Curse of the Cruel and Lovely : Allied Kingdoms Academy 3 Read online

  Several jeers came from some people in the front row. Wrong answer?

  Preeva laughed. “Hmm so perhaps something has happened romantically. I guess it would be unbecoming to speak of it here.”

  “No,” I quickly blurted out. The last thing I wanted was for more of the girls to hate me more by thinking I had more of a relationship with him than they did. It would only bring more attempts to off me. “No, nothing like that.”

  “No?” he prodded.

  “We are slowly getting to know each other as is every other contestant, no doubt.” I covered my lie with a grin.

  “We’ll speculate it was your beauty and connections that got you selected then. We appreciate you talking with us, Saffire.” He tilted his head to send me on my way. As I hurried off the stage, he yelled, “Next Chrishna Iceguard shall dazzle us with her talents.”

  I hurried off stage and found Aenea and Bastian waiting at the bottom of the set of stairs. “Why did you hesitate to shoot for so long?” Bastian demanded.

  My eyes did a quick check. There were too many Fae nearby to tell the truth. “We can discuss that later.”

  “Come,” Bastian said, waving at me to follow him as he walked. “I’ve got word of what is to come next. You need to prepare.”

  17

  Zyacus

  An icy breeze hit my face when I stepped outside of the castle. I didn’t think I’d ever get used to this weather. I found myself dreaming of home with the warm sun and mild winters where in my part of Hesstia it didn’t snow often.

  I kept telling myself I wasn’t running away from Astaroth, but it felt that way. It felt like I was letting down Visteal. What was I supposed to do to help now? She’d stabbed the prick to save me, and I’d gotten myself on the Prince’s hit list. Would he retaliate against her because of me? Gods, I hoped not. If he really hurt her, I didn’t care how powerful he was I’d find a way to murder him.

  A pair of guards watched me with severity as I passed. I didn’t look like them with their stupid pointed ears and strange faces. All they would see me as was an outsider—a human. I guess I wasn’t though, was I? I was what they called a lesser faerie, a wolf shifter. That’s what Targus had said. Could they sense that part of me? I guess if they didn’t, they’d have killed me right then. Humans weren’t allowed near this castle. The king had forbidden it hundreds of years ago when the prophecy came about.

  I avoided eye contact and vanished. I appeared at one of the stables where I’d left Taz and Aric. Targus told them to stay out here and pretend to work with the animals, and most importantly, not draw attention to themselves. Taz especially. If Taz was found, he’d be killed on the spot. I had no idea where Targus had gone. He’d showed me into the castle then left.

  When I climbed the ladder to the loft room of the horse barn where the boys sat wrapped in thick cloaks, they turned. Taz rolled dice and then jumped up. “Yes! I win. You owe me.”

  Aric stared at me with such an intense expression I couldn’t fathom why. “What did you wager to look so shameful?” I asked.

  He got up and moved far across the room. “Your face.”

  I lifted my eyebrows. “My face? As much as Taz might want this handsome mug, I don’t think it was yours to wager, Aric.”

  “No,” Taz said pointing at me. “You’re bleeding.”

  I touched my cheek. I still had the slice Nightfrost had given me, and Aric probably smelled the fresh blood before I even got up here. I turned away, put my hand to my face and healed it immediately. Then I opened a narrow closet and pulled out a rag. I wiped away as much blood as I could. “Sorry, Aric.” How long had it been since he last had a drink? He’d taken blood from animals on the way but the last I remembered was three days ago. Aric told me if he didn’t have blood every day, he started losing his fragile control.

  “We should go to the woods and get you something to eat,” I said, tossing the rag down the ladder. I grabbed one of the cloaks hanging on a hook and threw it over my shoulders. Even though we were inside it was still as cold as an ice dragon’s breath in here.

  Taz gave Aric a wary glance.

  “I’m alright,” Aric said although by his stiff posture it looked like he stopped breathing.

  “No, let’s go. We can’t stay up here forever anyway. We need to eat too.”

  “Tell us how you got that cut in the first place,” Aric said.

  After I told them what happened in the castle, Taz folded his arms. “Only you would go into the castle for two seconds and have the most powerful man in this realm want to kill you.”

  I smirked. “I’d say it wasn’t my fault but it probably was.”

  We slid down the ladder and out into the open. The stables were far enough from the castle itself I hoped we wouldn’t draw the attention of any guards. Taz kept his hood up just in case. I let my head stay exposed, so we didn’t look suspicious. Aric didn’t even wear a cloak. This weather didn’t bother him being a vampire. I figured that was enough for the Fae not to stop and question us.

  We passed a couple groups of Fae, some with silvery-gray skin, some blue, some as pale as the snow itself. They were all so strange looking. I didn’t understand what made them think they were more attractive than us.

  One of the blue-skinned Fae gathered a huge snowball and launched it, hitting a flying pixie. The tiny thing went down in a heap. A few seconds later it burst free and flew at its attacker with unrelenting speed. Tiny fists hammered the Fae who’d thrown the snowball, but it clearly didn’t bother him. With a flick of his finger the pixie went sailing and landed near my feet.

  I bent down and scooped it up. The small blue body wore a tattered cloth that may have been a dress or robe at one time. Its iridescent wings shook off the snow. I brushed it off the top of its furry white head. I couldn’t tell if it were male or female. It didn’t have any distinguishing gender features.

  “You alright, little one?”

  Huge dark eyes for one so small looked up at me. Its placid face turned savage and then it latched into my finger, teeth sinking in.

  I hissed and tried to pull it off.

  Aric laughed. “That’s what you get for trying to help the rabid thing.”

  “Stop biting,” I said through clenched teeth. “Or I’ll crush the life out of you.”

  The creature pulled back and stared up at me. It blinked a few times. Its lips shined with my blood.

  “I pick you up to help and this is how you repay me?” I didn’t know if it could understand but I thought I’d try. This pixie was different from the ones back home, less humanoid and more animal-like.

  “Big faerie mean.” It—no—she said in a light voice. “Big faerie hurt.”

  “I don’t want to hurt you. You’re such a beautiful pixie.” Actually, I was hoping the creature might be able to be a guide. We needed someone to be able to show us around. Targus was a lost cause at this point. His loyalty was to Nightfrost and I was sure the Prince would tell him he wanted me out if not dead.

  She suddenly beamed wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. The action smeared the blood making her look feral. “Me b-b—” she growled and punched herself in the head. “Booti-fful?”

  I quietly laughed at the poor thing. Aric had taken several steps away and had his back to us. He smelled the blood no doubt. Taz however folded his arms. He leaned close and whispered, “It bit you. Why are you being nice?”

  The pixie was still grinning looking back and forth between Taz and me with seemingly no clue what he said.

  “We need someone on our side.”

  Taz smiled with a nod. “Oh.” He looked to the pixie. “Certainly you’re beautiful. Just look at those wings and that cute little face.”

  She cocked her head to the side and simply nodded vigorously.

  I whistled at Aric and started walking with the pixie still in my palm. “Would you like to join us for a walk in the woods? Are you hungry? We can find something for you.”

  “You—” her big smile dropped.
“Big faerie help—me?” Had she never been shown any kindness from the faeries before?

  “Certainly.” We were almost to the tree line when we approached another trio, I guessed to be vampires; they had the red eyes. They watched me specifically with a hatred I didn’t think I deserved. My skin crawled when they got closer. I still harbored disgust for the bloodsuckers. Aric was the only exception.

  As we passed each other one man looked straight at Aric. “Traitor,” the bloodsucker said.

  Aric kept his eyes ahead as if he hadn’t heard. This wasn’t the academy back home. Fights here could mean exposure or death for us all.

  “Bad.” The pixie pointed at the vamps as they drifted away. She fluttered her wings and flew up to my shoulder and sat. “I stay here. You p-p-p—” she groaned, “tect me.”

  “What’s your name?” I asked.

  “Pixie.”

  I smiled. “I know that’s what you are. What is your name?”

  She stared dumbfounded then started playing with my hair. “Pixie.”

  “I think you have a new girlfriend, Zy.” Taz laughed.

  “Turns out all you have to do is show a little kindness to the creatures around here.”

  “I still can’t believe the dragon didn’t eat you,” Taz said. “How are you so lucky? Not only are you”—he lowered his voice—“a prince,” he then spoke louder, “but you’re talented and intelligent and incredibly good looking, also apparently a creature whisperer.”

  “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you got yourself a little crush on me, Taz.”

  He rolled his eyes. “What I am is baffled that some people get all the luck in this world while people like me get left in the dirt.”

  “Oh, come on.” I laughed. “You’re a good-looking man, you have magic, you’re a good fighter, right, Aric?” Taz had grown on me but he needed to quit with the self-loathing. “What you need is a set of balls. If you like a girl, go after her.”

  I stepped over a large tree root sticking out of the snow. Aric jumped up to a branch and swung forward. When he landed, he turned to face us.

  “Show off,” I said.

  “Zy is right. You got things going for you. Quit comparing yourself to us. And if you do, well at least you’re not a vampire.”

  Pixie on my shoulder hissed at him as if to prove Aric’s point. Hates vampires—check.

  Taz chuckled. “I guess I do have the whole magic-born human thing going for me.”

  “Human?” Pixie questioned.

  Great… “He’s only half human and not a vampire is what Aric implied.”

  The pixie gave Taz a scrutinizing stare. “Can’t be half Fae. Too ugly.”

  Taz rubbed his face and groaned. “Oh thanks, Pixie. What a nice compliment. Way to make me feel better.”

  She beamed clearly not understanding sarcasm. “Maybe half ogre!” Pixie said excitedly.

  “Ogre?” Taz wailed.

  “Shh.” Aric put a finger to his lips. “We’re being hunted.”

  18

  Visteal

  Wrapped in my fur coat I stood on a balcony outside facing the forest. I watched my clouded breath as I exhaled. The tops of the snow-covered trees slowly shifted in a light wind. When I heard the growl of a beast and shortly after the cry of another animal I shuttered. What was out there?

  I heard the door close behind me and turned. Bastian stepped out from inside his chambers. “Pardon the delay.”

  “What is in store for tomorrow? I hope no more ridiculous dresses or displays of talents.”

  His usually placid face turned grim. “That was the easy part I’m afraid. The race begins tomorrow. You will have three days to get to the Spear of Ice.” He pointed in the distance to a white mountain. “It’s near the summit.”

  “I can use magic and get there in seconds. My power is not limited like others.” But somehow I knew that wasn’t going to happen. There would be some stipulation. There always was.

  Bastian half smiled. “If only that were so. Unfortunately, I’ve been informed that all Chosen will not be allowed magic for the duration of the race.”

  “How can they enforce that? Everyone will cheat.”

  “They want an even match. A piece of kirune will be embedded into your arm.”

  My mouth dropped. So they did have the magic suppressing metal here. “No. I could die without it.”

  “It is a risk all Chosen must take.”

  I pulled my coat tighter around myself, pulling the hood up. I needed more of Aenea’s warming tea. “You’re forgetting that I don’t actually care to win. Shouldn’t I be here at the castle where the king is?”

  “This is your only chance. I’ve been informed that the Chosen winner will kneel before King Valefrost and hand him the spear herself. That is how you get close to him. That is how you kill him. The Spear of Ice is the key.”

  I groaned. If I didn’t have my magic I could freeze to death before any of the other Chosen killed me. “Then say you put the kirune in but don’t. I will win this race. I won’t make it look like I used magic.”

  “You know I cannot lie, Visteal. And if you are caught, you’ll be disqualified.” He shook his head. “You’ve been trained. You can survive these woods. You know how to make a fire, don’t you? A makeshift shelter? You’re excellent with weapons.”

  “Without my magic my odds of winning go down significantly. I was not born for this weather, Bastian.” I had taken wilderness survival classes at the academy and did some exploring in my home world but never in winter. I could make a fire. I could hunt and fight. My endurance should be up to par but that was all assuming I didn’t get frostbite or die from temperature exposure. Three days in this? My teeth were already on the verge of chattering and I hadn’t even been out here for an hour.

  “I’ll give you plenty of warming tea. It is allowed. You’re not the only one who struggles in the cold. The Night Fae do not acclimate to this either.”

  “Will the kirune not negate the magic potion you gave me to look half Fae? They could stick the kirune in my arm and I could suddenly look like the human me.”

  His eyebrows lifted and his mouth twisted. Got him on that one.

  After several long moments passed, he said, “It should hold.”

  “Should and will are very different things.”

  Bastian went inside and returned with a black-bladed knife. Without even warning me he pressed the blade against my cheek. The cold metal began to fade my magic. I grabbed a handful of my hair—the blue held strong. Ugh.

  I lifted my eyebrows. “What’s to stop me from cutting it out of my arm?”

  “Nothing,” Bastian said with a shrug. “I suggest you do so if it’s that or die. But as I said, if you’re caught, you’re disqualified. There will be spotters in the woods, spying and reporting.”

  “Fine.” I sighed and investigated the trees again. “What sort of beasts are out there?”

  “The most dangerous creatures will be the other Chosen. You must be prepared to kill or be killed.” He let that linger for a moment.

  My stomach twisted a little. I didn’t want to kill anyone but if it were them or me? I knew I was capable. I’d done it before. After all it’s what I’d trained to do.

  “But the second most dangerous will be the shadow creatures. The same beast you saw following us from the cottage to the castle. They’re fast and their form can shift from solid to a shadowy cloud. There are also white trolls, winter ogres, imps, bears, winter wolves, giant snow cats and occasionally dragons. All will kill you if given a chance.”

  I said nothing as I stared into the trees letting my eyes unfocus. Holy phoenix, how was I going to do this? This world was made to kill humans like me.

  Bastian touched my arm getting me to look at him. “It is destiny you should win, Princess. Do not doubt.”

  A smile pulled at my lips as I thought of something. “Can I bring my cat?”

  Bastian chuckled. A rare thing for him. “There isn’t a rule against a
n animal companion. He complains a lot. Are you sure he’ll go?”

  “It might take some bribery.”

  We both stood there quiet for a moment. Then Bastian broke the silence. “You need to apologize to Astaroth. If you were anyone else, he would have killed you.”

  “No,” I shot back immediately. “I warned him. I told you before I love Zyacus. I will do anything for him. Besides, he would never apologize to me.”

  “You are correct but if you want his aide during the race…”

  “Isn’t that cheating?”

  “He’s the Winter and Night Prince. He does what he pleases.”

  I folded my arms. I would do this without his help. I didn’t want to owe him any more than I did. Didn’t I already owe him enough? The death of his father was on me. I also wasn’t entirely sure what the bargain meant when I bartered with him to save Legacy and Atticus weeks ago. He’d forced me to wear the crown he’d enchanted, which left the tattoos but was there more to it? I never asked him. I didn’t dare.

  “Suit yourself. The race begins in the morning.”

  After Bastian left me in his room with a cup of warming tea, I pulled a map from his bookshelf and laid it on a small table. He said he’d send Aenea up soon. I was hoping to be out of there before she arrived.

  I already sent Zyacus a note without a response. So this time I would find him another way. I’d pulled a hair of his before we were forced apart, knowing I might need to track him. I set the black hair on the map and chanted the locating spell my grandmother taught me. The hair slowly slid across the map to an area just outside the castle, stopping in the woods. I looked out to the balcony. I’d heard a beast kill something out there and that’s where he was? I didn’t know why I was so paranoid of him dying since I hadn’t seen his death but the more I worried the more I thought my gift might not work on faeries and he was one of them. I hadn’t seen any vampire deaths before they died. I took a step toward the balcony and the door opened.