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The professor draws near to the longbow and quiver in question, a bright gleam in his eyes. “Why it would kill me dead, boy. This bow gives its master speed and unrivaled marksmanship.”
“Were they all used in battles against other Fae?” I ask, mesmerized.
“Some. But just as many were used against darklings.”
“Even back then?” Reina asks, her love for the dark weapons matching my own.
“Oh, yes. Darklings in some form have always existed in our lands—although not to the degree they infest it now. During the ancient battles between troll and Fae, the troll created darklings using the same forbidden magic that permeates these weapons. In fact,” the professor reaches out his fingers as if to touch the tassel hanging from the quiver, then smartly thinks better of it, “a Fae princess once used this bow to kill a hundred darklings in less than a minute.”
I stare in wonder at the seemingly simple longbow, bands of iron and turquoise embedded in the ironwood. An inscription is gilded at the bottom of the leather quiver.
May every arrow find its mark the way you did my heart.
I hardly breathe as I stare at the weapon, wondering who the inscription could be for.
“You are lovely, aren’t you?” I hear myself purr before Mack grabs my arm and drags me over to a crossbow that’s supposedly haunted.
Forget the Winter Prince. I need to find a boyfriend who dedicates a forbidden weapon to me.
43
“Are you sure you don’t want to come home with me?” Mack asks. She tries to hide the worry in her voice but it’s there, along with two lines that crinkle between her dark brows whenever she’s uneasy.
I shake my head. “I’ll be fine. It might be nice to be alone for a few days, and I have to catch up on reading for Potions and Poisons class.”
She snorts. “You’ve aced every single test so far in that class. In all our classes. I think you’ve even surpassed me for highest grade in our class. Surely you can relax for a few days?”
Sighing, I give her a huge hug. How I lucked out in landing Mackenzie Fairchild as my BFF, I’ll never know. But I can’t tell her that being at her house, watching her family celebrate Christmas, will remind me too much of my family. Not without ruining her holiday, too.
And no way I’m doing that.
“Go. And I’m expecting something fancy and expensive as a present when you get back,” I say, my voice sounding cheerful despite the sudden flood of loneliness. “Mack,” I call as she walks away.
She flips around. I can tell by her hopeful smile she thinks I might change my mind.
“Merry Christmas.” Tears sting the back of my throat, and I blink to keep from shedding them.
“Happy Yule, Summer.”
Once she’s out of sight, I trudge across campus to the prince’s tiny mansion. The setting sun colors the frozen surface of the lake rosy pink and tinges the sky tangerine. Sunlight. I’d almost forgotten what it felt like on my skin.
Come to think of it, the weather has been better lately. The prince’s mood has improved, I suppose. I’d kill to know what—or who—is responsible for that shift.
My gaze wanders the rest of the grounds.
If not for the pointy-eared inhabitants and the bitter, numbing cold, this place would be beautiful beyond anything I’ve ever known.
Especially now with the campus decorated for Yule. Large clusters of silver bells hang from evergreen trees, their tinkling a constant song. Streamers waft around totem poles for each court, placed all over the campus by the second years. They also strung our dormitories with strings of colorful orbs. The magical glow lights the dusky sky.
In the distance, candlelight flickers inside the arched windows of Queen Titania’s temple. Shadow students aren’t allowed to participate in any of the temple celebrations until second year, but I’ve heard rumors of Fae and humans alike offering sacrifices during the Winter Solstice.
I glance at the sky above the prince’s house. Pale smoke drifts from the tall stone chimney. He’s home. Surprising, since most of the Fae have already left to join their families for the long holiday weekend.
I can’t tell from my chaos of emotions whether I’m happy or disappointed he’s here.
More like terrified, since I saw Eclipsa leave for her family’s palace in the Lunar Court half an hour ago.
Here, alone. Together.
