Nathan sighed. “Please, Virgie. We need the snowdrops. We never know when the Winter Court will strike.”
“Onyx doesn’t want war. Why must I go, other than a loyalty test?” I wanted to get away from Nathan and his inability to think. He reminded me too much of myself back when I was trapped in the vampires’ society. I hated the mirror that he held up to me.
Weariness settled into Nathan’s face, making him appear much older than his twenty-four years. “To get the snowdrops, we need your mentalist abilities. As for Onyx…” He sighed. “Perhaps she doesn’t want war, but her generals do. She’s young and doesn’t have them under control like her father once did. Until she’s queen, anything can happen.” Nathan fell silent, and a heaviness spread between us.
“Fine, I’ll do it.” I might lose this battle, but I’d win the war. Swaying some Winter guards to look the other way wasn’t that bad. As for the snowdrop, it would take the plant fae a while to figure out how to utilize it.
“Thank you.” Nathan smiled, but I didn’t return his smile. I wasn’t doing this to pacify King Peter or to make it easy on Nathan. I was doing this for myself, to understand how much my powers had grown since I’d come to the fae realm and to fool King Peter. The closer I got to know my enemy, the better.
17
I expected to find guards accompanying Nathan when I met him outside the Vasara Center at dawn the next morning, but it was just him and me. For once, I didn’t wear a dress or skirt of a purple shade. Instead, Nathan had ordered me a white bodysuit and cape, which covered my folded wings. Pierre had delivered both the previous night. Given the nervous glint in the stylist’s eyes, he must’ve known that the outfit was for a mission into the Winter Court to blend in and look more like a Winter fae. However, besides giving me my outfit, which also included black boots, he didn’t say anything, and I didn’t press him. Pierre was a nice guy, and I didn’t want to get him into trouble.
Nathan too was dressed in a white suit and a white coat that matched his hair. His wings, unlike mine, were exposed, and I suspected that it was not an oversight, but a strategic choice in case we needed to take to the sky quickly.
Nathan walked me away from the Vasara Center and toward the area of the field I had first landed in when Caleb had brought me through the portal. Leaning against a tree and at the edge of the field was Caleb, his messy hair blowing in the wind.
He nodded at both of us. “I’ll be here. Let me know, and I’ll reopen the portal.”
So that was how we were going to travel. I glanced from him to Nathan. “You two can use telepathy even when you’re in different courts?”
“Sort of,” Caleb said. “But only if I’m the one to open the portal and if I remain close to it. Also, Nathan has to practically shout to be heard.” He didn’t crack a smile, the mischief for once gone from his face.
Nathan simply nodded, his gaze focused on the sun peeking up from the horizon. “We need to hurry.”
“But I don’t even know what to do,” I said since he had refused to volunteer any more details about the mission yesterday.
“I’ll explain everything later.” His tone left no room for further discussion.
I turned to Caleb for help, but all he said was, “It will be fine. I’ll be right here in case you need assistance.” His face stayed unreadable. Glad to see his confidence, then.
“We won’t need the help. It’s just a precaution,” Nathan snapped and stepped closer to me. What the hell? Was Nathan jealous? If so, it was misguided. It wasn’t Caleb he needed to worry about, but his own behavior that was getting more off-putting by the minute.
Caleb focused on a spot in the air. It shimmered, flaring green, and then the portal turned bigger and bigger, green border expanding until the oval shape was as tall as I. At first, the portal blurred in the center, and then the colors sharpened again to reveal snow and ice. In the morning sun, everything sparkled with a pink light. The snow itself. The ice-covered ponds. The sky was hazy with clouds of thin ice crystals and the sun cast small rainbows on either side.
Nathan took my hand, and this time, I was grateful for the contact. Together, we stepped through the portal. I didn’t dare to glance back at Caleb. Nerissa had explained in one of her classes that while portal traveling was relatively safe and quick between parts of the faeland, unlike between worlds, one could still manage to get stuck somewhere accidentally if one’s mind wasn’t sharp and ready.
Tingling washed over me as I moved through the portal, then vanished as I set my foot on the sparkling, crunchy surface of the Winter border. The cold slammed into me, chilling me to the bone. My breath escaped, spiraling into the sky. I shivered underneath my outfit, wishing Pierre had given me thick parka. Scanning for Winter warriors, I was relieved to find there were none among the trees and small open fields. Pine trees hanging heavy with bluish icicles stood scattered around the area, forming long shadows in the morning sun. The only ground free of snow was under the trees themselves. I spotted no houses in this area. And unfortunately, I spotted no bell-like flowers under the trees.
“Where are we?”
“A couple hundred meters from the true border.” Nathan motioned in front of us as he released me, but a wall of trees that somehow looked unnatural blocked the view. “We are near the edge of the transition zone. The faster we complete our mission, the better.”
I agreed, shivering. We started walking toward the wall of trees, and I fell into step with him, grateful for the fast pace that would hopefully ensure I didn’t lose my toes or fingers to frostbite. A gust of wind slammed into my face, and I blinked away tears of pain. I couldn’t wait to reach the trees just to have them shield me from the freezing temperatures.
“We’ll reach the border and the snowdrops in a few minutes. You’ll use your mind skills to force the guards to look away, then retrieve the snowdrops. Make sure to dig them out with the bulbs.” Nathan handed me a small shovel, and I snorted. “Is this funny?”
“Yes.” I took the shovel from him and shook my head. “It seems very inefficient. Couldn’t a plant fae just collect a few of the seeds by using her powers?”
Nathan nodded. “Yes. Peony could’ve done the job, but that’s not the point. King Peter ordered you to do it.”
“Right. To prove myself. Again.” And whatever King Peter said was the gospel to Nathan. I waited for Nathan to say something about how I had brought this on myself by angering Percival or using my mind power on the king instead of Onyx, but Nathan stayed on the task at hand.
“This is a serious mission. We need the snowdrops and if you prove yourself, you’ll be given more important tasks in the future.”
“Mhm.” Like I was desperate to be the king’s little mentalist servant.
We stepped into the trees, allowing us to warm up a bit, and slowly moved through the thick pine needles. Here the icicles weren’t as thick, as the trees formed a canopy to the sky which blocked falling snow. Nathan and I walked in silence, the air thickening with tension. I didn’t dare ask what I’d face, and the stiffness in Nathan’s walk told me to stay quiet.
At last, I spotted light on the other side of the tree wall. The temperature plunged, making my fingers numb. Nathan motioned to me to duck low, and I did as we moved soundlessly over soft pine needles.
As soon as black and cobalt blue uniforms came into view about a hundred feet away, Nathan pulled me behind an icy boulder. We both crouched and he leaned close. “I have to wait here per the king’s orders. But I’ll be there in a second if you need me.” Nathan gripped my hands tightly. “You’ll need to cross the frozen river. I know you can do it.” He pressed his lips together tightly, his forehead creasing with worry. Was that hesitation in his eyes? No. He was too loyal to the king to have unapproved emotions.
“I’ll be fine.” I spoke confidently, not allowing any fear into my voice. This was the only way I’d ever get Nathan to take me seriously. I tore my gaze from his slim, long nose and thin lips and peeked around the boulder t
o study the Winter guards. There were four of them on the opposite side of an ice river, armed with bows and arrows. Two men. Two women. They stood in a group, gossiping near some more pine trees, all of which were heavy with icicles. A guard shack made of dark stone and ice bricks stood off to the side. Footprints marked trails in the snow and went between the trees.
I squinted, needing a plan before running across the river blindly. The trees on the other side of the narrow river had white, bell-shaped flowers under them. I had to get across the ice, which was forty or fifty feet wide, without making a sound. Then I had to dig, get the snowdrops, and return.
I took a breath. I could do this. The guards weren’t looking at me, but I’d be able to compel them without direct eye contact as I’d had a lot of training in that the last few weeks. While there being four of them should complicate things, their minds didn’t exactly have strong shields up, just a regular alertness one would expect from guards. These fae all had light blue wings, which I guessed were the equivalent of the Summer Court’s bronze.
I divided my attention between them evenly, imagining that four threads went from my head to each of theirs, and then I whispered into their minds, Go to the right, don’t look back. You heard something.
It felt risky to give them instructions that if broken meant they would see me, but Nerissa had taught me that the most effective mind manipulation was subtle. If you asked your target to do something too strange, they might become aware of a presence invading their minds.
The guards broke apart. One tapped another’s shoulder and pointed into the trees, saying something I couldn’t hear. As a group, they walked quickly to the right just as I had asked, vanishing into the trees. One fae woman drew her bow and notched an arrow, ready to attack an intruder.
“Very good,” Nathan whispered. “Now, go!”
I dashed for the snowdrops before my pounding heart and turning stomach made me lose my nerve. The snow on the ground muffled my steps and the wind swallowed my panting. I skated across the river, sticking to the ice to avoid leaving footprints, praying I wouldn’t fall and break a bone. As I reached the shelter of the trees, I ducked beside a few of the delicate snowdrops. Not wanting to hurt the snowdrop bulbs, I dug into the nearly-frozen ground carefully. Working, I kept throwing glances at the guards. They were dark, distant figures in the trees, peering into the woods beyond. The woman with the bow took a few steps forward, listening for the phantom noise, while the two men whispered to each other. Then the woman with the bow stepped back, shaking her head at the other guards. The jig was up.
With the spade deep in the dirt, I paused and sent out more mental strands. The noise is to the east. They’re fleeing.
I ducked behind the trunk, digging faster. Despite the cold, sweat dribbled down my bodysuit. I freed one of the snowdrops along with a clod of freezing earth. Two more to go per the king’s instructions.
Faint footsteps reached my ears. Heading to the east, apparently, meant coming closer to me. I couldn’t see them now through this thick tree. Shit. Just as I freed the second bulb, the guards stopped and spoke a few words between themselves.
“...I’m sure. Just a fox,” a woman said.
“The post…can’t leave it…”
Panic exploded in my chest, making my ears ring. I was just twenty feet from the guard shack and once they were here, I’d have no way to slip back undetected.
I had to think and fast. Letting them wander around wasn’t working any longer. If they kept chasing this phantom fox, they’d get suspicious.
You’re bored. Gossip. What about Onyx? I felt the guards’ shields relax. With trembling hands, I dug out the third plant.
“Can’t believe the generals actually signed the order,” a guard said.
“She’s so young and inexperienced.” A second one backed him up as I pushed the dirt and pine needles back into place, covering the holes, and gathered the plants and the shovel into my arms.
“But she seems sharp and talented. Haven’t seen something like her in a long time,” another guard disagreed.
I broke into a run as the fourth guard said, “What the hell? Why are we standing here?”
You’re bored! Talk about some upcoming event. They were catching on. Without being able to come up with another thought, I ran across the snow-covered part of the river, not caring about leaving footprints now, expecting an arrow in my back. But I reached the boulder, hoping my last command had kept them occupied long enough for me to escape. Nathan grabbed my arm and pulled me down just as one of the guard’s voices rang out.
“Someone’s here.” Weapons were drawn with a series of clicks.
“Notify the others. It’s either a spy or an intruder.”
I pressed into Nathan, feeling his tense muscles against my body, but not caring how inappropriate this was. I didn’t want to die. If these guards brought us to Onyx, she would pardon us, but I doubted King Peter would be as kind.
“Footprints!”
Panic surged into my chest. “What do we do now?” I whispered. “We can’t run, but we also can’t wait until they return with reinforcements.” There was too much open space between the boulder and the trees.
“Hold on tight to the plants.” Nathan maneuvered me around so that my back was firmly pressed against his front. Despite all the fear, a different type of tingling invaded me as our hips lined up. I might be a virgin, but I wasn’t a stranger to other things, and right now, my body begged me to get more from Nathan. “Trust me,” he whispered in a husky voice, and pulled me up into a standing position. Instinctively, I leaned into him. His arms wrapped around my waist, and his wings flashed in my periphery. Oh lord, he was going to fly us out of here.
“Trust me,” he breathed into my ear again, his voice calming. We took to the sky, rising into the icy haze, and I realized that fortunately for us it had grown so foggy up here that I could barely see a foot ahead. Both dressed in white, we would blend into the sky and escape the Winter warriors. But would Nathan be able to find the location of the portal in these conditions?
After a few minutes of flight, Nathan lowered us with grace. The snowy ground came back into focus. The wind slashed through my coat, but Nathan’s body warmed me. It was only when we landed in the area of thin trees and crunchy snow that I noticed the tiny ripple in the air in front of us. Nathan glared at it, concentrating, probably using telepathy with Caleb, and it grew.
Shouts and footsteps rang out behind us. The reinforcements had arrived.
“They couldn’t have gone far!” a female voice shouted.
The portal grew big enough for us to step in, green and shimmering, and revealed plants and grass, a bright sun, and Caleb grinning.
“There’s something over there!” someone shouted as Nathan and I jumped into the portal. We landed on the grass. My heart hammered as behind us, half a dozen Winter fae hurried for the portal. But before they could reach it, it snapped shut.
“That was a close call.” Caleb whistled and pushed off a tree trunk.
“Do you think they saw us?” My heart beat like a drum. “Can they reopen the portal?” Would this be considered an act of war?
Caleb waved my questions away. “Nah. We constantly invade each other’s territories. They’ll think you’re just regular spies. And no, they won’t reopen the portal. Most guards don’t have the ability. But even if they could, all they saw was the Summer Court. They won’t know where they need to go exactly.”
I glanced at the Varsara Center, which was conveniently not in direct sight where the portal had been. So this was why we had chosen this particular spot for the portal.
“I see you got what you came for.” Caleb took the snowdrops from me, and I was glad I had managed not to crush them. “I’ll deliver them to the king. I have to see him for lunch anyway.”
I didn’t mind not seeing the king. I’d had enough adrenaline for one day, but I glanced at Nathan, expecting him to protest. To my surprise, he nodded. “Thank you, Caleb. I’ll debr
ief Virgie.”
Caleb started toward the Vasara Center, and I was about to follow him when Nathan caught my wrist. “Perhaps we could relax after everything and have lunch here.” At my quizzical gaze, he added, “A picnic.”
I nodded. “That would be nice.” A bit of time to compose myself before facing the others was good. Plus, the further we were from everyone, the likelier Nathan would tell me more about the king and his plans.
I paced, trying to get the adrenaline to wear off. Yes. It would be good to spend more time outside of the closed Vasara Center. A servant fae, probably summoned by Caleb, brought us a blanket and a basket, which held sandwiches with lox, avocado, and cream cheese as well as an insulated bottle filled with a light-yellow drink with a citrus scent. Nathan spread out a blanket as I surveyed the offerings, my heart slowing down to its regular pace.
“What will this do to me?” I sniffed the citrusy concoction after Nathan poured me a glass.
“It will replenish your energy. It’s mostly made from lemons.” Nathan took a sip, and I followed suit, loving the sourness exploding on my tongue. I unwrapped my mozzarella tomato sandwich and inhaled it in two bites. It was yummy, and I was starving.
“You did well,” Nathan said.
“I alerted the guards.”
He shrugged. “They would be bad guards if they hadn’t noticed us.”
I blinked. “So, you expected them to realize we were there?”
“Yes. How you would act under the pressure was part of the test, and you passed.”
I pressed my lips together, a flash of anger crossing my heart. “Why didn’t you tell me this before? I nearly died when I realized I couldn’t stop them from looking my way.”
Nathan leaned back on his elbows. “It was important to see how you reacted in a high-stress situation. It’s not high stress when you know everything that’s about to happen.”
“Okay.” He had a point and the softness in his voice melted away my anger. “What happens now?”
He smiled. “King Peter will be satisfied. He’ll give a speech, letting everyone in the Summer Court know that the Everstons are once again officially working for him.”
The Nocturnal and Fae Prison Academy Boxset [A Complete Paranormal and Fantasy Series Boxset] Page 81