“Oh, you know, that you made a deal with Belial for immortality and are currently transforming into an original demon as we speak.”
“What?!”
Cortney laughs. “Oh, that’s just one of their many theories. But don’t worry. I don’t think they really believe it. I suspect their stories about you are more of a coping mechanism. You know,” the laughter dies from her lips, “ever since Erin.”
My heart sinks.
Erin Caster was a member of Lauren’s mean-girl posse at St. Michaels. Though we weren’t exactly friends, it hurt to hear about her untimely death during the attack on the academy. I understand, now, why Lauren and Fiona had been so subdued that first night when they arrived at the safe house.
Cortney clears the lump in her throat and gently shifts the conversation. “Anyway, I didn’t come in here to lecture you or anything, but Lex insisted I try to lure you out of your room.”
“Why didn’t he come himself?”
“Because your personal bodyguard won’t let anyone in here.”
I frown. “Who?”
“The guard from the first night we got here. I think his name is Ladros.”
Oh.
“I had no idea he was standing watch outside my door.” Cortney wasn’t wrong when she accused me of hiding in my rooms. I haven’t even left to practice my magic.
Olina brings me meals and works with me on mastering my powers in here. While my room doesn’t have the space required for attack or defensive magic, the mundane demon has proven herself creative in ways to push my control of the magic to the next level. Her latest idea included using the power within holy fire to hover above the ground. I may have singed the plush Persian rug in the center of the room, but the effort had been successful overall.
“Why would Ladros not let Lex inside my room?” I, certainly, never gave that order. And I don’t suspect Belial did either. Lex is, after all, my brother.
Cortney shrugs. “All I know is no guy has been allowed within ten feet of the hall leading to your bedroom.”
Huh…
“Weird.”
“Yeah,” Cortney agrees.
“Well,” I steer the conversation back to its original path. I make a note to ask Ladros about his process for permitting, or not permitting, visitors later. “What does Lex want?”
“For you to leave your room.”
“Why?”
“Because you have a visitor?”
“A visitor?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Cortney sighs and rolls her eyes. “Can you respond with more than just one or two words?”
“Maybe.” I grin when her scowl deepens.
“Mr. Legrand is here and wants to talk to you.”
My forehead furrows. “You mean Andrew?”
“No, his grandfather.”
My eyes widen. “Kevin Legrand is here? To see me?”
She nods.
“But why?”
“I’m not sure.” She shrugs. “But there’s a way to find out.” She gestures meaningfully towards the door.
I bite my lip, thinking. “I don’t know Cortney…”
“Aspen.” She reaches out and places a hand on my leg. “Listen, all jokes aside, I understand the desire to keep to yourself until you figure out the best way to handle this latest situation, but that’s just not realistic. Think of this like a bandage. The sooner you rip it off, the sooner the pain is over with.”
I hear what she’s saying. I do. But that doesn’t make it easy.
But when has your life ever been easy?
I take a deep breath. Cortney’s right. I can’t just hide out in here. It’s like I told Logan in the library: there are bigger things to worry about than my messed-up personal life. I need to start practicing what I preach.
“Fine.” I scoot to the opposite side of the bed and slide until my feet touch the ground. “But let me shower first. I reek.”
Cortney wrinkles her nose. “I mean, I wasn’t going to say anything but… Hey!”
I chuckle when the discarded pillow I threw collides with Cortney’s face. She draws her arm back, prepared to retaliate, but I duck into the safety of the bathroom before she can launch her attack.
I don’t wait for the water to warm before stepping in the shower. Now that I know Kevin Legrand is waiting to talk to me, I find I’m eager to figure out why. The oldest patriarch of the Legrand family is well-respected in the Shadowguard community. According to Charles, he was a runner-up for head minister against Logan’s father.
After a quick, but thorough, scrub of my scalp and body, I hop out of the shower and dry off. I cover myself with a robe, return to the bedroom to retrieve fresh clothes, then quickly change in the bathroom. When I walk back out, towel drying my hair, Cortney stands.
She tucks her cell phone in her back pocket. “Ready?”
I hang the towel over the edge of the chair positioned in front of the vanity mirror, run a brush through my wet hair a few times, then say, “Yep. I’m ready.”
I follow Cortney out of the room.
A quick glance confirms Ladros stands at the end of the hall, positioned between my room and the rest of the safe house. The guard tilts his head in acknowledgement as we pass, then promptly falls into step behind us without a word.
Cortney’s phone buzzes. She retrieves the device and reads the incoming text. “Oh, wait. They’re waiting for us in the back courtyard.” She pivots to change direction, leading me and Ladros to the new destination.
“Who’s ‘they’?” I assume Andrew and Lex are with Mr. Legrand, and while I know Andrew and Logan are best friends, I hope Andrew had enough sense not to invite him.
“Mr. Legrand, Lex, Andrew and Freddy,” she answers. I’m surprised by the last name.
Freddy Legrand is a fellow first-year student at St. Michael’s academy. He’s also one of my potential matches, according to the school’s assessor.
Geeze.
I just now realize how annoyingly complicated my relationships are with several of the men in this safe house. Even Lex’s best friend, Trevor, showed interest in me at one point.
Is this sort of thing normal between men and women? I’m not sure I would know. I had exactly one date prior to enrolling in St. Michael’s, and that didn’t exactly blossom into a swoon-worthy romance.
I follow Cortney’s lead, as does Ladros. The guard’s footsteps are nearly silent despite his large size.
Curiosity gets the best of me, and I peer at him over my shoulder. “Ladros?”
“Yes, Lady Aspen.”
I purse my lips at the title. I’m going to have to convince him to drop it like I did with Olina. “Did Belial ask you to keep male visitors from my rooms?”
The mundane demon doesn’t so much as blink. “No, Lady Aspen, he did not.”
Cortney shoots me a curious look. I can feel it on the side of my face.
I ignore her, keeping my attention on Ladros. Though, I’m careful to watch where I’m going with my peripheral vision. “Then why wouldn’t you let my brother come to my room?”
Ladros wears a careful mask—the kind that makes him a good, stoic guard.
Seconds pass.
I’m beginning to think he doesn’t plan to answer me.
Then, Ladros states, “I overheard your meeting in the library.” There’s a hint of apology in the words.
I feel embarrassment rise in my cheeks. I’m not surprised Ladros overheard me and Logan. He was, after all, standing guard just outside the library. But that doesn’t make it easy to know he, too, is privy to the disaster that is my personal life.
I do my best to press on. “I see. But how does that connect with denying my brother access to my rooms?”
“All humans look alike to me.” Ladros lifts one shoulder, looking almost sheepish, but not really apologetic. “I assumed you would not wish to meet with the male from the library, so I thought it best to prevent all human males from visiting you.”
; My jaw drops. “You…” I struggle to put my thoughts into words. “You barred all guys from my room because you weren’t sure you could tell which was the one I wouldn’t want to see?”
“Yes,” he answers without a hint of shame.
Cortney, obviously able to hear our conversation, releases a muffled laugh.
I, too, find it amusing, but I’m also surprised. What possessed Ladros to take that responsibility upon himself?
From what I’ve seen of Belial’s guards, they don’t tend to act outside of their specific orders. The original demon runs a tight ship.
I nod and turn back around, my thoughts swirling.
We reach the back terrace which leads to the courtyard where the others wait. Cortney strides outside, but I hang back.
“Lady Aspen?” Ladros questions, stopping beside me. “Is everything alright?”
I look up into the demon’s red eyes. “Yeah. Just confused.”
He tilts his head. “Confused about what?”
I shift my feet. “I guess I’m curious what would cause you to do something so thoughtful.” It’s not like Ladros and I have a friendly relationship like I do with Olina.
In fact, during my first real interaction with the guard, I ambushed him into ignoring his orders and forced him to let me search for Belial the night of the academy attack. While I don’t think he got in too much trouble, I’m pretty sure Belial didn’t let the matter slide.
Ladros straightens—the only sign he’s mildly uncomfortable. “You were upset,” he says simply, staring out into the terrace. “I wouldn’t want to see you upset again.”
That’s… surprisingly sweet.
I’m prepared to let the matter drop, telling myself the guard must just be a softy in a tough guy’s body, but then Ladros makes a statement which threatens to knock me off my feet. “I would do anything to ensure the wellbeing and safety of Anya Jansen’s daughter.”
Chapter Fifteen
I stare at the guard, unable to believe what I just heard.
“I’m sorry,” I shake my head, trying to gather my wits. “What did you just say?”
Ladros lowers his chin. The movement causes the horns on his head to catch the sunlight. “I said I would to anything to ensure your wellbeing and safety.”
Yeah… that’s not the part I’m asking about.
I cut straight to the point. “You knew my mom?”
His eyes grow distant with a memory. Softly, he answers, “Yes.”
I am completely floored. Of all the things I expected to hear, that wasn’t even in the farthest recesses of my mind. “How did you know her?”
The guard finally turns his attention to me. With a solemn expression, he reveals, “She saved me.”
My chest tightens.
Ladros continues, “Olina has shared her story with you, yes?”
I nod, remembering how Olina explained she and her sister were purchased from a demon slave market by Belial. The original demon had given them the choice of living under his protection as his employees or venturing into the world on their own. Obviously, Olina and Mina chose the former.
“Is your story similar?” I ask, hoping doing so isn’t considered rude.
“It is,” Ladros confirms. “Except I wasn’t rescued by Belial, but by your mother and her partner.”
He means Vivian.
I have yet to confront my foster mother about her concealed relationship with my birth mother. I need to get on that. Apparently, there’s a lot she can tell me.
“If you don’t mind me asking…” I hesitate. “What happened?”
Ladros, once again, stares off at the terrace. “As a youngling, I was given to a fighting pit. It’s a place where higher demons like to force mundane demons to fight, betting on the outcome with one another.”
Nausea churns my stomach. His description is reminiscent of gladiator fights in ancient times, and their violence and brutality are well known. It’s appalling to think of such evil happening nowadays.
His broad shoulders rise as he takes a long, deep breath. “I was locked in my cell, recovering from my day’s fight, when I heard commotion coming from aboveground.”
Ladros’s lips pull back in a sneer. “One of the wardens tried to release the prisoners to defend the pit. He was a fool. His neck was snapped within a second of freeing one of my brethren.”
I have to force myself not to flinch away from the darkness in Ladros’s tone.
He continues, “I’d heard rumblings from the pit’s newest recruits that a female Guardian was working to help mundane and lesser demons, but I didn’t believe it. Not until I saw Anya and her partner run through the demons operating the fighting pit. To this day, it’s difficult to believe how well they fought those higher demons.”
Pride and awe fill my chest.
I know why she couldn’t, but I can’t help but wish my mom would’ve told me the truth about her identity. She left Guardian life behind in order to keep me safe, giving up so much, and it pains me to know I will never be able to thank her for all she’s done.
“Did you speak with her?” I’m eager to hear of another’s interaction with my beloved mom.
“Only for a moment,” Ladros answers. “She used demon tongue to reassure the prisoners we had nothing to fear from her. We were free to leave the fighting pit. She would not try to stop us.”
“My mom could speak in demon tongue?” How is this the first I’m hearing this?
Ladros smirks, revealing one pointed incisor. “Very poorly, but yes. Anya used demon tongue to communicate with us.”
Wow.
“That’s amazing.”
He dips his head. “It is.”
By all accounts, my mom was a complete bad ass. My heart aches, knowing I will never get to discuss the details of her exciting life with her. The next best thing will be to speak with Vivian, but I’m not sure how that will go when I still harbor so much resentment for her secrecy.
Maybe that’s something you need to let go.
Once again, the voice in the back of my head is logical whereas I am emotional. I’m not sure what I will do about the Vivian situation, but life has repeatedly taught me time is short. I need to speak with her before it’s too late and I miss the chance.
“Well,” I swallow, clearing the emotion elicited from Ladros’s story from my throat. “Thank you for sharing that with me.”
“Of course.” His red eyes soften. “Many of us in Master Belial’s service have some connection with Guardian Jansen. I am not alone in feeling honored to have the chance to assist her daughter.”
And just like that, emotion builds back in my throat.
My eyes burn, but I manage to hold the tears at bay. “I appreciate that, Ladros. Truly.”
Ladros nods. Then, he straightens—back to business. “Shall we join your friend outside? She seemed rather impatient when she insisted on visiting you today.”
I laugh at his astute observation of Cortney. “Yeah. Let’s go.”
The air is cool, but not as frigid as I would expect for late January. My thick, wool sweater keeps me sufficiently warm for which I am grateful.
Ladros and I cross the back terrace, scanning for Cortney. It isn’t until I reach the edge and look down that I see her and four other figures in the courtyard below.
Cortney spots me immediately. She lifts a hand in the air, gesturing for me to join them. I take a deep breath and descend the stone steps. Ladros is one step behind me as I cross the well-manicured lawn, approaching the group.
Before I reach them, Lex steps towards me and wraps me in a quick hug. “Glad to see you out of your room. I was worried.” He releases me, and I see him shoot Ladros an irritated glance.
I do my best not to laugh. “I’m fine.”
He scans me from head to toe. Seeing no visible signs of distress, aside from perhaps the black circles under my eyes, his shoulders relax. “I’m happy to hear it.”
I jerk my head to the group behind him. They’re about ten f
eet away. “Any idea what this is about?” I recognize Andrew and Freddy and assume the older gentleman with them is their grandfather.
Lex levels me with an expectant look. “I’m pretty sure you know.”
I give the three men with Cortney another look. “Guardian stuff?” I guess.
“Possibly,” Lex replies. “But I think Mr. Legrand is more interested in speaking with you about your connection to Hermona.”
Ah.
That’s right. He’s a history buff.
If you would have tried to speak with me about my status as Hermona’s reincarnation just a few weeks ago, there is no way I would have gone along with it. But now… I don’t know… It’s no longer that strange to me.
After experiencing Hermona’s memories, I can no longer deny my link to the original Guardian. Acceptance of the truth was inevitable, and now that more and more people are privy to the information, it’s become easier to discuss.
Still awkward, but easier.
“Well, I guess I should go say hello.”
Lex gives me an encouraging smile then takes a step to the side. We approach the group together.
Mr. Legrand’s excited eyes lock onto mine almost immediately.
Before I can say a word, I’m bombarded by his enthusiastic greeting, “My, my. The one and only Aspen Van der Klay. I’ve heard so much about you from my grandsons, not to mention news of your recent activities has spread through Shadowguard society like wildfire. It is a pleasure to meet the girl behind all this excitement.”
Kevin Legrand is friendlier than I expected from the patriarch of a prominent Guardian family, and way more laissez-faire about the fact an original demon is currently working to destroy the world as we know it.
I remember Freddy telling me his father wanted nothing to do with him or Andrew when they started questioning Head Minister Hendrick’s actions. I guess their grandfather doesn’t share the same reservations.
“Uh,” I pause, looking to Lex for assistance. He simple dips his head.
I lift my chin and meet the man’s gaze, trying my best to appear composed. “Thank you. It’s nice to meet you too.”
His eyes lower for a moment. “If I may, pleases let me express my condolences for the loss of your father. Such a tragedy.”
Demon War: Shadowguard Academy Book 4 Page 10