I hear voices and pick up my pace. We’re moving the right direction. The voices get louder.
“Lady Aspen,” Ladros calls out, almost desperately. “At least let me walk in front.”
I glance back over my shoulder. His expression is grim. I decide to throw him a bone.
“Okay.” I slow and let him take the lead. I think he’s overreacting. Belial would never bring anyone or anything into the safe house that could hurt me. But if letting Ladros walk in front saves me from needing to flash my powers again, then that’s an easy decision.
We turn down a hallway, then another. We reach a staircase I’ve never seen before. With a grim expression, Ladros rolls back his shoulders and proceeds to walk down the stairs.
“I do not like this,” Olina murmurs. She hovers close. Her breath brushes the back of my neck.
“It will be fine.”
She doesn’t reply. She knows there’s no point. We’re already in this.
The air cools as we descend, reminding me of the temperature change in the basement at the Van der Klay’s house. Sure enough, when we reach the end of the stairs, we’re greeted by an unfurnished, concrete floor. A long hall extends in front of us.
Each of us scans our surroundings as we continue to move forward. The voices are unmistakable now. Several speak over one another, making it hard to decipher what they’re saying, but one voice stands out above the rest.
“I said I’m fine!”
My heart lurches into my throat. I hesitate for only a moment, then take off.
“Wait!” Ladros shouts.
“Aspen, hold on!”
I ignore both Olina and Ladros. I only care about finding the owner of that voice and ensuring he is all right.
I use the corner of the wall to pivot to the right. A metal door stands ajar. I run inside, eyes wild, searching the room.
I gasp.
There, lying in the middle of a disheveled crowd, is Lex. My brother.
“Lex!” I rush to his side, shoving away a petite body blocking my path. My knees bang against the concrete floor. I ignore the pain.
With matted blond hair, he lifts his head. Seeing me, he groans. “Ah. Great. Are you going to coddle me too?”
“What happened?” He’s a mess. Dark smudges cover him from head to toe. His shirt is ripped, and his pants are stained with dark liquid.
“The attack happened.” A new voice speaks.
I only vaguely recognize Victor; I’m so distracted by Lex’s appearance. I glance up. Victor and Isabella hover nearby. They are covered in gore, red staining their expensive clothes.
My eyes are drawn to the entryway. Olina and Ladros stand there. The latter eyes the group with unease. His hand lingers on the hilt of his sword. Olina hides her surprise and moves to the other side of Lex. She eyes his injuries, gently probing a nasty gash on the side of his head.
“Aspen?” Cortney pushes herself off the ground. Belatedly, I realize she’s the petite figure I’d shoved.
Just like Lex, Cortney, too, is a mess. Her curly brown locks are smeared with blood, and her school uniform is ruined.
I stand and open my arms just as my friend throws herself at me. Her body shakes as she holds onto me tightly.
Over Cortney’s shoulder, I see there are several people in the room. Some I recognize, others I don’t. But all were clearly involved in the same fight.
I focus on Victor. “You mean the attack at St. Michaels?”
“Yes.” The vampires is good enough not to roll his eyes at my obvious question.
“It was awful.” Cortney pulls back, her brown eyes haunted. “The demons broke through the wards like they didn’t even exist.”
Horror fills me. Those wards make the academy one of the safest places for Guardians. They are supposed to be impenetrable. No one would’ve seen the attack coming. They wouldn’t have been prepared.
“How is that even possible?”
“We were hoping you’d tell us.” Lex coughs.
“What do you mean?” I ask, once again kneeling at his side.
Lex struggles up to lean back on his elbows. I’m proud to notice he doesn’t flinch when Olina reaches out a hand to help. Raised to view all demons as evil and our enemies, not all Guardians or Guardians-to-be would respond well to being touched by a mundane demon. I can sense more than one individual in the room is taken aback by the situation.
Lex offers Olina a quick nod of appreciation, then turns to me. “We were wondering if something else happened that night in the summoning circle,” he says. “Other than Beelzebub’s release?”
My brows furrow. “Nothing I haven’t already shared.” I’d informed Belial and members of the Blackstone Clan about what transpired before everyone arrived to save me, and I shared the same information with my closest friends—before I decided to wallow in my sadness.
The alliance of lesser demons had also tried to get the information out to the Shadowguard while I stayed in hiding, but Head Minister Hendricks proved more than capable of suppressing the truth from Guardian society.
Lex, hearing my reply, grimaces. “That’s what we were afraid of.” He leans back and rests on the ground. Olina takes a handkerchief from her pocket and gently dabs his head wound.
Cortney lowers herself to the ground, resting her hand on Lex’s arm. My brother gives her a weak smile. “I’m okay,” he tries to reassure her.
I glance at my friend. Her bottom lip quivers, and her eyes fill with tears. “No thanks to me.”
Lex squeezes her hand. “Stop it. This isn’t your fault.”
I can tell Cortney wants to argue, but as her eyes trail over Lex, she holds back. Nodding, she continues to hold onto my brother like her life depends on it, and a few wayward tears roll down her cheeks.
I look away from the couple, again turning to Victor for answers. “What happened after you all left the library?” I’d thought the vampires returned to their coven for safety, but it looks like I was wrong.
The vampire smooths down his hair and sighs. “We were too late. By the time we arrived at the academy, the demons had already breached the wards and had the advantage. We took out as many mundane demons as we could, but no one could get close to Beelzebub. He obliterated anyone who stepped into his path.”
Bile rises in my throat. “What about the students and professors? Did they get away?”
“Some, but not all.” He lowers his head with regret. “Like I said, we were too late.”
Silence hangs heavy in the room.
Questions lodge in my throat, my vocal cords refusing to speak them aloud—too afraid of their answers. How many innocent students lost their lives? How many of deaths am I responsible for?
“The loss is tragic,” it’s Isabella, the cool, stoic vampire, who breaks the quiet. She looks around the disheveled group, speaking to everyone at once. “But what we need to figure out is what Azazel hoped to gain by the attack. Surely, he didn’t send his minions there to search for you,” she looks my direction. “Simple surveillance would have confirmed you weren’t there. Why would Azazel risk incurring the wrath of the Shadowguard Council with an objective-less act of aggression?”
“Attention?” A petite lycan offers. She stands with the lycans from tonight’s meeting. I’m surprised to see the shifter race had involved themselves in the attack. I’d thought they’d taken a portal to safety, too.
“What do you mean, Angelica?” One of her companions asks.
“From all accounts, Azazel is egotistical. He could’ve been tired to no one acknowledging his recent accomplishments.”
“Or perhaps it is nothing more than pure fearmongering.” I watch as Trevor Walsh, Lex’s best friend, separates himself from the crowd. I’m relieved to see he is here, relatively unharmed. But, like everyone else, he looks a little worse for wear.
The second-year academy student looks at those around him, wearing a haunted expression. “Azazel is an original demon, determined to wreak havoc on the world. He doesn’t n
eed an excuse for violence other than he simply enjoys it.”
My chest aches, hopelessly wishing the optimistic young man I knew never had to suffer through today’s events. I know, all too well, he will never be the same again.
Loud voices bounce along the hallway, heading our direction. Whatever response anyone would have made is interrupted as we all turn to face the newcomers.
I’m unsurprised when Belial comes into view. The tingling sensation let me know he was near.
Like the others, his clothes have seen better days. His expression is grim, but it morphs into surprise, followed by frustration, ending on resignation when he sees me.
“Little Mountain,” his greets, sounding exhausted. “Why am I not surprised to see you here?”
I ignore the question. “You’re hurt.” Through a tear in his shirt, I see evidence of a nasty wound. Fresh blood oozes out, dripping onto the concrete floor.
Before I think better of it, I’m at his side. I tug the fabric up to get a better look, but Belial’s hand wraps around my wrist, stopping me.
Someone behind me gasps.
Belatedly, I realize my actions might be considered shocking. It’s not every day someone sees an original demon, much less an original demon who lets a nineteen-year-old girl try to manhandle him.
“I appreciate your concern, little mountain,” Belial croons, “but perhaps you should buy me dinner before attempting to undress me?”
“W-what?” I splutter. My cheeks burst into flames. “That is not what I was doing!”
The original has the audacity to wink, igniting a fresh flurry of whispers from the room.
Ugh. Arrogant, trouble-making original demon with no sense of decency—
“Aspen?” My internal rant is cut short.
I turn.
Andrew Legrand, Lex’s mentor, stands just behind Belial. I didn’t even noticed him. My embarrassment grows, realizing I let myself get wrapped up in my concern for the original demon. I can only imagine what the room is thinking.
Nothing too far from the truth…
I shut down the thought, refusing to let my mind go there.
“Guardian Legrand,” I return, stepping back to try and dislodge Belial’s hold. Unfortunately, he has no plan to release me.
I try to ignore the feelings his touch elicits—like pleasant lightning bolts tickling my skin. “I’m glad to see you are all right,” I try to fill the awkward silence building around me.
“Same here,” Andrew returns. “It’s been weeks since anyone has seen you.”
I wince. “Yeah… I needed time.” It’s as close to the truth as I can get without airing out my laundry to the entire room.
Andrew’s eyes soften. “That is understandable.”
I appreciate his kindness and offer him a small smile in return.
Movement over his shoulder catches my eye, and I’m startled by a fierce pair of brown eyes.
Logan Hendricks stands there, still as a statue, glaring at the hand Belial has wrapped around mine, looking like he’d enjoy nothing more than to rip it apart.
Chapter Six
The emotions churning through me are difficult to put into words. They are a troubling mix of good and bad, concern and anger. I may have spent the past few weeks fighting through depression caused by my father’s death, but I’d successfully blocked out all thoughts of my mentor and our confusing, twisted relationship.
Seeing him here has thrown me for a loop.
I look at Belial, wondering if he notices Logan’s furious glare.
He does.
The original demon’s lips are pulled back in a cross between a sneer and smirk. It’s almost like he’s taunting the head minister’s son.
I’m not the only one to notice Logan’s presence.
“Logan Hendricks.” Victor steps forward, wisely putting himself between Belial and the young Guardian. “My friend. It is good to see you unharmed.”
“Victor.” Logan returns, but his glare remains on me and Belial.
“What is the head minister’s son doing here?” Angelica questions. The lycans around her mumble their confusion as well.
“Logan Hendricks has been working with our alliance for months now,” Victor tells the room. His fangs flash. “He is not an enemy.”
Clear distrust rolls over the group, but no one else speaks out.
“Listen everyone, emotions are running high and I can smell the adrenaline pumping in each of your veins,” Victor eloquently reveals. “Let us clean up and rest before discussing the night’s events any further.”
I watch as the lycans look to one another, silently weighing their options.
The vampires nod to their leader, accepting his suggestion and blinking out of sight without question. Do the blood-sucking demons have an endless supply of portal potions from warlocks or something?
Slowly, but surely, the room clears of all lesser demons except for Ladros and Olina. Victor makes his departure after informing Belial he and members of his coven will return in the morning to discuss strategy.
Belatedly, I realize there are even more academy students that had been concealed in the crowd. Lauren Thibodeaux and Fiona Callaway are huddled together, tears streaking their otherwise pretty faces. Freddy Legrand and four other first-year students stand in a group, blocking the sight of at least a dozen injured students.
I am absolutely shocked.
“What is everyone doing here, Belial?”
He shrugs, finally releasing my wrist. “I’ve offered refuge to some of St. Michael’s students.”
There’s no way I heard him right.
“You what?”
“It is not a big deal, little mountain.”
Um… that is so not true.
“Belial?” I cross my arms. If he thinks I’m going to drop this, then he doesn’t know me at all.
The original’s eyes flash, but not with anger. If anything, I’d say he’s amused by my display.
“What do you wish for me to say? The academy is destroyed. These students don’t have anywhere to sleep, and we have plenty of rooms here.”
I ignore his use of the word “we”.
“What about their families?” St. Michael’s is the most prominent Shadowguard Academy in the country. Most students come from wealthy, well-known Guardian families. Surely, they could stay with them.
“Most of us no longer trust our families,” Trevor reveals.
“What do you mean?”
“Head Minister Hendricks couldn’t keep all the rumors about Azazel from spreading. While most of us don’t know the details, we know something is going on, and that it’s big.”
He’s not wrong, but I’m still surprised.
“What makes you think that?”
“Scouting missions have been banned for students, and we aren’t allowed to leave campus. Not for any reason,” Freddy reveals, speaking up while avoiding my gaze at the same time. “The academy wouldn’t take such drastic measures if there wasn’t a good reason.”
I agree. The whole point of attending the academy is to train us to become Guardians. It’s no secret the Shadowguard’s numbers are low. Only something truly dangerous could interrupt our training.
Cortney speaks up, “The Shadowguard Council supports the head minister, and a lot of their children are speaking against them. More than one of our peers has been disowned by their family.”
My jaw drops. “Are you serious?”
“Yes,” Freddy confirms. He looks at his brother. “Our father wants nothing to do with us. Not while we openly speak against the Head Minister.”
Andrew crosses the room and rests a comforting hand on his younger brother’s shoulder.
This is crazy.
How could a parent abandon their child because of differing perspectives? This isn’t even a political issue. It’s a matter of believing the truth or a lie.
“My family hasn’t disowned me, but I can’t trust them,” Trevor offers his experience. “They’ve dug their
heels in and have sided with the head minister, and I don’t want anything to do with them.”
Several nod their heads, agreeing with his choice and relating it to their own decisions.
This is all so shocking. Never would I imagine such a division in our society’s prominent families.
Part of me hopes this means there’s a greater chance of our message reaching influential members of our society and forcing the head minister to admit the truth. But the skeptical part of me suspects our leader will easily discredit any objection the younger generation lays at his feet.
“So… now you all agreed to stay here?” I give a pointed look towards Belial. “With… us?”
At first, no one says a word. Several students eye the original demon with clear distrust, and I’m sad to notice they show the same reaction to me.
I can’t blame them. My fellow academy students haven’t seen me in months, and I’m right in the middle of this mess, with an original demon at my side. They’d be fools to not be wary.
“My sister is one of the missing Guardians Head Minister Hendricks won’t speak about,” Henry Burns, the guy I’d sparred with and beat during our first week at the academy, steps away from the group of guys shielding the other students from view. “Veronica is my best friend and a kick ass Guardian. My mom is on the council, but she won’t even press Hendricks to figure out what happened to her daughter. So, yeah. I’m down for staying here, as long as it means I’m one step closer to figuring out what happened to my sister.”
My heart goes out to the brawny young man. He comes off as a brute, but he has a heart just like the rest of us.
I look at the other students. Fear lingers in their expression—they’re haunted by what they just experienced—but they’re also resolved. They’re truly on our side.
“Well,” I swallow. “Welcome to the alliance, I guess.”
Olina coaxes the academy students out of the basement, leading them to the guest rooms. Burns and Freddy look like they don’t plan to follow, but they concede when Belial promises no harm will come to them in his home. Demons, even crafty originals, can’t lie.
Demon War: Shadowguard Academy Book 4 Page 4