He stepped closer and sneered. “Maybe you’re not so much like Marin after all. She was a big lover of all you changelings, including the Redcaps. Said you were a gift from the gods. But what she didn’t realize is thatwe’rethe gods. And the time of the changelings isover.”
My heart thumped hard, and all the blood drained from my face. “What does thatmean?”
“Oh, you’ll see.” His grin stretched across the entire width of his face. “But first, you’re going to stay down in thiscage.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Ididn’t sleep.At least a day passed where all I could do was sit glumly in my gorgeous gown, glaring at the flickering torches in the hallway of the dungeons. I tried shifting, but it was no use. Whatever magic I’d used when I shifted before was gone from menow.
My mind tripped over Redmond’s words as I desperately tried to figure out what he’d meant by them. The time of the changelings was over? Surely he didn’t mean what it sounded like. Did he truly want to get rid of us all? And, if so,why?
Footsteps echoed down the corridor. I stood from the hard mattress and backed up against the wall furthest from the iron bars. I didn’t want to be a coward, but I also didn’t know what the hell was coming for me. And I wasn’t about to make anything easy on whoever it was. If they wanted to get to me, they’d have to open that gate and come inside the cellthemselves.
And maybe, just maybe...I could get out into the hallway before theycould.
Firelight flickered on the walls, and a male in a deep golden cloak strode into view. For a moment, I could barely breathe as he strolled up to the iron bars, his face hidden in the shadows of his hood. But then he lifted his chin, and his bright golden eyes met mine. It was Rourke. All the tension in my body whooshed out of me, and I rushed up to the bars, hope and relief pouring throughme.
He held up a set of keys and jangled them in the air. “Time to get you out of here, Norah. Apologies it took solong.”
A grin split my face. “Are you kidding me? I’m just happy to see you. How did you get down here? Does Redmond know you’re doing this? I thought he locked me in here to ask me questions about Bree, but he hasn’t been back. Do you know what’s goingon?”
He let out a light laugh and shook his head. “One question at a time. I’ll explain everything as soon as I get you out ofhere.”
He slid the key into the lock and twisted, using a gloved hand to pull open the gates. I rushed into the hallway and threw my arms around him. He let out an oof of surprise, and his entire body went tense. After a moment, he softened and rubbed his hand across the small of my back. Rourke might be an Autumn fae like the ones who were making our lives so miserable, and the ones who might very well be trying to end us all, but he was nothing likethem.
“I’m sorry about what my brethren did to you,” he muttered against my hair. “But I’m afraid it’s even worse than youthink.”
I pulled back and looked up at him with a frown. “What do youmean?”
He let out a heavy sigh and shook his head. “I’m afraid it’s a long story. Let’s get you upstairs so you can have some food and a bath. Then, we’ll explaineverything.”
* * *
As glad asI was to have a chance to take a bath, I hated to change out of my gorgeous ballgown that Kael had given me. The soft, sleek material felt so nice on my skin, and the sparkling sleeves made true darkness feel like an impossibility. But Rourke insisted I change into some training clothes, so I donned a pair of black pants, a back t-shirt, and my trusty boots for goodmeasure.
Afterwards, he led me into the basement gymnasium where the recruits were busy practicing hand-to-hand combat with the instructors. I slowed to a stop and raised my eyebrows. The first-years were here, too. Sophia was pounding away at a punching bag, her fists wrapped tight in splotchy gauze. It was the first time our instructors had taken us from theory to practice, and I had a horrible sinking feeling in my gut because ofit.
I wanted to learn how to fight. Desperately so. But the timing could only mean one thing. Trouble wasbrewing.
Liam, Finn, and Kael all abandoned their posts, striding over to wrap their arms tight around me in turn. My heart swelled as Liam crushed me tight against him, as Kael whispered soft words into my ears, and even as Finn threw me over his shoulder for good measure. Even though Redmond had told them he hadn’t harmed a hair on my head, they’d still been worried for my safety. They’d even argued over who would release me from mycage.
After our reunion, the three of them dispersed, taking up their posts with the other changelingrecruits.
“Usually,” Rourke began as he led me to an empty punching bag near the rear of the gymnasium, “we hold off on this kind of training with first-years, and for good reason. Otherworld is new and confusing for you, you don’t yet know the true power of your gifts, and you have no idea what you’re capable of. If we let you loose with swords, you could end up doing far more damage than you realize. One time, a first-year Summer changeling ended up burning down an entire wing of the Academy when he got into a fistfight with one of the third-yearSummers.”
“And yet they’re all in here training now.” I arched an eyebrow. “Why? And where are all theRoyals?”
He pursed his lips. “After Redmond stole you away, the other Autumn Royals staged an assassination attempt on Alwyn. We were able to stop them, but one of them escaped, along with Redmond. We’re guessing they’ve gone straight home to report what happened. The Summer and Spring Royals have returned to their own Courts, too afraid for their lives to stick around here. The Autumn fae will undoubtedly send others to finish the job. So, the only thing we can do now isprepare.”
My mouth dropped open as I stared at him. “They tried to kill our Head Instructor? But why would they want to dothat?”
“The answer to that question is what none of us knows. It seems they intend to take down the Academy,” he said with a frown. “Anyway, that is why it took so long for us to get to you. Redmond locked the door that led into the cells below, and he hid the keys. It took me some time to determine where he hid them. It turned out they were in your room, something I should have known as soon as I realized what he’d done. He has always been a fan ofirony.”
“Why couldn’t Kael just shift into the cell to get meout?”
“What good are dungeons if Winter fae can escape them?” heasked.
“Good point,” I said with a nod. So maybe my inability to shift out of the cell didn’t mean I’d lost my grasp on the Winter fae magic afterall.
