Page 18 of Fae Games

She waved away my question with a dismissive flick of her wrist. “The answer is immaterial. Do you accept the truce, or would you like to continue hostilities?”

“Say yes,” Flora whispered under her breath. “For fuck’s sake, accept the truce.”

My jaw clenched. This had to be some kind of trick. Maybe it was a glamor, and the fated weren’t really standing in the courtyard. I could be making a deal with a dark creature who would sling me over its shoulder and imprison me in its lair. I fumbled into my blazer pocket for one of the salt sachets and tore it open with my fingers.

“What are the terms?” I asked, stalling for time.

Lady Aster placed her hands on her hips. “Prince August is working with the Duke of Medietas to investigate Helenium’s claims. At some point, the king’s guard will question you.”

“So?” I pulled my hand out of my pocket and coughed.

“Are you alright?” asked Lady Gazania.

More salt crystals than I had anticipated fell onto my tongue, making me wince. “Fine!”

The dark-skinned faerie tilted her head. “You don’t look—”

“She said she was fine,” snapped Lady Aster.

Saliva flooded my mouth, my cheeks hollowed, and my lips puckered like I’d sucked the sourest of lemons. Tears flooded my eyes. This was dire.

“What do you say?” said Lady Aster, impatience lacing her voice. “Truce or war?”

I blinked the tears out of my eyes. When my vision cleared, it was to find Lady Aster standing alone with her two friends. I blinked again, wondering whether this was some kind of trick. Why would they make me think all these people had come out to witness our truce?

Keeping the suspicion out of my voice, I said, “Why do you want a truce with me?”

Lady Salix clutched her hands to her chest. “Last night, we discovered several things about our former friend.”

I tilted my head to the side. “For example?”

The green-haired faerie clapped a hand over her mouth, and her eyes glistened with tears. “What she did to poor Helenium of Medietas was disgusting. Gala’s ambition knows no bounds.”

She shook her head, leaving another accusation unsaid. That Lady Gala was so desperate to become a fated mate that she would not only steal Helen’s magic but murder her own mother as a distraction from being accused.

My eyes narrowed. I didn’t need the nose of a centaur to smell bullshit, and these three stank.

My gaze bounced to Lady Gazania, who hunched her shoulders, looking like she wanted to be anywhere else but here. “Then why did you send Helen to the Dark Fae Prison?”

“Enough chatter,” snapped Lady Aster. “Are you in or out?”

I stared the trio down. Lady Gazania seemed to wilt under my glare, and the flames of her hair dimmed to a dull yellow. Lady Aster’s nostrils flared, giving me the impression she would do something drastic if I refused her offer. Lady Salix’s lips trembled, and she held onto her friend’s shoulder, presumably for support.

Right now, I had seen and heard enough. Raising my nose to the cloudless sky, I said, “I’ll leave my chances to fate, thank you.”

Lady Salix and Lady Gazania looked to their friend for guidance, but Lady Aster hissed like a scalded wildcat. “You’re siding with Gala? She’s the one whose idea it was to have you banished to Dubnos!”

“I’m siding with no-one, but thanks for the offer.” Raising my head to address an imaginary Mistress Ellyllon, I shouted, “I’ll discuss my reasons with you later, headmistress!”

Lady Aster placed her hand in her pocket and pulled out a glittering, round ball. “Die, bitch!”

A spike of adrenaline lanced through my heart, urging me to move. Jumping back into the remedial building, I grabbed Flora and slammed the door shut.

A heartbeat later, something boomed, making the wood rattle.

“Come on.” I grabbed Flora’s arm and headed for the back door. “We have to leave.”

“You fucking idiot.” Flora shoved me hard on the shoulder, slamming me against the stone wall. “What did you do that for? The headmistress told you this truce was your only chance of survival!”