Curse of the Cruel and Lovely : Allied Kingdoms Academy 3 Page 13

Aenea walked in. “We need to get your things ready for tomorrow and get you down to the medical wing where they will place the kirune in your arm.”

  I guess she’d have to let me go or come with me. “I will do that but first I need to go see my friends.”

  “That boy who healed you?”

  Zyacus had healed me from the poison? I smiled thinking about it. “Yes. He’s in the woods.”

  Aenea’s mouth twitched. “I’ll go with you.”

  I grabbed her arm and spelled us into the outside in the region I assumed they’d be. Large maps couldn’t pinpoint an exact area.

  Aenea pulled away from me and stumbled back into a tree. She put a hand to her forehead and closed her eyes. Had she never done that before? “Some warning would have been nice.”

  An angry yell to the left sent an anxious jolt through me. I ran for whoever was in trouble. It wasn’t but a few strides before I found my boys. They were in a fight with three… vampires. Taz was pinned against a tree with a vampire’s fangs inches from his neck. His sword was rammed through the belly of the vamp, sticking out his back even but it wasn’t enough to stop the bloodsucker.

  Aric threw punches with another one. Zyacus had shifted into a wolf with his hackles high, circling around the biggest of the bunch. A pixie hung in the air above him, wailing at the top of her lungs.

  I threw a magical rope around the neck of the vampire attacking Taz before he could sink his teeth in and yanked hard. The vampire turned his head toward me and pulled the sword from his belly as if it didn’t even hurt. My rope around his neck didn’t seem to bother him either. I let it go and brought fire to both my hands. These things might not be afraid of the cold but everyone hated the flame. “You will be but a pile of ashes if you don’t stop.”

  Taz gave me a thankful smile but the vampire who’d attacked him prowled toward me.

  Aenea appeared beside me, sword drawn. “It’s a Night Court rival fight. We should stay out of it.”

  “No.” I fueled the fire in my hands higher as the vamp moved closer. I’d send a wall of fire at him if he didn’t stop soon. “Some of them are my friends.”

  “Not that one I presume,” she said looking at the one coming for me.

  “Nope.”

  In a flash Aenea dashed before him and with a half spin she sliced his head clean off. When it plopped on the ground and the body crashed, the others froze. “I am Aenea Snofury. You will leave now or suffer as your friend.”

  The two remaining vampires scurried away so fast they were a blur.

  I stared at Aenea with a smile growing on my face. “So it’s like that? I’m Aenea Snofury?”

  She laughed and stepped over the vampire’s body like it was nothing but a fallen log. “Astaroth isn’t the only one with a reputation.”

  Taz ran at me and crushed me in a hug. “It’s so good to see you!” After squeezing the breath from my lungs, he pulled back and examined my face. “You look different. The same but different.”

  “It’s a potion. I must pass as one of them. I’m glad you’re alright. I’ve been worried about you three.” I looked over his shoulder and Zyacus shifted back to his human form and changed into his clothes behind a narrow tree. The pixie hovered near him as if on guard. Had he made a new friend?

  Aenea and Aric stared at one another. She pointed the tip of her sword at him and looked at me. “I get the human boy, but this is one of your friends? He’s a blood drinker.”

  Aric shrugged but his face was full of shame. “It wasn’t my choice.”

  “Yes, he is my friend.” I smiled at him. “And a wonderful person, blood drinker and all.”

  Zyacus stepped out, throwing his shirt on. The pixie hovered beside him folding its arms with a smug expression. Protective little thing apparently.

  Aenea moved her sword point to him. “And a wolf?” Then her eyes widened. “Oh, the wolf… your prince. He was in the castle.”

  Zyacus gave me one of those “get over here” grins and I ran at him. I jumped into his arms and wrapped myself around his torso. Good pixie, I missed him and right now I didn’t have to hide my affection for him. My heart danced and I felt like singing all of a sudden and I didn’t even sing that much. My lips found his and I kissed him over and over until Aric started laughing.

  My cheeks warmed but I didn’t care what they thought at the moment. All I cared about was holding him. He gave me one firm squeeze then set me down.

  “I can’t believe you stabbed the Winter Prince,” Zyacus said, sounding bewildered and yet impressed.

  “You did what?” Aenea blurted going completely still.

  I may have been under her protection, but he was first and foremost her prince. I lifted my chin in defiance. “He was going to kill Zyacus. I had to do something.”

  Aenea’s mouth hung open. Everyone else was silent. She shook her head slowly. “You’re crazy, girl. Now I see why you are the one from the prophecy. You’re the only one with the gall to do it.”

  It was a crazy move, but it turned out with all of us walking away alive. “Well, let’s all hope I get the job done.”

  Glancing around the trees, Aenea said, “You will. We should get out of the woods.” She pointed at Taz. “This boy’s lips are blue. He’s freezing.”

  Taz touched his mouth as if he could feel the color. “I’ll be fine,” he said with a slight chatter of teeth. “Besides, I can’t go inside. Targus said I’d be killed.”

  Eyes still searching the area, Aenea said, “I presume you can use your magic to get him to our room. No one will bother us.”

  “The Winter Price said he’d kill me if he saw me again,” Zyacus said, not sounding particularly worried about it.

  “Then you better not let him see you.” Aenea lifted a shoulder. “If you’d rather stay out here, suit yourself.”

  I took the boys one at a time to our room. For extra precaution, Aenea placed a barrier spell that would make the room appear empty to anyone who looked inside. She didn’t want to get into trouble for harboring a human and a wolf faerie the prince hated any more than they wanted to get caught.

  Taz sat next to the fireplace with his hands outstretched. “Oh, this is heavenly. I haven’t been warm in a week.”

  Sir Gideon and the pixie were in an argument over who was a better companion. It sounded like a toddler fighting with an old man. Aenea paced the room like a nervous dog. Aric watched the door like his life depended on it. And I was in my own heaven. I sat on Zyacus’s lap with my head resting against his shoulder. He held my hand and I stroked the back of his with my thumb. Being apart from him made me realize how much he mattered to me. I was undeniably in love with the boy I grew up despising. I wished we could go home, go back to the academy and be together. I wanted nothing more than to lay out under the stars again and talk about trivial things. I wished our only worries were assignments in class and I never thought I’d wish that.

  “Why didn’t you write me back?” I asked. “What happened out there?”

  He twirled a piece of my hair around his finger. “For starters, the ink froze and was ruined.”

  Taz whipped his head around. “Holy Phoenix, Vis, Zyacus has a dragon companion now. She tried to freeze him first then we thought she was going to eat him. It was crazy.”

  My eyebrows shot up. “I knew you wanted a dragon but I didn’t expect you to find one here. Where is it?”

  Zyacus shot Taz a glare. “Thanks for stealing my surprise.” His face softened when he turned his attention on me. “I didn’t either but she’s beautiful. You’ll love her. She’s deep in the woods. She said the Fae try to kill her if she’s too close to the castle.”

  “With good reason we’d kill a dragon.” Aenea appeared confused. “What do you mean by ‘dragon companion’? It sounds like a contradiction.”

  “In our world some dragons choose a human companion they are loyal to for the rest of their lives,” I said. “My father has one.”

  Finally stopping her incessant pacing, Aen
ea sat on her bed. “Remarkable. Here they are thought of as wild hunters who would only see us as prey.”

  “That would describe most of them,” Aric explained. “But in some cases they attach themselves to a human.” Aric continued a long conversation about dragons with Aenea.

  But I didn’t want to talk about dragons. I got up and tugged for Zyacus to follow me. We stepped out onto the balcony and I gently closed the door behind us. Zyacus’s body pressed against mine, pushing me against the castle stone. He kissed me softly first on the neck, slowly making his way up to my ear. A chill went down my body and not from the cold. Soft kisses continued across my cheek then my lips. I wrapped my hands around the back of his neck and he lifted me so we were eye to eye. My heart hammered as I stared into his devastatingly blue eyes. I would never grow weary of marveling at them, or of the way he looked at me as if I were the only girl in the world.

  “Zyacus,” I whispered. I had to tell him. I had to tell him in case I died in the next couple of days. I couldn’t go to the next life without him knowing how I felt. Those three little words hung at the tip of my tied tongue.

  “What is it, Princess?” he kissed me again and then looked at me expectantly.

  “Are we back to calling each other that, Prince?” I giggled. That was our game in the beginning after all—don’t use the other’s name. It had always been Prince, Princess or in my case I preferred, prick or bastard. Oh, how things had changed.

  “Hmm,” he kissed my neck. “How about beautiful?” His gentle lips moved to my collar bone, “or sexy,” he moved to the other side sending more chills through me, “or... heart stealer.” He nipped my earlobe. “I think that one suits you.”

  I laughed. “Heart stealer, huh? Then yours shall be the heart conqueror.”

  He lifted his chin and met my eyes.

  “I love you, Zyacus.” I ran my fingers over his cheek. “If I die—”

  He put a finger to my lips. “Don’t ruin this moment for me with talk of dying.” He arched an eyebrow. “Say it again. I don’t know if I heard you clearly the first time.”

  I laughed and kissed him quickly. “I love you, Prince Zyacus.”

  19

  Visteal

  I winced as my arm was sliced and a piece of kirune metal the size of my thumbnail was shoved into the open wound. My stomach turned as my magic slowly faded to nothing. The comfort of knowing it hummed in me was gone, leaving a void that wouldn’t be filled without that stupid metal out.

  The healer stitched the wound up and put a salve over the top along with a bandage. Healing magic wouldn’t work either.

  “We will know if you’ve tampered with the wound to remove the metal,” the healer said. With a pat on my other arm, she sent me away. I was strapped with every weapon I could carry. My magic imbued bow that I’d won from Firo Hazelvale hung on my back along with twenty-five arrows. A sword at my hip. Two daggers in my boots and a small knife in my belt. I also had a small bag for food, a pot for heating, flint for fire, warming tea, and a blanket rolled and tied to the pack.

  Aenea and Bastian walked me outside where the other Chosen waited. I looked to the east tree line. Zyacus said he’d be there. I think he meant to follow me even though I told him not to. There would be Fae in the woods watching the Chosen and he and the boys couldn’t be caught out here with us. But when did the boys ever listen to me?

  Preeva, stood atop a raised platform before all the Chosen and the crowd around us. Astaroth and the King and Queen were behind us somewhere. I hadn’t bothered to turn around and look since my focus needed to be ahead, but Bastian said they were there.

  “Our lovely Chosen, the day has come for the race to begin!” Preeva shouted.

  “Oh, good gracious, how did I allow you to talk me into this,” Gideon said, sitting on his hindquarters, flicking his tail back and forth.

  Truth was I didn’t really have to talk him into it. He wanted to join but he would complain the entire time no doubt. Cats were like that.

  The crowd around us applauded. My stomach started to hurt. Chrishna stood next to me again. I swore she did it to get under my skin. Leaning toward me she said, “I hope you have made arrangements for your funeral.”

  I clenched my teeth and managed to keep my mouth shut. Exchanging in stupid threats wouldn’t do anything right now. Sir Gideon let out a low growl. “I hope we get the chance to take that one out,” he said into my mind.

  I nodded. I was sure the opportunity would arise. She seemed keen on taking me out. The wench had no idea who she was messing with.

  Preeva stopped clapping. “Now let us go over the rules. The Spear of Ice rests near the summit of Mount Winter. Magic is not permitted for the entirety of the race. If you are caught using it or with your kirune removed, you will be disqualified.” He took a breath. “No help from the outside. If you wish to quit—well then you’re a coward and will be treated as such.” The crowd laughed but none of the Chosen did.

  “Be careful of the beasts, for there are many. And finally, do whatever it takes to get the Spear of Ice. Once you have it, it’s not over. You must make it back to the castle with it in hand. Watch your back.” He raised his arms to his sides. “We look forward to meeting our new Princess upon your return!”

  The other Chosen took off into the wood. I turned back to Bastian and Aenea. “Thank you for everything,” I whispered. “I’ll see you when I get back.”

  Bastian gave me a warm smile and actually hugged me. “Be bold.”

  Aenea embraced me too. “If you have to take out every single one of them, so be it.” Ruthless. I think she might have won the last contest if Astaroth hadn’t called it off. Did she wish she could have won? Or was she happy with her husband and life now? I wanted to ask these things but I didn’t know if I ever would.

  My throat tightened as I turned away. I looked toward the royals. Astaroth was gone. Did he even care if I won now? Maybe he hated me more than his father at this point.

  I waved to Gideon to follow and dashed into the forest. It was better to be behind, then I knew no one was waiting to stab me in the back. Even though it was a race, it didn’t matter who got the Spear of Ice first. What mattered was who possessed it last.

  Gideon and I jogged for a while without seeing anyone. I didn’t even know exactly where I was going, just a general direction but I followed several sets of footprints. My boots crunched over the snow with surprising ease. Birds flew by tweeting loudly. It wasn’t as cold today. Even though the sunshine was dimmed because of the thick trees it still warmed the skin on my face as it peaked through. I slowed to a walk when my legs, lungs, and Gideon started to protest. We had three days of this. I couldn’t run the entire time. I knew this calm wouldn’t last but right now it was peaceful. A quiet breeze, birds chirping, those were the only sounds. A faint smell of pine.

  Gideon hopped onto a huge fallen tree and his head swiveled back and forth. “Looks clear.”

  I grabbed hold of a branch and pulled myself up. “Do you think it’s weird we haven’t seen anyone else? I hope we’re not going the wrong way.”

  Jumping off the log, Gideon said, “I think we should be grateful we have not seen anyone. There are still tracks. Perhaps they are still running. I bet we’ll catch up by sundown.”

  We walked for a while longer, following the tracks. Red droplets in the snow glittered in the sunlight. I froze. Gideon puffed up beside me making him look twice his normal size. “Proceed with caution, Princess.”

  I pulled my sword and cursed that I didn’t have my magic. My heartbeat ticked up when the droplets turned to puddles and disturbed snow, and broken branches showed signs of a struggle. I scanned the area, looking for someone or something. It could be a beast.

  “There,” Gideon said, raising a paw to the left. A lump at the base of a nearby tree. I couldn’t stop my instinct to go to someone fallen. I knew I should be glad that this was one less Chosen to contend with and that this woman would probably kill me if given a chance but I s
till had to see. Pearl hair against smoky black skin and a half moon tattoo on her forehead told me she was Night Court. Blood oozed from her side. Her eyes widened and she clawed at the sword just out of her reach.

  “I’m not going to kill you,” I said, standing a few feet away from her. I couldn’t kill someone like this. Truthfully, I didn’t even know why I went to her. It’s not like I could heal her. “How bad is it?”

  Her weary dark eyes looked me over from my toes to my face. “Bad enough,” she said and pressed her hand to her side. “Why are you here? You should go ahead.”

  “She is right,” Gideon said. “There is nothing you can do.”

  “Do you know how to heal? I can cut the kirune out of your arm so you can save yourself. You’ll be disqualified but alive.”

  She shifted and winced. “You would do that? Why?”

  “Because I hope someone would do it for me.”

  “They wouldn’t,” the girl said harshly. “Just go. I don’t want to owe you if I do live.”

  That was the way of the Fae. Any favor felt like a debt. I couldn’t in good conscience leave her and I didn’t want to waste more time, so I dropped to her side and tapped her arm. “Take your coat off. You won’t owe me.”

  She leaned forward to try to lift her arm out and fell back gasping for breath. “It hurts too much.”

  I pulled my boot dagger and sliced open her sleeve. Sticking my fingers between the fabric I ripped it open further until I could see the bandage. Pulling the gauze away, I inched my blade toward the stitches.

  A branch broke and I whipped around.

  The Night Fae woman hissed. “Shadow creature!”

  I jumped to my feet and held my sword ready to strike. “Where?” I saw nothing. The birds had gone completely silent, so something had to be here.

  Gideon climbed up a tree and perched on a branch. “I smell something rotten. How does one kill a shadow creature?”

  “I don’t know,” I answered. I hoped my Fae made sword would get the job done. I turned in a slow circle following the beast’s movement.