Page 20 of Fortune Academy: Year Two
He hummed thoughtfully as he finally stood. He picked up the stone and examined it, then brought it closer to the fire. Unnatural ruby tones glimmered with red-hot swirls within the gem. “It was just a theory,” he murmured as if to himself.
I leaned in, drawn in by the glowing red in spite of myself. “What theory?”
Hendrik turned the gem over in the palm of his hand. I watched with morbid fascination how he handled the dark magic so easily. It pulsed as if purring in his grasp and smoke lingered around his fingertips as if his skin could ignite at any moment. “The Dean has been running the Mages hard to push Fortune Academy further into the darkness and away from the other realms as a defense against the Third Echo of Calamity, which results in my theory…”
I froze. This was news to me. I’d figured that Merlin had been the one to adjust Fortune Academy’s position in the layers of the universe, but if it was Hendrik and his clan, then he was a whole lot more powerful than I had anticipated.
Fear crept up my spine as he caught my expression and grinned. He slipped an arm over my shoulder, keeping me from backing away as he brought the stone closer for my inspection. Electric heat zapped through my body at his touch and I pretended that he didn’t affect me as I stared intently at the stone.
“Go on,” I urged when he’d gone silent.
“Hell,” he said, his voice going low. “My theory is that we aren’t pushing off into a void of nothingness, but rather we’re getting cozy with Hell itself.”
I shivered. “What makes you say that?” I searched for a window, but there wasn’t one. Last I checked it was snowing.
He clutched his grip around the stone. A healthy red glow emanated through his skin and outlined his knuckles. “There are different circles of Hell. Some are molten hot, but some, well, some are as cold as ice. If we’ve gotten closer to one of the outer realms of Hell, then it wouldn’t take much for demonspawn to push their way through.”
He set the Blood Stone on the mantle, leaving it to bathe the room in a soft red glow. The thing was a darn show off.
How did he know so much about Hell, anyway?
Maybe I didn’t want to know the answer to that question.
I staggered to one of the chairs and sank into its cushions. “Why would the Dean want us closer to Hell?” I didn’t know much about Hell, ironically, but I would assume the goal would be to stay away from the place of eternal damnation.
He shrugged. “Good question.” He snapped his fingers. “New job for you. You’re going to find out for me.”
My jaw fell open. “You can’t be serious.”
He smirked as those dark eyes glinted with victory. He just loved to get under my skin and make ridiculous demands. “I’m always serious.”
I crossed my arms. “No. I’m not going to make myself a target. I’ve got enough on my plate as it is.” He didn’t need to know that I was here illegally. The last thing I needed was to undo all of Kaito’s hard work to make me blend in by snooping around the Dean. “Plus, once I recharge your stupid stone then my debt to you is paid. Olivia is free to draw from the clan’s magic and you can’t bother me anymore.”
He grinned. “I thought you were afraid to summon more demonspawn?”
I cursed, jumping from my chair as I snatched the stupid stone off of the mantle. I looped it over my head and glared at him with all the hatred I could muster. “That’s just a risk I’m going to have to take. See? I’m wearing it. You can’t make me do more shit for you than what we already agreed upon. I’m not one of your Mages you can boss around.”
Hendrik leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers. “Oh, you’re going to do whatever I ask.”
I glowered. “Because?”
He tapped his fingers before replying. “I assume you don’t want the Dean to know you’re a demonspawn?” He swept his gaze over me. “Prettier than I expected, but a demonspawn all the same.”
I locked my knees to keep from collapsing in a heap. “What did you just say?”
He positively beamed at me. “Please. We get closer to Hell and you summon yet another one of your little buddies? That all but confirms my suspicions. I know what you are…Lilith.”
Fuck.
I swiped one hand over my face as my heartbeat kicked up a notch. Blood thrummed through my ears as a million thoughts raced through my head and I blurted the first thing that came to mind.
When in doubt, deny.
“I don’t know what kind of sick games you’re playing, but I’m just a dud.” That was a half-truth, or more accurately, a one-third truth. I had awakened my powers over my demonspawn and succubus sides, but there was a third supernatural breed within me that had yet to be unlocked. That was the one Kaito wanted me to embrace and validated his claim that I belonged here. That was what I clung to when I spiraled into my worst fear that I might be a monster.
“Deny all you want, but I saw you out on the field with Logan.” His gaze dropped to my hands which I promptly put behind my back. “Others might have missed your little show, but I know what I’m looking for.” He winked at me. “I keep an eye on my pets.”
I wanted to strangle him. He looked so smug and comfortable as he shifted in his chair. I adjusted my stance as I decided if I should run or attack.
