Page 73 of Fae Trials

My brows drew together. “What on earth for?”

“You’re ruthless enough to rule the Winter Court.”

“What are you, some sort of masochist?” I shoved him hard in the chest, but he didn’t fall onto his ass as I had wanted. Growling with frustration at my inferior strength, I turned toward the ice.

“Unity,” he said.

“Fuck off.” I drew my fist back and slammed it, iron knuckles and all, into the sphere, making it shatter.

I stepped out into a cool wind swirling from the direction of the waterfall and spraying tiny droplets of sweet water onto my face. I lapped them up and moved away from the Prince.

The sun dipped behind the mountain tops, coloring the horizon the hue of blood.

“Right then,” I marched alongside the river, clenching my fists. “It’s time to win this fucking round.”

Chapter 20

“Bloody bastard.” The uphill march toward the academy made my thighs ache, and the setting sun shone on my back like a magnifying glass.

I should have burned Prince Caulden’s dick off with that cock-ring. As if I would mate with a guy who threatened to freeze my body. What was wrong with these royal faeries?

I kept to the riverside, which meandered a curved path away from a dense forest. By now, my uniform had dried, and splotches of slime covered my once pristine blazer and skirt.

Why couldn’t I have been fated to mate with a decent faerie, like Pokeweed? I clenched and unclenched my fists. Right, because that dying freak with the bat wings had cursed me to suffer.

With each furious step, the lump of pyre stone weighed heavily in my blazer pocket, making muffled clanks against my iron dagger. In thirty minutes or so, I would reach the academy and win the trial. If anyone accused me of cheating, I would tell them to prove it. Prince Caulden was bound by magic into silence.

A rustle of leaves made me glance into the woods. I couldn’t see anything but trees, but I edged toward the waterside, just in case. Seconds later, something in my peripheral vision moved.

They looked like pixies, except they were green from the foliage covering their heads to the bark covering their svelte, little bodies. Instead of bumblebee wings, theirs seemed to be made of ginkgo leaves, and they wore loincloths made of tree bark.

I clenched my teeth. “Wood sprites.”

This was my first time seeing such a creature. Most humans knew better than to wander around in the forests on the mound. They were the home of all manner of nature faeries, ranging from the mischievous to the malevolent. Wood sprites could be either, depending on whether they served a master.

Keeping my gaze straight ahead, I continued trudging up the slope. Perhaps if I ignored them, they would go away.

“Oi!” said a high-pitched voice.

A frustrated huff escaped my nostrils, and I quickened my pace. According to legend, they were weak against fire. Too bad I didn’t have any.

“I’m talking to you,” shouted the little sprite.

“Fuck off,” I muttered under my breath.

Quiet footsteps approached from behind. I spun around, holding my iron dagger like a shield.

About a dozen of the wretched creatures circled me, each holding little swords carved from wood.

“What do you want?” I snarled.

The largest sprite, one with hair that looked like tufts of couch grass, made stabbing motions at me with its sword. “We have a message from Lady Salix.”

A spike of anger shot through my insides. I couldn’t remember ever exchanging a word with the green-haired faerie. The cowardly little twerp couldn’t even face me herself.

I placed my hands on my hips. “How on earth did someone like Salix get such noble creatures to run her errands? Wood sprites are supposed to be the kings of the forest.”

The sprite puffed out his chest. “We are, and don’t you forget it.”