“Pierre!” The other Guardian shot him a warning look. “Ne dit pas grand chose. On ne peut leur faire confiance.”
Brandon rolled his eyes as we crossed the street and entered the University grounds. “Yeah, Pierre, listen to your friend. We lesser beings really shouldn’t be trusted. But you might want to give him a heads up—just because golden harps don’t start to play when we go for a crap, it doesn’t mean we can’t speak French. Or German. Or Italian—seriously, take your pick, friend. I’ve got you covered.”
The gray-eyed Guardian’s cheeks dimpled before settling into their practiced neutral stance. He shrugged off the rapid-fire questions being thrown at him in French from his colleague, and Megan and I exchanged an amused glance.
Lucas walked beside me stiffly, with his hand shoved into the pocket I knew housed his blade. He spoke in a low voice, regarding the Guardian’s warily. “What do you think that guy meant at the café?”
I scrunched my mouth shut and exchanged a baffled look with Megan. Sam didn’t appear to be listening. Brandon drew his eyebrows together. “I wondered that too. I thought the owner meant he didn’t want Demons around his business when he said it to Gabe, at first, but that doesn’t fit—he’s a Demon himself. Maybe he means Shadow Children.”
Lucas nodded his head, but the creases in his forehead only deepened. Brandon and Megan walked along in silence, both of them with their arms crossed. Sam’s face was the only one I couldn’t see, but the set of his shoulders and the tightened muscles in his arms and back told me all I needed to know without using my powers. I fought the urge to take a step forward and thread my fingers through his.
The path took a sharp right, and we emerged in front of a large, stone structure. I craned my neck to appreciate the elegant lines and the stonework and smacked face first into Sam’s hard chest.
“Sorry.” I held my palms out and tried to sidestep him, but Sam blocked my way. The rest of our group had come to a halt outside an imposing building that seemed to create the focal point for the campus. I tried to walk past Sam again, but he caught me by the hand. Energy surged through my body, burning as it moved over every inch of my skin. I tugged my hand away and shoved it into my pocket, where it couldn’t embarrass me. “What do you want, Sam?”
He let his hand drop loosely by his side and shrugged his shoulders. “I wanted to check you were okay.”
“Am I okay with meeting the leaders of a race that wants people like me dead? Or, okay with breaking up with somebody I haven’t seen for six months, and who hasn’t returned my messages for weeks? Yeah, I’m good on both counts. It’s an awesome day. Thanks for the concern.” I squeezed my lips together and tried not to melt when he turned his mournful green stare on me. I shook my head and pushed past him. “Stop, Sam. Not now. I just can’t.”
Part of me wished he would grab me back and pull me into his arms, but he didn’t. I ground my teeth together as I joined the group, just in time to hear the High Guardian explain that the University was the global center of excellence for Angelic studies. I ran my gaze over the empty grounds and raised my eyebrows. The High Guardian tilted his head to one side. “Do you have a question, Miss…?”
“Grace. Just, Grace.” I crossed my arms in an attempt to hide my embarrassment. He raised his eyebrows and waited for me to continue. “I was just wondering where all the students are. It’s term time, right?”
The High Guardian shifted his weight from one foot to the other before answering. “For your safety, a public service announcement was issued to the entire Angelic population of Switzerland.” He ran a hand over his jaw and then let it fall loosely at his side. “Everyone knows there are Shadow Children meeting the High Council today. They have been warned that action against their representatives has been forbidden—”
“But either your students fear that’s not possible, or they know that trouble awaits us and they don’t wish to get caught in the crossfire between their most powerful superiors and an enemy of unknown ability. Is that an accurate summation, Adam?” Gabriel practically spat the words out. Sam grunted in agreement, but the black-haired Demon kept his eyes narrowed on the High Guardian, Adam.
Brandon swiveled to examine the deserted gardens. “Are there are no Human students? This is a huge University, one of the best in the world; I’ve seen it on a ton of international league tables. Are Humans forbidden from entering the city?”
Brandon directed his question at Adam, but it was Aza who answered him. “Oh no, Humans are welcome in the City of Shadows, as long as they are the kind of Human who can make money flow like water in the financial district. Humans and Demons are always welcome, provided they keep their noses out of things that don’t concern them, and they keep the Angels in riches. But they’re not welcome at the precious University. Not anywhere with real power.”
A storm passed over Adam’s face, but before I could predict which emotion would win the battle, a group of students in training gear burst from a door at the side of the building lead by a strongly built blonde woman. In a flash, the High Guardian stood between our group and the students. “Emily, there will be no training today. You should be inside with the rest of the Council, preparing for this evening.”
The blond tossed her hair over her shoulder and smiled, revealing perfect white teeth. “Adam, there is no need for such formalities, my students merely want to exchange a symbolic olive branch to our visitors.” Adam’s eyes narrowed as a group of distinguished looking Angels exited the building behind the students in training clothes. “My fellow members of the High Council and I felt it would be a charming idea for our youngest guests to participate in some games with our students. A little icebreaker.”
Aza released her breath in a low hiss, and my heart began to race as I caught sight of Gabriel’s fingers twitching. The High Guardian’s face flushed red, like a warning light on a dashboard, and he addressed his council. “Emily, fellow members of the High Council, this is an inappropriate suggestion. Our guests are here to share information and to establish whether we have mutual concerns, they are not here to provide sport or entertainment by participating in activities they cannot win—”
“We accept.” Emmanuel’s voice cut through the air like a warm knife through butter. Sam rolled his shoulders and stretched his fingers until the knuckles cracked. The High Guardian attempted to dissuade Emmanuel, but the Master silenced him with a flick of his wrist. “Emily has made a challenge, and the Shadow Children accept. Samuel, Megan, Lucas—you will represent us.”
Emily’s smile was a sweet as a candied apple as she stretched out her arm to seal the deal with a handshake. She gripped Emmanuel’s fingers tightly between hers and tilted her head to one side. “May the best team win.”
Emmanuel returned her stare. “I have no doubt they will, Emily.”
“Nor do I, Emmanuel. After all, they had a wonderful teacher.” Emmanuel attempted to withdraw his hand, but Emily held on. “By the way, your team is short of players. We no longer play with the trio. We haven’t since I was a student, over thirty years ago.”
Emmanuel gave a tight smile and nodded in my direction. “Not a problem, Emily. Grace will compete also.”
I clenched my fists and lifted my chin. The athletic blonde grinned wide enough to split her face in two. “How wonderful, Emmanuel. And with your little Human companion, that makes a full team.” She let go of the Master’s hand with a sudden jolt and raised her own hand into the air. “Two teams of five, we are ready to begin.”
Emily jogged back to where the students and the other members of the High Council were watching us with ravenous eyes. Gabriel gathered us into a huddle around Emmanuel, turning our backs to the prying Angels. Emmanuel’s face was ashen. “I assumed the games will be played as a tri
o, that has been the Angelic tradition for hundreds of years. Teams of five? Never. I have never heard such a thing. I will tell them we can’t compete. It was my foolish mistake. My pride, I apologize.”
Emmanuel twisted to face Emily, but Brandon grabbed him by the elbow. “Let me play.” He glanced at Lizzie, and she nodded at him with a tight smile. “I know that I am Human, Emmanuel, I know my weaknesses, but I do have strengths. I’m probably the only kid on our team who has even read the books about traditional Angelic tests of skill and power. Let me try. It’s only a game, right? Not like they’re going to try and beat me to death.”
I winced, and Emmanuel shook his head. “No. I’m sorry, Brandon, but I cannot take the risk. You are immeasurably vulnerable as a Human when you are facing a magical battle, it’s an unfair fight, you’re defenseless.”
Brandon’s jaw twitched as he glared at the ground. Lucas lifted his hand and let it hover above Brandon’s shoulder for a moment before letting it fall limply by his side. Sam crossed his arms. “Let him compete.”
I spun my body to face Sam. He shrugged his shoulder. “He’s already given his life to the Shadow Children, he’s made his sacrifice, and he has the right to decide what he wants to do with his own body. If he wants to compete, I’d be honored to play alongside him. I trust Brandon. Guy does his research if he thinks he can be useful, who are we to stop him?”
I stared across the huddle at Megan, and she gave a lopsided smile. “Hey, no arguments here. Brandon is the only one that’s actually been listening to anything we’ve done in training or classes for the past year. We’ve got plenty of brawn on the team, brains we need. Unless you don’t want to compete with him on the team?”
Brandon looked at me from under his thick, black eyelashes. I exhaled. “I trust Brandon, and this is what the Shadow Children is about, right? There’s a place for everyone. We’ve got this.”
Brandon chewed at the corner of his lip and nodded at me. I reached out and squeezed his fist tightly. All eyes turned to wait for Lucas to speak. His shoulders were drawn up around his neck. He looked at the Demons and raised his eyebrows. Aza pressed her hands against her hips. “Don’t be looking at us to speak for you, Bambi. If you are afraid to fight with your Human charge by your side, you best lay that claim yourself.”
Lucas screwed his mouth shut and shook his head. “I’m not afraid to fight with him. I just don’t think it’s safe, a Human can’t protect themselves against magic, they could get hurt.” He snapped his lips closed and spoke to Emmanuel, avoiding the death glare Brandon was shooting from his eyes. “Whatever. I’m out voted. Let’s just fight.”
Emily’s voice blasted against my eardrums. “Are you ready to compete, Shadow Children? Or do you wish to concede already?”
Emmanuel’s gaze landed on each of us in turn before he lifted his eyes to meet Emily’s. “Let the games begin.”
Chapter Thirteen
The High Guardian positioned himself in the center of the semi-enclosed quadrant that had been chosen as the playing field for the game. His lips were stretched thin as he held a hand up to stop Councillor Emily’s incessant interruption to his explanation of the rules. “Councillor, that will suffice. You should go to your team and prepare them.”
He nodded at Emmanuel. “Former High Guardian Emmanuel, your team is permitted to assign two coaches who can be consulted by the team in between rounds of the game. Everybody else needs to find somewhere to watch that is outside the magical boundary.” He pointed to a faint glowing outline that surrounded the quadrant and gestured for the other members of the High Council to move behind the line.
The two Guardians who had accompanied us to the University were left standing inside the quadrant with Emily and her team. Emily addressed Pierre, the boy with the gray eyes, in a voice too low for us to make out the words and beckoned him to come to her side. He shook his head and retreated behind the boundary, leaving his companion to serve as the second adviser to Emily’s team.
I turned to Emmanuel with a smile that I hoped disguised the pounding in my chest. “Right, who’s going to advise us out of this mess?”
I could almost see Emmanuel calculating the strengths and weaknesses of each available adult as he darted his sharp amber eyes around the group. He massaged his wrist. “The obvious choice for advisers would be one with advanced healing skills, and one with great knowledge of Angelic trials. Unfortunately, we have neither of those at our disposal.”
Gabriel crossed his elegant arm’s over his chest. “I told you it was foolish to leave Jabol behind, but no, you wouldn’t listen. Children never do.”
Despite the weight of the situation I grinned at fresh faced Gabriel referring to Emmanuel as a child. Sam shoved his hair off his forehead. “Jabol had to stay with Cain to protect the rest of the cell. They’re vulnerable enough as it is, we’re down too many hands…”
Sam’s voice petered away, and he kicked at the ground with his foot. Niamh sighed and clapped her hands together once. “Pointless chatter, you’re wasting time, the High Guardian is just about to set the clock.” She flicked her hand in the direction of a freestanding clockwork monument in the center of the square. “The most appropriate candidates to advise this kamikaze mission are clearly Aza and Elizabeth. “
Lizzie opened her mouth to argue, but Niamh silenced her with a glare. “Cease. Emmanuel himself has admitted he knows nothing about current Angelic practice for trials, and even at the height of his Angelic career he was more powerful with a pen than a blade. True?”
The corners of Emmanuel’s mouth twitched, and his eyebrows rose a fraction of an inch. “Fair assessment.” A deep furrow formed across his brow. “I agree with Niamh; Aza’s reputation precedes her. If there are strategies to be found which will give us an advantage, I believe she will find them. And Lizzie is the obvious choice for any battle scenario.”
Megan’s face contorted in undisguised disbelief as she ran a critical glance over Lizzie’s hiking boots and her hooded gardening jacket. Lucas caught my eye and lifted his shoulder in confusion, but both of them remained silent. Brandon poked his elbow into my ribs and shot me a pointed glare. I cleared my throat. “What about Gabriel? No offense, Lizzie, it just seems like maybe Gabriel might have a little more experience with this fighting and competing malarkey. Less a lover, more a fighter?”
“Absurd.” I almost jumped at the sudden volume in Niamh’s voice. She inhaled through her nose with tightened lips. When she spoke again her words had returned to their normal, controlled level. “That is an inaccurate assessment of the resources currently available to you. Gabriel is clearly struggling to control his emotions which renders him useless.”
Gabriel’s violet glare was riveted on the members of the High Council standing on the other side of the quadrant, and he didn’t even glance in our direction as he spoke. “Aza and Lizzie will advise you. Lizzie could beat two of me in a trial of battle skills. Expect the lowest of the low when it comes to cheap tricks—the Angels will want to prove that you are scum. This is their chance to justify the crimes they commit against those born of mixed blood.” His head snapped around to stare into our eyes, one by one. “Prove. Them. Wrong.”
“Positions, please. Teams and advisers to the center. Spectators, please find a viewing location outside the magical barrier.” I tried to focus on the High Guardian as I made my way toward the clockwork sculpture, but fear of the unknown filled my lungs, and I turned back to face Gabriel and Emmanuel. Niamh stepped in front of the two men, and despite her slender frame, she managed somehow to eclipse them. She lifted her chin, and a wave of energy as fresh as an Atlantic wind whipped through my hair. I drew it into me and curled my hands into fists.
Li
zzie’s fingers brushed my shoulder. “Grace, ready?”
“Yes.” I nodded once, tearing myself away from Niamh’s icy energy. “Yeah, I am.”
The High Guardian indicated with his hand that each team should stand on opposite sides of the gleaming timepiece. Sam stood to my left and Brandon to my right. Megan and Lucas took up positions at either end of the group, like beautiful blonde bookends, but more deadly.
“The trial will consist of a single test.” He placed his hands on two gleaming globes that sat on either side of the clock—one white, one black. “The team that reassembles their globe first will be declared the winners.”
He raised his palms, and the spheres split into several pieces and began to swirl above his fingertips. Lucas spoke into my ear. “The big, scary trial is a jigsaw puzzle?”
I stared down at my shoes and fought the nervous snicker threatening to erupt from my lips. The High Guardian tugged at his collar. “All forms of magic are acceptable, as are all forms of combat. The only weapons permitted on the testing ground are Spirit Blades.”
Lizzie eyeballed the advisers for the other team as she questioned the High Guardian. “Adam, you say all forms of magic are acceptable, this includes magic which is beyond the Angelic, correct?”
“High Guardian Adam, these are Angelic trials, only magic Angelic in nature should be permitted.” Emily’s lips puckered as though the words had soured on her tongue.
“The rules state that all forms of magic are acceptable, Emily.” His eyebrows drew together, and he gave her a stern glance. “Your students know the rules, know the playing field and have been practicing this game since they were ten years old. You have all the advantages, Emily. Isn’t that enough?” He didn’t wait for her to answer before he flung his arms out and sent both globes spinning through the air.
The Shadow City (The Demon-Born Trilogy Book 2) Page 9