Before shifting to the Winter Court, I dropped Sophia off at the Academy. She was shaken up after the incident at the Spring Court, and she was desperate to make sure that Lila and the other changelings were okay.

“Looks like it was just a bluff,” I said when we strolled through the Academy’s doors to find the halls no more chaotic than they normally were. Changelings bustled about, enjoying the freedom of a week without classes. The normality of it struck me suddenly, and my chest ached because of it. My life had changed dramatically in the past few days, even more dramatically than it had when I’d first come to Otherworld.

It was hard to imagine that things would ever return to how they were before. It was even harder to imagine we would make it through this alive.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?” she asked for what I swore was the hundredth time.

“I’m positive.” With a smile, I dropped my hands on her shoulders and squeezed. “Thank you, Sophia. I know you were scared back there, but you kicked ass. Just so you know...I didn’t mean what I said to Phelan.”

“I know,” she said, smiling back. “Now, go on and get your mates back. Just please be careful. Okay?”

“Sure,” I said. But I wasn’t going to be careful. I was going to tear the whole place down.

* * *

With the borders now open, I was able to shift straight to the Winter Court within moments. I didn’t know exactly where I was going, since I’d only ever visited a mountaintop with Kael, so I had to shift around a bit before I landed on the right spot I’d picked out on the map: the Winter Court’s castle.

Snow fell heavily from a cloud-studded sky, casting the entire looming castle in a white mist. It sat on the side of a steep mountain with jagged rocks overlooking a snowy canyon below. As for the castle itself, it was taller and wider than all of the other Court’s castles combined. Each corner rose in a sharp peak, towering high over the trees that were weighed down by everlasting snow.

In any other circumstance, I would yearn to stop and rake my eyes across the Winter beauty. It was such the opposite of Summer, and yet just as breathtaking. My breath puffed out as a cloud before my face. It was cold here. Bitterly cold, but the bite on my cheeks made me feel alive.

Inside this castle, I was certain I would find Queen Viola. She’d come here last for a reason. The magic she wished to cast relied on the ice here in Winter. She would need to stay here until she’d completed the transfer of power. I just had to hope I could stop her before then.

I took two steps toward the castle, my feet sinking into the snowy ground.

“There she is,” came a voice from behind me.

I whirled, hand clutching the stone I’d hidden deep within my cloak. The shadow spell kept me hidden, and yet—

“Footsteps,” Alastar said to the Summer fae beside him, pointing at the indentations in the snow. He was bundled up in at least three different cloaks. Summers were never good at handling the colder weather.

Shit. I took a step back, but that wasn’t about to help the situation in the least. Anywhere I turned, snow packed the ground. I’d never be able to lose them, not when they could track me like this.

“No need trying to hide, changeling,” Alastar said. “And it will be better for everyone if you just come with us.”

I dropped the shadows. There was no point in clinging onto them if the fae knew where I stood.

“Where are my mates?” I asked in a steely voice.

Alastar snorted, and the Summer beside him barked out a laugh. “You can’t be serious. You’re calling them your mates now? Queen Viola isn’t going to stand for that.”

“Where are they?” I curled my hands tight into fists. “What have you done with my mates?”

“Queen Viola has them,” Alastar said. “And you know what? I bet she’ll even let you see them, as long as you come with us.”

* * *

Despite every desire to slam my fist into Alastar’s face, I gave up my sword and my daggers and my stone, and I let him twist my hands around my back. His Summer friend tied my wrists together with rough rope, and they pushed me along the snow until we reached the entrance to the Winter Court’s throne room.

The enormous room was packed with fae, a sight that made my heart drop into the pit of my stomach. The Summer Hunters were all gathered. Many of the Autumn fae had come along as well. There was a scattering of Winter fae, but only a handful. And there, by the throne, my four male instructors. Their wrists and ankles were trapped in thick steel, and a chain led from each of them to the throne.

Queen Viola stood from the seat, her eyes glittering under the flickering sconces that lined each wall. “Ah, there she is. I was beginning to think you might not come.”

I lifted my chin as Alastar pushed me forward. My feet tripped underneath me, but I showed no sign of my struggle. Instead, I kept my gaze locked on her cruel face, letting my eyes show the depths of my rage.

When we reached the front of the room, Alastar pushed me forward until I stood before the Queen on my own. I could feel the eyes of every fae in the room, including my instructors. I didn’t dare look at them. I didn’t dare search for the emotions in their eyes. I was terrified that if I did, I might not be able to keep myself calm.

“Well then.” Viola smiled. “I suppose you’re wondering why you’re here.”

“Not really,” I snapped. “Seems pretty clear to me. You know I’m a Greater Fae and that I threaten your undeserving claim to the throne.”

“My undeserving claim?” She let out a chilly laugh and stood, throwing back her shoulders so that she could tower over me. “Out of all the fae in this realm, I am the most deserving. I ended Marin’s terrible reign. I led the Autumn fae back to times of strength. All this time, I’ve waited. I’ve been patient. I learned to bide my time. And now, my time has come, thanks to you.”

“You sound absolutely delusional,” I said, my words dripping with derision.

She narrowed her eyes and hissed. “No, Marin was delusional for thinking she could keep her control over this realm even after her death, though I should have known she’d go to great lengths to do so.”

Huh? Furrowing my eyebrows, I risked a glance at Rourke. His expression was solemn and hollow and completely unsurprised. In fact, all four of them were listening with a strange detachment, almost as though they knew exactly what the Queen meant, almost as though she’d spoken this all before.

“Look, I’m not here to play games. I’m here for my mates,” I said. “I know I’m the one you really want. Well, I’m here now. Let them go.”

She dropped back her head and laughed. “I don’t know how she did it. I truly don’t. She must have had others in on it, but I couldn’t begin to imagine who. Magnus, no doubt. He would have kept records of it, too, even if she didn’t want him to. I always thought it was curious how he died the same week of Marin’s death.”

What the hell was she on about? Magnus and his records that got lost in the fire?

“Of course, her mates would have been in on it.” She shook her head and chuckled to herself. “But they died with her.”

I couldn’t stand it anymore. Her words were like a puzzle I couldn’t solve, and despite my best intentions, she was starting to get under my skin. I wanted to understand what the hell she was talking about. No, I needed to understand.

“Can you just get to the point already?” I snapped. “What are you talking about? Who pulled off what? And what the hell does it have to do with me?”

Queen Viola took two steps closer, peering down at me with curiosity, like the way an alien might look at human forms. “That’s interesting. I was certain Marin would have had some kind of plan in place to make certain you were informed.”

“Informed about what?” I almost screamed the words.

“You’re the living heir of Queen Marin, Norah Oliver.” Her lips spread wide. “And that is why I can never allow you to survive.”