Page 4 of Faerie Trials

I didn’t agree with her saying she’d end up dead. Melia had been assigned as my tutor my first semester at the earth-side halfling academy, and not only was she beautiful, she had brains too. She always pushed me to do better, tobebetter. She was the only reason I’d ended up passing with top honors, thanks to her unwavering support and knowledge.

“I’m super nervous!” I said, and groaned when I took a bite of the casserole. So good. “I mean, there are so many hoops to jump through. It’s one thing after another. Not to mention, like you said, people have died during the trials. Students! Why would the kingdom allow such a savage spectacle?”

I shook my head as Melia brought a bite to her mouth. She spoke through the food. “Like you said. It’s a spectacle. The Fae love nothing more than drama and excitement. It helps break up the monotony of our endlessly boring lives.” She rolled her eyes. “There are certainly bad things about living forever, as I’m sure we’ll discover.”

“Well, I’m going to say this, and don’t repeat it, but I wish we were back in the human realm.” I rested my chin on my palm. “At least there we were all on the same page. I am way out of my depth here.”

“What can I do to help?” she asked immediately. “There has to be something I can do.”

“You’ve done enough. You’ve helped me a thousand times over. This is just something I have to get through. I mean, it can’t be this hard every semester. Right?” I think we both knew I was trying to convince myself, and nothing I said would do the trick.

“Well…they don’t call it the Elite Academy for nothing, Tavi. I’m not sure you should hang your hopes on things getting easier. If anything, they’re going to get worse.”

I didn’t like the way her words settled low in my gut. She was absolutely right, I knew, but I hated hearing it come from anyone. As though saying it out loud made it so much more real, those words stayed there, rock-hard, taking up space instead of the delicious dinner Melia had prepared for us. Nevertheless we spent an enjoyable night together talking and laughing and catching each other up on life. Except I didn’t have a life. Not really. Not outside of the constant pressure of school and work.

I made my way out of the small apartment and into the streets a few hours later, drawing in a deep breath of cold air. Wrapping my coat tighter around me, I walked toward the castle, toward the room I’d been forced to keep. It wasn’t home to me. I’m not sure it would ever be home no matter what personal touches I added. It was hard to relax with a monarch breathing down my neck.

There were few Fae on the streets this time of year, and especially at night. Mostly it was those who were adept at using magic to manipulate the air temperature around them to keep warm. I’d seen faeries wearing scraps of fabric like we were in the height of summer. I walked past them, keeping my head down to avoid unnecessary conversation or eye contact.

Would I ever get used to living here? Instead of expending energy on a spell, I wore old-fashioned faux fur-lined boots and a thick coat. I would need all of the energy I could hoard for tutoring tomorrow.

Footsteps sounded in front of me as I approached the castle courtyard. The three stories of impressive stone turrets grew taller the closer I came. I didn’t glance up at the tinkle of laughter other than to note the couple keeping close to each other, with their breaths mingling in a white mist in front of them.

I did, however, jerk when I recognized the man’s voice. I also recognized the man attached to the voice, the same one with his arm around a pretty girl.

The girl I didn’t know, but the sight of her walking so cozy next to Mike had me seeing red. Yet there he was, in all his majestic glory. A full-blood High Fae, he embodied the description perfectly, everything about him magical. Golden hair hung down past his pointed ears. Green eyes the color of spring grass narrowed when he laughed again at something witty the girl said.

It took him much longer to realize it was me walking toward him, and although I got a flash of pleasure from seeing the shock in Crown Prince Michael Thornwood’s eyes, it was nothing compared to the searing jealousy I felt at seeing him with another girl.

“Tavi,” he said quickly. His smile had disappeared when he noticed me and was slow to return. “What are you doing out so late?”

I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t find the frickin’ words to say to him after so many months of distance. So of course when I did, they came out in a ridiculous mishmash.

“I, ah…” I trailed off, biting my lip. Pointed over my shoulder like he would follow my tracks in the snow. “Melia. I had dinner with Melia. Squash casserole,” I added inanely.

He shot me a wide smile. “That sounds like a fun night.”

“Yeah,” I said. And I wanted to smack myself but my heart was racing. Inside, I felt like someone had squeezed me until I cracked. A smashed bag of potato chips with only crumbs left. Of course Mike was entitled to be with other girls. He and I weren’t an item. I’d made my stance on dating him clear because I knew it was a bad idea, and yet—

I wanted to strangle him. Then her. Maybe both of them at the same time. And I could do it, too. I had shifter strength neither of them knew about.

“Hey, this is—” He started to introduce the very pretty Fae he still had his arm around.

Nope, I was outta there. Not able to handle any of it. I didn’t want to know her name, or how they met, or anything about her. “Sorry, gotta go. Super long day tomorrow. Enjoy your night!”

I raced awkwardly past them, clomping through the snow and trying to pretend I wasn’t jealous. And angry. And hurt. No matter how my cheeks turned red and the rest of me felt like I’d swallowed a pin cushion.

Mike and I might not have designs on each other anymore—and most of that was on me—but it sure didn’t hurt any less to see him moving on with someone else.

I had a feeling it would always sting.

3

My head bobbed, threatening to drop right down in the center of the book I was reading as I teetered on the edge of sleep. Too many pages left and not enough hours in the night to get through them.

I had to make it to the next chapter or I’d start the next school term behind.Fancy that, my exhausted brain offered up the thought.Behind before you even begin. Never in my life had this been the case and yet it was a box I’d stayed stuck inside since coming here.

A tap at the window caught my attention. Insistent, three knocks in a row. I got the message immediately.

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