by Eva Brandt
“Is that a threat?” I asked weakly, my knees starting to shake. Next to me, Shiro whined in agitation. He could already sense the incoming seizure.
“It’s not a threat, Ms. Michaelis,” Lenoir said, once again calm. “It’s a simple explanation, the one you asked for.”
Maybe he was right, but that didn’t mean I could deal with it, or that I was supposed to. An academy meant for demons sounded interesting enough—as long as you didn’t have to face the prospect of attending it.
I took a couple of deep breaths, struggling to calm down. Normally, I received no warning for my episodes. Most of the time, I experienced fatigue, stress, or headaches, before, but that wasn’t always the case. In this instance, I suspected it was just disbelief that kept me from collapsing on the spot, but that wouldn’t keep me safe for much longer.
The cherub did better. He knelt by my side and took hold of my chin. My flesh tingled at our point of contact, and a wave of soothing warmth flowed over me. Instantly, the strange wooziness vanished, as did my panic. At first, I wasn’t really reassured, but then, Shiro calmed down as well and started wagging his tail. That could only be good news.
I opened my mouth to thank Lenoir, but he didn’t give me the chance. He pulled away from me and produced a handkerchief, wiping his hand where he’d touched me. “Believe it or not, we angels do not revel in delivering such news,” he said. “Humans don’t belong in the world of the divine and the satanic. You are an individual existence, one that needs to be watched from afar, untouched.
“But you’ve always been a much too curious species, and you’ve paid the price for that, every time. I’m afraid your case is not unlike that of the Forbidden Fruit. Your ancestor wanted the knowledge demons possessed. He received it, but it didn’t come cheap.
“That being said, this doesn’t have to be an ending for you. On the contrary, it’s just a beginning. I’m sure you can do very well at the academy, if you try your best.”
I would’ve believed him more if he hadn’t just told me that I didn’t belong in the world I was supposed to enter and if he hadn’t acted like I had the plague. “You’re terrible at this, you know? Next time you dump something like this on a human, try to deliver more than polite platitudes. And maybe wait until you’re no longer around them to disinfect yourself. Humans have a thing about manners, you see.”
Lenoir stared at me in shock, as if he couldn’t believe I’d called him out on his rudeness. Ironically, I found his attitude grounding as it was something I could relate to. Plenty of people had looked down on me throughout my life, for reasons I couldn’t control. This was no different.
In fact, based on his reaction, I suspected I’d have to face a similar response at the school—assuming, of course, that I hadn’t lost my mind and this was real instead of some weird dream.
My final hopes were dashed when my parents interrupted my exchange with the angel. My mother showed up first, followed by my red-faced father, who was huffing and puffing, trying to keep up with her.
“Alyssa, who is this?” he asked, glaring at the cherub. It would’ve been more intimidating if he hadn’t looked like he was going to keel over any moment now.
“Dear, be polite,” my mother hissed at him. She shot a glance at the angel, hesitated, and said, “My name is Frances Michaelis. Can we help you?”
It was perfectly normal to be nervous when a random stranger approached your eighteen-year old daughter. It wasn’t normal to act solicitous and be polite. My mother had never been particularly tactful either, so that made her current demeanor even more suspicious.
All of a sudden, I knew that this whole Academy of the Devil business wasn’t news to my parents.
“I’ve completed my task,” Lenoir replied, drawing a wince out of my mother, “so you don’t need to help me with anything. I appreciate your offer and your cooperation, but it’s not necessary.”
I offered my mother a smile I didn’t feel. “He’s an angel, apparently. Class III, Cherubim. He came here to tell me I need to go to The Academy of the Devil. I don’t suppose you’d know anything about that, would you?”
My father’s eyes widened. My mother’s breath caught. “Oh, no,” they whispered at the same time.
“Oh, yes,” Lenoir shot back. Was it my impression or did he sound sadistically gleeful about it? “You can’t say you’re surprised. You were warned that this would happen.”
“Yes, but…” My father swallowed audibly. “I thought it wouldn’t come to Lyssa. There are other young men and women from the Michaelis line who could carry this burden. She’s just… too vulnerable.”
“You mean you thought that, because of her condition, she won’t be able to attend.” The cherub’s lips twisted into a small smile. “Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but the world is rarely so kind or so simple.”
My father clenched his fists and glowered at Lenoir. Looking at him, I felt a shiver run down my spine.
I knew for a fact that in his youth, my father had been very fit. In high school, he’d played football and had even excelled at it. I’d seen photos of him and he’d looked like a GQ model.
Then, suddenly, just before he’d been admitted to college, he’d started gaining weight at an alarming pace. A thyroid condition, the doctors said, and one that was difficult to manage.
My mother had been there for him all throughout his life, supporting him while he struggled with all his issues. But I now wondered to what extent they’d always known this would happen. And if my father’s sickness was a consequence of his refusal to join the academy, the angel was probably right. I didn’t have a choice.
“I’m pleased you see things my way,” Lenoir offered, as if he could read my thoughts. “Congratulations on your acceptance to The Academy of the Devil. Make sure to pack well and remember to prepare your familiar for the journey.”
His book fluttered around my head one last time and brushed my shoulder. Then, it launched itself at Shiro, showering him with a rain of sparks. When Shiro growled at it, the tome’s pages rustled, and it sounded like it was blowing my dog a raspberry. “Dogs are an unusual choice for a familiar, but I’m sure yours will do wonderfully,” the angel belatedly added.
Well, that was the first piece of good news I’d received today. It looked like I’d be able to take Shiro with me. God, if I’d been forced to leave him behind, I didn’t know how I would’ve handled it.
Lenoir flicked his fingers and his mysterious and temperamental companion vanished. “Good luck. And remember, not everything is what it seems.”
That comment alone would’ve warranted me throwing something at his head. I’d never been crazy about cryptic statements, since half the time, they had no real meaning beyond making the speaker look cool. But apparently, that sort of method was for peasants and mortals, and the cherub didn’t need something so petty to emphasize his awesomeness.
For the first time since he’d arrived, his body started to glow. The two sets of wings I’d glimpsed earlier popped up on his back, the multicolored feathers glinting in the sunlight like a beautiful rainbow. It was only for a moment and then, they turned white, once again matching the color of his leather pants.
“Wait!” my mother shouted. “You can’t just—”
There was a bright flash, and Lenoir disappeared. “–leave,” she belatedly managed to finish her sentence.
“It looks like he can,” I drawled. Holding the papers I’d received from Lenoir to my chest, I eyed both her and my father suspiciously. “So… The Academy of the Devil, huh? I don’t remember you ever mentioning something like this to me.”
I must’ve sounded a little more accusing than I’d intended, because my father deflated like a popped balloon. “I’m so sorry, Lyssa. If I’d known this would happen, I would’ve gone myself. But I was very young when I received the news. I couldn’t process the concept of doing anything like that. I didn’t understand the consequences, and now here we are.”
“Yes, I see that,” I said be
tween gritted teeth. “A head’s up would’ve still been nice.”
“We didn’t expect it to happen to you,” he replied, just like he had told the angel. “God, Lyssa. I don’t know what to tell you. You deserve so much better than this.”
“Uh-huh. Anything else you can tell me about the school that these vague papers didn’t mention?”
“All we know is that it’s a boarding school of some kind, but we’re not really sure what they teach,” my mother answered. “I can’t imagine the lessons are nice, given that they’re meant to pick the next devil.”
How did that even work anyway? Did they pick a Satan once a year? Once a generation? What was the point of switching Satans? What had happened to the original one? Had he just gotten bored with being evil like something out of a Gaiman novel?
Did it matter? I was already tired and I hadn’t even gone to this stupid academy yet.
“I really am sorry, Lyssa,” my father said again. “I didn’t mean for you to end up in this mess.”
I wanted to reassure him, to tell him that I understood, that I didn’t blame him for what he’d done. How could I? I didn’t want to go to this school either and if I’d had a choice, I would’ve refused too. The words simply didn’t come out. I looked away, unable to face him and my mother any longer. “I think I’m not in the mood for a picnic today. Can we go home, please?”
“Of course, dear,” my mother said in a subdued tone. “It’s your birthday, after all. We can do whatever you want.”
That wasn’t true. What I wanted was to go back to pretending I was normal, a regular young woman with regular dreams, a family who loved her and a dog that watched over her. But I wasn’t. I was the heir of a French inquisitor who’d made a deal with the devil, one I had to pay the price for. And I didn’t want to talk to anyone about it. I needed to think and maybe read the papers the cherub had given me. My parents clearly didn’t have further information, but maybe those files did.
Shaking myself, I tried to see the silver lining of my current situation. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad. It might even be fun. I’d always wanted to see a real castle, with mysterious corridors Shiro and I could explore together. It’d be a great adventure, torn straight out of the pages of Harry Potter. Right?
Spoiler alert: It wasn’t.
Hellish First Impressions
“You have got to be kidding me. I’m not going to school here. There’s no fucking way.”
The school was not a castle. It looked nothing like Oxford, Yale, or like Hogwarts. It looked like a freaking office building. Possibly the tallest building I’d seen in my life, but also not something I’d have identified as a school.
“How in hell is this an academy?”
“Alyssa, not now,” my mother said. “I’m sure they have their reasons for this arrangement.”
Of course they did. They had their reasons for everything. But that didn’t mean I had to feel in any way optimistic about it.
Next to me, Shiro shot me an understanding look and nudged my cheek with his snout. At least he was still on my side.
Since I’d found out about this whole business with The Academy of the Devil, the relationship between me and my parents had grown tense. It wasn’t something I intended to happen. They just didn’t know what to say or do around me and I was too busy worrying about my imminent departure to focus on them.
It didn’t help that half the time, my mother kept looking at me like I was going to keel over and die any moment now. I was trying to avoid potential thoughts of demise at demonic hands, thank you very much. She wasn’t helping.
Without bothering to reply to her comment, I opened the car door and let myself out. My father followed and helped me get my luggage out of the trunk, and the tension in his stance made me even more tired and exasperated than before.
“I wish we could’ve gone with you, at least until you were accommodated in the dorms,” he muttered.
“If wishes came true, we wouldn’t be here in the first place,” I snapped at him.
It was an unkind comment to make, but I wasn’t feeling very kind. Shiro whined, and I immediately felt horrible about my behavior.
God only knew how much time would pass until I’d be able to see them. It wasn’t like I’d get a Christmas holiday at The Academy of the Devil.
My mom emerged from the car, shooting me a stern look that did nothing to hide her sadness and fear. “You have your meds, right?” she asked.
I rolled my eyes at her. “Of course, Mom. We checked three times. I’m good to go for the whole school year.”
“Good. Great. Be careful and remember to take them regularly. Try to not get too stressed. If it gets too bad, talk to a teacher. I’m sure they’ll understand. They can’t be completely evil if they allowed humans at the school, to begin with.”
I doubted that very much and judging by my father’s demeanor, so did he. He cleared his throat and stared down at his well-polished shoes. For a few moments, I couldn’t help but think that he reminded me a little of Shiro, on the rare occasions I’d caught him chewing on my furniture or my footwear.
But my father wasn’t my dog—obviously, and Jesus, my mind had gone in weird places—and if he was acting this way, it wasn’t because he’d destroyed my sneakers. I wondered what else he knew about the academy that he’d never told my mother.
“We have faith in you, Alyssa,” he finally said. “You’re going to take them all by storm, you’ll see.”
“You’re right,” I replied, straightening my back. “I’m not ready for this, but they’re not ready for me either. Besides, maybe the cherub is right. This could benefit me. It would be really funny if a human ended up as the next Satan.”
My parents stared at me like I’d just sprouted a second head. “Maybe this is a bad idea after all,” my mother said. “We could try other things.”
There was nothing to try. Demonic contracts needed to be fulfilled. My father might not have had a lot of information on the academy, but he’d known that much. His family had tried to help him too, and it hadn’t worked out.
“Don’t worry,” I told them. “I can handle this. You be careful too. Especially you, Dad. Remember to take care of your health.”
He smiled weakly and said nothing. I hugged both him and my mother, but didn’t hold on for too long. It would’ve been stupid, since I was already having trouble leaving for the academy.
“Okay,” I said as I broke the embrace.”I’m off. Take care!”
“You too, dear,” my mother said, her eyes now swimming with tears. “Remember to call.”
“I will,” I promised. I fully intended to, as long as The Academy didn’t have a weird policy against phones or something. Lenoir hadn’t mentioned anything like that, but he hadn’t mentioned a lot of things. “I’ll text you as soon as I’m settled in the dorms, okay?”
I didn’t say goodbye. It would’ve sounded much too permanent, considering where I was headed. Instead, I just turned away and crossed the street, dragging my luggage along, and with Shiro following me.
I could still feel them looking at me and I wanted to turn back, to give them a real hug and reassure them in a better way. It wasn’t meant to be.
I was half-way to the entrance of the building when a strange blonde clad in a white sundress popped up by my side. “Oh, there you are,” she said without preamble. “Alyssa Michaelis, right?”
I eyed the girl from head to toe. She didn’t look demonic. In fact, she reminded me a little of the cheerleaders from my former school. But that alone was enough to put me on the edge, because the cheerleaders had been sort of demonic.
Besides, I was getting tired of everyone related to my school knowing my name, but not bothering to introduce themselves. “Yes,” I replied. “And you are?”
Instantly, the girl’s expression twisted into a sneer of disgust. “Superior to you,” she replied. “Listen, I have no desire to spend time in your distasteful presence, but I’ve unfortunately been assigned to guide yo
u through the anchor point and give you a little introduction. You’re going to stay quiet, listen, and not ask any questions. Understand?”
The hostility didn’t surprise me, but I wished it had taken a little longer for me to run into such a bitch. Then again, maybe it was for the best. This way, I wouldn’t get my hopes up that I’d have a pleasant school life.
It would’ve probably been a good idea to listen to what the bitch had to say, if only because I needed all the information I could get. But I’d never been great at prioritizing, so I decided to ignore her.
“It’s nice to meet you, Superior to You. Now, if you don’t mind, please get out of my way. I’m late.”
Also, I had no idea where I was going and without a guide—even a reluctant one—it would take me time to figure it out. It was best to get started as soon as possible.
“Didn’t you hear me?” the girl snarled at me, her eyes glowing with a vicious, crimson light. “I’m supposed to be your—”
Shiro snapped his jaws at her, cutting her off mid-sentence. She recoiled, and I suppressed a smirk. Would you look at that? Even demons cowered away from the wrath of my pup. “Right, forgive my rudeness,” I said with a bright smile. “This is Shiro. He likes to introduce the people who are mean to me to his fangs. So long now.”
I pushed past her and continued on my way. Unfortunately for me, the girl followed. “Hey! Where are you going?”
To The Academy of the Devil, I wanted to reply. Instead, I kept my eyes fixed forward, on the door of the office building. There were no guards or any other people around, which was strange in itself. Maybe all the other students and staff were inside? There was only one way to find out.
My plan was simple enough. Get in, find an authority figure of some kind, and ask a question. But the cheerleader from hell had different ideas. “Wait!” she screeched.