I walk down the endless hallways, passing Gage’s room before reaching Ivywood’s office. I knock on the door once before heading inside to the now very different office. It was once dark and stuffed with bookcases that reeked of ancient dark magic. Now, it’s all white painted walls and a glass desk with two chairs at either side. There is a neat pile of papers on the left side of the desk but there is little else. Ivywood sits in the chair and waves me to the other seat, but I stand behind it instead, wanting to get out of here as quickly as I can.
“There is a letter from your father. It is urgent,” Ivywood finally says, her tone less than urgent as she passes me the opened letter.
“Who said you could open a letter addressed to me?” I grumble in annoyance. Of course, she would open it, the nosy bitch. I read the letter and my pulse spikes with every word.
My hands shake as I fold the letter and place it back on the desk. I turn around but Ivywood’s clear voice stops me.
“I would not go if I were you. I do not believe your father would leave Sage alone on the island. This reeks of a trap. Wait for me to come with you. We will take guards and—”
“No offence, but I don’t need your help. Tell my men where to find me, and no one else.”
I close my eyes, blocking out her reply as I shift into my wolf. My claws scratch across the wooden floors as I sprint out of the academy, and into the forest. I jump over a fallen tree branch just as my ravens surround me in the sky. I look up at them, growling, knowing they will understand they need to get help. I need Pitch, Zander, Jonah, and Gage. And no one else.
I can’t trust anyone else with Sage.
My wolf makes quick ground through the forest, and eventually, I come to the lake that surrounds the Howling Hollow. I shift back right on the edge of the lake, the water lapping onto my trainers as I stare in shock at the girl with pink hair standing in front of the skull island.
Pink hair, dark skin and fae wings…
“Sage!”
When I reach the island, my best friend isn’t alone. Twin shadows emerge from the skull-shaped cave, slowly they drift apart, one turning into Eva, and the other into a boy I once thought I knew.
“Ronan.”
“Your Highness,” he snarls, spreading his arms and bowing, his periwinkle eyes latched on me. He isn’t the Ronan I remember. The same poison that fills Eva’s body pollutes his own, the dark veins ever-present in his complexion. His eyes are blood-red, his face covered in scars he didn’t have before.
“What has she done to you?” I ask quietly, glaring at Eva.
“My queen improved me.”
Eva just smiles at him, and I almost think Ronan’s legs are about to buckle under the gesture.
“Is this why you betrayed me? So she’d turn you into a fae?”
“That’s one of the things I always hated about you, Corvina. You were so full of yourself. Thought you knew everything even when you were wrong. Tell me, how’s Professor Michaels holding up?” He chuckles and moves to stand next to Eva, his wings scraping the floor as he walks.
Gods, I want to kill him. Or let him bleed out in a ditch for several days. He’ll suffer for what he did, not only to me but to Gage. “I only serve the future queen of the fae kingdoms.”
“Sorry, but I don’t want traitors like you serving me,” I spit at him.
He steps forward, his hand clenched and raised as if to strike me.
Eva holds him back. “Stand down, my love.” Narrowing her eyes on me, she snaps her fingers, and a chain hidden in the sand shoots up to her hand. She wraps it around her wrist and pulls, and Sage falls onto her back with a groan. “If you want me to spare your pathetic little friend’s life, you will do as I say.”
The fear in Sage’s eyes kills me. She’s trying to be brave, but I know her better than anyone. My magic seeps from my body in dark, smokey tendrils as I turn my glare onto Eva.
“What do you want?”
The corners of her mouth twitches. “I want you to bleed.”
Cold air whooshes over me as Ronan lands at my side. I spin around to hit him, but he strikes me