by Riley London
“We found it at the scene.” Benjamin explained, as we sat across from her in the main office. “It was the only thing that remained.”
“Almost like that’s all they wanted us to find.” Zachary joined the conversation. “Like they were taunting us or something.”
“Michael forged these himself.” Mrs. Deveraux’s eyes never left the chain in her palm. “They cannot fail. They could never fail.”
“Are you supposing that it’s a trick, then?” Benjamin asked.
“Yes. It has to be.” Mrs. Deveraux set the chain down onto her desk. “A demon must want us to believe that one of the Princes of Hell was able to escape, even though it’s not a possibility.”
“Not a possibility?” Zachary scoffed. “Would it be less possible than the council not being able to locate an angel-born child? No offense, Mrs. Deveraux, but I’m starting to think that a few more things are possible than what the council is able to imagine.”
“Michael’s failure is not in the realm of possibility, and it is not up for discussion.” Mrs. Deveraux’s eyes flared with fury. “And you all may now leave my office.”
“Wait. Mrs. Deveraux, what if one of the princes has really escaped? Shouldn’t we put the school on high alert?” Benjamin leaned towards the desk. “How could we go on as normal, knowing what we know about the chain? There has to be something in place to keep people safe.”
“Mr. Nash, we are put in place to keep people safe.” Mrs. Deveraux’s tone was severe. “If we cannot protect the Angel Academy, then we can protect nothing.”
“So, what? You want us to just act like there’s nothing going on? Like there isn’t potentially some Father of Sin out there, wreaking havoc on—”
“You have no evidence for your claim, Mr. Lancaster, and your wild theories are beginning to upset me.” Mrs. Deveraux held up her hand. “Now, if you are able to present evidence to back up your claims, then I will listen to your theories once more. Until then, all we know is that there are demons and demonic energy, like there’s always been, and like there always will be.”
“Mrs. Deveraux, please—”
“The school is safe. You all are safe. Now, please. Return to your studies.”
“Mrs. Dever—”
“I said return to your studies!” She yelled, with her hand still held in the air. “And tell no one of what you saw. We don’t want to cause any unnecessary panic, especially not so close to the end of the semester. Students need to preserve their energy.”
Whoa.
I’d never heard Mrs. Deveraux raise her voice like that before.
I wasn’t sure she was even capable of it.
“We won’t say a word.” I assured Mrs. Deveraux, before I stood up from my seat. “Thank you for your time.”
“Always happy to speak with my students.” Mrs. Deveraux smiled, even though I could tell that there was still something burning behind her eyes.
“What the hell was up with Mrs. Deveraux back there?” Zachary asked, as we all gathered around the quad.
“Yes, she was acting rather strange. It’s unlike her to be so...illogical.” Benjamin replied, before he took a seat on the grass. “It was almost like she was in denial.”
“She was.” I took a seat beside Benjamin, before I folded my legs underneath me. “It makes sense, too.”
“How so?”
“She loved Michael, didn’t she?”
“What?” Zachary’s shock came through in his question. “What are you talking about, Celeste?”
“You guys never picked up on that?” I asked. “It was one of the first things I figured out about her. She loved Michael, and whether or not they were a couple, she was heartbroken when he sacrificed himself for Angel Academy, to rid the world of sin. So, of course, us busting into her office and telling her that the man she loved sacrificed himself for nothing, that he took himself away from her for nothing...she’s not going to be too receptive to that.”
“That’s a damn good theory.” Zachary sighed. “You know, I’ve never been able to tell how old Mrs. Deveraux really is.”
“You can never tell with the angels on the council. One of the gifts from Heaven.” Benjamin continued. “They get to live for such a long time.”
“Yeah, no wonder you’re trying to secure a sweet spot for yourself.” Zachary nudged Benjamin in the arm. “You get to basically live forever and you’ve got job security for the next thousand years? I might need to think about getting onto the council for myself.”
“I never said I wanted to be on the council.” Benjamin replied.
“What? But there’s always been a Nash on the council.”
“Yes, well, it seems that the council may be more susceptible to earthly emotions than I thought.” Benjamin shook his head. “If Mrs. Deveraux is willing to put everyone at risk, just so she can preserve her image of the angel she loved, then I have no interest in swearing my loyalty to someone as blinded as her.”
“You can’t fault her for being in love, Benjamin.” I shrugged. “It’s a hard thing to shake.”
“Benjamin wouldn’t know anything about that.” Zachary smirked. “He’s a robot, remember?”
Memories of Benjamin and I kissing in the artifacts room flooded my brain.
Funny.
Benjamin didn’t kiss like he was a robot, and from the way he’d been insulted by me referring to him as my friend, I didn’t think he was interested in pursuing a robot-like relationship with me, either.
“I’m not a robot.” Benjamin replied. “I’m just in control of my emotions. I live with them, not for them.”
“Ah, yes. The Nash family motto.” Zachary joked.
“So, what’s the plan? What are we supposed to do?” Charlie frantically looked between us all. “If there’s a demon or a prince demon or whatever you guys call them, he must be headed right for Celeste, right?”
“Probably so.” Zachary replied.
“Then how the hell do we keep her safe?” Charlie shot me a nervous glance. “Celeste, how are we supposed to keep you safe?”
“I have no idea.” I admitted. “If a direct descendant or whatever could make her way onto the academy’s campus, then what’s stopping a Prince of Hell from doing the same thing? Especially if we’ve still got our guard down.”
“Nothing. There’s nothing stopping him...” Benjamin continued. “Nothing, except for us.”
“Nothing, except for us.” Zachary repeated. “Sounds good enough to me.”
Chapter 10
I stared at the flyer, all decorated in neon shades of pink and green.
I couldn’t believe Mrs. Deveraux was just going to act like everything was fine, like it was totally okay to still have a dance like this on campus.
It’d been a full week since we’d told her about Garry’s Funhouse and the amber chain that was found in the remnants of the bar.
I winced at the memory of Garry’s corpse, burnt and nearly unidentifiable, and then I continued down the hall. Today was going to be my first ever testing day at the academy, and I was nervous enough about passing.
I didn’t need the added stress of thinking about a Prince of Hell coming after me, too.
Although, ever since we’d found the chain, demonic activity around the city had basically gone quiet.
Maybe Mrs. Deveraux had been right. Maybe it was just some demon, playing a trick on us.
I tried to believe that.
I really did.
But I just couldn’t shake the feeling that something bad was on the horizon.
When I entered Mr. Toorin’s classroom, he was seated at his desk, with a huge stack of papers adorning its surface. “Take one. Sit down. No note sharing. No talking. And certainly, no cheating.”
I pulled a sheet of paper from the top of the pile and took a seat near the back of the quiet classroom.
I then glanced down at the sheet, and suddenly felt like I was reading another language.
Question A: Which one of these is a Latin prep
osition?
Inut
Ex
Sinus
Pro
Question B: Terah begat Haran. Haran begat Lot. Lot begat two tribes; which of these was one of them?
Moabites
Cushites
Jebusites
Reubenites
As the questions went on, my brain went blank.
I didn’t know any of this shit.
I hardly knew enough Latin to hold my own in a fight.
I started to panic, as I realized that I was definitely going to fail my first test at Angel Academy.
But then a wave of calm passed over me, as I remembered what Benjamin and Zachary had told me about how the grades would work here.
Everything was cumulative, right?
So, even if I completely blew my first semester, I should be able to make it up somehow.
Besides, there was always summer school.
I then lightly chuckled to myself, as I thought back on one of my earliest conversations with Zachary, about how I was more of a fighter than a reader.
Judging by the failing grade I was sure to get in this class, it seemed like that was shaping up to be the truth.
I flew through the rest of my test with a shrug, guessing at my answers, having had no mental space to retain anything outside of what was necessary to survive.
I needed to know that I was Celeste Venoix, daughter of Lilith and Lucifer.
I needed to know that Charlie loved me, and I loved him.
And I needed to know how to pray to the angels, how to bless my weapons and how to heal myself during a fight.
I didn’t need to know who begat whom, or different elements of Latin.
At least, not right now.
I was the first to leave the classroom, and I even heard an impressed whistle come out of one of my classmate's mouth, quickly followed by a loud shush from Mr. Toorin.
Ha.
If they only knew how unimpressed with my testing time they really should’ve been.
I then made my way back out into the rather silent halls of the academy, as I walked by a group of students with their heads huddled over a shared textbook.
Their testing time with Mr. Toorin must’ve been next.
Huh.
I wondered how many students would be cooped up in their rooms studying, or completely distracted with acing Mr. Toorin’s test.
I then tried to run some mental calculations about whether or not I could get to the artifacts room and back to my own dorm in the next few minutes, while everyone at the academy appeared to be otherwise preoccupied.
Ever since we’d discovered the possibility of a Prince of Hell being free on the surface, I’d been thinking about swiping the limestone amulet. But since I imagined that taking such a thing would be completely against the academy’s rules, I didn’t want to involve any of the guys, not wanting to sully their reputations all because I was in the mood to be a thief.
I adjusted my jacket over my shoulders, as I continued down the hall, making sure that my face was as stoic as possible. I didn’t want to raise any suspicion, which also meant discouraging any kind greetings or invites to hang out after lunch.
The more I’d been on the campus and had hung around the angels, the more I'd come to realize that they truly were their own community. They were nice to me, and it made me feel awful that I continually pushed them away.
But I had to. I couldn’t risk befriending anyone right now, not when there was a target on my back.
Maybe I could try to make more friends next year.
The thought comforted me, as I turned down a corner, the artifacts room now in my line of sight.
I dream of you, world-ender.
I sought you in the night.
I've seen what you do to beautiful things.
And I long to be by your side.
I pray for you, world-ender.
I long to see your face.
I've seen what you do to beautiful things.
And I wish to take her place.
There was a woman singing a haunting melody, her voice lilting and light.
And everything around me was so impossibly warm.
“Lilith. We must give the child to the surface. Now.” Lucifer warned. “Our window is closing. The angels will not grace us like this again.”
“And why do you suppose they’ve graced us, at all?” Lilith growled. “They’d do anything to see me weak, to see me suffer.”
“They do not wish harm on our child, Lilith. They know that she is an innocent.”
“Then, they should let me go to the surface, too. They should let me care for her. How will she survive without her mother?”
“You are not her mother.”
“I birthed her!” Lilith screeched. “I bled for her. She is as mine as much as she ever was that other woman’s.”
“Yes, but it was a forced surrogacy.” Lucifer sounded so sad. “A part of me regrets indulging you in that. If I’d been stronger against you, you would not be in so much pain, my love.”
“Are you not in pain, as well, my king? She is your daughter, too.”
“I will mourn each day for what I’ve lost, for what we’ve had to do.” Lucifer sighed. “But still, it must be done. Here, Lilith, hand the child to me.”
Lilith hesitated, but eventually passed the child to her husband. “Will she forget me?”
“She will forget all of us. She is not old enough to remember.”
Lilith looked as if she was going to cry.
But then, she reached for the green necklace around her neck. She hastily pulled it away from her skin and offered it to Lucifer. “Give her my memories. The most precious ones.”
“My Queen...” Lucifer was stunned. “You would give up your most treasured source of witchcraft, all so that a child may remember you someday?”
“Yes.” Lilith offered Lucifer the necklace again. “I don’t care if it weakens my strength. I’ll find a way to recover. Just. Give her this. Add this to her journey. Please. I can’t bear the thought of my own child not recognizing my face.”
“I’ll see if I can secure passage for this, too, my love.” Lucifer then walked out of the room.
And Lilith continued to sing, although her tone shifted from lilting and light to dark and entirely hopeless.
How could you forget me, my Venus?
How could you forget me, my stars?
How could you forget me, my love?
How could you forget what’s ours?
Come back to me, my Venus.
Come back to me, my stars,
Come back to me, my love.
And we will take back what is ours.
“Spring formal tonight! Whoo!” Micah hollered right in my face, before he spun out onto his feet. “Are you ready to dance, new girl?”
“I’m good. Thanks.” I kept my tone reserved, but I offered him a small smile. “You look good, though. Love the purple tux.”
“And? The wings?” Micah did another spin, this time circling in place. “What do you think?”
“They’re perfect.” I nodded, even though I couldn’t see a thing. I was hoping that he still had them all glittered up and pretty, but how the hell would I know for sure?
“Thanks. I worked pretty hard on them.” Micah grinned, before he patted me on the shoulder. “See you around, Celeste Venoix.”
“See you around.” I repeated Micah’s words, then leaned against the empty wall beside the auditorium door.
I still couldn’t believe this dance was actually happening, but I’d decided to go along with it, anyway. What was the point of fighting against the tide?
There’d still been no demonic activity, even days after the last test had been doled out, so I was starting to feel a little less anxious about everything.
I’d even decided to dress on theme for the dance, adding a pair of dark sunglasses to my typical streetwear ensemble of a leather jacket, dark t-shirt, black jeans and black boots to match.
&n
bsp; I was going for 80s biker chic, but no one had commented on the look so far.
“80s biker cool-girl-chic.” Zachary appeared out of the corner of my eye, already wearing a grin on his face. “I like it. Minimal effort, but I like it.”
“I’m surprised you got what I was going for. None of the other angels have commented on it so far.” I smiled back at him. “And you’re supposed to be? A pirate?”
I eyed Zachary’s outfit up and down, taking in the brown, knee-length boots, the black leather pants tucked into them, the heavy, hazel-colored jacket, the matching hazel-colored buccaneer hat, and the complete lack of any kind of shirt underneath.
Zachary’s bare chest was on full display, including his chiseled abs.
Oh.
I’d never seen Zachary with his shirt off before.
I tried to pretend like I was unaffected, still keeping my tone light and joking. “You know that the theme was supposed to be set in the 1980s and not the 1680s, right? Didn’t you help plan this dance?”
“I did, and Benjie and I were in some pretty heavy disagreement over the theme for this year. He wanted colorful, fun escapism and I wanted rogue heroes and swashbuckling.” Zachary continued. “But he felt like the pirate thing was a little too close to our real lives, with the sword-fighting and whatnot.”
“Nah. I think it looks alright.”
“Thanks.” Zachary nodded, before he peeked inside the auditorium. “Wow. The place is packed.”
“Did you think that it wouldn’t be? There’s not a lot for people to do around here.”
“That’s true. I was just worried that people would—” Zachary stopped himself short.
But I playfully nudged him in the arm, wanting him to continue with his thoughts. “What in the world were you worried about, Zachary Lancaster?”
“That no one would come to my party.” Zachary chuckled. “I know it’s dumb.”
“That’s not dumb. Everyone wants people to like them.”
“Yeah, but I don’t usually care if people like me or not. Who cares what people like, right? People have no taste.”