My heart pumped violently in my chest, wanting to escape.
“The simulation is very real. So even though no one here will be able to see it, the person inside will be convinced it’s happening, forgetting it is a simulation.”
Virgie raised her hand.
“Yes?” Ms. Rutherford asked pleasantly.
“What will be the simulation we’ll experience?”
Ms. Rutherford smile widened. “That’s the best part. It’s individual. The simulator will confront you with your personal, biggest fears.”
“It’s very impressive technology created by our top vamps,” Mr. Chad added proudly, speaking up for the first time.
“It will be a very intense experience.” Ms. Rutherford pointed at the two vamp guards who had wheeled in the simulator. “That’s why these gentlemen will stay. In case, we need their help to escort some of you to the infirmary.”
18
Next to me, Lily swayed. I grabbed her arm, steadying her.
“Please line up.” Mr. Chad motioned for the first girl on the far left to step forward. Given the way we were standing, Lily, I, and Virgie would be the last lucky contestants. Again. Great, we got to watch everyone being terrorized, our own fear spiking. But maybe, just maybe that would give me enough time to come up with an excuse to avoid showing everyone what I was.
“Don’t dawdle, please. We don’t have all day.” Mr. Chad pushed the first fae forward.
“I can’t.” She was a fae with braided hair who had been hanging out in the art section of Home Decor. She didn’t speak much. Now her voice shook, but no one comforted her. Instead, Ms. Rutherford snapped her fingers, and one of the vamp guards hurried over and dragged the girl into the simulator.
My throat laced shut, and I could barely breathe. How I wished Thorsten was here. He would’ve found a way to put an end to this torture. Or maybe he wouldn’t after what I had done yesterday. Maybe he had lost the tiny bit of respect he had for me when he had seen me with the twins. What had I been thinking? Nothing. I had turned off my mind on purpose, desperate to escape from reality, not caring what the consequences were. I had been reckless, weak, and dumb.
And now what I’d been fearing all along would become my reality. I’d be exposed and killed.
The vamp guard slammed the glass door shut, and Mr. Chad pressed a button on the remote he was holding. The fae’s eyes widened, and then she stepped back from the glass, pressing into the back of the cube. She shook her head, then rushed to the left of the cube, then the right, banging against the glass walls, opening her mouth in a silent scream. Apparently, the simulator wasn’t only shatter proof, but also sound proof. As the seconds dragged on, the croissant I’d eaten for breakfast rose up in my stomach.
“How long are you going to torture her?” I barely recognized my voice. I knew I should’ve kept quiet, stayed under the radar, but only a sadist could watch another person rip out her hair, claw at her thighs, and say nothing.
Mr. Chad strolled over to me, holding the simulator remote in his hand. How I wanted to reach forward and knock it out of his grasp. “Shoulders back, Miss Onyx,” he tsked.
I straightened my posture, not out of respect, but to stop him from putting his paws on me.
He nodded in approval. “Much better. Don’t worry, the simulation will only last for three minutes.”
I gulped. Three minutes. Could I hold back my ice for that long?
“I won’t be able to…” Next to me Lily shook like a leaf in the wind.
I massaged soothing circles on her back. “You’ll be fine,” I said, having no right to make such promises when I doubted any of us would be all right after this simulator. Three minutes of our worst nightmares. Three minutes was way too long.
The seconds trickled by painfully slow, but eventually, Mr. Chad’s timer beeped, and he pressed the red button on his remote to stop the simulator. As he did, the girl gasped and slumped against the wall of the cube. A guard opened the door, and the fae stumbled out, falling forward. Her knees whacked against the ground. The guard lunged, catching her before she could break her nose.
“Take her to the infirmary and get us more guards,” Mr. Chad snapped.
Please, let one of the new guards be Thorsten.
One by one, the fae went into the simulator, the line growing shorter and shorter. No one showed any unusual powers. A few had some vines grow from their fingers, but it was nothing like Peony’s powers and only appeared to be a drop of magic compared to Preston and Ms. Rutherford, which made me wonder—were all fae teachers of the same power? Or was Ms. Rutherford more than she pretended to be? After all, skirting the truth about why you were here required some balls, even if she was an old friend of Lady Cardinal.
I am new and still learning the ropes.
That’s what she had said, and yet rumor had it that Ms. Rutherford had taught here before.
A pureblood could skirt the truth, omit, distract, but never lie. There was just one explanation—she really was new. But that would have to mean she wasn’t who she appeared to be.
No regular teacher would dare an undercover investigation while surrounded by vamps.
No, only someone who had a lot to gain by investigating Preston’s disappearance would risk their life.
So what was Preston to Ms. Rutherford?
When she had interrogated me, she had claimed she was three-hundred-years old. That must also be true. I doubted Preston was even half that age given how he carried himself. Yet even if I was mistaken or if he was into cougars, Ms. Rutherford didn’t strike me as a heartbroken lover.
A friend? No, she wasn’t the type to make friends.
Maybe they had an alliance. But why? She was so much more powerful than Preston. His powers had only fully shone when we were in the portal. She had been able to access immense magic here, despite all the iron in the academy.
Kristen screamed and beat on the glass in silence.
Breathe, Onyx.
Ms. Rutherford was much more powerful than Preston. Why would the vamps risk letting her into Nocturnal Academy? They wouldn’t. The only explanation for her presence was that they didn’t know the extent of her powers.
Maybe they didn’t even know her real identity.
Yes. That was it.
I stared at the tall, raven-haired woman as she watched Kristen slump and gasp for breath. Who was she, really?
The line of fae in front of me dwindled. Most of them were unconscious or unable to walk after they exited the simulator and had to be carried to the infirmary by the vamp guards.
Three more sets of guards entered. Thorsten wasn’t one of them. Shit. Why had I allowed myself to once again rely on another man? I had to grow up. And I had to do it fast. Because as the latest victim stumbled from the simulator, vomiting violently, not just food, but also blood, there was only one girl in front of Lily and me.
A horrible smell filled the gym. Even Mr. Chad backed away from the scene as the guards mopped up the mess. The girl in front of us, a quiet blond, stepped forward, legs shaking.
As she went in, Lily’s teeth chattered and her tremble became so bad, I thought she might be close to a seizure. I grabbed her hand and pushed her behind me. I couldn’t let them do this to her.
Virgie gave me a tightlipped smile and switched positions with Lily as well, so that now she was the last in line.
Ms. Rutherford sidled up to me. “What a show of bravery and loyalty. How lovely.” Her black eyes drilled into me. “What do you think about the test, Onyx?”
I gave her a slow, languid smile, determined to beat her at her own game. “I think it’s fascinating.” Then I turned around and waved at our gym teacher. “Mr. Chad!” I stuck my chest out and wiggled my hips.
As expected, he came running, his tongue lolling out of his mouth.
“I have a question,” I breathed, batting my eyelashes and licking my lips. Yes, I was laying it on thick, but so what? If everyone was going to write me off as a future prostitute, it wa
s time to use being underestimated to my advantage.
“Yes, Onyx.” Mr. Chad’s nostrils flared. Ugh, was he imagining doing me on one of the gym mats?
I lowered my voice as he leaned close. “What would happen to a powerful, pureblooded fae if she were to enter the simulator?”
Mr. Chad shifted his pants, probably to accommodate his burgeoning erection. “Well, the same as we saw happen to all your classmates. It doesn’t matter how powerful the fae, the simulator would still work, exposing the true power of the fae. Same thing with a vampire.”
“How interesting.”
“Onyx. It’s your turn.” Ms. Rutherford strode forward and pressed the red button on Mr. Chad’s remote. The girl inside blinked in shock as her simulation ended.
“The simulation wasn’t done,” Mr. Chad protested.
“The fae in there has no unusual powers.” Ms. Rutherford flung the door open, not doing anything to help the choking girl who crawled out of the cube. A guard gathered her up and carried her away. That had taken the last guard from the room. Only myself, Lily, Virgie, and our lovely staff members remained.
“Onyx.” Ms. Rutherford beckoned, still standing in the doorway of the cube.
I smiled, this time for real, and unleashed my ice just a little.
Ms. Rutherford followed my gaze to her killer stilettos and gasped as her skinny heels slipped forward on the ice. She tried to grab the walls of the simulator only to find that a thin sheet of ice had formed there too.
She fell into the cube, crashing against the right wall. I darted forward and slammed the door shut.
“Miss Onyx, what—?”
I didn’t let Mr. Chad finish, but pushed the button on his remote.
“This is mine. You can’t just,” he protested.
I brought my finger up to his lips and whispered as seductively as I could, “Just give me a few seconds. Ms. Rutherford is not who she claims to be.” Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the gym door opening, and Thorsten entering. His gaze fixed on me, hard and unforgiving. Then it moved to the stimulator, and he froze.
Ms. Rutherford pounded the walls, eyes wide with terror.
Mr. Chad shook his head, as if trying to wake up from a dream. “You can’t do this to a teacher.”
I grabbed his chin and tilted it back into the direction of the cube. “Watch.” Hopefully, no one had noticed the ice I had created. It had been thin enough that it should’ve looked as if Ms. Rutherford had slipped without any assistance from me.
Inside the cube, Ms. Rutherford opened her mouth into a silent scream.
Mr. Chad sighed as Ms. Rutherford banged the cube’s walls. She mouthed something at me in a rage, probably a promise that I’d get punished.
Just as Mr. Chad’s index finger inched toward the red button, powerful vines with spikes exploded from Ms. Rutherford’s palms. Her deadly flowers appeared not a second later, attempting to chomp down on the glass. As she attacked the cube, the black in her hair fell away like running ink, revealing blond, and her stature shortened, though her stance remained proud. Ms. Rutherford’s Addams family features melted away, revealing strong cheekbones and flushed skin underneath. The fae woman hiding behind Ms. Rutherford had a mean, narrow face and golden-green eyes I had seen before. Preston’s eyes.
“She was using a glamour!” Thorsten shouted. “She tricked us!”
Mr. Chad took a step back as Thorsten joined his side, the other guards lining up behind him. They had returned just in time for the show. Excellent. The more witnesses, the better.
Mr. Chad, whose jaw had nearly hit the floor, choked out, “Get Headmistress Cardinal. Now!”
19
I stepped back, trying to make myself look small and innocent. Not that it would help me much if the vamps asked why I had outed Ms. Rutherford or how I had known that she was someone other than she pretended to be. I still wasn’t sure who she was. A member of the royal guard, a fae investigator?
How had she gotten into Nocturnal Academy? The mystery woman continued to lash the glass with toxic flowers and thorns, exposing the extent of her power. Glamour. Of course. I’d heard of the ability in passing. Apparently, powerful fae had that skill.
Another vine lashed at the glass. The golden viper inside narrowed her eyes into hatred and lashed out at her invisible enemy. I shuddered, knowing she’d kill if she ever got the chance, uncaring who would see.
Headmistress Cardinal strode into the room surrounded by guards. Mr. Chad continued to eye the glass prison, one finger hovering over the stop button on the remote, mouth still gaping open.
The fae inside didn’t notice. She bared her teeth, hatred lurking in her black pupils. Her resemblance to Preston was uncanny, and my breakfast rose once again in my throat.
I backed into Lily and Virgie. Now it was Lily’s turn to comfort me. If anyone had figured it all out without me saying a word, it was her. Virgie stood on my left side, the two girls forming a protective shield around me.
I might’ve exposed the secret of the powerful fae inside the simulator, but all she had to do to end me was point her finger at me when the vamps let her out. Unable to lie as a pureblooded fae, the vamps would accept her accusation that I was Preston’s murderer.
I was about to die.
Swallowing, I stilled my shaking knees as Lady Cardinal held up a hand to Mr. Chad, indicating he was to turn off the simulation box, which he did. The woman inside continued to lash at the glass for a second. She was tough. But as the vines fell away, limp, she trembled as if it had taken all her strength to launch the attack on whatever she feared. Her hair was a mess, and her skin was covered from self-inflicted scratches. My Home Decor teacher looked more like an evil witch than ever, despite losing her gothic appearance.
“Open the door,” Lady Cardinal ordered.
I gulped, eyeing the gym exit. I could run, but I couldn’t escape. Plus, if I fled, the vamps would torture Lily and Virgie for information about me.
Mr. Chad obeyed as the guards, including Thorsten, surrounded the box and prepared to act. The vines that the fae imposter had summoned remained. One guard opened the door, and Thorsten seized the fae woman’s arm and dragged her out. I was pleased to see that she didn’t have the strength to resist, royal or not.
I might have a chance.
Thorsten glanced at me, his blue eyes piercing, and hauled the lying fae toward Lady Cardinal. The guards stayed close as Lady Cardinal tapped her stick on her open palm. “Explain who you are and why you entered Nocturnal Academy under the disguise of my friend Ms. Rutherford.”
So there was a real Ms. Rutherford and the fae imposter had stolen her identity.
The blonde fae held her head high. “I do not answer to you.”
The way she said it, I knew she wasn’t part of the Summer Court army. She was royalty.
Lady Cardinal shook her head, an amused, cruel smile blooming on her thin lips.
Mr. Chad stepped forward and cleared his throat. “Perhaps Onyx can enlighten us as she closed the door on this fae as she stepped inside.”
I gulped. This was my one chance to not screw this up. Every gaze in the room turned to me, including Thorsten’s. He tightened his grasp on my teacher’s arm.
We both had secrets. Which one of us would win?
As a half fae, I could lie. Since everyone knew that, I couldn’t lay it on too thick. I had to stick to the truth as closely as possible. “She’s been attacking students in private, looking for strange powers.” I wrung my hands, hoping I looked terrified. “And she let slip that she was new, when she was not supposed to be. I overheard other students saying that Ms. Rutherford was supposed to be old friends with Headmistress Cardinal.”
The blonde let out a hiss. “You—“ she started, but Thorsten twisted her arm.
“You will only speak when you are asked to,” he said menacingly, a model example of a vamp guard.
The fae shut up, her face contorting in pain.
Mr. Chad scratched his head. “
Onyx should not be punished, Headmistress. She has brought a serious matter to our attention.” He sent me a hungry glance. Great. He was hoping I’d repay him for his magnanimous generosity. Did he ever think about anything besides sex?
Headmistress Cardinal studied me, and I went out on a limb, sensing she needed a bit more from me.
“I didn’t think anyone would believe me, especially since I’m half fae.” I rubbed my arms, pretending as if I was cold and distressed. “Who is she?” The terror in my voice was only partially faked.
Lady Cardinal turned to the former Ms. Rutherford and tapped her stick. “What is your name, fae?”
“I do not have to tell you.” The fae glowered at Lady Cardinal.
“Get the iron cuffs,” Lady Cardinal ordered a couple of guards. “If she refuses to talk, she can go back inside the simulator without the use of her magic.”
The fae’s eyes widened. Thorsten wrenched her arms behind her back.
I swallowed, not wanting to see again the cuffs Blair had worn as punishment once. However, I had no choice. The guards returned quickly and snapped the cuffs onto the fae’s wrists. Immediately, her face contorted with pain, which loosened her tongue. She coughed and eyed the box. “My name is Petra Kallan.”
The headmistress’s eyes widened. “The princess of the Summer Court. You weren’t approved to enter Nocturnal Academy. No fae is allowed to cross our threshold unless invited.”
Princess. It was no wonder she had so much power. She was Preston’s sister. That explained why she had risked everything.
“I came looking for my brother when he didn’t return from this school,” Petra shouted, pulling against the cuffs, her wrists blistering.
Thorsten’s neck tensed, but he maintained his grip on her upper arm. His gaze found mine, the stormy depths of his eyes communicating silently. He could out me, punish me for my actions last night.
“Where is the real Ms. Rutherford?” Lady Cardinal asked. “She is a good friend. Loyal.” As she spoke, she drew close to Petra, hatred darkening her features. “Where is she? Tell me, or you will die where you stand.”
The Nocturnal and Fae Prison Academy Boxset [A Complete Paranormal and Fantasy Series Boxset] Page 23