Road of Worth (Purgatory Prep Academy #5)

Prologue

Serafin

H eels sharply tap along the marble floor as Emer paces across the waiting room we’ve been assigned. In all honesty, we really could have waited in our dorm until the time came for the ceremony, but why turn down a royal suite in the visitor’s section of the Hub?

I’ve been here before, back when Emer’s brother was alive and visited, but that was for a different type of visit: the naughty kind. This time, I was the bratty princess’ hairdresser and entourage.

Every time Emer comes to the end of the room, she pivots on her heel, and her hair flips around, slowly unraveling her braid around her crown.

A sigh slips as I watch another pink tendril break away, undoing all of my hard work. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but you need to calm down, Em. You’re messing up your hair,” I say, picking at my nail polish as I lay sprawled out on the sofa. There’s no point in trying to fix her hair now when all she’ll do is go back to pacing.

She turns to shoot me a glare before growling, “Who the fuck cares?” and continues her pacing.

I don’t take it to heart, though. I can’t blame her when I’m on edge too. My future relies on this as much as hers does.

“Where’s Angel? Have you heard from her?” She demands more than questions. She wants answers as to why things aren’t perfectly going her way.

I worry my bottom lip as I think of how to answer my already irritated friend. I guess the truth would be wise. It’s not my ass that’s on the line for getting burned by pissing off Emer.

“Last I heard, Angel was visiting her dad this weekend in Hell. I think she was picking up the memory potions while she was down there, but she said she was going to be here in time for the ceremony.” I purposely perk up, trying to give her some shining hope.

“Pfft. Well, obviously that didn’t happen since we were required to be here at eight o’clock, and she’s yet to show up,” Emer points out. “What time is it, anyway?” she barks, not even bothering to look up at the wall clock over the fireplace.

“It’s five minutes since you last asked. So, ten thirty.”

“Ahh!” She screams, letting out her frustration and digging her hands into her hair.

Shit, really? Why even ask for me to put it up for you if you’re just going to fuck it up?

A knock at the door has her ripping her fingers from her hair and hastily putting herself together. “Come in,” she sighs, and the door opens to reveal King Elverson wearing his full ceremonial garb.

“Father!” Emer says, her blue eyes going wide. She gives him a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes and motions for him to join us.

King Elverson comes in, and I swiftly get up and curtsy as he casually looks around. This might not be a formal setting, but I can’t take a chance of pissing off his majesty and having my kingdom face the repercussions. My father might find it amusing, but my mother would be livid before thinking of ways to dispose of me.

We’ve never had a close relationship. My mother sees me as competition, and I guess I am if you go off the royal documents buried underneath the castle. King Abalone, my father, isn’t really my daddy but a stepdad. Of course that knowledge isn’t public. So how else am I to take his lingering gazes except as him begging to be my daddy in my bed? Plus, I know he has a penchant for younger women, just as my mother enjoys parading her boy toys around the castle. That’s why I’m here; she caught Daddy getting a little too friendly with me and shipped me off to Purgatory Prep for schooling.

I have no doubt she was scared Daddy would trade up for a younger version of her, so this is my punishment and her failsafe. Instead of coming here when my powers first showed up on my twentieth birthday, I’ve been here… shit, how long have I been here? It doesn’t matter. I often find myself homesick. The few times that I’m allowed home long enough to attend formal dinners don’t cut it. It’s hardly enough time for a quickie in a closet or to flirt with Daddy or my uncle. Mother dearest ruins all the fun.

But I guess something good came out of coming to this shit hole. I found Emer, and with her help, I’ll get my prince if I can’t bag my king. Everything was going fucking perfect until that human shit stain showed up. But with Emer’s plan, we will each have the men we deserve to own—our own princes.

Emer will be bound to Levi, and when all of his brothers welcome her into their family, she will slip them memory potions that Angel has access to since she’s part Demon. Once that’s done, it’s time for my job. There’s no such thing as a love potion, but there’s a way to sway your pheromones to alter one's attraction for another person. The main ingredient is a rare stone, Condonial, found in the sea. Grind it up, ingest it while wearing a medallion for intent, and boom…you’ve got your man. Emer will be with Levi, me with Ryker, and Angel will have Knox. We don’t care about the other guys, but Nerezza doesn’t even deserve the trash.

“Hmm. I see you scaled down on your entourage,” King Emerson says, pulling me from my thoughts. His dark and heavy chuckle follows him as he makes his way over to the mini bar in the corner. “And your standards with your presentation.”

He starts making his drink as Emer and I share a bewildered look.

He turns around to face us with a glass of fae wine and gives Emer a look from head to toe. “Well, don’t let my appearance stop you from fixing your own,” he nudges as he takes a sip of his drink and moves to my sofa.

I swiftly get up and head to the vanity, pulling out the chair for Emer to slide into. My deft fingers gather up her loose strands and start braiding them around her simple golden crown set upon her hair.

We both watch her father in the mirror as he makes himself comfortable.

“Is everything okay, Daddy?”

“That depends. What time was Leviathan supposed to arrive?” he replies, swirling his drink.

Emer shifts in her seat slightly before licking her dry lips and replying. “He was told ten o’clock, and his immediate family could come at eleven.”

He rubs his chin in a meticulous motion, “Hmm. Well, it seems you might be wrong about this young man.”

“What do you mean?” Emer asks as her brows pull down, causing a prominent line to form between them.

“He’s running a little late. Not a good thing to have in a partner,” he comments before taking a sip. If I didn’t know better, I'd assume he was doing it to hide a smug smile.

Emer visibly bristles under my hands. I reach down and lightly squeeze her shoulder in solidarity as she grits her teeth and turns to face her father.

“Daddy, you don’t understand. It’s not like Leviathan to be late,” Emer insists.

“His actions prove otherwise,” he says, raising an eyebrow.

Emer clenches her jaw, propels herself from the chair, and drops to the empty space next to him in a huff, leaving me standing empty-handed.

“It has to be that bitch, Rez. She’s delayed him somehow.” She turns and gives her father a pleading look. “Leviathan is a worthy mate and partner for me, Daddy. He’s the only guy I want,” she whines.

“Surely any prince would do. Tauger from the Winter Court would be a good match,” he volleys back. He takes another sip of his drink before giving her a side-eye.

“Ew,” she scoffs. “He has a penchant for live Elkwads.”

Yuck! Elkwads are long, squishy, tube-like rodents. They reminded me of the human moles, except ours have long, lush fur that keeps them warm in the Winter Kingdom. Their fur can be spun into the silkiest threads that also keep you warm. Unfortunately, they aren’t cute pets, and because of their shape, some sexual toys were molded after them. Apparently, though, Tauger just skips that part. I think I’m going to be sick.

“I wouldn’t take him if he was the last thing on all the planes. Leviathan is mine,” Emer protests.

Emer holds up a finger as she starts ticking off qualities.

“His father is one of the leaders of Nova, which makes him royalty. If not that, he’s powerful in his own right. He’s already versed in politics and wouldn’t be an embarrassment. Lilith dotes on him like a son. And, he easily follows orders.”

As she talks, King Elverson maintains a nonchalant presence, leaning back against the sofa, taking in her argument, and slowly stirring his drink. He would look calm and unfazed to anyone else, but as a sea harpy, one of my talents lies in reading ripples. That can be in oceans, streams, lakes, or in this case, drinks. The faint, jagged ripples of his drink give away his interest when she mentions Nerezza. Now, as to what extent? I have no clue, but he’s more invested than he lets on.

“He’s perfect,” Emer continues. “I just know it’s Rez’s fault. That bitch is adamant about keeping Leviathan and his brothers for herself if what I saw the other day means anything.” She says the last part in a whisper, but I still hear her.

What the hell did she see the other day? And why am I just hearing about it now?

“Tell me more about this girl, Nerezza.”

Emer’s eyes light up as she leans forward and explodes with all the knowledge she has of Rez. King Elverson catches my eyes and motions for me to join them, and I immediately understand he wants me to finish Emer’s hair. Let’s be honest though; it’s more like gossip and drama she’s spewing than knowledge. We really don’t know much about Rez except that she’s fucking up our plans. As Emer catches her father up with some of the things that Rez has done. Like how Rez threw Emer into the river when she apparently doesn’t have magic or a known species. Rez outsmarted my cousin and survived the Sulks attack, twice now. Emer even tells him how ruthless Rez is and how she assaulted her in Ley Line class. She finishes up with how Rez survived the EverWoods at night and without any help. How she knew the information, I still don’t know. But as she fills him in, I again notice a slight change in the ripples of his cup, so I finish my duty so I can sit back to hear what he thinks.

But before he can comment, there’s another knock on the door.

“Come in,” he calls out.

An elf soldier comes in and bows. “Sorry to disturb you, Your Majesty, but a Dean Caldron is here to see you. He stated he had information about the bonding ceremony that’s to take place today.”

King Elverson’s eyebrows raise slightly. “Is he by himself?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

He clenches his jaw slightly before standing and setting down his drink. He turns to face Emer and me while sucking on his teeth for a moment.

“Emer, don’t kill, harm, or get rid of this Nerezza?—”

“But Daddy, yo?—”

King Elverson raises his hand, stopping her. “This is what your king demands. She might be useful to me,” he says before turning and walking out of the door followed by the guard closing it.

Emer turns to look at me with wide eyes and a slack jaw.

“What are we going to do now?” I ask, wondering if our plan is that easily thrown away.

Tears gather in her eyes, and she angrily wipes them away before clenching her jaw. I can’t imagine how she feels. She’s always been one to follow her father’s words and do what her family wants. If they say jump, she asks how high while already jumping.

“I’ve always been the obedient child, Sera,” she reminds me.

My shoulders drop as I picture all of our hard work crumbling to the ground.

“I’m going to ask for forgiveness rather than permission.”

“What?” I ask, whipping my head up and catching a slow, evil smile cross her lips. “What does that mean?”

“It means we’re killing Rez and taking our men.”