Oberon Reformatory Book Three: Final Offense Read online

  “I had hoped you and I could have a more intimate relationship, but I can see now that it is not in the cards.”

  “I…uh…you are handsome?” I stutter, my voice rising at the end like I’m asking him instead of telling him.

  He waves off my words. “Stop. I prefer your honesty. Plus, I have decided it’s a good thing that my power and importance has not influenced you to give me what I want without question.”

  His eyes drift to the side, and I wonder if he’s thinking about Tiana. That one has a history of falling into bed with whoever holds enough power to suit her. Echo shakes his head slightly, then refocuses his gaze on me.

  “It means you’re not easily swayed by power—neither mine, nor that of my enemies. That’s good. Very good.”

  “Why is that?” I ask, feeling emboldened by his praise.

  “Because my enemies are some of the most powerful Fae in the world, and I’d hate to have to kill you for defecting.”

  My head rears back and my eyes widen against my will. The most powerful Fae in the world are…my parents. My grandparents. My sister. And me.

  “I can see by your expression that you are finally putting the pieces together,” Echo says.

  “You wish to fight the royal family?” I ask, silently cursing the crack in my voice.

  “Royal family, indeed,” he grumbles as his face heats with indignation. “I am an Oberon, much more powerful than the son of King Finn’s daughter.”

  He spits the last word, like there is nothing more disappointing than a king siring a girl. Like my entire branch of the family should abdicate the Sylph throne because Finn passed it to his grandson, rather than a son.

  I want to hurl all kinds of insults at him, to hotly defend my father’s claim to the throne, but I can’t. So, I just nod as if I understand and silently wait for him to go on. I don’t have to wait long.

  “Easton Oberon and the mutt granddaughter of Sebille,” he hisses as he shakes his head, “are the downfall of our entire kingdom. Sylphs and Zephyrs are not meant to intermingle, and the products of those disgusting unions are the scourge of the entire Fae species.”

  I have to fight to keep my face blank as his words sting me like a nest of hornets. He doesn’t know I’m a hybrid, and I realize now that if he did, I wouldn’t be here. Much like my great-grandmother, the Zephyr Queen Sebille, Echo believes that my kind are an abomination that must be eliminated.

  “The king and queen must be overthrown,” he continues when I don’t respond. “I’ve accumulated some of the most powerful faeries on the planet to help me do just that. I will take the throne and secure my rightful place as king. And you, Rory Finley are going to lead the revolution that gets it for me.”

  Chapter Eleven

  As soon as the words pass his lips, it feels like a fog lifts. His motives are so obvious, I can’t believe I never realized it before. Then I remember the magic in this place that keeps its residents from figuring out what Echo has been up to.

  Of course, he’s building an army to take down my parents and steal the throne. He’s been bitter for centuries that my great-grandpa Finn Oberon was chosen as king over him and the fact that Sylph parents opted to send their children to the king’s Oberon Academy, rather than the school Echo originally intended this place to be.

  So, Echo decided to turn it into a prison, bribed both the Fae and human courts to convict and sentence any powerful faeries to be sent here so he could mold them into…what? The most formidable army the world has ever seen?

  And now he has his general. A soldier to lead that army into battle while he sits back and watches from a safe distance—me.

  I need to tell Great-grandpa Robin. My legs itch to sprint out of here to do just that, but my part in this just got a lot bigger. I need to play it well, or the whole thing is going to blow up in our faces.

  “You’ve been training us to fight so we can fight for you. But what was the purpose of Molly and Tiana’s classes?”

  He doesn’t respond, just stares at me with a gleam in his eyes while I work it all out on my own. Discipline of Magic and Etiquette and Discretion always seemed like a massive waste of time. Like Echo created them just to keep the prisoners busy…or instituted them so this place would feel like the academy he always wanted it to be.

  But now, knowing what I know, those theories don’t hold any water. There has to be a reason. I inhale sharply as an idea of what that reason might be starts to form.

  “Subterfuge,” I whisper. “You want them to be able to hide their power and blend in seamlessly so they can infiltrate the Sylph and Zephyr Courts and tear them down from the inside out.”

  “Exactly,” he says, his smile growing even more malicious. “The king and queen are too young, too gullible and optimistic, to suspect anything. They will take one look at the poor, needy youthful faeries I send them and open their arms wide.”

  I can’t stop my head from rearing back. “That’s why all the inmates here are so young? Because they appear more innocent than older Fae?”

  “Of course,” he preens. “While older Fae who remember a time when Sylphs and Zephyrs remained separate—as they should be—the younger ones only know integration and equality.” His expression sours, as if the words leave a bitter taste on his tongue. “Easton and December won’t suspect a thing. And if their parents or that fool Puck try to convince them otherwise, their own pride will prevent them from heeding the warnings. Because of course, those two know what’s best for all of us.”

  The scathing words batter against me, and it’s all I can do not to flinch under the assault. My parents have worked tirelessly for more than two decades to unite the Fae and the humans so that we might all live on this planet peacefully.

  No more hate. No more war.

  And here I am, trapped in the middle of a plot to…what? Strip them of power? Lock them away? Kill them?

  No.

  I cannot let any of that happen. I have to tell someone. I need to tell my friends—the Con Crew—so they can help me figure out a way to put a stop to it.

  I need to tell Puck.

  With that thought, I remember that Jax Woodrow is right outside the door, waiting to take me back to my cell. He can get a message to Great-grandpa Robin. Puck will come, and I can tell him everything. He’ll put a stop to Echo and get me and my friends out of here. Then together we can work on rescuing everyone else sentenced to this place on bogus charges.

  Some of the pressure in my chest lightens, and a small spark of excitement speeds my heart. This is what I’ve been waiting for. It’s almost over.

  Robbie and I are going home. So are Lark, Cedric, Jolene, and Acadia. And Asher.

  I ignore the little spear of pain that lances through me as I think of being separated from him again. We’ll figure it out. We have plenty of time.

  “I can only assume by your smile that you approve of my plan?” Echo asks, and I snap back to the here and now.

  “Of course, Headmaster,” I reply, inserting as much reverence as I can muster into my tone. “It’s brilliant.”

  “Good,” he says, clapping his hands together with a resounding smack. “Continue on the same path you’ve been following. You have the inmates’ trust, now you need their loyalty. You must rein them in with a tight fist and an authority that demands the utmost fidelity.”

  My head tilts as I study his face. “May I ask a question, sir?”

  “You may,” he replies, arching one brow.

  “I am just wondering why you need me for this plan. It would be much easier for you to just Glamour them all into adoring you, rather than search for someone you can trust, like me, and having them do it for you.”

  “We both know Glamour only lasts for a short time, Rory.” My heart stutters as he eyes me for a moment, and I struggle to keep my inquisitive stare. “The residents of Oberon Reformatory will never trust me enough to remain loyal, and using Glamour on them every day is just not feasible for me.”

  I nod as if I agree, silently cursing myself for that misstep. Glamour only lasts a short time—unless you’re me or my sister. That was something I couldn’t afford to forget again. Echo was too smart to dismiss another slip-up.

  “For you,” he continues, “it is much simpler. You can use your Glamour on them initially, and your close proximity and shared experience will take care of the rest. And if it doesn’t, well, you are in a position to be able to Glamour them again and again.”

  I nod in acceptance, but I’m not really buying his explanation. Many leaders successfully use fear to keep their subjects in line, and he could easily pull that off. And as far as his magic goes, he’s strong enough to fill the walls of this prison with enough magic to keep anyone from figuring out what he’s doing here. Surely, he could use that same level of Glamour to make the inmates worship him.

  No. He’s not being totally honest.

  And if I had to guess, I’d say he needs me to be the face of this revolution in the event that the whole thing goes sideways. If we fail, someone will have to take the fall.

  That someone being me.

  “If you have no other questions, you are dismissed,” he says, turning his attention to some papers on his desk.

  I stand up and move around the chair, pausing just behind it to look back at him. Echo looks up, his expression filled with question.

  “I just wanted to thank you for this opportunity, sir,” I say with a nod before turning to face the door.

  I can’t contain my smile as I stride forward. Echo could have chosen someone else. Anyone else. But he chose me—the one person in this place that can, and will, destroy his plans from the inside out.

  He made a big mistake, setting his sights on Rory Finley.

  Because Rory Finley doesn’t exist, and h
e’s never met the likes of Aurora Finley Oberon.

  I slip through the door and out into the hall. Closing it behind me, I turn to Jax and open my mouth to tell him I finally have some information. Snapping it shut, I shake my head at my carelessness. This is not the place to do this.

  So instead, I nod in greeting before walking past him. I hear his steps fall in behind me, and I surreptitiously look toward the ceiling. Peeling back Echo’s Glamour, I see three cameras pointed in our direction.

  I turn my gaze back to the floor and thank my lucky stars I’d had enough foresight to stop myself from blurting out every detail of my conversation with Echo. This whole thing would’ve been over before it even started.

  Chapter Twelve

  This can’t be happening.

  After dodging several security cameras and two guards, I managed to round up Asher, Lark, Robbie, and Jax, signaling them to meet me in my cell. They’re crowded around me with expectant faces, and I can’t get a single word to pass my lips.

  My brain is screaming, he’s building an army to take down Mom and Dad! But my lips won’t form the words. Nothing but grunts and croaks emerge, and I feel like punching something. It has to be the magic of this place. Just like it stops everyone from figuring out what Echo is up to, it’s stopping me from spilling the beans now that I know the truth.

  “I guess Echo doesn’t trust me as much as I thought he did,” I say, and surprisingly, the words come out.

  “What do you mean?” Asher asks, his hand stroking up and down my arm.

  “I can’t tell you.”

  “Come on, Rory. You know you can tell us anything,” Lark says, looking a little hurt.

  “No, I mean I literally can’t tell you. Every time I try, the words lodge in my throat and I can’t speak.”

  “It’s the magic in the walls,” Jax says, and I point to my nose then at him.

  “Maybe we can guess,” Robbie offers. “Just signal if we get it right.”

  “Okay,” I say, nodding enthusiastically.

  “Did Echo tell you what his big plan is?” Lark asks, and I nod.

  “Is he trying to…” Asher’s brow furrows as his words trail off. “Sorry, I can’t think of anything. My mind just went blank.”

  I make a frustrated sound and scrub a hand down my face. It’s the magic of this place. I can’t tell them what I know, and they can’t guess. I’d been so confident when I left Echo’s office, but I should’ve known better. The old faery is always two steps ahead of me.

  Robbie whispers something to the others, and they all file out, leaving me alone with her. She wraps her arms around my waist in a tight embrace. I hug her back, and some of the frustration ebbs from my body.

  “Thanks. I needed that,” I say as we pull apart.

  “We’re going to figure this out, Fin— uh, Rory,” she says. “We’ve always been an unstoppable force when we put our heads together. If Mom and Dad can’t keep us under control, Echo doesn’t stand a chance.”

  I give her a small smile as I shake my head. “It’s not the same thing. Mom and Dad love us and let us get away with everything.”

  “Maybe you’re right,” she shoots back, “but even if they didn’t, I think we could take them.”

  She flexes her bicep, making me laugh. She always knows how to make me feel better. Chuckling, she grabs my hand and pulls me down onto my bed. We sit side-by-side, leaning back against the hard wall, her head resting on my shoulder.

  I lace my fingers through hers and grip her hand tightly. I don’t know how our lives went so terribly wrong that we ended up in a Fae prison. Together. But, I’m glad she’s here. No matter how much I care about Asher, Lark, and the others, it’s not the same as having my own flesh and blood sitting next to me.

  “I know you’re dying to ask me, so just go ahead and get it over with.”

  “What?” I ask, unsure of what she’s talking about.

  “Me and Lark,” she says simply.

  “I wasn’t—”

  “Come on, Finley,” she interrupts, forgoing my alias. “I don’t like this weird vibe between us. We’ve always been able to talk about everything, and I don’t want this to be any different. I’m happy, and I want you to be happy for me.”

  “I am happy for you,” I insist. When she lifts her head to cock a brow at me, I sigh. “Fine. It is a little strange that you’re dating…is that even the right word? Romantically involved with my best friend. I’m feeling a little territorial over both of you, but I’m working on it.”

  “And she’s a girl,” she adds, like she expects that to be my main issue.

  “Robbie,” I say, dipping my head to stare into her eyes so she can see the truth in mine, “she makes you happy. Anyone can see that. And that’s all that matters.”

  “Do you think Mom and Dad will feel the same way?” she asks, and I can see the fear in her eyes.

  “Of course, they will,” I assure her, and some of her unease fades. Once she fully relaxes, I ask, “Have you always liked girls?”

  She shrugs. “I’ve never liked anyone like that. Not until Lark.”

  “Well, she is amazing,” I say, smiling.

  “She is, isn’t she?” Robbie replies, returning my grin.

  We spend the rest of the evening in my room, just being sisters. It feels almost normal, like we’re in our dorm at the academy. We end up stretched out on my bed, staring at the ceiling in silence.

  I go over my whole conversation with Echo in my head, looking for any small detail I could say aloud that might give the others some hint as to what he’s planning. When I think about his comments regarding youthful faeries and how they don’t remember the time before the end of Queen Sebille’s reign, my heart stills in my chest.

  I’d gotten so twisted up with what he wanted to do to my parents, it hadn’t occurred to me until now—if no one ever gets out of Oberon Reformatory and Echo only needs young recruits, what happened to the faeries that were locked up here before?

  This place has been in operation for a long time, yet there are no faeries—other than Tiana, Molly, and Chase—older than their late teens or early twenties here. The Fae live hundreds of years, so Oberon Reformatory should be packed with faeries of all ages.

  Where are the older Fae?

  “I should probably go,” Robbie says, pulling me from my thoughts. “It’s getting close to lights-out.”

  “Okay,” I say nodding as we both climb from the bed. “Thanks for being here for me. I needed this more than I realized I did.”

  “Of course, you did,” she says, grinning. “I’m awesome. Don’t ever forget that.”

  “Yes, you are,” I agree, a wide smile splitting my lips.

  “I love you, Finley,” she whispers.

  “I love you, too, Robbie,” I whisper back.

  She gives me a quick hug and darts out the door. I feel a little guilty for being glad that she’s here, but I can’t help it. Doing this with my sister makes it seem a lot less daunting.

  And she’s right—together, we’re unbeatable. Together, no one stands a chance against us. Not even Echo Oberon.

  “Thanks, Rory.”

  I nod at the Zephyr girl as she takes a chocolate cookie. I’d conjured up a new basket of treats in my room and brought them to the common room to hand out, just like before. Only this time, they weren’t Glamoured to make the others trust me…though Echo would think they are.

  I need to keep up the pretense that my Glamour fades just like every other faery’s, so here I am, once again treating the inmate population to sweet treats. And even though the cookies aren’t infused with Glamour, they still work like magic.

  The other inmates are grateful for the chocolate, making them even more devoted to me than they were before. Plus, I’ve decided to make a big show of giving the treats to the Con Crew. I’m tired of being scared to be seen talking to my friends. If Echo thinks I’ve Glamoured them to adore me, he won’t be suspicious…as long as I spend time with other faeries, too.

  With that thought, I take a deep breath and walk toward Angelina and her friends. As soon as they see me coming, the three of them leap from the couch and hurry forward.