Liam frowned and shook his head. “Yes, but there must be more to the—”
The murmur of voices drifted through the door, and Liam suddenly fell silent. He caught my eyes and nodded, jumping up from his chair to wake Rourke. With a deep breath, I edged closer to the window. It was boarded-up and blocked off, but it would normally have a view of the courtyard. The courtyard where the horses were kept.
I had no idea if my plan would work. Still, it was worth a shot.
“Fly free,” I whispered at the window.
In the distance, the whining and neighing of horses cut through the night. Hooves pounded on the ground, louder and louder until it sounded like the thunder of those terrible storms. Shouts of alarm echoed down the hallway outside our quarters, and footsteps thudded on the floor. Rourke and Liam listened at the door for the sounds to grow distant.
The Summer fae would try to stop the horses from escaping. I hoped they would fail.
Rourke and Liam pounded at the door, shoving their massive bodies against the wood. The noise was drowned out by the chaos outside, and the repeated thumps did little to draw any guards back to our hall. In moments, we’d escaped our room. We rushed down the hallway in the opposite direction of the charging horses. Soon, we were out in the night, running as fast as our feet could take us.
Three large forms thundered in front of us, blocking our way. We came to a sudden stop, our breaths heavy, our hearts racing. My gaze locked on the deep brown eyes of the horse I’d saved from the Wilde Fae. It bent its head and shifted to the side, as if in invitation for me to climb on.
I gaped at the horse. I hadn’t asked for it to come to me, and I certainly hadn’t commanded it to do a thing.
“Come on, Norah,” Liam said hurriedly as he glanced over his shoulder. “I think the Hunters have spotted what we’ve done. If we don’t go now, we might never get out of here.”
Chapter Fourteen
We outran the Summer fae and charged across the free territory as fast as our horses would take us. When I finally saw the familiar, moss-covered Academy, I wanted to cry. We’d been gone less than a week, but it almost felt as though years had passed us by. It was strange how quickly this place had begun to feel like home. It was like a lighthouse, soothing and warm, after being tossed in a turbulent sea.
Liam and Rourke nodded at the guards patrolling the edges of the grounds, and we deposited our horses in the stables. They looked as happy to be home as we were. When we entered the Academy’s front doors, we were immediately surrounded. Questions were shouted, heads were craned, and elbows jostled elbows. It wasn’t until Head Instructor Alwyn skated across the marble floor that the crowd began to calm.
“I need to see the three of you in my office,” she said by way of greeting before turning on her heels and tossing the last word over her dainty shoulder. “Now.”
It turned out that Shea had filled Alwyn in on everything that had happened, up until a point. She’d returned to the Academy after Rourke and I had set off on our mission, both to resume her work as an instructor for the changelings and to keep Alwyn appraised on what was happening.
“Now that I have the three of you in front of me, I think it’s imperative that I emphasize the importance of following the rules here. Both for the Academy’s sake and the realm at large. Liam, I warned you what would happen if you went against my orders.”
“You did warn me.” He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair. “Loudly and repeatedly.”
She frowned.
“I’d like to say something if you don’t mind,” I said.
Still frowning, Alwyn gave a nod.
I took a deep breath. “I understand that in normal circumstances, it’s a good idea for changelings and their instructors to keep some physical distance. That said, finding mates is a part of this whole thing, right? So, if a changeling finds her mate, what’s the harm in…well, you know. Getting to know each other.”
“Mistakes can be made,” Alwyn said tensely. “Besides, this situation is nothing like what you’ve just described. You have had physical intimacy with at least two of your instructors. That is not merely a changeling deciding she’s found her mate.”
“Except that maybe it is.” I swallowed hard and continued. “I know you were only trying to keep me safe by attempting to hide what I really am. But I know the truth now. I’m the kind of fae who isn’t of one Court but of four, which means I’m the kind of fae who mates with more than just one male.”
For a moment, Alwyn just stared at me. And then she suddenly pushed up from her desk, her eyes sparking with anger. She glanced from Rourke on my left to Liam on my right, an accusatory look twisting the sharp features on her face. “You told her? I thought you both understood the gravity of this situation. If Queen Viola discovers there’s a Greater Fae at the Academy, she’ll turn her attention on us again. Viola will kill her, just like she killed Marin. And then she’ll turn her wrath on all of us. This is why we’ve kept it from Norah all this time. For her safety.”
“Phelan and Alastar could see what she was,” Rourke said quietly, his hands steepled under his chin. “They realized that her powers meant she’s not like the rest of us, though I’m confident Norah understood that herself far before that. She is not an idiot, Alwyn. We shouldn’t have been keeping it from her.”
Alwyn dropped her hands to the desk and pressed hard. “Wait. You’re telling me the Summer Hunters know? How is this possible, and why did Shea not inform me of this? I thought the only reason they wanted to speak with her was to ask her about the Redcap presence in Manhattan. They said they were hoping to use them against the Autumn Court.”
“They lied. Alastar saw her shadow at the Feast. He wanted her to spy on the Autumns for him.”
Alwyn’s eyes went razor sharp when she looked at me. “You can shadow? Oh, for the love of the forest. What I wouldn’t give to speak to Magnus again about her lineage. Surely there must be some sort of explanation for this.”
“If there is, Magnus wouldn’t be able to help us,” Liam said in a gruff voice. “Besides, that’s not what’s important right now. We didn’t come back here to return to teaching. We came back to warn you of what’s coming. The Spring Court plans to launch an attack on the Winter fae. Now, the Summer Hunters have gone north, hoping to rile up the Winters about it all.”
Alwyn pursed her lips and sat back in her chair. “It was only a matter of time. After what the Autumns did, I knew it wouldn’t take long for another Court to take a shot. They’re all going to vie for the crown. Marin’s crown.”
“Rourke and I plan to take Finn—and Kael if he’s willing—to discuss peace with the Spring fae. If we don’t do something to try and stop this war, I worry what will happen to these lands.”
Alwyn pursed her lips and nodded. “If the Spring advance and the Winter advance, they will end up fighting here. In the free territory.”
“The Academy could get caught in the crosshairs.”
Alwyn braced her hands on her desk. “I’ll come with you. We’ll cancel classes and have second and third year instructors join the guard rotation. Liam, you go grab Finn. We’ll need him. Best bring Rourke as well. A Winter viewpoint might be the very thing they need to hear. Liam, you go tell the second and third year instructors what we’re planning. They can have an assembly with the students once we’ve left.”
That left me. The secret Greater Fae changeling who would only get in the way. I knew what Alwyn would say before she said it. I was to stay here, of course, while the real leaders went to take care of things. I’d cower and hide. If the fight came to us, I’d run. This was how I knew I could never be the rallying fae that Rourke and Liam imagined I could be. If not even those who knew me best—like Alwyn—believed I had the strength to join them on a mission, then why would anyone want to stand united behind me?
They wouldn’t. This realm needed a Queen. Not a changeling who did nothing but hide in the safety of her Academy.
“Nora
h,” Alwyn finally said. “I need you to get the horses prepared. We’ll need six. You’re coming with us.”
“Well, if it isn’t my bride-to-be.” Finn’s lighthearted drawl drifted into the stables from where he lazily leaned against a wooden post. He gave me a grin, and then a salute. “I heard about what you did. I have to say I’m impressed, though not the slightest bit surprised.”
I blushed and smoothed down the horse’s mane I would be riding. “Did you miss me?”
“Oh yes. I missed you like I’d miss my own lungs.” He sauntered into the stable, propping one hand on the wall behind me. With an oomph, I twisted toward him, caught off guard by how close he was. Those sparkling green eyes peered into mine, searching for something I wasn’t sure he would find.
“You know, I never truly know when you’re exaggerating,” I said in almost a whisper.
He winked. “Good. Life isn’t fun unless you’re kept on your toes, right?”
I didn’t know why that made me blush, but it did.
“Are you going to come with us?” I asked in a vain attempt to steer the conversation away from my toes and his lungs and to distract myself from the fact his lips had somehow gotten so close that I could practically taste them.
His expression sobered, though only a little. “Of course. It isn’t like my Court to turn to violence as an option. I need to go and understand what’s going on. Not that I can guarantee they’ll listen to me. In fact, they probably won’t. But they might listen to Alwyn. They might listen to you.”
Again with all the misplaced faith. “I would think they’re much more likely to listen to one of their own than someone like me.”
“Oh, so someone like me instead? And what would someone like me be like, eh, Norah?” That wicked grin spread across his face again, and he leaned even closer. I stumbled back, my legs knocking against the trough we kept filled with water for all the horses. The collision caused my balance to falter, and I windmilled my arms to keep myself upright.
But it was no use. I fell backwards, water splashing all around me as my butt collapsed into the trough. Cold seeped into my skin; the smell of stale water filled my nose. I grunted and blinked up at Finn. He had tipped back his head, his booming laughter bouncing off the stable walls.
“Gee, thanks,” I muttered, shooting daggers with my eyes. “I’m glad you think my misfortune is so hilarious.”
“Oh, Norah.” He leaned down and held out a hand. “It’s not your misfortune I’m laughing about. It’s just that no matter how breathtaking you are, in so very many different ways, you will always be that girl who gets flustered when she sees me.”
When my eyes narrowed even more, his laughter boomed once again. That was it. Two could play at this game. I slipped my hand into his, and I yanked with all the strength in my bones.
Finn’s eyes went wide as he tumbled forward. He fell into the trough with a splash. New waves of water soared into my face, but I didn’t care. I was too busy laughing to even notice. Finn twisted to face me, danger and delight flashing in his sparkling green eyes.
“Oh, you’ve had it now, you naughty little thing.” He grabbed my wrists and twisted them behind my back, trapping them there while he pressed his slick body up against mine.
All the breath flew from my lungs. My heart thudded hard against my ribcage, and a strange sensation slithered through my gut. His breath was hot on my lips as he leaned in close. Rivulets of water streamed down his golden face. Every cell inside my body froze.
“Looks like I’ve got you now,” Finn murmured.
I swallowed hard. “You win.”
Finn climbed out of the trough and grabbed my waist. He lifted me out of the water, sliding his hands underneath my thighs and keeping me aloft from the ground. I wrapped my arms around his neck, heart banging wildly in my chest. It was so fast and so loud that I swore he could have felt it through the wet clothes that clung to our skin.
His fingernails dug into my thighs, sparking a delicious heat within my core. Finn, I decided, was dangerously alluring. Much more so than I’d given him credit for. My body begged for his touch. I could barely think straight from the need I felt building up inside me.
His lips found my skin. First my slick neck and then my mouth. His tongue speared mine, his passionate kiss driving me wild with desire. Suddenly, my back hit the wall. Finn pressed me hard against the side of the stable, his hands eagerly digging into my hips. A moan escaped from my lips, and my back arched against the wall as I strained to be closer to his perfect body.
Suddenly, Finn froze and cocked his head. And then sighed. He backed away from the wall and set me carefully on the ground. My chest heaved as I stared at him, open-mouthed. He couldn’t be serious, could he? He’d turned me into a trembling mess, and now he was just going to plop me on my feet as if nothing had even happened?
I opened my mouth to give him a piece of my mind, but Alwyn breezed through the stable doors one second before I’d wrapped my head around what I wanted to say. She stopped when she saw the two of us standing there, soaked to our skin in horse trough water. She arched her eyebrows, casting a glance over her shoulder at Rourke, Kael, and Liam. And then they all stopped and stared, causing a heated blush to fill my entire face.
“I see you’re adding to your collection,” Alwyn said with a sniff.
“We were just…” How did I phrase this?
“Going for a swim in the horse water?” Liam chuckled and shook his head. “Go on in and get changed into some dry clothes.”
“Hurry,” Alwyn snapped. “We can’t wait around all day because you decided you want every male in this school.”
Not every male, I wanted to argue. Just…four of them.
The sun was beginning to sink behind the trees when we finally set out for the Spring Court. We had a little over a day to travel, convince the Spring fae to hear us out, and stop them from heading off to war. Alwyn took the lead of our small party, and I rode just behind her, sandwiched between Kael and Liam. Finn and Rourke rounded out the back. We rode in comfortable silence. Every now and then, Finn would make a joking remark. Kael would roll his eyes, Liam would laugh, and Rourke…well, wouldn’t have much of a reaction at all.
After several hours of travel, the night began to deepen, and we passed from the free territory and into the Spring Court’s lands. Even in the dying light of the day, Spring sparkled as if it was in a permanent dawn. Flowers bloomed all around us. They were vibrant and colorful, their bulbs shooting sweet and soothing mists into the air. Finn began to whistle, a strange and whimsical tune, one I swore I’d heard before. A long, long time ago.
I twisted my head to glance over my shoulder. “What’s that song, Finn?”
“It’s called Shadows and Light,” he said with a grin. “An ancient song. Mothers sing it to their babes when they are born to teach them about the world of the fae. It’s about the balance of nature—of shadows and light. Would you like to hear it again?”
“No,” Alwyn said with a frustrated sigh. But I gave him a smile and said, “Yes.”
So, he began again. He whistled the tune, the soft sweet notes that rose and fell like waves. Again, I found it felt so familiar, so familiar that my heart began to ache. I reached up to touch my face and found the tears beneath my eyes. Why did this song move me so?
The thunder of horses rose up around us, seemingly coming from every direction imaginable. Hundreds of them melted into view from the surrounding forest, topped with riders decked in brilliant blues and greens. The rider in front—a woman wearing a metal helmet—pulled on her reins and thundered to a stop only inches from where we were now trapped.
“You’re trespassing on our lands,” she snapped before twisting toward her fellow riders. “Take them and their weapons. They’re our prisoners now.”
Chapter Fifteen
We managed to convince the riders to take us to see the Queen and King instead of throwing us straight into the dungeons. The Spring fae seemed angry, but they were reaso
nable, at least. They took us into a long hall within the castle’s grounds, where two flower-decked thrones sat at the end of a carpet of green moss.
The Royals watched silently as we strode toward them down the long, thin carpet. Their scrutinizing gazes were locked on our faces, and I felt the strange urge to bow, even though I was not a member of their Court.
The King and Queen both sat tall on their vine-covered thrones, their glimmering blonde hair shot through with strands of green. The King was a large male, much larger than most I’d met so far in Otherworld. He had a strong jaw and small eyes, whereas his wife’s features were in total opposite. Regardless, they both held an air of superiority about them. Typical of Royals.
When we reached the end of the carpet, the King glanced from Alwyn to Finn and then to me. The others he seemed to have no interest in.
He turned to Alwyn. “Alwyn Adair, Head Instructor at the Otherworld Academy for the changelings who have been sacrificed to the human world in the tithe to the Dark Fae.”
Well, that was a long-ass title if I’d ever heard one.
“King Deri of the Spring Court. Queen Shan.” She gave a small bow, turning to each of the Royals in turn. “It’s a pleasure to see you once again.”
“Yes, yes. I apologize for the welcome party,” he said, the corners of his lips lifting into a smile. “I’m sure you can understand that we’re being especially cautious right now. After the attack at the Feast of the Fae, my Hunters are concerned that the Autumn Court might make a move against us next. It’s only a matter of time before they go for another crown, and it will likely be us. We doubt they would be so bold as to go into Winter lands. Her men are not accustomed to such weather. She will try to draw them out instead.”
Hmm, what an odd thing to say when he was planning his own attack on the Winters.
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