The Fae Prince

Chapter 23: Just Add Magic

*not edited*

Haley

I block the punch from my partner before re-attacking with a punch to his side, sending lightning into his body. He falls to the floor with a groan and I grin to myself. I pull my hair out of its ponytail as I walk out of the ring, taking a sip of my water when I get to my things.

"Princess Haley," a servant says, bowing their head as they approach me, "Your father requests your presence in the war room."

"Thank you, you may go," I give them a slight nod before setting down my goblet and making my way to the war room.

It's been a handful of months since the night of the ball where I attacked Finan. It's been a handful of months since I've sided with my father to reclaim what is rightfully ours to rule. Months of planning our eventual victory against the posh high faeries of Elphame. Every day, I feel the quiet rage in me grow quieter and quieter, quelling itself until it is able to unleash itself against the horde of faeries known as the royal court. My dress hisses against the floor as I walk to my fathers war study, my legs carrying me with the grace and easiness of a princess.

"Father?" I call out as I open the door to his study.

As I am about to turn away from what appeared to be the empty study, my father walks out from behind a wall with someone in tow.

Cassiel.

My eyes narrow, my fingers twitching to release the power I've amassed during my training.

"What is he doing here?" I ask, ready in my battle stance.

My father grins, "Our dear friend Cassiel is here to join our cause. Looks like poor old Finan isn't fairing well with you gone and his mind is crumbling to bits."

Lies.

I would have felt it.

"Why are you here, Cassiel?" I hiss, "Is it to get in my pants? Now that Finan isn't standing in the way, you figured you'd have a shot, right?"

Cassiel grimaces, "I've come because finan doesn't deserve you, and never has."

"Oh, but you do?" I manage a dry laugh, "Crawl back to whatever hole you came out of or I will send you back to finan in pieces."

My father shakes his head with a silent laugh, "Haley, behave. Cassiel is here to join our cause to defeat those tyrants, not work against it."

I narrow my eyes, willing ice to freeze over my heart as I take in Cassiel and all that he represents.

"How can be we be sure he isn't a spy?" I ask with the tilt of my head.

"You're more than welcome to look inside my head," he says before my father can speak, "I come here to bear witness to the fall of an empire and the rise of an eternal one."

I loosen my stance, relaxing a bit at those words. Perhaps I will bed Cassiel after all.

"Alright then, follow me," I turn, not waiting to see him follow after me, "I will show you to your bedroom."

I hear my father chuckle darkly, "May the gods help you."

The doors are parted for me once more when I exit, Cassiel following after me.

"Why did you come here, truly?" I ask Cassiel, turning around.

He's already leaning against one of the pillars lining the hall, an arrogant smirk on his face.

"Will you bed me in a bid to get back at Finan?" He counters, shoving off the pillar to walk toward me, "I will be glad to be of use." He leans down to whisper in my ear, "Right after I drag you back to the high court kicking and screaming."