Spring

“And you have no idea who might have taken the piece?”

Eclipsa shakes her head. “No, but we believe whoever has the piece is somehow able to control the darklings. It was the axe’s dark magic, after all, that split our worlds and turned them. It would make sense.”

I let Eclipsa help me up, all too aware of Valerian’s gaze as he watches me. “Who has the other part of the axe now?”

Valerian scrapes a hand through his messy midnight blue hair, and I fight the unwelcome urge to run the soft strands between my own fingers. “Because the courts didn’t know who had stolen the missing piece, they broke the weapon apart. Each court has one piece, stored in a magically hidden location.”

I rub the back of my neck. Valerian and the rest talk of the Fae court quarrels and duplicity like it’s normal, but I can’t imagine living that way. Being surrounded constantly by potential enemies. Never knowing whom you can trust. Always struggling to stay one step ahead.

My little family back at the farmhouse may not possess wealth or material things, but I see now, in some ways, we have more than Valerian and the others ever will.

Eclipsa thrusts her hydroflask into my hands, even though we hardly broke a sweat. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” I shrug. “Par for the course in Everwilde, right?” Boy, my voice came out bitter. I gulp down the cool water and hand it back. “So who do we think took it?”

Eclipsa bends down to wipe her mat. “Could be anyone, really.”

“But Unseelie, right?”

Valerian gives me a mock-wounded look. “I find that stereotype deeply offensive.”

Asher throws his rolled up mat under his arm, Hello Kitty smashed beneath his bulging bicep. “We don’t know. We’ve been following leads to try and locate whoever is allied with the Darken, communing with him somehow. But it seems like he’s amassing a following of both Seelie and Unseelie.”

“To what end?” I ask.

“We don’t know,” Valerian says. He’s careful never to let our eyes meet for longer than a second.

Frick. If only I could take back my hurtful words from earlier.

Everyone’s packing up to leave, but I remember there was one last thing they still haven’t told me.

“What does all of this have to do with me?”

The moment I finish speaking, everyone freezes, and the look they share makes me prepare for the worst.

Valerian tugs at the elastic hem of his joggers, taking his time before responding, as if mulling over the best way to explain without freaking me out. “The best spellcasters in Everwilde layered the soulstone with wards to trap my grandfather’s soul inside. Even with all the pieces of the axe, it would take the most powerful Soulmancer in existence to break through those wards.”

“And that is . . .?” I raise my eyebrows, wondering if this Soulmancer is famous in the Fae world or something.

Valerian finally meets my stare without looking away. “You.”

17

Sure I misheard the Winter Prince, I say, “Me? A Soulmancer? No—that doesn’t even make sense.”

Eclipsa sighs. “This conversation calls for poolside drinks.”

I blink. “Poolside?”

I discover exactly what she means when Valerian creates a portal that takes us to his penthouse apartment in Evernell, overlooking the string of his father’s nightclubs and bars.

After a lot of arguing, Eclipsa convinces me to throw on a black string bikini. She frowns at my farmer’s tan, practically scoffing as I find the largest robe possible to cover myself, but otherwise seems to find me agreeable.

The rooftop pool above Valerian’s place is a long, rectangular slice of crystal blue water. His court sigil, an owl over two daggers, covers the bottom of the pool.

Fittingly, only Valerian can access this private bit of heaven. I gawk at the outdoor training mat in the corner. The couches artfully positioned in various locations, perfect for an intimate gathering. Lounge chairs line up in neat rows on the far side of the pool. The water leads to a fully stocked bar where a beautiful Fae male server polishes glasses.

Of course, he’s only wearing a speedo. A very tight, very revealing blue speedo.

He turns around and . . . my God, is that Valerian’s sigil stamped onto his ass?

Valerian and Asher sit at the bar, their stools half-submerged in water. My breath hitches when I realize Valerian is shirtless, wearing dark gray swim trunks.

Duh. This is a pool, Summer. There’s going to be skin. And abs. Washboard abs and a little tuft of hair leading down . . .

Heat barrels between my thighs, a wave of dizziness washing over me.

Holy hell. This is a bad idea. I watch my mate, unable to look away. He and Asher are laughing about something, and Valerian is gesturing, the muscles of his back rippling.

Ugh. Get a grip, Summer.

I focus on the tattoos covering his upper torso, the dark silver and black markings sharp against his pale skin.

Just as I start walking toward them, a soft gust of wind whips my robe back. Before I can readjust, Valerian and Asher both whip their heads to stare at me.

For a breath, Valerian’s eyes go dark, his expression unapologetically lupine as he devours me with his gaze. That familiar cord between us jerks taut so hard I clutch my belly.

Asher does a double take, earning a low snarl from Valerian.

A mischievous smile lights up the dragon shifter’s face.

“Don’t do it, idiot,” Eclipsa warns beneath her breath.

Asher lets out a low whistle.

Eclipsa steps in front of me. “Crap.”

Before Asher can finish his catcall, Valerian attacks. The two explode into the pool, sending water flying everywhere. They fight so fast I can’t even track their movement or what’s happening.

“Males,” Eclipsa mutters. She must notice the horror on my face because she adds, “They won’t mortally wound each other, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“Do they do this all the time?” I ask, frowning as Asher bellows, either in pain or rage, I can’t tell.

“Since you arrived, yeah.” She takes one look at my face and explains, “They’re not fighting over you, Summer. Asher’s helping the prince release some of the . . . tension. It’s not natural to fight the mating bond, especially one as strong as yours.”

I peer at what looks to be blood tinging the water. “They’ve been doing this since I arrived at the academy?”

“Better Asher suffers the prince’s wrath than some poor mortal boy who accidentally touches you when you pass in the hall. Or worse, an Evermore who tries to claim you just to piss him off. We may seem like we all get along at the academy, but the courts are primed for war at any moment. If the Winter Prince kills every Evermore male who looks at you wrong, he would be costing thousands of lives by starting another war.”

My tongue shrivels as the moisture flees my mouth. A war?

I startle as both Fae males don their wings and take the fight to the air. “How long does this usually last?”

She shrugs. “Fifteen minutes? An hour, if he’s been near you recently. Sometimes, if the prince is really amped up, I join in. And after what happened in the cave and then seeing you like that now”—her eyes sweep down my offending curves—“let’s just say, it might be awhile.”

I’m in too much shock to protest as she drags me into the warm, inviting water, but I have enough sense to shuck off my robe and grab my phone. I hold it above my head as the water laps at my stomach, thankful for the sun’s hot kiss on my flesh.

The last time I was in Evernell, it was miserably cold.

“Why’s the weather so much warmer now?” I ask, taking a spot next to Eclipsa on a smooth stone stool, one of countless that circle the bar.

“The legislation that allows mortal tourists to enter certain entertainment areas of Everwilde is close to passing, so the Winter King poured a crap ton of money into spells to make this area more appealing to humans.” Her face takes on a haughty look. “Your kind die at the drop of a hat. Couldn’t have some drunk dumbass passing out in the alley and freezing to death, could we?”

While I mull over what a terrible idea letting humans into Everwilde is, she orders us two green smoothies.

The server brings the tall glasses over. Mine is topped with whipped cream and a cherry, no doubt to hide the healthy grossness inside.

She winks at him. “Thanks, Gaius.”

I’ve pegged Gaius as a vampire by his pale skin and the fang tips peeking from his upper lip.

Gaius lets his hungry gaze linger on Eclipsa before disappearing for more ice.

I try to swallow down my chuckle but it slips out. “Are you and banana hammock . . .?”

Lips clamped down over her straw, she peers at me over her drink. “Banana hammock?”

“Gaius. Are you two, you know?”

“Screwing?”

I nearly choke on my smoothie. I’ve always hated that word for sex.

“Look, I know you’re mortal, which means your Fae side is mostly masked. But Fae aren’t cut off from their true nature like humans.”

“True nature?”

“Yeah. Mortals are so weird about everything. Sex is natural, when done responsibly and with consent. Everyone likes shiny things because it makes us happy. It’s okay to crave money or power because both equal safety. You guys like all of those things but hate yourself for it. It’s like some bizarre self-flagellation thing. And, geez, when it comes to killing—”

“Whoa.” I throw up my hands. “How did we escalate from sex with banana hammock to murder?”

She throws back her head in a laugh, her silver ponytail dipping into the water. “They’re the same, really. Sex, greed, murder. All part of nature. Look at any predatory animal. The strong procreate and kill to survive, hoarding resources and territory, while the weak—”

“I get it,” I say, hoping she’ll drop the subject. If the Evermore believe it’s only natural for the strongest to take from the weak, then mortals are screwed in the evolutionary chain. “So, what about Hellebore? Was he just to satisfy some urge . . .”