Page 78 of Fae Trials

The winter prince turned his head away. I couldn’t blame him for not speaking up for someone who both threatened to burn his dick off and then rejected his mating proposal. I turned back to Prince Rory, hoping his disdain for Lady Gala was stronger than his wish to side with his brother.

Prince Bradwell spoke first. “Well said, August. I also want her out.”

“Your Highnesses,” snapped the headmistress. “I will not permit you to interfere in this contest.”

“Fortunately for you, there is a higher authority,” said Prince August with a sneer.

I swallowed hard. If they meant to feed me to the wards, I was going to get the accursed painful death.

Prince August pulled out a horn.

Mistress Ellyllon’s eyes widened. “There’s no need—”

The sound rattled my eardrums, and I clapped my hands over my ears. Everyone else stared at me as though I was overreacting to the sound. Its vibrations seeped into my bones and shook them to the marrow. Pain vibrated through every cell in my body, and I fell to my knees, waiting for death.

Then silence.

I raised my head and blinked away tears. Everyone around me bowed with their heads facing the chamomile lawn and lowered to the ground. I twisted to find the most majestic pair of faeries sitting on two diamond thrones.

The male resembled Prince August, with hair that shone brighter than the midday sun. His eyes were dark and turbulent, like the Irish sea after a thunderstorm. He was in sharp contrast to the female, a delicate beauty with hair and eyes as silver as the moon. Her thin brows rose into a quizzical expression that gave her the look of a sprite.

My throat dried. King Oberon and Queen Titania were here, and they were going to sentence me to death. Prince Rory had threatened it, and we’d sort of come to a truce. But there was nothing to stop Prince August from making the same accusations.

A muffled sound skimmed over my eardrums, and everybody rose. Holding onto the side of the statue, I pulled myself up and bobbed into a clumsy curtsey.

The queen spoke first, but I couldn’t make out her words.

Prince August strode forward, waving his arm in my direction.

Both the king and queen turned to me, curiosity shining in their eyes. When King Oberon’s lips moved, I still couldn’t hear anything.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty,” I said, hoping I wasn’t shouting. “That horn did something to my ears.”

Large hands massaged my scalp, and the buzzing faded to silence. I turned and gave Prince Rory a grateful smile.

“Can you hear now, my dear?” asked Queen Titania.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“The accusations leveled against you are serious.” King Oberon leaned forward, resting his elbows on his diamond throne. “What do you say to the charge of dark magic?”

The queen placed a hand on his bicep. “She couldn’t hear anything until now, darling.”

“Of course,” said the king.

By now, the entire academy seemed to have spilled out into the stone garden, taking up every available space. King Oberon asked Prince August to repeat his accusation, but I could barely decipher the legalese. All I heard were the words, ‘half-blood,’ ‘dark magic,’ and ‘oral stimulation of a janitor.’

A few people chuckled at that part, and my cheeks burned with shame.

King Oberon raised his brows. “And your response is?”

My throat dried to the consistency of tree bark, and I swallowed hard. The only part of that accusation that wasn’t true was my being a half-blood. But I couldn’t admit to being a human turned by dark magic and get myself killed.

Impatience crossed the king’s features, and he curled his fingers over the armrests of his throne.

“You see.” Prince August flung his arm in my direction. “The halfling has no defense.”

My mouth opened and closed, but no sound came out. The truth was far worse than the charge.