Ruthless Fae - Ingrid Seymour Page 0,21

of the Seelie Fae, Kiana?” Vinya asked.

I nodded without taking my eyes off the screen. My aunt wore a torn dress, her long legs taking huge strides as they pumped at an impressive speed. Maybe she hadn’t deserved her title of Queen—she’d stolen it from her sister, after all—but she was impressive nonetheless. Her strength was evident, her velocity awe-inspiring. She was a trained warrior, who had many times been to battle and emerged victoriously. Still, that didn’t explain how she’d escaped the dome. She had no magic to breach the barrier.

Another section of the screen showed half a dozen guards chasing her.

“They’re not shooting at her,” Vaughn pointed out.

Vinya narrowed her eyes. “They must want her alive.”

The dean wrung her hands together. “We have to rescue her.”

“Has anyone thought this might be a trap?” I asked. “Maybe the Habermanns put her up to this, and the moment we go down there, their monsters will attack.”

“It very well could be,” the dean said. “Still, we have to do something.”

I opened my mouth to ask what we might do when Charlie and Rowan rushed into the room. They wore their battle outfits along with determined expressions.

“We’re ready.” Charlie stood at attention, ready for orders from the dean.

“Wait!” I said. “I have to go. I have to help.” They would not leave me behind. This fight belonged to me more than anyone else.

The dean smiled sadly. “Don’t worry, Tally. You won’t miss any of the action. Charlie and the others are needed elsewhere. There are problems at the Academy, which I suspect are not a coincidence. The Habermanns are powerful people, and by now, they know we’re involved. You, Vaughn, and Vinya can help the Queen if you’re willing.”

I nodded, so did Vaughn and Vinya.

“And what about us?” Becca asked behind me. I hadn’t noticed when she’d come into the room along with Ronnie. “We can help.”

“No chance in hell. You’re just kids,” Vaughn said.

“No fair,” Becca complained, pouting as if this were a game and not a life and death situation.

Antonio pushed himself into the room. “I’ll go. I’m no kid, and the Habermanns owe me. Big time. No one sinks me to the bottom of a lake and gets away with it.” His eyes flashed red for an instant, betraying the level of hate he felt toward the twins.

It seemed everyone had heard the alarm and stood just outside the door, waiting for their turn to offer their services. I expected Regina to come in next and announce her hatred for our captors as well—they’d cruelly starved her for days, after all—but she didn’t appear. It surprised me that she would let Antonio go without her, but Regina had always seemed the type to look out for herself.

“We can use a strong vamp,” Vaughn said with a nod of comradery toward Antonio.

The dean turned to Charlie. “Be careful and keep me abreast of the situation at the Academy.”

“I will.” Charlie and Rowan rushed out of the room. It would have been great and a lot easier to have them with us, but clearly the Habermanns had devised a way to interfere. Resourceful and wicked. A terrible combination.

Vinya turned away from the dean and faced us. “Let’s go. I don’t think the Queen can keep running like that for much longer.”

Ronnie and Becca stepped out of the room as we rushed out. They looked unhappy, but they would be safe up here, hidden among the clouds, a weight off my shoulders.

We reached the back of the ship, our normal teleporting spot, just in time to see Charlie and her team dematerialize, headed back to their beloved Academy. She and the others had fought hard to make it a safe place for all Supernaturals. Now, danger threatened it again because of their involvement in this impossible situation. I prayed to the gods that they would be safe from harm.

We had no time to change into our battle suits, but our weapons hung on the wall, waiting for us. After quickly snatching my belt with a knife and sword, I ran to the center of the room where Vinya waited, her hand outstretched. Vaughn joined us next, placing his large hand on top of mine. He had a knife and a gun in his belt, though I knew he much preferred shifting and charging the enemy in his werewolf shape. A small backpack hung at his back, which contained a change of clothes.

Antonio, on the other hand, didn’t seem opposed to weapons at