the urge to check and make sure the blood crystal was still in my pocket.
Lily leaned in closer. “Peony’s still on to you.” We were the last fae in line, and most people had seated themselves, filling the dining room with chatter.
My stomach turned as I piled food onto my plate. I hadn’t eaten my entire lunch, but my appetite vanished as I noticed the teachers standing at the periphery of the room, near the doors. Ms. Rutherford was sandwiched between Lord Sullivan and Mr. Chad. Just as I realized that something was off about this, Lady Cardinal strode into the room, smug as usual, with a pair of vamp guards taking up the rear.
One of them slammed the door shut, locking us in.
“Students,” Lady Cardinal announced, tapping her stick on her palm with a faint crack. “Kassius and Kayden have brought an important matter to my attention.”
I gulped, my hand shaking as I casually heaped mashed potatoes onto my plate, as if this announcement couldn’t seal my fate.
“An important matter?” Peony asked, fluttering her eyelashes. She sat one table over from the twins themselves. Kassius tilted his chair, his eyes flashing with a promise of pain. Kayden folded his hands, waiting with a smug grin.
This lobster dinner. A trap to get everyone together in the cafeteria.
“As some of you may know, something that belongs to them has gone missing,” Lady Cardinal continued. “Since the thief has not come forward, we will conduct a personal search on each of you as we progress through dinner. While we are enjoying our meal, our guards will be searching each dormitory and backpack for the missing item.”
People looked at each other. Lily, not realizing that I was utterly doomed, grabbed her tray and headed to the last open table, which was two tables away from where Peony and her clique sat.
I should’ve acted sooner, thrown the blood crystal into the lake below or done something else. Anything. Now, I couldn’t get rid of the crystal without getting someone else in trouble. Maybe it was even too late for that. Maybe I deserved the dungeons after killing Preston. A part of me wanted to remain rooted to the spot, get caught, and take my punishment. Perhaps the dungeons were preferable to becoming a whore.
More likely though, I’d have to do both, with the difference that my tainted record would land me in the hands of a crueler master.
“The perpetrator will be imprisoned for an undetermined amount of time.” Lady Cardinal slowly turned her gaze around the room at the now-silent students. “Fae or vamp, you do not steal from a high-ranking member of vampire society. Mr. Chad and Ms. Rutherford will search the fae students first. If we do not find the missing item, we will move our search to the vampire students.”
Lily waved me over to where she sat. She was clueless as to what was about to happen.
On the way, I would pass Peony’s table. Her purse rested beside her, open.
I could drop the blood crystal there. She’d probably find a way to talk herself out of the punishment. But how would I do it without being seen? I needed a distraction, and fast. Peony took a dainty spoonful of her soup and caressed her can of sparkling water, waiting for the show.
Ice expanded.
And cans full of ice exploded, didn’t they?
Lady Cardinal continued to speak as I moved my tray down the line of food, pretending to be interested in the dinner rolls. “If a vampire is caught, he or she may face demotion and shame. If a fae is caught, they will go to the dungeons. If the fae is weak, mentally or physically, they might not survive the experience.” The room broke out in whispers at this threat of violence. Headmistress Cardinal smiled viciously. “It’s important to separate the weak from the strong early on. Know that we will launch a full investigation of the thief’s activities in the recent months and extract every bit of truth. No stone will be left unturned and we will also examine the thief’s friends to see if they were complicit.”
I gazed up at Ms. Rutherford, who was nodding, as she stood next to Headmistress Cardinal.
If they caught me with the crystal, they’d catch me in my other crime. Lady Cardinal had her own crystal, and she could make me admit anything she wanted.
My heart leapt into my throat. It wasn’t right to damn Peony, but I had no other choice. Desperation swept over me and the thought of what that investigation would be like sent icy tingles under my skin. The staff would suspect the person who had stolen the blood crystal of having a hand in Preston’s disappearance.
If anyone could get away from the vamps unscathed, it was Peony. Maybe she’d even leave me alone after that, finally having something herself to worry about.
Slowly, I started toward where Lily sat.
The distraction would have to happen across the room, and it had to happen now. My legs carried me across the cafeteria. The icy tingles within me peaked as I glanced at Mei’s table. Her blood was in a goblet, but she also had a can of sparkling water. I sensed the liquid inside freeze and expand. Mei reached for the can, and as she grabbed it, the top blew open with a mighty bang, spewing ice particles everywhere.
I upped my pace, reaching into my pocket as everyone stood to face the sound. Mei let out a cry of shock. “What is it with this brand of water?”
“What happened?” Peony asked, standing on her tiptoes to see if there was any juicy gossip.
She had her back to me. They all did. Peony’s purse waited, and I shifted my hand underneath the middle of my tray, balancing it, then removed the blood crystal from my pocket. I ducked behind the wall of people as mutterings went up, masking the sound of me dropping the crystal into Peony’s bag.
Coward. Stupid coward. I couldn’t even own up to what I’d done.
“Who put these cans in the freezer or turned the fridge down too low?” Mei roared, full of disgust. “Someone needs to be punished!”
“We will investigate and punish the servants responsible,” Lady Cardinal shouted, cutting over the noise. “Everyone sit. These things happen. Servants sometimes do not think.”
I reached my table as people slowly sat down. Mei stood there, red uniform wet down the front. They were blaming the servants, not me, and the fact that fridges could freeze whatever was put in the back, but I couldn’t stop shaking, feeling the phantom pressure of the blood crystal in my pocket.
14
“What’s wrong?” Lily whispered as I sat down.
Already Mr. Chad and Ms. Rutherford swept through the cafeteria. Ms. Rutherford motioned for fae to stand while Mr. Chad administered a pat-down, starting at the ankles and working his way up. Nothing got spared. Fae had to lift their boobs so he could pat down the undersides. Ms. Rutherford and Lady Cardinal watched. Skirts were pressed against thighs one by one. Mr. Chad could barely contain his grin. He’d landed in perv heaven.
“That,” I lied. As I spoke, I wanted to melt into the floor. I still had the chance to admit my wrongdoing. Virgie and Peony had gone back to enjoying their meals, though they, too, watched as the searchers approached. Ms. Rutherford had taken to spilling out backpacks, leaving homework on the floor for the fae to clean up. The vamps snickered. I guessed they wouldn’t get subjected to the full extent of the invasive investigation that would make even the TSA cringe.
“Up,” Ms. Rutherford ordered, appearing at Peony’s table.
The three girls rose, Peony tilting her head and smiling softly. She exchanged a glance with Ms. Rutherford, who offered Peony a friendly nod and seized her purse. The witch rummaged through it with some degree of respect.
I
opened my mouth, but nothing came out.
There was no taking it back now.
Ms. Rutherford paused, hand still in the purse and jaw dropping, as Mr. Chad closed in on Peony. “Ms. Rutherford?” he asked.
The Home Decor teacher glanced side to side and slowly pulled out the blood crystal, which shone in the chandelier light.
Everyone in the dining hall gasped. Kassius and Kayden leaned forward. Kassius knocked over his can of sparkling water as he gaped at Peony and her apparent crime.
“What?” Peony asked, blanching.
Lady Cardinal weaved around tables, crossing the room.
I wanted to throw up.
“Seize her!” Lady Cardinal pointed a long finger at Peony.
Her two guards, a male and a female vampire, wrenched Peony’s hands behind her back. She blinked a few times as Kristin and Virgie backed away. Realizing that she was in this alone, Peony pulled against the vamp guards, but it was no use. A teenage girl couldn’t overpower two vampires. And if she tried to use her plant magic, she would only bring more punishment on herself.
“I didn’t steal the crystal! The real thief must have planted it in—”
“Silence.” Lady Cardinal whacked her stick against her open palm. “Four weeks in the dungeons, but do not damage her. You are lucky your magic is valuable, Peony. We cannot afford to lower the price of your future contract.” Lady Cardinal whirled to face the rest of us. “Let this be a lesson to everyone.”
The guards hauled away Peony. The door to the dining hall slammed shut with a bang, leaving ominous quiet in its place. Ms. Rutherford handed the blood crystal to Lady Cardinal, who in turn walked over and placed it in front of the twins. Kassius whispered something to Kayden. For once, the twins didn’t crack any remarks, too stunned to speak.
Peony’s position at Nocturnal Academy was permanently ruined even if she never had to endure any physical punishment. I let out a breath as Lily watched me. Had she figured it out? She could always read me well.
Virgie glanced at me, eyes wide with questions. I had been the last to sit. And she knew.
Her eyes narrowed. She could make this right any second, and if she did, I wouldn’t fight it. Peony had failed to charm her way out of the punishment. I had wanted to humiliate her after everything she had done to me. I hadn’t expected Cardinal to put her in the dungeons for weeks.
I waited for Virgie to come to Peony’s aid and expose me, but she didn’t. Instead, she swept out of the room as soon as the teachers left. Cardinal and Sullivan threw us menacing glares and Ms. Rutherford smiled smugly. Mr. Chad left next, making zero effort to hide the bulge in his pants.
“Well, I’m glad it wasn’t one of us or Virgie,” Lily said.
I glanced up at her but couldn’t read anything in her gray gaze. Did she know or at least suspect? Did she now finally understand why it was dangerous to be friends with me?
The room filled with gossip, from fae and vamps alike. Whispers were exchanged and hisses surrounded me, closing in. I rose from the table, beads of sweat breaking out on my nape. “Excuse me.”
Not waiting for Lily’s reply, I pushed past tables and into the hallway. It was only when I started up the stairs to the fae tower that I realized I was going to Virgie’s dorm. I needed to know if she would rat me out. I needed to know whose side she had chosen. Or maybe I was itching for a fight, and she, unlike Lily, would give me one.
I knocked once on her wooden door.
“Who is it?” She left a long, hesitant pause between each word.
Not answering, I pushed the door handle down and entered. Virgie lay on her back, occupying the lower bunk. She glanced briefly at me before turning her face upward, staring at Peony’s former place. “What do you want, Onyx?”
I hesitated. Maybe she wasn’t suspecting me at all. Maybe she was just distressed from everything that had happened. “Just wanted to see how you’re doing.”
She let out a mirthless chuckle, threw her legs out of the bed, and sat up. As she sauntered over to me, her hips swinging, her brown eyes blazing, I knew without a doubt that she was aware of my latest crime.
“I’m good, thanks to you. I suppose I should thank you that you didn’t pick me, but Peony.” She dropped into a curtsy, twirling her hands in mockery.
“I—”
“You what?” Virgie crossed her arms. “You had no choice? You panicked?” She jabbed me in the chest. “There’s always a choice.”
“She tried to make me fall to my death!” Virgie had no right to make me feel guilty over what I had done.
Virgie threw her head back and laughed. As her laugher died down, she shook her head. “It’s fine. I won’t tell on you. I get it. It’s just that…” She gave another shake of her head before walking over to her tiny window and staring outside.
“It’s just that what?” Why was I such a masochist? No matter what she’d say, it wouldn’t be nice.
Not turning, she said quietly, “I thought you were different. I thought that out of all of us, you were the one who had morals. The one who might stand a chance....”
Numbness encased me. She was right about one thing. I was different, but not in the way that she thought. I could be even worse than the vamps. Shame seized me at what I’d done. Was this how Peony felt after sputtering her nastiness? Was this the price Virgie paid for playing both sides?
Virgie’s disappointment was much worse than her anger could’ve ever been. Lily would be devastated if she found out what I had done. But as much as their disapproval hurt, it wasn’t the worst part. The worst part was that I had lost respect for myself. I had the chance to return the crystal, sneak it into one of the twin’s bags, left it in a classroom, or thrown it out. I had plenty of time and plenty of options, but I’d wanted to hang on to the possibility of hurting Peony. I’d basked in finally having the upper hand. By giving in to my instinct, I was showing my Winter Court nature.
Virgie continued staring at the mountains outside. Doubting she’d say anything else to me, I left, closing the door softly behind me. Dragging my feet down the stairs, I made my way to my own dorm.
Lily was already waiting for me, sitting on her bunk. “How is she?”
I took off my stockings and blazer and offered a sigh. “Virgie and Peony were close. Virgie’s shaken that Peony was taken like this.” My own voice cracked. There would be no hiding this. “I took the blood crystal from the twins in summer prep. It was part of another dumb plan to escape. So I had to get rid of it in a hurry.” I waited for Lily to back off, tell me I was a monster, but she stayed quiet.
Finally, I looked up. There was no judgment only sadness on Lily’s face. “Good people sometimes make bad decisions,” she said softly.
I sank down to the ground, not bothering to hide how low I felt. “I’ve only been here for a few months and already I’ve done...some very bad things.” I had failed to protect Blair. I had killed Preston. And now I had damned Peony. I was poison. I was death.
Lily joined me on the floor and put her arm around me, pulling me into a hug. “Tomorrow is a new day, and a new chance to be the person you want to be.”
A tear ran down my face as the dam of numbness broke. “How do you not hate me?”
Lily smiled and held me out at arm’s length so we were looking right at each other. “Because, Onyx, I see the good in you. There’s so much of it. You’re your own toughest critic.”
I shook my head, hiccupped, and wiped at my eyes. “No, that’s Sullivan.”
This earned me a chuckle.
Despite Lily’s assurance that I was no monster, I tossed and turned the whole night. My dreams filled with dripping poison and ice daggers. Blackness and evil laughter. My eyes were heavy and my head pounded as I rose the next day. I didn’t fight the pain. Instead, I welcomed it. It was fitting and distracted me from the nasty thoughts running through my head.
Our first class was once again with Sullivan. He had assigned us each a famous vampire to present in front of the cl
ass, and today it was Virgie’s turn.
“Miss Virgie, please tell us all that you’ve researched about Lord Skitelli.”
Virgie walked to the front of the room and smoothed her skirt. Her walk wasn’t as confident as usual, but by the time she reached the teacher’s desk, she had plastered a charming smile on her face. “Lord Skitelli was the first vampire to create fast fashion. He figured out that trends needed to move fast, and that the cheapest and quickest way to keep up with fashion was to have a factory nearby with cheap labor.”
Lord Sullivan leaned back in his chair. “And how did he procure this cheap labor?”
Virgie stiffened. “He found unwanted fae. He employed them.”
Lord Sullivan gloated. “Yes, indeed. He took the ugly and useless ones and gave them jobs that even they could fulfill, allowing them to stay hidden so that their ugliness wasn’t commented on.”
Virgie clutched her hands together tightly, her fingers turning white.
“How else did Lord Skitelli make use of the fae?”
Make use. We were nothing to them. We were things to make money off. Tossed aside when we became worthless.
Virgie cleared her throat. “His courtesans modeled his newest fashions. He brought them to events where they mingled with other courtesans and spread the word about his designs.”
Lord Sullivan nodded. “Yes, how very kind of him.”
This is what my life would be like if I lucked out. I’d get to be an obedient lapdog, expected to jump with joy when I was allowed to be the accessory on a vamp’s arm during a night out.
The gong rang, and I shot out of my seat. I had enough of Lord Sullivan beating us down minute by minute. Mr. Chad might ogle my body, but at least he left my mind alone.
Virgie also seemed eager to get away from Lord Sullivan. She grabbed her bag and hurried out the door.
The Nocturnal and Fae Prison Academy Boxset [A Complete Paranormal and Fantasy Series Boxset] Page 20