Savage Monarchs (A New Adult Prison Academy Novel) (Nocturnal Academy Book 3)

by Margo Ryerkerk

  I exhaled and grabbed a blueberry scone. Olwen at least thought he was telling the truth. I needed some calories for this story. Because as made up as it sounded, I had a bad feeling that it was true.

  “I tried to keep an eye out for any children who showed unusual abilities in Denver, but the SD’s presence increased in the city, and all fae went into hiding.”

  I nodded, knowing this part to be true from first-hand experience. “Why did you choose Denver?”

  “Denver is near the wilds. And the wilds allow easier travel between the worlds. The vampires discovered this and that’s why they increased their presence here. After a while, I realized I would have to pretend to be friendly with the vampires if I wanted a chance at finding my children.”

  “So you’re not actually friends with Vulthus?” He had denied it the previous night in the car, but I needed to be sure.

  King Olwen laughed. “Absolutely not. I was using him. I maintained a ruse for eighteen years. I also like to ensure that the Summer fae here are being kept under control.”

  He wanted revenge. I balled my fists under the table. “How do you know I’m yours and not a child of someone else from the Winter Court?”

  King Olwen furrowed his brows. “Your magic, of course. It’s so powerful that it could only come from the royal line. As the King of the Winter Court, I can sense how much magic any winter fae posses.”

  I swallowed hard, slowly allowing myself to believe what he was saying. I had a father now, and maybe... “Do I have siblings?”

  King Olwen’s face clouded, and he shook his head. “Sadly I have found none, which is why we’ll have to ensure that you hone your abilities so that no fae or vampire can ever harm you.”

  I swallowed hard as the final piece clicked into place. So this is why I was here. Of course, this was no sweet father-daughter reunion. This was not a goddamn Hallmark movie. King Olwen had rescued me because he wanted something from me, just like everyone else.

  Chapter 3

  “So you brought me here to train me.” I studied King Olwen carefully.

  His gaze remained hard. No warmth lived there. “To keep you safe and to train you.”

  I wanted to ask where he had been for the first eighteen years of my life, but he had already washed his hands of that time. He blamed the Summer Court for his memory loss and the vamps for not being able to get in touch. How hard had he looked for me? Mom and I had done a pretty good job at staying hidden, but certainly, if he wanted to find us, he could’ve. And how had he found me last night? He must’ve heard through the grapevine that Vulthus’s property went missing and that the only car that had left the academy was Mei Wu’s. From there, Olwen had put the pieces together.

  But he had known long before that about my existence. Icy anger rose within me and flowed down my arms. “You saw me at the first outing in the spring term, but you did nothing. You didn’t rescue me at the bidding ball. You only got to me after I escaped on my own.” I pushed away my plate and crossed my arms. “Care to explain?”

  “I don’t like your tone, young lady.”

  I gritted my teeth. “And I don’t like people sweeping into my life when it’s convenient for them. I don’t like to be used.”

  He inhaled, sharp and cold. Good. I wanted him to squirm and think about the life he had condemned me to when he chose to procreate with my mother.

  “Onyx, I couldn’t do anything at the outing. I saw you, and I realized that you were my daughter, but we were surrounded by vampires. If I had done anything, it wouldn’t have worked, and then I would’ve lost my cover, which I worked on for eighteen years. Don’t you think that’s enough dedication?”

  I stayed silent, unable to argue with that.

  “Obviously, I couldn’t get to the academy. Even fae who teach there don’t know how to get in and out unless it’s to travel back to the faeland. Only royals and friends of the vampires are allowed to teach there. As a member of the Winter Court, I was not fit to teach Summer fae.”

  My arms broke out in goosebumps as memories of Preston dragging me through the portal shot through me. He had tried to force himself onto me before he planned to use me for breeding in the Summer Court.

  I pushed away the nightmares and refocused on Olwen. “Fine. So you couldn’t get to me before the bidding ball, but were you planning to help me after Vulthus bought me?”

  King Olwen sighed. “Yes. I was planning to get you out of his stronghold. We’re rather close, and I have been several times to—”

  A knock cut off the rest of his sentence, and then the door was flung open, and Atticus darted inside, bowing low. “Your Majesty, please excuse my intrusion, but you told me to notify you immediately if Lord Vulthus arrived.” Atticus caught his breath. “He’s here, parked in the underground garage. And he demands to be seen now.”

  I jumped out of my chair, heart racing in panic. It was daytime. Vulthus shouldn’t be out. And if he had come here now, something was wrong. “I thought you said this place looked like a normal human home,” I said to Atticus. Then I looked to Olwen. “Did you set me up?”

  Olwen rose, strode over, and put a hand on my shoulder, which only led to me shrinking away. “Calm down, Onyx. I already told you that my relationship with Vulthus is a ruse. No one can find this place unless I’ve invited them, and they can’t share the location in any way. Vulthus has a protected vehicle with tinted windows driven by fae servants.”

  “That’s supposed to make me feel better?”

  He ignored me and turned to Atticus. “Put Onyx in her room, and then take Vulthus to the Tea Room. I’ll meet him there.”

  I stepped forward. “No.”

  Olwen’s jaw ticked at my impudence, but I pushed onward. “You said you want to train me, make me strong. Hiding in my room makes me a helpless damsel. I want to hear your conversation.”

  “It’s too dangerous—” Atticus started, but Olwen raised his hand, and Atticus fell silent.

  “Very well,” Olwen said. “You shall hide behind the revolving bookcase. It has a magic peephole in it. But make no sound.”

  I smiled, finally feeling a tiny sliver of control. “I won’t.”

  Olwen nodded at Atticus who motioned for me to follow him. We hurried down the corridor and through a set of dark doors into a room that had no natural sunlight. This room was made of wood, not ice, but the floor was the same white marble I’d seen before. Overall, the Tea Room looked more like a whiskey lounge, equipped with a bar, several dark couches, a pool table, and a bookshelf. Atticus shoved against the bookshelf, and it turned to reveal a hollow back. Clearly, King Olwen was used to having spies and this house was full of secrets.

  Fear gripped me as I realized that the bookshelf didn’t lead anywhere on the other side. I’d be stuck in there. Knowing I needed to be strong, I stepped forward, but paused on the threshold. “Won’t Vulthus be able to smell me?” I whispered.

  Atticus shook his head. “This bookshelf is protected with magic. He won’t know you’re here.”

  Feeling a bit reassured, I stepped inside and pushed against the back of the bookcase until it did another half turn. Trapped in the small, dark space, I found the peephole that would allow me to witness the interaction. I had to stand on my tiptoes and I hoped I could hear the conversation.

  Olwen arrived a minute later, entering through a secret door opposite me that led to a dark corridor. He sat down in one of the armchairs, crossed one ankle over his knee, and opened a newspaper like he had no care in the world. My father was a talented actor.

  The secret door opened again, revealing a tunnel. Atticus held open the door, and Lord Vulthus stepped inside. His side-combed hair and crooked nose made my stomach clench. Just the sight of him made me want to throw up. Lord Vulthus’s dark eyes scanned the room, and he sniffed. A predator stalking his prey. He moved forward, and even though he wasn’t nearly as tall or as broad as Olwen, it felt like he would win if a fight broke out between them.

  My neck ached where h
e had bitten me, and my hands trembled at the memory of giving his scarred back a massage. My throat closed up, sweat broke out on my brow, and my feet itched to run.

  You’re safe, Onyx, you’re safe, I repeated silently while everything inside of me screamed.

  “Vulthus, how are you?” Olwen smiled pleasantly. “May I offer you a cognac or a scotch, perhaps?”

  Vulthus’s nostrils flared. “Cognac. Do you still have the limited batch?”

  Olwen nodded. “Of course, my friend.”

  My breakfast shot up my stomach, and I had to gulp the rancid acid down.

  Olwen poured two fingers into two crystal glasses and handed one to Vulthus before sitting back down. Vulthus took the seat opposite. Since the armchairs were positioned in front of the bookcase, it gave me a perfect look at their profiles.

  Silence stretched between the two men, and my neck itched. How could Olwen take it? Clearly, this was a power play.

  Finally, after emptying his glass in one quick motion, Vulthus flashed his fangs. “Are you going to pretend that you haven’t heard?”

  Olwen sighed heavily. “Vulthus, last time you came here accusing me of stabbing you in the back at a party.” He shook his head. “I understand that we live in a dangerous world where we must do everything to protect ourselves, but I’m growing tired of your accusations. We’ve been friends for almost two decades. Don’t you think I deserve some trust?”

  Vulthus rose and poured himself more cognac. “I’m willing to give you reasonable trust. Being stabbed in the back by an icicle, you must admit makes you a very likely suspect.”

  Olwen gave him a bored look, and Vulthus sat back down. “But since you swore it wasn’t you and you’re a pureblood, I believe you.” Vulthus swirled the amber liquid in his glass. “I’m sure you won’t mind answering a few of my questions.”

  Olwen sipped his drink slowly, like he had no care in the world. My body, on the other hand, hummed with tension. If Vulthus asked Olwen if he was hiding me, Olwen wouldn’t be able to say no, at least not directly.

  “I hope your visits in the future will be of a more friendly and less suspicious nature, but I can see that a lot is troubling you, so please share your worries.” Olwen tilted his head, showing mild interest.

  Wow, I kind of wanted to high five my father now. He sure had a way with spinning words. All the times I had escaped from the vampire twins with a quick-witted remark came back to me, and I wondered how much I had in common with the strong fae in front of me. Yes, he was a polyamorist, didn’t care too much about others’ feelings, and always thought about the end result, but weren’t those qualities necessary to get to the top? Would I really rather be nice and weak or strong and successful?

  “Yesterday was the bidding ball,” Vulthus said. “I purchased Onyx Logan.” He paused, watching Olwen for a reaction. “For one million dollars.”

  Olwen let out a low whistle. “That’s a lot of money.”

  Vulthus flashed his teeth. “I was feeling generous. You see, the problem is that she escaped.”

  Olwen raised his eyebrows. “How?”

  “That’s what I would like to know. Have you or any of your men had contact with a half fae student from Nocturnal Academy in the last few months?”

  Olwen tilted his head. “A few months back, I was at that party you invited me to where you showed off your fire fae.”

  Vulthus waved his hand impatiently. “Besides that?”

  “We have not contacted or been contacted by any half fae.”

  “Have you or any of your men aided a half fae student in her escape?”

  “No.”

  I didn’t dare to breathe. Technically, Olwen hadn’t helped me, so he was telling the truth, but we were on treacherous grounds.

  Vulthus cracked his knuckles, then interlaced his fingers. “Have you or any of your men collected a half fae student and given her a safe place?”

  My heart stopped beating as ice shot into my veins. My cover was about to be blown, and I had to be ready to fight.

  “No.”

  I blinked, trying to make sense of how Olwen had pulled that off, and that’s when I truly understood how far fae omission went.

  Once I was out of Nocturnal Academy, I was no longer a student. Olwen was still not lying. He also hadn’t collected me. He had kidnapped. Also, in Olwen’s mind, he probably wasn’t giving me a sanctuary, but taking his daughter home. Or maybe this place wasn’t safe after all.

  Vulthus rubbed his wrinkly forehead, clearly unhappy, but thinking he had asked everything he could. “Thank you.”

  Olwen finished his drink. “Now that we have this behind us, do you want to tell me what actually happened so that I might be able to help?”

  Vulthus gave Olwen a long hard stare before saying, “My property escaped with Mei Wu. Wu swears up and down she looked like Kristen, the fae she had purchased.”

  Olwen nodded, but didn’t say anything.

  “She must’ve used glamour.” Vulthus narrowed his eyes at Olwen, who didn’t betray a sign of nervousness. “Wu and her driver lost what is mine when she used magic on them.” Vulthus gritted his teeth. “No plant magic, but ice magic.” A vein in his forehead began to throb. “I’m pretty sure it was Onyx who attacked me at the party.”

  Olwen rubbed his chin like this information was news to him and he had to process it. “You’re saying she’s a descendant of my court. Very interesting.”

  Vulthus snarled. “Onyx escaped Wu and her driver in the outskirts of Denver. And despite Lady Cardinal dispatching countless guards, none of them could find that bitch. It’s as if she disappeared into thin air.” He leaned forward. “Can fae do that?”

  Olwen clasped his hands together. “Teleportation is not a skill fae possess.”

  Vulthus’s fangs descended, and he grabbed his glass and threw it against a wall. It broke into a thousand pieces, and I held in the scream of surprise that worked its way up my throat. “Then where the hell is she?”

  Olwen didn’t address the outburst, but simply said, “She’s a half fae. She has no money or resources. I don’t think she’ll get far. Your men should find her soon.”

  Vulthus paced up and down. “They should. But she shouldn’t have been able to escape in the first place. This bitch—” He stopped. “She’s different. I must have her.”

  Ice shot into my fingers, and it took all of my self-control to rein it back in.

  “I will have her. I bought her.”

  Olwen finished his drink. “I hope Nocturnal Academy plan to reimburse you.”

  Vulthus’s nostrils flared. “I don’t want my money back. They’ll search day and night until they find Onyx Logan. Until she’s mine again. If any guard doesn’t cooperate fully, I’ll flail him myself.”

  I swallowed hard. Thorsten. He had always acted of his own accord. What if Vulthus decided that Thorsten wasn’t trying hard enough? Vulthus could easily execute Thorsten under the pretense of him sabotaging the search and thus take his revenge on the Steinbergs.

  No. I would not think of him anymore. All he had done was play games. My emotions needed to stop betraying me.

  “And the fae, they’ll pay too. No more treating them nicely. They’ll all have to pay for what Onyx did.”

  A blade tore through my heart. Lily. Virgie. Blair.

  “I’ll bring them all to their knees. No one will ever defy me again.” Vulthus flashed a wicked smile. “And you’ll help me.”

  Olwen grabbed a new glass for Vulthus and poured them each more cognac. “The Summer fae must pay for their crimes. To the future!” Their glasses clinked.

  I did my best not to throw up as the two drank their cognac. “Can I offer you an early lunch?” Olwen asked.

  Vulthus shook his head. “I must be on my way, but I’ll be in touch soon.”

  They exited, and the door clicked shut behind them. I slid to the ground and into a ball, burying my face in my palms. What had I done? The price of my freedom was condemning everyone else.r />
  Chapter 4

  I remained in the cubby behind the bookshelf, sealed into the wall, not feeling like I deserved to leave. Because of my escape, no other fae would ever have the chance to do so again.

  No. No. I couldn’t let my weakness win. It was nothing but a trap to force me to go back to Vulthus. He was counting on my feelings to doom me. What were his plans for me now that he knew I had ice? Maybe he would pit me against Blair and force us to hurt each other when the fancy struck him, decimating our friendship one blow at a time. Or worse, I’d have to kill for him. Assassin by day, courtesan by night, my hands dirty with blood, my body defiled. Or maybe he’d just get off on the thrill of breaking a dangerous Winter fae.

  No matter what he chose to do with me, he’d be ruthless. I had tried to kill him. I had dared to escaped. Next time we came face to face, he’d be ready.

  The tea room outside remained quiet. If Olwen suspected my mental state, he made no move to acknowledge it. I remained inside, slowly pulling myself together. At last, the bookshelf slid back open with a whisper. The suited form of Atticus stood over me while Olwen remained at the table, newspaper in hand. Vulthus had vanished through the secret, sunless tunnel.

  Pathetically, I remained sitting on the floor, arms wrapped around my knees.

  Olwen motioned for me to rise, his expression infuriatingly calm as if he had just had a friendly conversation. “Onyx, I have mended relations with Gregory Vulthus for now.”

  How could he be so casual? Fury rose within me. Atticus extended a hand to help me up, but I pushed myself off the floor, propelled by cold anger. Olwen had discarded the other fae with his words like they were nothing. He didn’t care if they suffered, even though these fae trapped in the human world weren’t the ones who had tried to steal the Winter lands. They were refugees.

  “Do you realize what Vulthus will do?” My fists balled.