Page 4 of A Deception of Courts

“Should we toast to our success?” Althea asked from my side, lifting something before her. Carefully held between two fingers, she displayed a corked vial of brown liquid. Part two of our plan.

“I think that would be a splendid idea,” I retorted, joining Althea and taking an identical vial from my chest pocket and holding it up.

One by one, the others followed suit, drawing free a vial of tonic. Our corks popped in tandem, discarded on the cobbled street without a second thought.

Seraphine had explained many times how she didn’t succumb to Aldrick’s mind control during her infiltration into his inner circle. The tonic the assassin twins ingested daily –Mariflora– was basically a flower ground up into a paste and diluted with liqueur. The flora, although native to a particular woodland in the Elmdew Court, was currently being farmed in the basement of one of the buildings that now burned deep in the Cage.

After tonight, we wouldn’t need to take the necessary precautions to keep Aldrick from grasping control of our minds. We would be far from this wretched city by morning, as long as we were successful–

No, Robin. Focus.

“Bottoms up,” Duncan said, winking at me. My breath hitched in my throat; scarlet threatened to overcome my cheeks.

“You wish,” I whispered.

“Oh, I do.” Duncan’s tongue departed from his lips a second before he pressed the vial to them and cocked his head back.

“Fuck,” Kayne grunted, shaking his head like a dog. “Disgusting.”

Althea squinted at the vial, not an ounce of disgust across her face. In fact, she brought the empty vial to her mouth and licked the dribble of tonic that escaped down its side. “Grow a pair, Kayne. I’m sure you’ve had worse in your mouth.”

The Mariflora burned down my throat, not leaving an inch untouched. It took effort not to choke on a laugh as I watched Kayne’s face turn as red as his hair.

At least he had sense in not joining a verbal duel with Althea. No one would win against her.

“Now we’ve all had some good-old liquid courage,” I said, my mouth feeling like I was breathing fire. “Care to do the honours, Althea?”

She no longer held her empty vial. In its place was a bud of golden fire. It threw light across her concealed face, highlighting the wolfish grin contorting her freckled, beautiful face.

“I cannot even express how much I have looked forward to setting this place alight.” Her fire grew in size, sharing in her excitement.

“Oh, we know,” Duncan added, with a friendly roll of his verdant eyes. “It’s all you’ve been talking about since you first stepped foot in it. Not up to scratch for a princess, is it?”

Althea’s grin intensified, flashing teeth at Duncan, who only returned her smile – even if that was not the reaction she was looking for. “I prefer my beds off the floor and covered in at least eight pillows.”

“Then light it up,” I said, secretly feeling the same as Althea. Even if the fire did burn away the grime, mould and stench of the building, I didn’t think my skin would be rid of its memory quite so easily.

“With pleasure…” Althea lifted her arm back as though the fire in her palm was a ball, and she was ready to throw it. “Time to break into a prison and free some fey.”

I nodded, grinding my teeth, body vibrating with the need to see this to the end.

Althea rolled her shoulders back, tilted her head downward and flashed teeth, offering us all a warning. “Run.”

CHAPTER 2

It didn’t take long until Lockinge was bathed in flames. And the more those sparks ignited, the harder it was to clear the smile from my face.

Smoke billowed from the countless buildings engulfed in the raging inferno. The heavy presence blanketed the already obsidian sky until the moon and stars were no longer visible. If it wasn’t for the mask of dark material I’d pulled across my lower face, I would’ve tasted ash and charred oil across my tongue, because the air of the city was thick with it.

Duncan kept pace beside me, thick-muscled arms pounding at his sides. Kayne led the party with his hawk slicing through the sky. Althea drew up the rear, though I couldn’t see her as my focus was pinned on the castle ahead. The slapping of her footfalls and laboured but controlled breathing informed me she was close.

Even as humans flooded, sleepy-eyed and terrified, from their homes, I couldn’t help but delight in my excited exuberance.

It’s fucking working.

I only risked a moment to glance over my shoulder to see our plan in fruition. Stretching wide across the cramped, dark streets and lanes of the Cage were buds of tangled flames as every dwelling belonging to the Asp burned.

The sacrifice of the Asp’s many hideouts was meant only as a distraction. Something to draw the Kingsmen and Hunters from the castle to investigate the destruction and manage the chaos. This was our way of clearing a path to allow entry back into the castle grounds and back to the place we’d not long escaped. Our return was solely for one purpose. To break into the prison and free the hundreds of fey trapped far beneath the city.

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