Outlast: Spellslingers Academy of Magic (Warden of the West Book 3)

by Annabel Chase

  Abraxas sliced the air, narrowly missing Gray’s abdomen. Gray surprised us all by using the wall behind him as a catapult, scrambling up the side and somersaulting over the demon’s head. He landed flat on his feet and ran to my side.

  “Gray, I…” I didn’t get a chance to finish my sentence. He sank his fangs into my neck, and I struggled to get away. What was he doing? His fangs pushed further as he drank deeply, and I was overwhelmed by the competing sensations of pleasure and pain.

  “Gray, stop!” Cerys screamed.

  Gray released me, and it took me a stunned moment to understand why he’d done it.

  “Order me,” he said.

  “Do it,” I replied. My hand clutched the part of my neck where blood bubbled out and streamed down the front of my top. For a fleeting moment, I saw Gray’s gaze flicker to the ribbons of red.

  “For what it’s worth, you taste amazing,” he breathed, and then he turned to face Abraxas.

  I didn’t want to win this way, and Gray knew it. He also knew it was our best hope.

  The vampire practically flew. His gravity resistance was impressive under any circumstances, but right now he was downright incredible. He shot through the air and hooked his legs and arms around the demon like he was giving Abraxas the ultimate bear hug. Then he drove his fangs straight into the demon’s shoulder. Abraxas bellowed, and tried to shake off the vampire but Gray held firm. Finally, Abraxas was able to gain enough freedom to scrape the sword along the back of Gray’s legs. The vampire let go and dropped to the ground.

  “Fool,” Abraxas boomed. He lifted the sword high into the air, ready to strike Gray, who remained on the ground in front of him.

  I focused my will on Abraxas, and called to my blood inside the demon. For better or worse, I was a blood bender, like my father. And, thanks to Gray’s quick thinking, Abraxas was now my blood puppet.

  “Abraxas, stop,” I commanded.

  The demon’s arms halted on the downswing. The sword glowed with malice in the dim light.

  “I don’t understand.” Abraxas tried to fight my control.

  My body began to tremble, whether from fear or power, I couldn’t decide. This was my nightmare come true. My blood was in Gray’s system, and now I had to use blood magic to defeat Abraxas. What if it didn’t work? Even worse, what if it did work—and I enjoyed it?

  “Abraxas, cut the chains from these women with your sword,” I commanded. “Make sure not to harm them.”

  The demon walked toward Cerys and Beth, who were huddled in a far corner of the cavern. Cerys shook as she stepped forward, her arms outstretched. I watched her wince as the blade came down and broke through the golden chains. Then the ice-blue blade chopped away the leg chains. A strangled sob of relief escaped Beth when she realized that Cerys was free, and she was next. I tried not to envision the horrors she’d surely endured here.

  Cerys waited until Beth was free before taking her hand and hurrying over to me. Up close, I realized that they were both covered in angry bruises, and my chest ached.

  “Help Gray,” I said. I knew he had to be hurting, but I couldn’t break my focus from Abraxas to check on him, not while the demon wielded the sword.

  Cerys and Beth ran to the vampire, and I faced the demon. It seemed wrong to kill him while he was under my control. I debated having the demon plunge the sword into his own gut, but even that seemed barbaric to me. On the other hand, we couldn’t leave him free to pursue us out of the underworld. And I couldn’t risk him ever kidnapping another young woman from the overworld either. That would never happen again.

  “Give me the sword, Abraxas,” I said.

  “What are you going to do, Bryn?” Cerys asked.

  The demon approached me and handed over the sword by the hilt.

  I planned to put him to sleep the way I’d put a pair of serpopards to sleep when they attacked us in the dining hall at the academy. An eternal slumber that wasn’t quite death.

  I didn’t get the chance.

  Beth blindsided me, wrenching the sword from my hand and shoving the ice-blue blade straight into the demon’s chest. He shrieked and shriveled until his dark grey demonic form was nothing more than a pile of dust. His ice-blue eyes glittered like two jewels on a lump of coal before fading to black.

  Beth stood over the remains, panting heavily. Then she calmly turned and handed the sword back to me.

  “He didn’t deserve to live,” she said, without the slightest trace of remorse.

  The sword dissipated before I could close my fingers around it.

  “The weapon must have been tied to the demon,” Cerys said. She came over and wrapped her arms around Beth, and I took the opportunity to check on Gray. Remarkably, he was on his feet. Although his wounds were evident, I could already see healing taking place. Vampire systems were pretty amazing.

  “Good work, Morrow,” he said. “Any more injuries to me and I’d be too far gone to heal myself.”

  My throat tightened at the sound of my name. I was so worried that he would call me ‘mistress’ like in my nightmare.

  “Why did you do that?” I asked, pummeling his chest with my fists. He grabbed my hands and kissed each one.

  “You know why.”

  “Now what?” I asked. “My blood is in your system. I can control you.”

  “Only if you want to. Do you plan to control me?”

  “I might do it accidentally,” I said. “I’ve taken away your free will.”

  “I’ve taken away my free will,” he said firmly. “But I’m not a robot. I can still think clearly and exercise good judgment. As long as you don’t use your blood against me, we’ll be fine. I’ll be fine.”

  I hugged him. Hard. “You stupid vampire.”

  He pressed his lips to my forehead. “You don’t need to worry. You’re not him. You may have the same magic, but you’re nothing like that monster. How many times do you need to prove it to yourself in order for you to accept the truth?”

  “Bryn.”

  I turned to see Cerys, with Beth beside her.

  “Are you okay to walk?” I asked. “We need to get out of here.”

  Cerys and Beth linked arms. “We’ll help each other,” Beth said. “Cerys told me you’re their new roommate.”

  I nodded, not sure what to say. Yes, Beth. I took your place because no one realized you were kidnapped by a demon didn’t exactly have a nice ring to it.

  “Thank you for coming,” Beth said. “I thought no one would ever find me. I was overjoyed when he brought Cerys back here, although it made me sick to know he’d been successful again.”

  My chest tightened as I faced Cerys. “I’m sorry this happened. It’s all my fault. I never should have been so cocky about my magic.”

  Tears welled in my roommate’s eyes. “I never blamed you, Bryn. Never once. It was an accident. How could you have known that Abraxas would be lurking?”

  “He was an opportunist,” Beth said. “He would hunt but patiently, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Once he discovered the academy, he knew he could come back at any time for another bride.”

  Cerys shrugged. “So he did, just because he could.”

  Although I wasn’t much of a hugger, I found myself throwing my arms around Cerys. “Forgive me.”

  She stroked the back of my hair. “I told you, Bryn,” she said softly. “There’s nothing to forgive.”

  “We should move,” Gray said. “Abraxas might be dead, but there are plenty of other demons in the underworld that would be happy to add us to their collection of souls.”

  “Not you,” I said. “You don’t have a soul.”

  “Thank you, Mistress of the Obvious,” Gray said.

  I shuddered at the word ‘mistress.’ “Please don’t ever call me that.” I paused. “Do we have to go back the way we came? I don’t want to pass through another nightmare demon’s meadow.”

  “I know a way out,” Beth interjected.

  “Where?” I asked.

  “
I’ve heard Abraxas talk about a secret passage,” Beth said. “Once he lost interest in me, he’d speak freely in front of me, like I was an object in the room.” Her expression darkened. “He called me his bride, but he never saw me as a living being, not really.”

  Cerys squeezed her hand. “He’s gone now. He can never hurt anyone else. Ever.”

  Beth sucked in a breath and nodded, as though trying to convince herself. “If we go into the set of tunnels on the left past the statues, that should lead us to the passage.”

  “It must take him close to Spellslingers,” I said. “That’s why he chose the academy as a hunting ground.” I looked at Cerys. “He came up through the bottom of Mercer Lake to snatch you. Where did he grab you, Beth?”

  “The golden apple orchard,” Beth said. “I was out there thinking, trying to figure out a way to tell my parents that I wanted to come home. I’d already tried once, and they’d insisted that I give it more time.” She hesitated, remembering. “The ground shook and some of the apples fell off the branches. I thought it was an earth witch practicing magic.” She rolled her eyes. “I felt like such a moron when Abraxas appeared. He rode in a carriage drawn by two black mares.” She shuddered. “He didn’t say a word. He scooped me up and tossed me into the carriage before I had a chance to scream. The earth swallowed us whole.” She hugged herself. “I was so frightened, I blacked out until I woke up here.”

  “Where are the horses and carriage now?” I asked.

  “He only rode a single horse with me,” Cerys said. “Came straight up from the bottom of the lake like he was riding through air. I thought I was hallucinating at first. I’d been so confused when the water came crashing over me.”

  I snapped my fingers. “Of course! Hoofprints. That’s why Armitage was so convinced a kelpie got you.”

  “A kelpie?” Cerys repeated in disbelief. “I think that would’ve been preferable.” She walked to the entrance Gray and I had used and pointed. “There’s a stable that way. Do you think it’s worth taking the horses?”

  Gray nodded. “It’s faster. We can always abandon them, if we need to.”

  I stuffed the mistletoe from the basket into my pockets, just in case of emergency.

  “Are you able to run?” I asked.

  Cerys’s jaw set. “I’ll do whatever I have to do to get out of here.”

  Beth gave a determined nod. “Me, too.”

  “Good,” I said. It was time to go home.

  15

  We streaked across the palace grounds, where the servants were still busy setting up for the wedding that would never happen. They seemed unaware that they no longer had a master to serve and that two runaway brides were making their escape.

  “Oh, no,” Beth said. “The hound.”

  The three-headed hellhound came bounding toward us, tongues wagging.

  “It’s okay,” I said. “We’re old friends.”

  The hellhound seemed to want to play, probably because we were running.

  “Come on, big fella,” I said encouragingly.

  The hellhound ran alongside us like we were playing a game. I started to wish I could bring him back to Spellslingers with us as a playmate for the other hellhounds. I wondered whether the trio of heads would pose a problem. I wouldn’t want him to be rejected because he was different.

  I stopped in front of the stables to address the three heads. “It’s been great meeting you, but this is where we need to part ways. You should probably find a new master now.”

  All three heads tilted in the same direction, tugging at my heartstrings.

  “What a sweetie,” Cerys said. “It seems a shame to leave him to fend for himself.”

  Gray contemplated the large guardian. “I don’t know if he can leave this underworld. Sometimes there are restrictions.” He rubbed behind the middle one’s ear.

  “Why don’t we let him come along for as long as he can keep up?” I suggested. I had no doubt the fast-moving hellhound could hold its own against a horse.

  “Would you like that?” Cerys asked in a friendly voice.

  “I wish I had known how nice he was,” Beth said. “I thought he would kill me if I tried to flee.”

  “You didn’t know about his love of golden apples,” I said. “You can thank William Fonthill for that tidbit.”

  “Wait here,” Gray told the hound. “We’ll be out in a minute. Don’t let anyone come in. Got it?”

  The hellhound posted himself at the stable door, and we went inside where four black mares greeted us. A carriage was unhitched and parked in its own stall. There was no sign of any other life.

  “We’re sure these are horses and not hexed paranormals?” I queried.

  “You can drip blood on them and find out,” Gray said.

  Cerys smoothed the horse’s mane. “No need. They’re definitely horses.”

  I looked at her. “How can you tell?”

  Cerys smiled. “You’re not the only one with special talents, Bryn.”

  “We don’t need the carriage if there are four horses,” I said. The less bulk, the better.

  “I don’t know how to ride a horse,” Beth replied, eyeing the mares nervously.

  “Neither do I,” I said. “But we’ll figure it out.”

  “We’ll take two,” Gray said. “Cerys, can you ride?”

  She nodded. “I’ll take Beth with me. You take Bryn.”

  Beth recoiled slightly. “They look vicious.”

  “They’re far from it,” Cerys assured her, stroking the horse’s muzzle. “It’ll be fine, Beth. I promise.”

  Gray vaulted onto one of the horse’s backs. His gymnastic feats never ceased to amaze me. The horse reared up, but Gray was quickly able to calm it with a soothing tone.

  “Can you mind control the horse?” I asked. I’d seen him do it to people in the human world, but I wasn’t sure if it worked on horses.

  “I could” Gray said, “but I don’t think I need to. This girl is no trouble at all.” He cooed in her ear. “Are you, pretty girl?”

  The mare snorted in response.

  “Told you,” Cerys said. “Sweethearts.”

  “Up you get,” Gray called to me. Although it was slightly awkward, I managed to get on and stay there.

  Cerys helped Beth onto the neighboring mare, and used a similar soft tone with the horse. We left the stables together, and I whistled for our faithful hound.

  “Come on, Rudolph!” I called.

  “Who’s Rudolph?” Gray asked.

  “That’s what I named the hellhound,” I said.

  The animals galloped across the palace grounds, trampling flower arrangements, much to the surprise of the bustling servants. No one tried to stop us. We passed the statues from my vision, and a wave of relief washed over me. Cerys was safe. Or would be, as soon as we could get out of this underworld.

  We reached the tunnel that Beth had identified as having the secret passage. Cerys and Beth both seemed weary, and I imagined the adrenaline rush was fading and their weakened states were returning. I hoped we could get out of here without encountering any more trouble. They were wandless and wouldn’t be ready to fight, not without a lot of recuperation time.

  “How’s your magic, Cerys?” I asked, as we rode side by side through the tunnel.

  “I feel it trying to return,” Cerys said. “Those shackles…They did more than weigh us down. They cut off our magic.”

  “I’d been so relieved to see Cerys because I knew she was an earth witch,” Beth said. “But he had her cuffed before I could warn her.” She bit her lip. “Not that it would’ve made any difference. Abraxas was strong.”

  “Don’t push yourself,” Gray warned. “The magic will return when it’s ready.”

  I held tighter to Gray as the mare galloped faster. I breathed in his scent of pine and spices. If I never smelled another scent again, this would be enough.

  My sentimental feelings were short-lived as Rudolph began to growl.

  “Something’s coming,
” Gray said, his senses nearly as acute as the hellhound’s.

  Rudolph pulled ahead of the mares, the three heads poised to strike. I whipped out my wand in anticipation. Whatever it was, Rudolph didn’t like it.

  Out of the darkness, winged creatures barreled toward us. They resembled bats, only larger and with protruding fangs.

  “Magic, Morrow!” Gray shouted.

  I summoned my magic, and then took aim, blasting them with fireballs. I scorched a wing and down one went. The mare trampled it, and we kept riding. Beth buried her head behind Cerys. I was beginning to understand why she didn’t want to become an AMF agent.

  “What are they?” I asked, still firing away. Setting their wings aflame seemed to be the quickest way to bring them down. Rudolph did his part, leaping into the air and snapping at the flying creatures.

  “Harbingers,” Gray said tersely.

  “Of what?” Harbinger meant messenger, I knew that much.

  “Of me,” a demon said, emerging from the shadows. Before I even registered his presence, he ripped Beth from the back of the galloping mare.

  Our mare skidded to a halt, and Cerys followed suit. Gray turned the horse back toward the demon, and I was able to get a good look at him. His muscled body was red and veined with giant black wings protruding from his shoulder blades and a lizard-like tail. Two horns twisted nearly to the top of the tunnel ceiling.

  Rudolph went into attack mode, and I cried out as the demon kicked the hellhound like he was punting a football. The hound flew across the tunnel and slammed against the wall, whimpering. Cerys slid off her horse and ran to comfort him.

  “Release her, or pay the price,” Gray ordered.

  The demon laughed. “And what price is that, vampire? The two pricks of your fangs are nothing more than mosquito bites to me.”

  “Mosquito bites are the worst,” I said. “Clearly, you’ve never spent time in any hot and humid climates if you’re going to be dismissive of mosquito bites.”

  The demon squinted at me, crushing Beth’s head against his massive frame. “Are you serious?”