School for Stolen Secrets: A Reverse Harem Fantasy Romance (Academy for Misfit Witches Book 2)

by Tara West

  Why? You are the eldest. It is yours by right.

  Yes, so I’ve heard, she said wryly. I’m not going to debate this. She will give it willingly, and that’s final.

  Ignoring Thelix’s groan of disgust, she stood and held out her hand. “Let’s rejoin the others.” Not that she wanted to reunite with Brayne, but she had to remove the temptation as her siren continued to demand she steal the necklace from Lily.

  She’d started off on the wrong foot with her. She wouldn’t end her relationship with her sister badly, too. She’d be no better than Brayne.

  Chapter Eight

  BRAYNE SPARED NO EXPENSE for what he deemed her “welcome home” garden party. The night sky was lit by the brightest stars Serah had ever seen. Floating candles in all colors provided additional light, as did several blinking bugs that lit up the trees as if they were decorated with bulbs.

  The green-haired pixies were all smiles as they hovered, refilling their silver goblets with tropical wine and serving delicious food on porcelain and silver platters. The rolls melted in her mouth like buttery cotton candy. She almost wished she was pregnant with her mates’ eggs again, so she’d have an excuse to gorge.

  She had been forced to sit next to Brayne, who sat at the head of the table. Lily was across from her, with Ladon beside her; he was taking care of the eggs. Brayne had offered to take the eggs from her mate, but he’d growled and unsheathed his claws when the fae reached for them. Teju sat beside her, and Draque was opposite Brayne, at the other end of the table.

  Every time Brayne tried to make eye contact with her, she turned to Teju, asking him a random question about their studies. His eyes lit up and his hands moved animatedly when he explained certain spells to her, including the spell he and his brothers used to prevent their clothes from shredding when they shifted, a spell she’d already memorized. She didn’t have the heart to tell him she was only trying to avoid Brayne.

  The deadbeat keeps looking at you. He has something important to say, Thelix warned.

  I don’t care what he has to say, Serah said, her flesh crawling at his persistent attempts to talk to her.

  “Serah,” Brayne said with an edge of desperation.

  Flaring her nostrils and tapping her nails against the table, she hoped she gave off an aura of impatient indifference.

  Clearing his throat, he waited while a pixie removed his plate. “I need to explain why I never visited you after you were born.”

  This ought to be good, Thelix huffed.

  Serah stiffened, her heartrate stuttering and then speeding up, and she inwardly chided herself for getting anxious over anything that man might say. “I didn’t ask for an explanation.”

  “But you deserve one.”

  Her mates paid special attention to them, their eyes shifting to bright yellow. She hadn’t realized until that moment that they were angry, but she felt it now; tension radiated off them in waves.

  Brayne mopped his forehead with an embroidered napkin. “Shortly after I left Siren’s Cove, I met my fated mate.” His smile faded. “And she became pregnant with Alexi.”

  “No excuse.” Draque balled up his napkin before throwing it on the table.

  She thought about her younger brother, who was traveling, and wondered if he left because he didn’t want to see her.

  “If I’d visited you in Siren’s Cove,” he continued, “my bride wouldn’t have forgiven me. No man, nor fae for that matter, can resist a siren’s charms, and I couldn’t risk being unfaithful.”

  The look in his eyes was so pitiful, so desperate, she almost believed him.

  He speaks the truth, Thelix said. No man, witch, or fae can resist us.

  She was barely aware of Teju reaching for her hand, but she smiled at him when he threaded his fingers through hers.

  “Thanks,” she whispered.

  Draque cleared his throat. “Where is your mate?” he asked pointedly, giving Brayne a look that would make any ordinary man cower.

  “She left me.”

  “I thought you said she was your fated mate,” Teju said accusingly.

  “She was.” He wiped away a bead of sweat on his brow. “She is.”

  “She was angry with my daddy,” Lily said, oblivious of the tension between the adults. “She and my uncles have gone to her father’s palace.”

  “Uncles?” Serah asked.

  Brayne’s brows shot up. “Didn’t you know the fae bond in groups, as the shifters do?”

  “I’ve heard something about it.” The thought didn’t sit well with her. And they’d all left? None of them had wanted to meet her? And why were they called uncles instead of fathers? Shifter males shared responsibility for all the children.

  Brayne took a slow sip of wine. “Fae women make up about one fifth of the population, so it’s not unusual for them to have three to five mates. In this case, her mates are my two younger brothers and myself.”

  “Why are they angry?” Draque’s voice was clipped, and he eyed Brayne as if his eyes were lasers.

  “And why leave Lily?” Teju asked, giving the child a sympathetic glance.

  Lily toyed with a noodle on her fork.

  “I neglected to tell them about you.” Brayne patted her hand. “They’ll be back once they cool down.”

  She pulled back, sickened by his touch. His hand was as cold as a serpent’s, and his blithe explanation didn’t explain why Lily’s mother left her behind.

  “They called you a fool,” Lily said, seemingly absorbed by her charm.

  Serah’s mates’ eyes bulged when they noticed the flower in Lily’s charm. Well, shit. Now they’d bug her to steal it from her.

  “Lily, would you please tell cook we’re ready for our pudding?” Brayne’s smile was so stiff, it looked as if his face would shatter.”

  She glanced at the pixies, who buzzed nearby. “But we have servants.”

  “Now, Lily,” he said between clenched teeth.

  “Yes, Father.”

  There’s more to this story, Thelix warned.

  She suspected Thelix was right, and she wondered if her mates had made a terrible mistake in bringing her back to Elysan.

  THE WINDING TUNNEL had so many twists and turns, Violet wondered if they were lost until the familiar sulfuric smell hit her. She slowed and put Thaddeus down. She shifted back into Katherine’s human form and rubbed her sore back muscles, feeling phantom pain from her absent wings.

  She pushed her way in front of him. “Stay behind me. I don’t want the mage to see your heart monitor is gone.”

  “You should stay behind me while I set this place ablaze.”

  Merlin’s balls! Now was not the time for him to play the vengeful hero. He was going to get them both killed.

  She shoved him behind her. “You will not set anything ablaze until we assess the situation.”

  “There you are, child. What took you so long to answer my summons?” Master Eagleheart was bent over his staff like a crooked vine hanging over a fence post. His hawkish eyes seemed to assess everything from behind that beak of a nose, and she was afraid he’d easily see through her disguise as his daughter.

  She swallowed. “Thaddeus was unwell.”

  “Come see.” He waved her forward, his eyes alight with animation. Spinning on his heel, he hurriedly marched back down the corridor. “My army has awakened.”

  “Fuck my luck,” Thaddeus mumbled.

  She elbowed him in the ribs, moving slowly so they could put some distance between themselves and Eagleheart. “Keep your cool.”

  “I can still burn them,” he whispered.

  “No. You can’t defeat them all. We’ll find another way.”

  Ignoring his grumbling, she sprinted ahead, swearing when she jammed her toe against a rock. The tunnel soon opened into a large cavern bathed in the soft red glow of flickering wall sconces and abuzz with activity. Hundreds, if not thousands of griffins swarmed the place like busy bees, some clinging to the walls while climbing over each other to the large
bladders of milk suspended from the ceiling, their nude, pink flesh wet and looking like raw meat. Their membranes were visible through their thin wings, coated with sticky goo from their shells.

  Gross.

  She gawked at the creatures as she passed under them, praying they wouldn’t shit on her head.

  Thaddeus swore at a wet white splotch running down his arm. It was the worst time to laugh, but when he flung griffin poo off his shirt, she smiled. This was his reward for being a major pain in the rear and insisting they go on this idiotic mission.

  Thaddeus was still sulking when they reached the other side of the cavern. He scanned the area, no doubt considering his next move.

  “What is wrong with him?” Eagleheart asked.

  She tried to keep a straight face. “He’s still not recovered.”

  Keeping one eye on Thaddeus and another on her “father,” she followed the mage to the dais, which was thankfully free of pooping griffins. The beasts congregated in the main part of the cavern, which looked like the inside of a giant funnel, a tall, spiral dome disappearing into the darkness. Thaddeus eyed the beasts though slitted lids, his hands balled into fists.

  A tall cloaked man emerged from a swarm of griffins, swatting them like flies. Violet instantly recognized him from the infamous wanted posters in the papers. What was he doing here? Prometheus Periwinkle was Nathaniel Goldenwand’s most loyal crony, his second in command. Everyone knew Goldenwand’s goal was to annihilate the shifter race. Had Master Eagleheart been dumb enough make an alliance with Periwinkle and Goldenwand?

  Prometheus tossed back his cloak theatrically. “It’s time we returned to our master.”

  Violet gasped and Thaddeus swore.

  “Why do you look so shocked?” Eagleheart studied her like a hawk watching a mouse.

  “You know why,” she snapped.

  Thaddeus turned as red as an overripe apple, his eyes shifting, but he didn’t transform into a dragon. He likely didn’t yet have the strength to do so.

  “I told you this day would come.” Eagleheart sneered, inclining his head toward Thaddeus. “I told you his seed would never take root. You’ve had plenty of time bear a hatchling with him. Now it’s time to say goodbye.”

  “Goodbye?” Her heart raced. “No!”

  Throwing back his head, Thaddeus released a stream of fire at the ceiling. “I will burn this entire cavern and everyone in it before I let them take me!” His nose lengthened and horns sprouted from the top of his head, but he still didn’t fully shift.

  With a laugh that was part grating squawk, Master Eagleheart zapped Thaddeus with his wand. Eyes rolling back, Thaddeus crumpled to the ground in a motionless heap.

  “Thaddeus!” Violet cried, falling to her knees and checking his pulse, relieved when she felt the faint beating of his heart. Sitting back on her heels, she cursed him for his fool’s plan and she cursed herself for indulging him. She knew it would go horribly wrong.

  Eagleheart dug his talons into her shoulder so hard he drew blood, then yanked her to her feet. “Control your emotions in front of our guest, Katherine,” he hissed, nodding to Periwinkle, who watched them from the middle of the griffin swarm. “After your lover discovers his family lives, he will turn on me, on you.”

  She struggled to break free from him. “No, he won’t.” Because he already has. If Eagleheart knew Thaddeus had killed Katherine, he’d feed their hearts to his beasts.

  The mage’s gaze softened for a moment, but it passed. “I am saving you from future heartache.”

  “Nathaniel Goldenwand will cast a spell on Thaddeus like he did with Parliament,” she said in an urgent whisper. “A zombie dragon in his hands could destroy the world.”

  “What do I care of the world?” The mage chuckled.

  “Father,” she cried, “we are part of that world.”

  “He promises the Phoenixfire flower in exchange for the dragon prince.”

  “He lies.”

  “I know he does.” Eagleheart flashed a subtle smile. “You and Thaddeus will travel with him to his secret lair to fulfill the arrangement.” He dragged her behind a partition at the end of the dais, shielding them from Periwinkle’s prying gaze.

  “He’s a powerful mage.” She struggled to hear herself speak over the din of her pounding heart. “He will kill us.”

  “He will try, but you’ll have this.” The mage pulled a wand from his robes and handed it to her.

  She turned the smooth stick over in her hand. These wands had been banned last year after Nathaniel Goldenwand used them to turn Parliament into a mindless zombie witch army. The wand was so smart, it contained all the spells a witch needed. No need for a witch to memorize spells with the Goldenwand. She just had to think what spell she wanted and the wand would do the rest. “A Goldenwand 2050?”

  “I have finally unlocked it.” He talked animatedly with his hands. “Not only does this wand have the unbreakable curse, but I’ve equipped it with a few spells of my own. In truth, daughter, you do not travel with the mage to deliver your pet. You go to destroy him and his entire army. One thought.” He latched onto her arm. “Do not think it when you hold the wand until it’s time.” He whispered in her ear. “Destroy them all.”

  Her heart thudded. “This will kill the mage and his army?”

  “It will kill everyone but the wand-holder.” His eyes blazed like twin suns. “It is a more powerful spell than the unbreakable curse.”

  “But Thaddeus!”

  He rubbed his hands together. “He will be a necessary casualty.”

  She released the wand, and it fell to the floor. “No!”

  With an angry squawk, he snatched up the wand and shoved it into her hands. “Daughter, do not forget your blood oath. Lord Goldenwand has what I need. Kill him and bring back the flower.”

  “But, Father—"

  Latching onto her shoulders, he rattled her so hard, she thought her skull would split open. “This trade must go through. The foundation of my strategy depends on it. Now go and do as you’re told.”

  Her mind reeled. Though she hadn’t made a blood oath to the mage, Katherine had. Having imbibed her blood, would she be bound to the oath as well? “But what if the curse kills the flower?”

  “I hadn’t thought of that.” He rubbed his pointy chin. “It’s no matter. The flower will regrow.”

  “How can you be sure?” She tensed, hoping a seed of doubt would take root.

  He yanked her to his side. “Murder,” he hissed in her ear. “That is the curse you must think to kill only one. Do not use it to save Thaddeus.”

  “I-I won’t,” she lied. She’d do anything to save the dragon prince.

  He glared at her with frightening red eyes. “You are my favorite child, but betray me, and I will kill you.”

  REM WOKE TO A THROBBING skull and a tickle in his ear. His vision was darkened by a blanket or cloak thrown over his head.

  “Wake,” a sibilant voice hissed.

  A slug slithered out of his ear and crawled down his neck, leaving a trail of slime on his skin.

  He recognized the slug as Katherine’s pet, the creature who lived in the shifter’s brain.

  He struggled to sit, but his hands and ankles were bound.

  The slug slid down his arm and chewed his bindings. When only a thin thread remained, Rem broke the bonds and threw off the blanket, dismayed to find Katherine’s body beside him, a pool of blood beneath her head as her lifeless eyes stared up at the ceiling.

  “Master will be so angry,” he cried.

  Picking up the slug, he slipped it back in his ear.

  “Who did this?”

  “Dragon and witch,” the slug hissed.

  Rem tore through the bindings on his ankles with a sharp talon, jumped to his back paws, and dragged himself down the hall. Stretching his wings, he prepared to take flight. He had to alert his master before it was too late.

  “ARE YOU READY?” ACHERON asked Adora, twirling the tip of her braid around a long
talon.

  “I hope so,” she said. “Are you?”

  “I’ll never be ready.” He chuckled, his laughter belying his fear.

  She looked into his golden eyes, which were wiser and framed with more lines than when they’d met over fifty years ago. They’d been so young and carefree, without a worry save for the pimply-faced young witch who was stalking her, his obsession going so far that her mates had to finally pulverize him one night to convince young Goldenwand to leave her alone.

  And he had left her alone for a time, retreating to Siren’s Cove for several months before he returned and pursued her with even more vigor. Again her mates beat him. They’d foolishly thought Goldenwand would leave them alone after that.

  Domov secured her cloak around her neck. “Our grandsons will be displeased that we deceived them.”

  “I don’t care.” She pulled the hood up and slipped into her leather gloves. “Their safety is my only concern, and they are safe in Elysan.”

  Domov frowned. “What if we fail, and they return on the morrow?”

  Her heart lurched at the thought. “I’ve already sent a dove, telling them to stay.”

  Acheron snorted. “As if they’ll listen to a dove.”

  “No, they won’t.” She rested a hand on the satchel of potions that hung from her waist. “One more reason we can’t fail tonight.”

  Chapter Nine

  THEIR BEDCHAMBER WAS beyond luxurious, a combination sitting room, bedroom, walk-in wardrobe, and a bathroom fit for a queen. Serah smoothed her fingers across the marble counters, watching her reflection in the gilded mirrors strategically placed on every wall. Disrobing, she climbed the marble steps and slid into a bathtub the size of a small pool. The water was warm, flowing like silk over her fingers. She could get used to this.

  She heard her mates complaining about Brayne’s extravagant lifestyle, and she had to disagree. It suited her perfectly, especially the tub big enough for a siren.

  Let us feel the water, Thelix begged.

  She splashed the water with her tail and spun around, eyeing her mates with her chin resting on her knuckles.