I walked across the hall and toward Nerissa’s office.
The office was unlocked. It still had plants and countless books, but didn’t feel as magical as I remembered it. The side exit wasn’t hidden. It was a simple wooden door next to the desk. I’d never paid it much attention before, but now, I pushed down the doorknob and stepped outside. As Caleb had promised, one lonely Pegasus waited for me.
Tears filled my eyes. What if this was it? I blinked away the terror. We would succeed.
Why? All of your previous attempts against King Peter failed.
Shut up, I yelled at the angst inside my head.
Even if we failed, I wouldn’t regret my actions. It was better to die than to live in a world that slowly collapsed. I would not be a coward and abandon others to their fate. I was not like my mother and grandmother who’d simply accepted that their daughter would become a courtesan. I was stronger. The Summer lands were my home. Nathan, Caleb, Nerissa, Kristen, and the others were my family. I would fight for us.
I swung myself up onto the Pegasus and pressed myself into his neck, hugging him tightly. To the secret tunnel, I whispered into his mind.
He opened his huge, white wings, and lifted us. He snorted in relief as we left the ground, eager to get away from the vamps lurking in the Vasara.
As tempting as it was to send a telepathic “I love you” to Nathan, I resisted. It would only distract him and upset him, once he realized we were splitting up. Also, I needed to keep my head in the game. As the Pegasus flew, I recalled every detail about Blythe, remembering how she looked, talked, and acted. Then I moved on to her thinking pattern. She believed herself superior and the one true teacher. To her, the king was always right. A tingling swept over me and my guard uniform turned into a billowing tan dress. A glance behind me confirmed I now bore peach-colored wings.
Much too soon, the Pegasus descended toward the dark forest. He landed, signaling it was time to say goodbye.
“Take care of yourself.” I slid off him and stroked his mane, then kissed his nose. “Be safe.”
He snorted in response. I faced the mountain and found the lose boulder. After taking the strength potion, I shoved the secret door open with ease and stepped into the secret tunnel. Full wakefulness gripped me, and I felt as if I could handle anything. But as I had no light magic or at least no clue how to access it, the tunnel went pitch-dark after I put the heavy boulder back into place. I kept one hand on the cool wall and made my way up the tunnel. Something rushed past my feet, and I held in my scream. Mice. How could I still be afraid of the little critters, given everything? Maybe Blythe feared and hated them.
With each step I took, my eyes got more and more used to the darkness. Just when I’d gotten used to the eerie quietness, I reached the end of the tunnel. Time to reemerge into the public. I reached out for any active minds nearby. Two guards, both vamps judging from the cold but relaxed minds, were heading toward me. I waited until they passed my location, then I emerged, careful to seal the tunnel shut behind me.
The castle was cold and unwelcoming. The dark and ominous arched corridor reminded me of Nocturnal Academy. Maintaining Blythe’s slow and self-assured gait, I strolled toward the throne room, catching a glimpse of a grandfather clock. It was ten A.M. I cursed silently as I realized that I didn’t have any books. Trying to remember which way Nerissa had taken us to Blythe’s office, I retraced my steps. Thankfully, the few vamp guards I ran into simply ignored me. After a few wrong turns, I finally reached Blythe’s office. I closed the door behind myself and sank into her padded armchair, taking a few seconds to myself before grabbing the books Nerissa had left for me. Since she had taught Percival about the dynamics of plant spread earlier, I moved to the next chapter, which was titled “Duties of a King.” Wonderful, just the topic we needed to discuss.
I read the chapter, glancing at the clock on the wall every few minutes. Time moved painfully slowly, but I reminded myself that Nerissa had picked up Percival yesterday at noon. If I arrived too early, I’d come across as too eager. Finally, when it was quarter to twelve, I made my way out of her office and toward the throne room. I clutched the stack of books protectively against my chest as I walked with Blythe’s proud stance, reassured by the weight of the dagger strapped against my thigh.
Today the throne room held no prisoners, but Lady Cardinal stood in front of King Peter’s throne, Percival next to him. Their voices echoed at me.
“If the first wave of the breeding program is successful, we can roll it out to everyone in a few months,” Lady Cardinal said. “The Summer Realm will see a boom that will erase the effects of the Barren Plague.”
My stomach cramped from their disgusting plan, and a bad taste filled my mouth.
“The Summer Court will be restored to its previous glory.” King Peter leaned back into his throne. “Then we’ll invade the Winter Court if there’s anything left of it.” He laughed like a hyena, and Lady Cardinal joined in as Percival remained silent, gripping his own throne. Then King Peter’s gaze fell on me. I stepped into the room and curtsied, remaining close to the door as Nerissa hadn’t fully entered it the day before.
“Your Majesty, I’m here to pick up Prince Percival for his tutoring.” I spoke with Blythe’s chipper, yet proud tone.
King Peter motioned to his son. “Go.”
Percival slipped off his throne and hurried toward me, clearly eager to get away from Lady Cardinal and his father. Maybe there was some hope left for him after all. I turned, and he walked beside me in silence.
“Today, we’ll be learning about the duties of a king,” I said as I guided Percival toward the staircase that led to the royal chambers. I lowered my voice. “I think it’s best to study indoors today, perhaps even in your chambers. New vampire guards may be arriving at the castle.” This was technically true as more guards would be summoned from their rest when word about Vasara got out.
Percival fidgeted with his blond hair. “Okay. We can do that again.”
So Blythe had been up to the royal chambers before. Excellent. I smiled as the guards at the bottom of the staircase let us both through, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Everything was going to plan.
We climbed the spiral steps and into a vast corridor made of small, growing trees and an arched ceiling of leaves. Light emanated from lanterns, and I wasn’t sure if we were indoors or outdoors. I slowed, letting Percival lead the way. He stopped at a tall wooden door etched between the birch trunks and opened it. As I had expected, Percival’s outer chambers featured a large desk with a comfortable chair and another armchair next to it. The room had lanterns and plants everywhere along with a large, glowing pond in the corner.
I kept my face neutral, like I’d seen his luxurious place a million times before. The prince took his spot, and I sat next to him and started reading the chapter while he took notes.
Soon, a knock sounded, and a servant brought in a lunch on two wooden platters. Duck breast in a creamy sauce with wild rice. While I pushed my food around the plate and continued to read, Percival dug into his duck, getting every last drop of the sauce. Apparently, skipping lunch yesterday had caught up with him. Good. I bet the laxative was in his sauce.
I turned a page, but Percival clutched his stomach as an ominous rumbling sounded.
“Excuse me,” he choked out.
“Percival?” I asked in Blythe’s chipper tone, widening my eyes.
Without a word, he darted across the room. He opened a door long enough for me to see a basin inside before slamming it shut. Retching sounded a beat later.
I stood from my chair and waited. I didn’t want to appear too eager to stop the lesson. “Oh no, are you not feeling well, Prince Percival? Phaps we should continue tomorrow.”
“Yes,” he managed. “Tomorrow.” And then silence.
“I must say, I don’t feel very well myself.” I closed my eyes and imagined Percival’s slightly chubby form, his baby features, his blonde hair. A tingling spread over my skin, letting me
know I now had taken on his form. I left my books where they were. It was more logical that Blythe had forgotten them as she scrambled toward a bathroom, than taking them with me to the king’s chamber.
I reached out with my mind to the corridor. No one was there. I stepped outside and glanced both ways. An ornate wooden double door, complete with the same tree carving I’d seen on the throne room doors, towered to my right. That must be the king’s chambers. Once again, I sensed no one inside. No, that wasn’t true. A terrified fae was cleaning inside, straightening up and hoping she wouldn’t get her throat ripped out if she forgot something. The sounds of scrambling came from the room. Her thought let me know she was about done and ready to depart. I thanked whoever had designed the castle with its countless alcoves and hid between two trunks to the right of the king’s chambers. A minute later, the fae emerged, clutching her cleaning supplies for dear life.
“Cludo ter,” she whispered, and the lock at the king’s chambers sealed with magic.
I waited until she was halfway down the staircase, then whispered, “Cludo ter.” A clicking followed, and when I turned the doorknob, the king’s chamber opened for me.
But before I could step inside, a voice rumbled from below.
“Disgusting! Unacceptable! The chef will be punished,” King Peter boomed. The castle seemed to carry his voice to every corner, and I shuddered. Was he using magic to ensure everyone heard his rage? I hurried into his chambers, shut the door, and locked it with the incantation.
“Wow,” I muttered as I took in King Peter’s chambers. Well-lit with lanterns the vast suite was full of trees resembling a small forest. Furniture made of curling tree roots stood everywhere, and the place smelled of honey. A bed made from the twisting branches of more leaning trees waited beyond an open door in a second room.
I glanced around, searching for a place to hide. I considered the tall wardrobe cabinet, but was too afraid Peter might need to retrieve new clothes after suffering the humiliation of food poisoning. The velvet couch standing two feet away from the wall was a much better option. I pressed my body between it and the wall and waited, heart pounding fast and ready to escape my chest.
Footsteps neared. Someone had come up to this level. Two voices reached me—an angry one and an apologetic one.
“Fetch me the chef here now!” King Peter screamed.
“Right away, Your Highness,” the servant squeaked.
The king said the incantation, then threw the door open and stormed into his chamber. His prickly, angry magic swept over me, but I sensed distraction. King Peter was focused on his gut and on the ineptitude of his chef, not on possible intruders. His mental shield was frazzled. He groaned with discomfort and stormed toward what I guessed was his lavatory.
Take off your crown, it will only get damaged and then you’ll have to ask one of your imbeciles to clean it. Can’t trust any of those fae, I whispered into the king’s already mistrusting mind, glad that the stomach issues had ailed him enough to weaken his mental shield. King Peter groaned and hesitated. I heard a faint clang as something heavy hit a surface.
He had done it. Thank the faelands.
I waited until a door thumped shut, then crawled out from under my hiding space, every muscle screaming at me to go. There on a round, mahogany table sat the crown. The golden leaves were curled inward and remained an ugly dark brown. The gold had tarnished to a sickly bronze from King Peter’s corruption. I gulped and scurried toward the crown. The moment of truth had come. Holding my breath, I reached for my prize.
20
Virgie
Before I lost my nerve, I seized the crown. My hands wrapped around the gold-and-wood branch band that encircled the once-golden, lustrous leaves. Magic thrummed under my palms, then intensified to the point of discomfort and borderline pain. I could see how this crown could hurt fae with less magic. If I didn’t hurry, it would hurt me too.
Unaware of my presence, King Peter retched and made other unpleasant noises in the bathroom. The Slug Root was messing with his digestive tract as expected. No wonder it had been easy to convince him to remove his crown. But I couldn’t rest on my laurels, there were plenty of challenges still ahead of me.
I lifted the crown off the table, surprised it was so light, and yet the discomfort ran up my arms and made me grit my teeth. A buzzing filled my head. Calm down, I mentally ordered the crown. Be still. The discomfort lowered a bit, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to subdue the crown or tolerate its power for long. A constant geyser of magic spilled from the crown, urging me to release it. I was not the rightful owner, and it wanted me to know.
The toilet flushed, and I tensed for a split second before bolting across the room, using the rushing water sound to mask my footfalls. From inside there was no need for magic to open the door. I held the crown out away from me as I turned the doorknob. My hands burned with the magic pulsing through the crown. It was no wonder no one had tried to steal it before. No regular fae could hold it for long. If I didn’t let go of the crown soon, I’d suffer.
I gritted my teeth. I could handle a little bit of pain. I had to. If Caleb or Nathan touched the crown, King Peter would know right away where it was.
The corridor was empty. I bolted to the steps, remembering the guards down below, and cursed as I held the crown to my chest. I was still disguised as Percival, but even in his form, I couldn’t openly display the crown. Since the pockets on his suit weren’t big enough to hide the crown, I’d have to get rid of the guards.
I connected to the two minds below and whispered into their heads. You have to go to the bathroom. You don’t want King Peter to be angry with you for soiling yourselves and embarrassing the Summer Court. I sensed resistance in the two minds down below, so I repeated the command, hoping that everyone had gotten a dose of the Slug Root.
I descended the steps, mentally yelling louder and louder, until two sets of footfalls headed away from me. I breathed a sigh of relief and ran down the steps, checking the corridor below for vampires. None. Most had retired for the “day.” It seemed that no one had yet discovered what had happened at the Vasara. Good.
Holding the crown to my chest, I ran to the corridor with the secret exit. Magic exploded over my heart, hot and angry, as if the summer sun was there. Was that how the vampires felt when they died? I gripped the crown harder and pushed open the secret door. King Peter would notice the theft in seconds, minutes if I was lucky.
I stepped into darkness, seething from the intense pain now spreading through my heart and lungs. The crown did not like me. Our magic did not mesh well. As soon as I pulled the secret door shut, I stumbled and dropped the crown in the dark, which gave off its own faint golden light. Instantly, the burning pain subsided, and I leaned against the wall, recovering and shaking.
Nathan, I did it. I have the crown. I hoped my telepathy could reach him from this distance. I didn’t tell him about the pain, knowing it was mine to bear. He had enough on his plate and there was even a chance my telling him I had the crown would hurt him.
I took a deep breath and picked up the crown. I held it out at arms’ length, hoping this way it would affect me less. Then I broke out into a run. The quicker I could release the crown, the better.
As I was alone in the secret tunnel, I let my Percival glamour fall away with a tingle, which helped me regain some of my strength. In the back of my mind, I realized that Nerissa could no longer pretend to be Blythe after this. With Blythe going up to Percival’s chamber, she’d be the top suspect for the missing crown.
My feet pounded the tunnel as I hurried toward the exit. I switched the crown between my hands, moving the hot tingling from one to the other, turning my thoughts to what I’d do once I rejoined the others. Nathan, Caleb, and Nerissa couldn’t touch the crown or King Peter would know their location, since they all had noble or royal blood. I would have to bear the crown while I held Caleb’s hand as he opened the wastelands portal.
Dread shot through me, and every muscle tensed. I
t would hurt. But I could do it. Nathan, Peony, Onyx, and Thorsten had endured so much. I could take some of the pain. For us, for the faelands, I’d be brave.
At last, I reached the boulder that marked the exit of the tunnel and set the crown down to push the door open. Thankfully, the strength potion from earlier continued to work, allowing me to shove open the exit.
“Virgie.”
I stopped.
Nathan stood before me, his glamour gone and hands lifted, ready to open the secret tunnel door himself and run after me. Behind him were Nerissa, Caleb, and our Pegasi.
“Nathan.” I fell into his arms. “We did it. I got it.” I dropped the crown to the ground, needing a break and wanting to hug him properly.
Nathan tightened his embrace. “I’m sorry I sounded like I doubted you, Virgie.”
I waited for him to display any signs of pain, but he didn’t. Still I sent some of my magic into his mind. We’re saving the Summer Court and King Peter. Out loud, I added, “I know you never doubted me. You were simply worried.” I gave Nathan a quick kiss, relishing the feel of his lips on mine, then stepped back. We couldn’t stay here for long. King Peter would send out the troops. I glanced at the crown sitting on the grass. Even from here I could feel its magic. “I’ll carry it back to the borderlands.” Then I lifted my gaze to where Nerissa and Caleb stood. “Where are the Vasara students and the prisoners?”
“Our spy is taking them through a secret pass on foot,” Nerissa said. “We got all but a few out. The vampires…” She shook her head.
I understood. “Kristen?”
“She’s fine,” Caleb said. “We killed all the vampire guards we found. We distilled the Shield into a spray.” He held up a small glass spray bottle, filled with a glowing, milky liquid.
The Nocturnal and Fae Prison Academy Boxset [A Complete Paranormal and Fantasy Series Boxset] Page 114