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Chapter Forty-Six

WILDER

T here had been so many people in the lounge on Saturday!

I hadn't expected that. Clearly, Torian hadn't either, so he offered to do the same thing on the boys' side on Sunday.

He even announced it without checking with the rest of us, and yet we were all ok with it.

The only issue I could think of was making sure Hawke had enough power.

That resulted in a little rolling around in my bed to make sure of it. Not exactly something I'd complain about. Yet Sunday morning, we headed downstairs for breakfast to find Keir sitting at our table, flipping through his tablet.

"Where's Torian?" I asked.

He murmured softly. "Aspen's room. Something about a repeat performance. Do you think Rain and I should show up this time?"

" I think," Hawke told him, "that you should make an appearance to show there are more than two options for magic."

"Good point," I said, surprised I hadn't thought of that.

Then again, Hawke was trying his hardest to balance between his court, his nature, and the expectations of what he was. I had a feeling he also wanted a chance to talk to Rain. If it couldn't be alone, then when they weren't rushing to do one thing or another would probably be a good second choice.

And just like the day before, a surprising number of students showed up. Some wanted to gawk, but most were honestly interested in talking to us. It didn't matter if that was a question about how to use their magic better, what we did as nobility, or anything else.

They had questions about Faerie, the gates, how magic was taught here versus there, and more.

A few asked about what would happen if the gates never opened again.

Torian made it clear that was what he actually hoped for.

Others were curious about where faelings belonged in all of this.

Aspen assured them people should be judged on their actions, not their parents.

The one thing everyone wanted to hear for themselves? That neither Torian nor Aspen had a problem with sharing their court. That this was truly as good as it sounded, because most people had a friend in a different season.

A lot of students had parents who were opposed to Winter - or Summer, for some of the Winter users.

They'd been taught that when they grew up, these childish relationships would become little more than fond memories they could all use to prove they knew the other side, but they shouldn't get too close.

This, their time at Silver Oaks, was supposed to be temporary, at least for those who knew their family.

The other half of the student body were foundlings pulled from the foster system.

Some had magic. Some were Legacies with just enough to require training, but no power they could actually do anything with.

But the ones who complained about the mingling between seasons and who said Winter should be eradicated?

They were clearly the vocal minority.

Sure, maybe those people were the same ones willing to attack others in the halls.

Maybe they had parents who'd bought into the propaganda about how separating the seasons was necessary to make everything work properly.

But only a few had been taught removing Winter would make their Summer magic stronger.

That, it seemed, had only begun to spread around recently, like in the last year or two.

Needless to say, we spent the day making it clear that was a twisted fae lie.

When I headed back to class on Monday, I was surprised at how many people went out of their way to smile, wave, or even greet me.

It felt surprisingly nice. I'd been a boy when we'd fled the Winter Court.

I'd spent years trying to hide on Faerie.

In all that time, the one thing that had always stuck with me?

Being overlooked was a benefit.

But everyone wanted to be important. We all longed for friends.

I'd thought Hawke would be enough for me, yet the feeling of hearing my name said in kindness?

I wanted more of that, so I waved back. I desperately tried to remember names, doing nothing to hide my shame when I had to ask.

And best of all, most gave their name again, assuring me it had been a busy day, so it wasn't surprising I couldn't remember everyone.

When Torian had told the entire school who he really was, I'd been braced for the worst. What I hadn't even considered was that this could end up a good thing.

So when my fourth period class was released, I was already thinking about everything Aspen needed to know, and how I was going to encourage us to interact with the student body even more.

Then I heard, "Summer is coming, dumbass!"

I grabbed for my power immediately, bracing even as my head snapped around, trying to find the threat. A flash of white on the walls made me spin. Screams proved I was pointing the right way, but that magic wasn't close to me.

"Winter will all die!" someone else screamed, then the scent of a thunderstorm filled the air.

The Silent were attacking! I'd been foolish enough to hope we'd finally convinced them their "war" was useless, but no. Extremists like that never gave up. They just planned better.

My mind immediately calmed. Fighting for my life was the one thing I knew well, so as I stormed toward the voices, I pulled my power in hard.

My season might be fading, but even in summer, I was not a weak man.

I was the son of two noble lines. I was a survivor of the Mad Queen's extermination.

I, Wilder-fucking-Reed, would not go down without taking everyone with me.

"Clear the hall!" I roared as I slung my hands down, calling my season into this whole section of the building.

Ice began to frost across the windows on every classroom door. Puffs of fog burst out in front of people's mouths as they scrambled to get far out of the way. Crystals formed in the air, reflecting back the fluorescent lights, and ice was quickly creeping up the walls.

"Wilder!" That voice belonged to Nevaeh.

"Use it," I commanded. "That is your season, whether you like it or not."

"Fuck seasons," another girl said as green splattered across the ceiling.

"Protect the students!"

I didn't recognize that voice, but in only a few more steps, the scene was clear before me, and the rushing footsteps were fading in my ears.

There, Bianca Caldwell, the Taxonomy of Faerie instructor, was picking herself up off the floor.

Blood leaked from her nose, but her eyes were bright.

I could almost feel the Winter rushing into her.

Yet Poppy Hawthorne and Nevaeh were on the other side, throwing conjurations at the trio of students edging their way toward me, aiming for the cross hall that would get them out of here.

"Fuck your hatred," I breathed, reaching for their minds.

I wanted them in darkness. I needed them to be lost in something terrifying, and the scariest place I could imagine was a troll cave, down at the bottom where light would never reach.

Pulling from my own memories and the childhood fear I'd had of those wildlings, I crafted something horrendous - and then let it go.

Immediately, the attackers screamed and turned. Not in circles, but the glamour had clearly taken them all. The problem was I had to hold it. I needed to make sure they couldn't break free or they'd get away. And while I was more powerful than most knew, I was still just one man.

"Wilder!" Nevaeh barked.

"Help Ms. Caldwell," I ordered. "Poppy, they might still fight, so be prepared to block."

"And you?" Nevaeh demanded.

But it was Ms. Caldwell who answered. "He's holding them in a glamour like I've never seen before."

Which was when I realized there was a sensation running down my spine. It wasn't tingles or chills. This was more like support, as if something was allowing me to lean on it. Somehow, I knew that had to be Shadow's alert letting me know my friends were coming.

So I added a troll to the glamour.

In the minds of those three, something would be moving around in the darkness. They would know they weren't alone, but they wouldn't be sure if it was their friends or their enemies. I pushed even harder, hoping I'd snap their Winter-hating minds in the process, but a flare of white distracted me.

Green came next. Grey was right after, but on the other side of the hall. Then there were the steps racing toward us.

"Pascal, stay back!" Keir ordered.

"Fuck that," Pascal said as he rushed to join the court.

My lips were curling the way Torian's always did. A cold, cruel smile that proved how much I wanted to hurt these people, yet I had control here. I was a fucking duke again, and these fools had dared to come at one of mine.

"Keir," I snapped, "Make sure Ms. Caldwell is well. Torian - "

"I got 'em," Rain said, slinging her hands out like she was throwing baseballs.

"It's not your season," Torian reminded me softly.

I murmured, proving I knew that, but my eyes were locked on my foes.

"We need Ms. Rhodes," Ms. Caldwell said, sounding like she was hurting.

"No," Aspen snapped. "It's time for people to realize we're the ones in control. I think we have enough here to haul them down to the office ourselves."

But Rain's shadows weren't making boxing gloves on these people this time. No, they were more like manacles, forcing their wrists together. Still, that dark substance would prevent any harm. She'd said it blocked any magic use.

"Babe?" Hawke asked softly.

"I need to scare them a little more. I want them to know what happens when they attack Winter."

"No," Torian said. "Hate only makes hate, Wilder. Trust me, I know it's hard, but release them. We've got them now."

For a little too long, I resisted. These people had broken into my room, thinking they could hurt or kill me.

They'd attacked my queen! They'd come at a guy who was starting to feel like a friend, had killed a girl simply for the color of her magic, and who knew how many other attacks had been hidden from us.

How many had failed so we'd never known about them.

"Do not stop me, Torian," I warned. "Their minds are mine, and I will - "

"They burned my face!" Ms. Caldwell whimpered, clearly talking to Keir. "They sent knives at me! My hair!"

"I can't help the hair," Keir said softly. "I'm sorry, Ms. Caldwell."

But the Taxonomy teacher was shifting from survival mode to reacting. "Why?!" she demanded, and it sounded like she was talking to the students.

"They can't hear you," I said, struggling not to let rage turn my voice into a growl. "I have them glamoured so hard they will never find their way out on their own."

"Make sure they never do this again, Your Grace," Ms. Caldwell begged. "We're scared. We thought we were the last of our season, and now they're coming for us? Wanting to kill us all?"

"Or just chase you away?" Poppy asked. "Ms. Caldwell, no one has died yet."

" Carol Dumont died!" Aspen screamed, making it clear just how wrong Poppy was.

"So stop them, Your Grace?" Ms. Caldwell whimpered. "Stop them for good?"

I couldn't tell if she wanted me to kill them or destroy their magic, but it didn't matter. One of those things was possible. The other wasn't, but while I might not have the ability to strip power from a Summer fae, I could crush their minds.

It would be easy to do. They were already scared and confused.

I'd stuck them in a replication of a world they'd never been to, hiding from a monster they'd only read about.

Oh, it would be so very easy to turn on the lights in their glamour and let the troll find them.

Let their heads be dashed against rocks until their thoughts were permanently scrambled.

To do to them what they'd been doing to us!

And I wanted to.

The feel of a soft hand on my shoulder made my head snap over. There, Torian was merely watching me. He wasn't telling me to stop. He wasn't trying to yank me away to break my concentration. He was simply showing he was with me. That no matter what I chose to do, he'd support me.

"The pain is real," he said softly. "Someone must pay for it."

And yet I'd already looked away. I'd let my concentration slip just enough that I might as well give in now.

"Grab them," I said, flicking my hand to release the glamour. "Our court are the heroes, not the villains."

Immediately, the three guys scrambled in place, disoriented by the change in scenery - and the brightness of the lights.

One began to scream, sounding like he was ready to fight back.

Another sank to his knees in relief. The third was whipping his head from side to side, likely looking for a way out.

"Oh, shut up!" Poppy yelled, flicking a hand to silence the sounds coming from all of them.

"Keir, Pascal..." Rain paused. "We need to take them to the office. Torian, make sure Aspen's got eyes on her. Hawke, keep our royals safe."

"No," I told her. "I have Aspen. Tor, you go with Rain."

"Only if Hawke goes with you, Wilder," he said.

I nodded. "He will. Nevaeh?" I turned, finding her kneeling beside Ms. Caldwell on the other side from Keir. "You will stay with Poppy, and if anyone else tries to attack anyone from my court in this building..."

She looked up, meeting my eyes. "The sides have changed, Wilder. It's not Winter versus Summer anymore."

"No, it's the sidhe versus The Silent," I agreed. "And I'm giving you permission to stop holding back. If anyone in this school - from Ms. Rhodes to the fucking janitor - has a problem with it?" I took one step toward her. "Tell them they can talk to the Duke of Avalon. I gave the order."

In unison, both she and Poppy bowed their heads and replied, "Yes, Your Grace."