“Is that enough time?” Xander questioned looking over at Florence who seemed to be doing calculations in her head.
“Barely but that won’t keep it out,” The vampire responded, pulling out a bottle from her bag and the dragon on her shoulder moved uneasily, “I need all of your blood, I can use it to make a blood barrier, then I can combine it with Veronica’s magical shield and the ashes of Seamus. That should be strong enough to keep them out.”
“Should? What do you mean should?” Adella questioned, her simmering green eyes hard, “If those things get inside and infect the hotspot the whole planet dies.”
“The forest has agreed to lend you some power,” Zoar supplied from where he was standing by a tree, his hand placed on the bark and a magical current flowing through it. Florence nodded moving into action, the scene sped up, the figures moving swiftly as they created the barrier, and soon the scene slowed down to regular speed again.
“He is almost here,” Callan spoke up as Florence finished the final spot on the barrier and his hands were shaking slightly as the rumble of the ground confirmed his statement.
“It’s finished,” Florence replied as she moved to stand next to the other members, ready to meet the Demon Wolf head on. The battle that occurred was horrifying, to say the least. There was blood and demons everywhere. The Six viciously torn into them and the fight seemed like it would never end, the demon’s that got past the Six, slammed against the barrier but to no avail. The magic was too strong for them. Then all the demons stopped at once, receding away from the Six and the forest. Then the Demon Wolf came forward, his appearance was much more sickening in person, and it smiled dangerously at them.
“You think you can stop me?” The monster purred before launching himself at the Six, and the demon’s surrounded them again. Callan launched himself at the Demon Wolf, but it threw him into Xander, causing them both to go skidding on the ground. Florence got a knife into the demon’s shoulder before it flung her into the hordes and Nebby caught her before the demons could smother her. No matter how many attempts the Six were always thrown back, stabbed, scratched, bitten and it was never ending until the Demon Wolf reached the barrier. As soon as it laid a hand on the shield, it was thrown back with a loud crack, and its arm was severed, laying at the foot of the forcefield. The Demon Wolf howled in rage, but the demons drew back, following their master. As the simulation was closing, Florence dropped to the ground, screaming in pain.
The simulation had ended, and the room was bare again. Valeria was frozen. She could only think one thing, the voices they heard in the halls were demons but not just any demons, royal demons.
“By the Creator,” Valeria was suddenly in a panic, “Ziana, the voices-”
“I know,” The phoenix replied quickly, grabbing an arm, “Not here.”
Valeria looked over as other beasts had moved into the simulation and she followed Ziana out. The phoenix moved her past the displays of artifacts and to the memorial wall where no beast was lurking, all of them watching the presentations.
“Look at the memorial and keep your voice low,” Ziana murmured turning her gaze to the wall of names carved into colored glass and Valeria did the same.
“The voice we heard was a royal demon,” Valeria whispered as her eyes scanned over the countless names, catching on Vanessa Dracul, her grandmother, “We have to tell my mother.”
“What happened to proving ourselves?” Ziana replied, and Valeria fought the urge to glare at the phoenix. When people came to view the memorial, the pair shuffled over to the interesting facts display. One such reading, ‘The barrier created by Florence Dracul and Veronica Arriens during the Battle at the Forest of Light, was so powerful only a member of the Golden Six or one touching a member could crossover into the forest. Now it is only available to view the perimeter unless granted special assess.’
“It’s too dangerous. The Six struggled to fight the Demon Wolf off, what can we do? We’ll die if that thing even looks at us and we’re dead,” Valeria argued, “Did you know what that thing was? You told Edith you knew what it was? That a thing killed your family.”
“Have you heard of the Marked Ones?” Ziana inquired, and Valeria shook her head, unable to stop herself from looking at Ziana now, “The Marked Ones are all beasts that have had their families murdered in front of them and the thing that did it didn’t attack them but just gave them a scar, marking them. All of the Marked families were killed by the same thing, some of us think its a demon and others think its halflings.”
“But how did you know the voice?” Valeria asked.
“I don’t. I never heard it speak, but I could feel it the way I felt it when it killed my family,” Ziana explained, toeing off her shoe and showing Valeria the same mark that was on Edith’s cheek, “Only the first Marked One heard it speak.”
“Who is the first?” Valeria questioned, her gaze not leaving the scarred foot. It looked exactly like Edith’s scar, but it was slightly bigger.
“None of us know,” Ziana replied, her own gaze looking down at the mark, “All we know is that the first happened during the Demon War.”
“Ziana, we have to tell,” Valeria insisted, her panic still fresh within her, “That thing we heard, both of those things were demons.”
“If we tell then those things will react and get more people killed,” Ziana reasoned, sliding her foot back into the shoe, “We can catch it for the GSI, that thing will never see us coming.”
“I don’t know,” Valeria nibbled on her bottom lip, and her mind raced with possibilities.
“Come on, princess,” Ziana prodded, “Don’t you want to prove yourself? Get revenge for all those people it murdered? Prove that you aren’t a failure?”
“Yes.”
◆◆◆
When they arrived back at Grey Academy, her father was waiting for them. He looked just as tired as he did earlier in the evening. Beside him was Kamillah, they weren’t talking, just standing there like they were waiting for something. The lobby was bustling with the conversation of the under forties and their teachers around them. Valeria’s eyes found her father, and he beckoned her forward. She pulled Ziana along as she moved to meet him in the center of the room. Much to the indignation of the phoenix.
“Valeria, Ms. Ashfury, how was your visit to the museum?” He asked when they’d reached the other two beasts.
“Enlightening,” Valeria replied, answering for the two of them, “What are you still doing here, Dad?”
“Waiting for you my dear, we need to ask you and Ms. Ashfury some questions about what happened last night,” Derik answered looking from Valeria to Ziana whose face hardened at the mention of last night.
“Is Edith okay?” Ziana asked, her face scrunching in worry.
“Ms. Moreski is stable,” Derik said, looking around the lobby, “Come with me, we will talk about this in my office where there are less sensitive ears.”
Valeria exchanged a look with Ziana who seemed to be tenser now than she was at the war museum. The two roommates followed Derik and Kamilah through the lobby and down a hallway that led to the center of the school where the spiral tower was located. It seemed a lot more intimidating up close, but she supposed that a headmaster’s office should be a little intimidating. Inside was decorated the same way the lobby was with a single desk that sat in front of a winding staircase that led up to a loft that Valeria assumed was her father’s office. At the desk sat a sorcerer typing away at the projected blue screen. His eyes flickered up to them before shooting down to his keyboard.
“Mmmhmm, that explains a lot,” The sorcerer murmured not even sparing them another glance as they passed him.
“He’s not actually typing anything,” Derik said as they walked up the stairs, “He just does that to look busy.”
Valeria would’ve laughed, but she was overcome with this tension in her gut like she was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Her dad was too calm, too, in control of his movements like he was hiding something
. Next, to her, Ziana’s eyes were flickering over Derik and Kamilah. Valeria couldn’t tell what the other beast was thinking. When they reached the top of the stairs, Derik held the door open for them to enter. Kamilah walked ahead before she turned to give them an apologetic smile. Inside was her mother and Callan, they were standing in front of the large marble fireplace in the lounge area of the office. The office walls were lined with dark bookcases and warm fairy lights. The dark wooden floors had intricately embroidered carpets on them, and the walls were painted a soft gray. The two of them were talking to each other quietly, so hushed that not even her vampiric hearing could pick up on the words being exchanged. When Derik closed the door behind them, the words stopped, and they stood to look at them. She watched as Ziana’s face slid into an expressionless mask. They could only be here for one thing.
* * *
Chapter Seven
Lies
The first thing Valeria thought was that they knew about the voices, and she was so grounded. Then it occurred to her that they had no way of knowing and Valeria needed to calm down.
“Duchess Dracul, Ms. Ashfury, please take a seat. We have a few questions to ask you about last night,” Callan said gesturing to the leather bound couch in front of where he and Florence stood. Callan and Florence were dressed in their sleek black GS uniforms, but she noticed her mother wearing the same silver hairpin as yesternight, it usually was a new one every night.
“As the two of you are still under eighty cycles, you will need advocates while speaking to GSI Agents, regardless of relation as protocol dictates,” Derik said moving them to the couch, “So Kamilah will be Ms. Ashfury’s advocate, and I will be Valeria’s. Any questions?”
“No, Headmaster,” Ziana mumbled as Valeria nodded. This whole situation was entirely strange for her. She’d never seen her mother or Callan being so professional before. They always seemed so laid back with all the bickering the two partners did.
“You two aren’t in trouble,” Florence broke her silence, her gaze locked on Valeria’s before shifting to Ziana’s, a reassuring smile was on her lips, “We are simply trying to understand what happened. We have already talked to your dorm mates, but rules dictate we cover all bases.”
“I always thought rules were meant to be broken, but Florence is a hardass,” Callan added, sitting down on the ottoman in front of the two. Valeria relaxed at seeing the Callan she knew, they didn’t know anything, and Valeria was just being paranoid.
“You forget that if you break another rule, you’ll be suspended,” Florence reminded him and Callan huffed as he flicked open his pad.
“Whatever let’s just get this done. I’m starving,” Callan responded, bringing out an oval recording device, “Do you mind if I record our conversation?”
“No,” Ziana and Valeria shook their heads in consent.
“Trust me I don’t want to have to listen to your voice more than I have to,” Callan stated with a roll of his eyes and the tutting of Florence behind him, “but ya know, rules.”
“Now if any questions confuse you, just ask for us to clarify,” Florence told them with a smile, and Valeria felt Ziana relax beside her, “And if Callan confuses you, that’s just because he isn’t very bright.”
“Wow,” Callan said before he pressed record on the oval device, “Alright, What was happening when Edith had her vision?”
“We were sitting around and talking,” Ziana replied, “Talking about mates or something like that.”
“Did Ms.Moreski seem agitated or stressed?” Callan questioned, glancing down at the questions he had prepared.
“No, she seemed fine,” Valeria responded honestly, thinking back to that night and coming up with nothing.
“Did she mention anything odd about her internship?” Callan seemed bored as he asked the questions, and Florence watched with amusement from her place leaning against the mantel.
“She said she liked it,” Ziana replied and made a show of thinking, “But she didn’t mention anything.”
“So nothing, nothing, and nothing,” Callan responded in a monotone voice, making a markdown on his pad, “Okay anything happen the night before the internship?”
“No,” Ziana replied without missing a beat, but it seemed too quick, and Valeria remembered the voices. Did the voices cause this? Valeria thought this would be the moment, to tell the truth, and just be done with it. Instead, she just shook her head and ignored the creeping feeling of guilt. Florence shifted her feet, and Callan looked into Valeria’s eyes as he closed the pad with a soft click.
“That night before last, was your first night right, V?” Callan asked, and Valeria nodded, “The intern fair was that night correct?”
“Yes.”
“Did you see anything that might have triggered the vision at the fair?” Callan inquired, closing both hands over the pad, “Well besides Xander.”
“No,” Valeria responded, looking the wolf directly in the eyes.
“What did you do after the fair?” Callan asked, his expression was one of unfeigned interest instead of boredom as it had been a couple of seconds ago.
“We went to the dining hall and then back to the dorm,” Ziana cut in with palpable tension in her voice.
“According to your RA, you two were the first to sign up for the internships,” Callan said, “but you weren’t seen getting out of bed until everyone was at breakfast.”
“We signed up during the day,” Valeria confessed, and Florence shifted her feet again.
“Makes sense. Get ahead of the crowd and get the internship you want. I would have done the same thing,” Callan replied easily, a smile on his face, “It must have been dangerous for you to move around the academy during the night, V. What route did you take?”
“I don’t know,” Valeria responded honestly, “I can’t remember.”
“Ms. Ashfury, do you?”
“We took the North hallway, the long way to the dining hall,” Ziana answered matter of factly before she shifted forward, “Are you interrogating us, Agent Claire?”
“Should I be?” The wolf asked with a humorless laugh, “Anyway, did you see anyone? Teachers patrol the hallways, right?”
Callan was looking directly at Valeria as he asked the question. She felt a sinking in her gut, they were suspicious of them. In her mind, she scrambled to come up with something to say that would throw them off their trail, but she came up flat.
“That would be correct but no we didn't see anyone,” Valeria said softly, meaning to sound more confident but ending up flat and Valeria heard her mother shift her feet again.
“Are you sure about that?” Callan shrugged, “Plenty of faculty patrol the halls during the night. You must have run into someone, maybe even a student?”
“W-we, uh, we.”
“Okay, you caught us,” Ziana interjected, “We did hear some other kids in the hall but didn't want to rat them out for being out of bed.”
“Edith was with you, was she not?”
“What does sneaking out of bed to sign up for an internship have anything to do with Edith having a vision? Nothing happened anyway,” Ziana snapped, clearly agitated and Valeria saw her mom shift her feet again. Then Valeria realized that Florence was sending Callan signals on where to poke. Throughout her whole life, Valeria had never known her mother to make unnecessary movements. Every time Florence shifted her feet, Callan would question further on the subject.
“I only ask because Elves that have never seen the future previously, can be triggered by an event directly correlated to the vision,” Callan explained but those didn’t sound like his words, he never sounded that smart, “Edith saw a vision of a massacre, one that happened hours after her vision. So, is there anything that you two know of that could have triggered the vision? Did you see or hear anything out in the corridor?”
“No,” Valeria shook her head, and she glanced over at her mom, who was staring at her with a narrowed gaze. Valeria recognized the expression from when Demetri was tryi
ng to explain how he got suspended again for some stupid prank, it was a scrutinizing gaze.
“Nothing I can think of,” Ziana lied easily, Valeria watched as Florence's eyes flickered between them both, the same calculating stare that she had seen in the simulation only hours before.
“Are you sure? This is not a joke. A merperson was orphaned, and your friend saw it all before it happened,” Florence finally spoke, but her eyes were locked with Valeria’s, “If you tell us now, there won’t be any consequences.”
“I’m sure,” Valeria responded and Ziana seconded her statement.
“Okay,” Callan said standing, and they followed in suit, “Then we are done here. Now Florence, can we please go eat.”
“If you happen to remember anything,” Florence handed Ziana two cards, ignoring her partner, “contact us. These are our personal communicator information. Valeria, you already have our information.”
“Thank you, Ms. Ashfury, Valeria,” Derik expressed with a smile, leading them back to the door, “You may return to your dorms.”
Kamilah, Ziana and Valeria all exited the office and headed down the spiral staircase before the RA stopped them at the bottom.
“Wait here, I just need to speak with Secretary Choi about something. Sit tight for a moment,” Kamilah said, and the two nodded before going to sit at the two chairs at the other end of the room. Once they were seated, Valeria honed her vampiric hearing in on the conversation going on back up in the office.
“So, what do you think? Were they telling the truth?” Callan’s voice asked.
“I’m not sure about Ms. Ashfury, but I know for a fact our daughter is lying,” Derik said with a huff and Valeria felt a sinking feeling in her gut. What gave her away?
“They were both hiding something,” Florence agreed.
“Derik, how did you know they were lying? I know Florence could tell because she basically invented lying, but what about you?” Callan asked, sounding a little too amused for the conversation, and she heard what she assumed was her mom smacking the back of the wolf’s head.
Beastmora- The Golden Six Page 10