I shook my head at the fae. “I need a moment. Alone.”
“But—”
“Out!” I pointed at the door.
She scurried toward it but didn’t leave. “Sir Atticus will be very upset if you’re not ready in an hour.”
I gritted my teeth, but forced my anger down, reminding myself that my situation wasn’t her fault. “Return in half an hour.” I forced my voice to soften, but didn’t apologize as it would only show weakness.
She chewed on her lip. “I’m afraid that won’t be enough time.”
“So bring a second servant!” I shoved her out of the door and slammed the door shut. Then I darted toward my bed, buried my head into my pillow, and screamed. I screamed out all the rage, the fear, and the pain. I screamed until my vocal cords were raw. Heavy tears followed. They cascaded from my eyes, and a crazy trembling I couldn’t control took over my body. I was going into a seizure. Good. I wanted all of this to end. The endless disappointments, the soul-shattering pain, the pitless anger.
But life had no mercy.
The tears turned silent, and my knees drew into my chest. I was a tiny ball of misery, wanting to make myself as small as possible, as if that would magically shrink my pain.
Of course, it didn’t.
I lay motionless, nearly choking on all the slime in my nose, but too weak to go to the bathroom and grab a tissue.
The knock on my bedroom door tore me back to my senses.
“Your Highness, we really need to get you ready now.” The voice from the servant floated through the wall.
I cleared my throat. “Just a minute.” I could barely get the words out. I forced my limbs to work and dragged myself into the en-suite bathroom.
I could not be weak. I could not be weak. I could not be weak.
I blew my nose and splashed my face with water so icy it burned my skin. Then I returned to my bedroom and pasted a neutral expression on my face. “Come in.” My gut clenched as I saw that the fae from before had brought Lily with her.
Lily took one glance at me and opened her mouth. My veneer of coolness didn’t fool her. I gently shook my head, and the pain that flitted across her face nearly undid me. She wasn’t mourning her situation or the death of our friendship, but what had become of me. Even though I looked fine and hadn’t been physically violated, I was wrecked beyond repair. I was a vase that had been dropped too many times, full of cracks.
“Lily, you’ll help Her Highness into her dress while I work on her wig.”
I looked at the other fae, glad for the distraction. “A wig?”
The fae gave me a kind smile, not knowing how much that tortured me and that I wished she showed no emotion at all. “Your hair color is very unique, and I was told that you dying it another color was not an option.”
True. Olwen had mentioned once that my purple hair was impractical and that I should color it a different shade. I had flipped out and told him there was no way I was doing that. It was the only thing under my control. Somehow, he must’ve understood that this wasn’t worth a fight and dropped the topic.
“The wig is a precaution, in case your glamour stops working,” the fae continued.
I nodded. Using glamour for an extended time was still tricky for me, so it was good to have a backup.
The fae pulled my hair into two braids, which she pinned to my head while Lily helped me out of my training clothes, undoing the zipper on my hoodie and pulling it off my shoulders. I swallowed. I wasn’t ashamed of her seeing my body. In fact, while being cleaned for the bidding ball we’d both had to see each other thanks to the cleaners, but this felt too intimate since emotionally we were continents away. Or were we? Just one look at me, and she’d known I wasn’t all right.
Once I was only in my underwear, Lily held out the dress I was supposed to get into and the tightness in my shoulders oozed out of me. At Nocturnal Academy, I had been outfitted twice into gowns that put every curve on display, screaming courtesan. But this simple charcoal dress was modest. It had long sleeves, was high cut, and best of all, it was functional. Underneath the skirt, there were pant legs. It was the dress of an assassin masquerading as an ordinary servant.
I slipped into the charcoal outfit as the other fae held up a mirror for me to see my wig.
“Wow.” The black bob with bangs made me look unrecognizable especially when I used my glamour to elongate my nose and make my chin pointier. But even if I lost control of the glamour, I’d still look like a low-level fae servant and not a threat.
“Now, all we need is a bit of makeup.”
I closed my eyes as the older fae worked quickly. Lily stood next to me, not saying anything, but I could practically feel her tongue itching to speak.
“All done.” The fae held up the mirror for a second time, and once again, I was impressed. She had drawn several birthmarks and also changed the shape of my brows. I looked unrecognizable. Who needed glamour with her skills? At least I wouldn’t lose this if I freaked out. Then again, her services wouldn’t always be available. I made a mental note to add an hour of glamour training to my afternoons.
“Thank you. You’re amazing.”
She curtsied. “Just doing my work, Your Highness.”
Guilt overcame me. This fae had waited on me several times and yet I hadn’t even bothered to ask her the basic of things. “What is your name?”
“Elvira, Your Highness.”
I smiled at her. “Thank you for everything today, Elvira.”
She inclined her head, clearly uncomfortable with me acknowledging my earlier outburst. Then she took Lily’s arm. “We must be on our way. Sir Atticus will be here any minute.”
Lily shot me a glance over her shoulder, and like a fool, I whispered, “Later,” before the door fell shut.
I groaned. What the hell was I thinking? But could I afford being alone? I was slowly going insane. Maybe Olwen’s wrath and him holding someone over my head was preferable to losing my mind. I needed some warmth. Just a tiny bit. Even if I couldn’t give much in return. Even if Lily deserved much better.
Another knock sounded. “Are you ready, Onyx?” Atticus’s voice came through the closed door.
I inhaled deeply and opened the door. “Let’s kick some vamp ass.”
Chapter 11
Atticus and I drove to Denver in silence. I didn’t mind that. My stomach cramped as I spotted, nestled far in the deep woods, Nocturnal Academy positioned on a mountain. My new home, Olwen’s secret fortress, wasn’t very far from it. The castle rose into the distant evening clouds, a collection of spires that a human driver—not that there were many on this remote road—would never recognize if they ever drove through these parts. I only knew the shapes because of the escape attempt Blair and I had made a year ago during Summer Prep.
Shit, why did I keep thinking of Blair? Freeing her would be great, of course, but I couldn’t let thoughts of her distract me as I was going into a vampire nest.
The drive into Denver seemed to take forever. The vamps liked their privacy, but when it came to parties, they hung in populated places. While we fae were their preferred victims, we were too expensive to drink from and drain on a daily basis.
“Where is this party?” I was used to warehouses that weren’t really warehouses.
“At Richie’s,” Atticus said simply.
“Richie’s?” I jogged my memory, thinking of downtown Denver. There were a few ritzy apartment buildings there, ones that had a doorman out front and penthouses that looked out on the city, and it was no shock the vamps would hang in a place like that. Richie’s sounded familiar. I might have seen the building on the news before, though I couldn’t recall why. Marilyn must have an apartment there.
We got into the city, rolling first through a run-down neighborhood. The houses got bigger and bigger, and at last we drove through the business district and finally, downtown. I kept my breaths even. I was to blend in with the other fae servants. If anyone asked, my name for tonight was Allison. I was the ser
vant of whichever vamp happened to walk inside with a bunch of other fae. My black dress was nothing special and neither was my hair.
Atticus pulled up to a fancy apartment building, which had a red awning out front and glass double doors with brass knobs. String lights decorated potted plants, and a water fountain gurgled in the lobby. Money, all right. Limos pulled up to the entrance one by one, each waiting their turn, and unloading people all dressed to the nines. Well, the vamps. I recognized the vamp woman who had splashed Blair with wine while she did her act in the cage. She wore a sparkly evening dress and looked like a wealthy human, drawing no attention from the people walking up and down the street.
My heart quickened, but I breathed out, returning to the cold calculating state. I watched as the woman went inside and two fae servants, both women in matching blue dresses, followed with their gazes on the floor. How I wished I could pick off that bitch, but she didn’t seem like the loner type, and I was afraid I might not be able to control myself and only knock her out if I made her my target.
“Good luck.” Atticus stopped the car. A bead of sweat was running down his temple. The quicker he got out of the car and away from all the iron, the better. Thankfully, Olwen had ordered Atticus to slip into the party and monitor me instead of waiting in the car, which should give the warrior fae a much-needed break from the iron exposure.
“Thanks. I’ll see you inside.” I got out and rushed in after a small group of vamps and fae as if I were trying to catch up. The doorman nodded at me as I entered the building. Good. My disguise was working if he thought I was a servant running late.
Fae packed into the elevator. Two vamp men stood facing forward, and I knew I had to dart into the elevator as well. Heart pounding, I did, and the doors closed, sealing me inside. The three fae women and the two fae men remained silent in the presence of their masters. The two vamp men were younger, stony, and silent as well. But neither paid attention to me. I was still a servant running late. This likely happened all the time. To add to the image, I bit my lip, as if anticipating punishment.
The elevator climbed silently to the fifteenth floor. The doors whooshed open, and the sounds of classical music and quiet chatter filled the carpeted hallway. A human maid rolled a cart with cleaning supplies down the hall before vanishing around the corner.
I followed the vamps and the fae to the last room at the end of the hall. Still, no one spoke. It was eerie. One of the vamp men entered a code into a keypad by the door, and it swung open for a grand welcome.
The big penthouse sported marble columns, tan carpet, and a grand piano in the corner where a fae with blonde curls was playing a gentle tune. Vamps in suits and dresses mingled and one vampire man sat down next to the fae at the piano, wrapping his arm around her waist without invitation, but she didn’t miss a beat. He whispered something, and she let out a tinkling laugh I knew all too well. Peony. Her master must’ve brought her to the party.
If she saw me, it would all be over. Despite my disguise and the glamour I was using, my body language was the same. And if Peony was good at something, it was seeing beyond the surface and spotting things others wanted to hide.
I turned away, studying the remainder of the room. The floor-to-ceiling windows were tinted, making it impossible to see through from the outside and protecting the vamps during the daytime. Chatter and clinking of blood goblets surrounded me. A fae server in a black dress walked up to two young vamps, but instead of grabbing a glass, one of the guys seized her and bit into her neck. The fae took it like a pro, biting in a scream while keeping her expression neutral and holding on to her tray.
I groaned as I realized that the two guys were none other than the twins Kayden and Kassius. First, Peony, now them. Was all of my Nocturnal Academy class here? More importantly, had Olwen sent me in such a high-risk situation on purpose to test how I’d handle it? Yes, he definitely had.
Icy rage built inside me as I watched Kayden suck on the fae’s neck. Before I could react, I turned away. I needed to stay undercover.
“The kitchen is that way.” I found myself face to face with an older female vamp, who tapped her foot, not pleased with a late fae servant. Was this Marilyn Claire? She had silver hair pulled into a tight bun and angular features.
“Thank you.” I bowed my head meekly as I followed her hand gesture to the back. The kitchen was open and huge, and also looked out on the city. Other fae were inside, most wearing servant uniforms. I didn’t spot anyone I knew. Nor did I spot Vulthus or Lady Cardinal among the partygoers tonight. Good. Peony and the twins being here would complicate things enough.
Now, I had to find a vamp to knock out. Or two. I grabbed a fancy plate of cocktail shrimp and returned to the main room. As I served the vamps, I scanned the room for a target. My gaze landed on Atticus, who had arrived in a simple blue shirt and black pants. He, too, was posing as a servant. Of course, Olwen would want someone to watch me and report back. But I was glad he was here.
I gazed past Atticus to find a wraparound deck that went out of sight. No one was on it. Perhaps I could follow or lure a vamp out there and knock him out, then hide him under a table. The faster I impressed Olwen, the faster I could get out of here and take revenge on Vulthus.
Across the room, a few vampires dancing with fae parted, and the twins finally released the poor server, who staggered away and dropped her tray from weakness. Goblets bounced off the tray. Blood splattered the carpet.
Peony stopped playing. The vamp with his arm around her waist stood. Partygoers turned to the server and scowled, some baring their fangs, and the server, still dripping blood from her bite mark, fell to her knees and pulled a towel off her belt to clean up the mess. But it was too late.
“Unacceptable!” Marilyn shouted, advancing on her. “This new carpet cost me a fortune!”
Kayden and Kassius leaned close to each other and snickered. Shouts rose, but I detected laughter too. A large group of vamps gathered around the poor fae as ice gathered under my heart, waiting for use. They were distracted. Now was the time to find a victim.
As much as I wanted to unleash my fury on Marilyn, I needed to find a loner.
Peony’s uninvited partner rose, eying the room, nervously. Clearly, he was not Peony’s master and hadn’t received her master’s approval to approach her. He stepped away from the chaos and through the sliding glass door onto the wraparound deck.
Even as I felt satisfaction that my nemesis wasn’t protected from the nastiness of the vampires, despite her being more than a servant, I knew I couldn’t let my pettiness get the best of me. Thus, I followed her vamp outside.
Behind me, the shouts got louder and the fae begged for mercy. If she was lucky, they’d whip her. If she was unlucky, they’d sacrifice her. I couldn’t help her. If I tried, we’d both end up dead.
Trailing my target was easy. The deck was huge, complete with round tables, candles, and umbrellas, and the vamp had his back to me, looking over the nighttime city.
He muttered to himself. “Stupid. If Nilsson finds out I tried to poach her, he’ll sue me.”
This was my chance. I eyed the windows, which appeared black and impossible to see through. Besides, the vamp stood at the very end of the deck, where no windows looked out.
I gathered ice into a small rock and let it fly as soon as I had stepped out of the apartment’s view. It sailed through the cool night air and clunked the vamp on the head. He flinched, swayed in place, and fell to the surface of the deck, barely missing a chair.
Running forward, I seized the piece of ice and threw it down to the alley far below, leaving no evidence of my presence. The vamp remained still and a bit of blood leaked out of his head. I’d cracked his skull. A smile spread across my lips. Olwen would be pleased for sure.
I turned and grabbed the vamp’s shoulders to slide him under one of the tables, which had umbrellas draped over it. Success. I looked up to see Atticus walking toward me and let a smile come over my face.
Only when the m
ale stepped into the light, I realized it wasn’t Atticus, but a tall, blond vamp with arctic blue eyes and a muscular build.
My heart about stopped. Thorsten. What was he doing here?
“Onyx.” My name rolled off his tongue, and tingles danced through me. Heat darted into my lower stomach, and my hand itched to reach out to him. The same hand that had knocked out the bleeding vamp on the ground with ice. Thorsten had seen me, and he had recognized me. His unexpected appearance must’ve led to me dropping my glamour, and clearly, my disguise didn’t fool him.
“What do you want? How did you find me?” I needed to buy time. How did I not notice him before? Where had he hidden? I thought I had checked the area, but obviously not thoroughly enough. Olwen would be very furious with me.
“You have a distinct scent. And I sent you the letter. I had to know if you were okay.” Thorsten stepped closer, and I balled my fists.
“I’m more than okay. I don’t need you.” I stared him down, glad we were hidden by the brick wall and the tinted windows.
Candlelight flickered on Thorsten’s face from one of the patio tables. The sounds of screaming floated out from the apartment, following by deafening silence. Thorsten grimaced at the sound, pretending he wasn’t into violence when his mental torture was just as bad. What if you misunderstood? What if he didn’t mean to—
I trampled the sliver of doubt rising in my mind.
“Onyx, I need to know that you’re all right.” Thorsten’s forehead wrinkled. “You don’t seem like yourself. You’ve changed and—”
I let out a snort. Damn right I changed. I was finally thinking with my brain, not my heart. “It’s none of your business. Get out of my way.” I was no longer at Nocturnal Academy. I didn’t require his protection that confused the hell out of me. I could knock him out and return to Olwen’s.
Savage Monarchs (A New Adult Prison Academy Novel) (Nocturnal Academy Book 3) Page 8