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I wish I could say I was okay. That I didn’t miss the academy and the purpose I’d found there. That I didn’t think about my friends daily. I’ve taken to running again, usually in the mornings. But it’s not the same as training with the best Fae assassin in Everwilde.
Hefting my empty basket, I stride toward the house. I make it to the front porch steps when I see him. Cal leans against the top step with two of his friends. He’s laughing and slurring his words like he’s already drunk. When he sees me, he waves them back to the trio of four wheelers parked in our driveway.
The moment they leave, his demeanor changes. Gone is the drunk, stupid bully. In his place is a very alert, cruel Fae. His ears don’t change, but the Fae cunning glints inside his dark eyes.
“Wow,” I say, holding the laundry basket up like a battering ram. “What makes me special enough that I get to see the real you?”
A clever smile reveals large white teeth. “I thought you might have met him over there. Tell me. What’s my human changeling like?”
“Decent. Kind. Basically the opposite of you.”
“Ouch. You hurt my feelings.” He jerks his head toward the woods. “Come. I want to talk to you.”
I set the basket down and begin to follow him.
What am I doing?
I will my legs to stop walking, my mouth to scream. In my head, I know I don’t want to follow him, but I can’t help it. The long grass scratches against my bare ankles as we near the woods.
He turns, grinning. “You know, I always wondered why I couldn’t glamour you into doing things like the others.”
My heart lurches. I reach for my necklace . . .
“Looking for this?” His thick fingers pinch the stolen pendant as he holds it up, sunlight catching inside the ruby.
“When did you take it?” I demand, rage swirling inside me. That necklace contains the memory of my parents inside.
He plunges the pendant into his pocket and takes a step closer. “Why, while you were sleeping, Summer.”
A shiver wracks my body.
“It’s so easy to get inside your window. You should really stop leaving it open at night. And the salt . . .” He tsks. “Salt can’t hold out a powerful Fae like me. You know that.”
“What do you want?”
“Well I already got what I need. What I want is a different story.”
For some reason, my body begins to tremble. “Cal, what have you done?”
“So the Winter Prince has a name, after all,” Cal continues amiably. “Valerian Sylverfrost. Catchy.”
My blood runs cold. “Who have you told?”
“Do you know how many Fae want the prince dead? Man, that guy really isn’t popular.” He shrugs and then glances down at his gold watch. “He’ll be dead in about, say, four hours, give or take. Isn’t that what you want, Summer?”
Oh, God.
“You probably don’t remember, but after I took your necklace and glamoured you last night into giving me your precious prince’s name, I had you tell me all about your experience at the academy. Wow, that was entertaining. And that ending . . .” He laughs. “The irony is that it wasn’t even the prince who broke your heart.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Oberon’s beard, you’re adorable. You were so over your head at that school.” He closes the distance between us. I try to back away but he says, “No, stay.”
And I can’t resist him.
“Now, where was I? Oh, right. Bane Winterspell. He’s a nasty character. Did you know he can make his face look like anyone’s?”
My brain whirs as I try to make sense of his words. Where did Bane come from? He wasn’t even there that night . . .
