Deviant Descendants (Descendants Academy Book 2)

by Belle Malory

  “See anything you like, miss?” A spiky-haired dwarf peeked out from behind his cart’s table. He wore a cheery red scarf and he smiled at me—a gesture I rarely came across in the bleak and dreary Elysium.

  My gaze stopped on a pair of burgundy leather gloves with silver buttons. They looked like something Petra would wear. I was about to ask for their price, but several shouts distracted me—some kind of commotion. The crowds shifted toward the market’s center fountain, where a line of Hollowed Guard emerged. In a big, booming voice, one of them shouted, “Clear the street!”

  “What’s going on?” I asked the dwarf, curious.

  He rolled his eyes. “The royals are visiting today. People always lose their minds when they’re in the city.”

  No wonder it was so crowded. Clearly, Grey and I chose the wrong day to shop. I pointed to the gloves, ready to get out of there. “How much for those?”

  “Two wots.”

  An extravagant price, but I didn’t want to waste time bartering. “Wrap it up for me please, and quickly.”

  A gleam filled his eyes at the ease of the sale. “Right away, miss.”

  He went to work, making friendly conversation as he rolled the gloves in decorated paper. “The crowds aren’t usually this terrible, but everyone wants to catch sight of the Hollowed Prince.” He cut a long piece of twine, then strung it around the wrapped gloves. “Ever since his return, people are curious.”

  A centaur trotted past, kicking muddy snow up onto my boots. I shook my foot to get the snow off before it soaked through to my socks, only half-paying attention to the dwarf’s chattering.

  “Of course, his return.” I was clueless about hollowed royalty, but it sounded like common knowledge. Since I was trying to blend in, I nodded along, pretending I understood whatever the dwarf was talking about.

  He tied the twine into a neat little bow. “To be honest, I’m a little curious myself. I’d like to know where his allegiances lie since he’s the crown prince. Four years is a long time to be gone. Course, his father before him left for nearly a decade, trying to win over that wealthy Mythonian girl. You never know what that family is scheming.”

  I dug through my pocket for the wots, offering a polite smile. “Thank you again,” I said, giving the dwarf the coins.

  “Of course, miss.” He handed me the wrapped gloves and tipped his head. “Pleasure doing business.”

  I took a few steps back toward Grey, then stopped suddenly. That last part struck a strange chord in me. Four years…a decade…why did those time frames sound so familiar?

  “Hey, ah,” I spun around, “my mind went blank—what’s the prince’s name again? The one who returned?”

  The dwarf looked up. “Prince Leo?”

  I exhaled, shaking off the prickliness that came over my skin. For a moment, I had thought—

  “Prince Lucian Trophonius Alexander Leo,” the dwarf clarified. “But they say he goes by Xander.”

  I hiccupped. Xander’s last name was Arius. It was just a coincidence.

  But I had to see for myself.

  My instincts told me to move away from the crowd, but instead, I pushed my way through it. Adrenaline pumped through my veins with every step. Not my Xander, I chanted over inside my head. The closer I got to the guards, the harder it was to see. Frustrated, I looked around for a higher vantage point.

  The fountain.

  I went back and climbed up onto its ledge, careful to keep from slipping in my snow trodden boots. Once I was higher up, I looked over the wall of creatures and mages, searching for signs of him.

  A silhouette wearing a royal crest exited a shop. It had to be him. I held my breath as the figure moved into the hazy sunlight, my heart drumming in my ears. He took a few more steps, and then—

  No.

  Dark hair waved around the same chiseled face I dreamt about every night, a little longer than the last time I’d seen him. Slightly crooked nose. Familiar gladiator build. And although I wasn’t close enough, I knew those eyes were the bluest I’d ever seen.

  My stomach dropped out from under me. I stepped off the fountain ledge, the sea of faces around me a blur. My ears rang, my heart thumped at an uncontrollable pace, and I felt like I might pass out at any second.

  The crown prince of the Underworld was my Xander.

  31

  I didn’t remember the walk back to the apartment. At some point, Grey took my arm and guided me. My feet moved, air went in and out of my lungs, but I blacked everything else out. Then, once I was safely inside, I went to the chair by the window and sat, staring at the curtains. Riley said something, but her voice was far away. Then, she and Grey spoke in hushed voices, but I didn’t listen, unable to focus. It felt like I was cocooned inside my own sea, everything else distorted and murky. Nothing made sense anymore. Nothing ever would.

  “Have I ever lied to you?”

  His voice echoed in my ear, an obscure, distant memory.

  “No, I don’t think so,” I replied.

  “Then let me be your anchor. Even if you can’t trust yourself, trust me.”

  I did as he asked; I trusted him. He never lied, not exactly, but he didn’t reveal the truth either. He told me little bits and pieces of his life, but never this.

  How was it even possible? How could no one else know he was the Hollowed Prince? I blinked, thinking of Ione.

  “You’re not the only one with secrets bad enough to ruin you. I’ve gotten good at lying.”

  They kept this hidden.

  When Xander disappeared, she must’ve known where he went, but she couldn’t say anything. If she had, she would’ve revealed who she really was.

  I sat there for a long time, staring at nothing. Riley left me alone, sensing I needed space. I barely noticed when she started cooking, not until she shoved a bowl of soup in front of me. “Enough,” she said, her tone stern. “You’ve been sitting there all day. Tell me what happened at the market.”

  She lowered herself into the chair across from me, and I had to concentrate on her face. Her direct gaze was a little startling; worry wasn’t something she usually expressed, definitely not for me anyway.

  But she was right; I needed to snap out of this shock.

  “I saw Xander,” I said quietly. “He’s the crown prince of the Underworld.” Hearing the words from my own lips didn’t make them feel realer.

  Riley’s brows shot up, her mouth forming an O. “Golden boy gladiator?” She let out a whoosh of breath. “I did not see that coming.”

  Perfect, beautiful Xander. Leader of House Ares. No one could have guessed this.

  “That’s why he left?” she said, putting it together. “To come here?”

  “Seems that way.”

  She shook her head, lost for words. “Now, I understand why you couldn’t speak.”

  That only scratched the surface. When I saw Xander, it felt like someone kicked me in the stomach, knocking the wind out of me. Like someone was playing a cruel joke.

  Riley placed her hand over mine, and I looked up. She used a boy to hurt me; the last thing I expected was her empathy.

  “Maybe you can ask Petra about him.”

  I nodded.

  Petra was supposed to visit tomorrow night for dinner. She had connections inside the Hallowed Castle. If anyone knew anything, she would.

  32

  I repeatedly told myself I wouldn’t bombard Petra with questions about Xander. I planned to play it cool, wait until after everyone ate, and then casually bring it up. But the moment she walked inside, all of that went out the door. She hadn’t even hung her coat on the hook before I confronted her.

  “Why didn’t you tell me Xander was the prince?”

  Caught off guard, it took Petra a second to process the question. She carefully set the large bag of food she was carrying on the table, then peeled off her coat. “Nice to see you, Sheridan.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” Without thinking, I leaned into give her a quick hug. “Nice to see you, too. Why didn’t
you tell me?”

  Her eyes flared; and it dimly hit me that in all the time we’d spent together, I had never hugged her. But Petra didn’t make a big deal of it. Instead, she turned to greet my sister. “Hello, Riley. There’s a letter from your mother inside of my bag.”

  Riley’s expression lit up, and she went to retrieve it.

  “As for your question,” Petra said, turning back around. “I assumed you already knew. After all, he’s your boyfriend.”

  “Was.” I emphasized the past tense.

  “Oh.” She tried to look sympathetic, failing miserably. “Sorry it didn’t work out.”

  “I bet.”

  I couldn’t even blame her. Petra watched her mother get burned before her, then ended up trapped in the Underworld as a result of her last relationship. She would probably always be jaded.

  “And no, Xander never mentioned it,” I said, noticing the way she refused to make eye contact. “He kept his identity a secret.”

  “How did you find out?” She began emptying the contents of the bag; a roasted chicken that smelled heavenly, along with several other containers of food.

  “I saw him in passing, at the market,” I said, without thinking.

  She snapped to attention, her voice rising several octaves. “What were you doing there? On Zeus’s grave, I’ll have Grey’s head—”

  “Relax, I was perfectly safe, and I happened to be searching for a gift for you.”

  “A gift?” That seemed to appease her enough to calm her down. “That’s sweet, but unnecessary, Sheridan. The only gift I want is to break your curse.”

  I pressed my lips together, noticing the way she steered the conversation to a new subject, trying to dodge all talk of Xander. Riley was no help either; she was curled up next to the stove, fully engrossed by Selena’s letter. Somehow, I needed to get Petra to tell me everything she knew.

  “I’ve been fed too many lies,” I said, evening my tone. “About you, about everyone. This is important to me, Petra. I need to know the truth.”

  She removed the last item from the bag—a large bottle of enchanted wine—then set the bag aside. “I only recently discovered he was back,” she admitted, meeting my gaze. “But I don’t know why. That boy fought so hard to escape his title, the hollows, and his entire life in the Underworld. He stood so firm in his convictions; it’s hard to believe he would let them all go.”

  “So then, his accusations were true?” I said, trying to understand. “Why would they kidnap and torture their own prince?”

  “The throne is connected to the Leo bloodline. The Hollowed Council acts on command of the king. If the crown doesn’t get passed onto Xander, it all falls apart. A prince has never refused his own crown before, but Xander wasn’t raised under the Council’s indoctrination. He was born with the name Arius, with no knowledge of his inherited title.”

  “The king never told him,” I said, remembering the conversation we had at the lake.

  My father comes from a long line of hollows.

  In a way, Xander had told me, without actually telling me. “When you used your mind magic on him, what did you make him see?”

  It was a loaded question, one that Petra was hesitant to answer. She sat down, gesturing for me to do the same. “They asked me to create scenarios involving his mother and sister dying, screaming his name, calling for his help.”

  I held my hand over my heart. That must have been awful, to repeatedly relive his worst nightmare.

  I had hoped Petra could offer more answers than this. Sensing my frustration, Petra pulled out a chair and sat next to me. “Look, all I know is he’s back and he’s planning to pledge soon—”

  “Pledge?!” I nearly shrieked. “But that means…”

  It meant he would be stuck here forever.

  “I have to see him,” I said, feeling the panic bubble up in my throat. I looked at Petra. “Is there any way you can get me into the Hollowed Castle?”

  “Absolutely not.” Petra’s whole face tightened. “If Thomas Vane discovers your presence in the Underworld, everything we’ve done will be for nothing. If the curse doesn’t kill you, he will.”

  She was probably right. Thomas Vane was my grandfather. Riley’s too. He was Petra’s father, but there was no familial bond. He was the one who cursed us, the one who wanted us dead.

  The wheels in my mind turned over. “I can go in disguise,” I said, forming a plan. “Thomas will never even know I was there—”

  “No.” Petra refused to budge. “The danger is too great.”

  I opened my mouth to argue, but Riley, who was now paying attention to our conversation, stopped me. “Sheridan,” she said, giving me a pressing look. “Remember what we spoke about in the stables, back at Arcadia?”

  I glanced at Petra, whose knuckles had turned white as she gripped the arms of her chair. Never reveal all your cards, Riley had said. This was her way of telling me it was a pointless argument. Just as Dad would never have let me come to the Underworld, Petra would never let me step one foot inside that castle.

  I would have to find a way in on my own.

  Trying not to give myself away, I slowly nodded in Riley’s direction but kept my gaze on Petra. “You said to stay focused on breaking the curse,” I lied.

  Petra’s shoulders relaxed. “Extremely sound logic. I have to agree with your sister on this, Sheridan.”

  I swallowed the lump in my throat. As much as I hated it, I didn’t bring Xander up again for the rest of the night. Because no matter what I said, it wouldn’t change Petra’s mind.

  Unlike Riley, it was difficult for me to conceal my emotions. Dinner was tense. I suffered through it in silence while Riley and Petra made everyday conversation.

  Once it was over and it was time to leave, we said our goodbyes and I walked Petra to the door. She gave me a pained look. “I’m sorry about Xander, Sheridan. Heartbreak can be a cruel, tormenting thing…” She sighed, obviously speaking from her own experience. “I will try to find out why he returned.”

  I nodded stiffly. “Thank you.”

  “I’ll see you again on Christmas,” she promised, reaching out to tuck a stray stand of hair behind my ear. “Stay safe.”

  I closed the door, with no intention of obeying. Right away, I set to work. First, by getting a pencil and scrap paper. Then, I began making a list.

  Riley hovered over my shoulder, reading off the items. “Rose petals, willow’s bark—dove feathers?” She furrowed her brow. “What is this, Sheridan?”

  Finished, I folded it up and handed it to her. “Ingredients,” I answered. “Will you give this to Grey and ask him to retrieve the items ASAP?”

  She tilted her head to the side. “Ingredients for what?”

  “A love potion.”

  “Apollo’s sake, Sheridan. Why are you making a love potion?”

  “Because like you once told me, I’m giving myself permission.”

  33

  Grey didn’t like that Riley wouldn’t tell him the reason for my list, but he agreed to get the items anyway. Probably because Riley begged him, and he’d grown sweet on her. I was pretty sure that if she asked for the moon, he would find a way to get it for her.

  After he rounded up the items, it took three days to brew the potion. Curious about the process, Riley helped me every step of the way.

  Once I was done, I drew a deep breath and asked Riley for the permission I hadn’t asked from Petra. “I know we’re four months into this,” I said carefully. “If you don’t want me to go—”

  “I want you to go,” she said, surprising me. “Xander saved your life. If you don’t go before he pledges, you’ll regret it forever.”

  “You’re sure?”

  She nodded.

  “When did you become so considerate?” I was teasing, but I was also a little distrustful. Old habit, I supposed.

  “I do have an ulterior motive,” she admitted. “I want to go to the castle, too.”

  Selena.

  She wan
ted to see her mom.

  I swallowed. This whole time, I’d been able to bond with mine, but she had never laid eyes on hers.

  Nodding, I said, “Let’s see what Jonas can do.”

  I spun his seal of support on the wooden floor, watching in awe as the coin floated up into the air. It erratically spun, creating a vortex of energy in the middle of our little apartment. Seconds later, Jonas was there in his navy blue toga, looking like a deer in headlights. When he saw me, his expression broke into a wide smile. “You used my seal,” he said, his tone full of excitement. “That means—”

  I held out the potion vile. “I have your potion. It’s extremely powerful.”

  His chocolate brown eyes lit up. “How long does it last?”

  “The effects should last a full month.”

  He frowned. “My invisibility charms don’t last that long.” His gaze traveled back and forth between Riley and me. “By the way, where are we?”

  “Never mind that.” I cleared my throat. “What can you offer?”

  He chewed on the inside of his cheek, debating. “I do have something…” Closing his eyes, he whispered a spell and a velvety black robe appeared in his hands. “This is an ancient family heirloom—it will conceal you in any situation. I can lend it to you for a month.”

  I glanced at Riley, and she nodded in approval. A month was more than enough time for us both to use the robe and get inside the castle. “We have a deal.”

  “Once the month is up, the robe will return to me. Take good care of it.”

  “I will.” We traded, exchanging the vile for the robe, and Jonas looked like we’d just given him a puppy.

  “Who’s the lucky mage?” Riley asked, smirking.

  “Someone who wouldn’t normally give me the time of day,” he said vaguely. “But now I have a month to change her mind.”

  “Use it wisely,” I advised.

  “You as well.” He tipped his head toward the robe. “No magic can detect it, but other senses can. Meaning, if you bump into someone, they will feel it. If you wear perfume, they will smell it. If you leave footprints in the dirt, people will see it.”