Page 42 of Fortune Academy: Year Three
Yuri downed her drink and released a small burb before covering her mouth. “Excuse me.”
“Let me guess,” I said, leaning my elbow on the couch arm. “Monster Academy 101?”
Yuri winked. “You’re catching on.”
I glanced at Olivia. “I feel like we attend the wrong school sometimes.”
She smirked. “Ditto.”
I tapped my chin. “So, let’s recap. The Dean is only allowing Dark Mages into Monster Academy as part of the surplus Blood Duty needed.” She’d been claiming the extra sacrifices were for protection against the monster invasions in the event they resumed, but thanks to Olivia, we knew the truth. The Dean had gone mad and was searching for some “vessel” to reincarnate her lost lover who was stuck somewhere in Hell and meanwhile she continued to merge Fortune Academy with Hell as part of the process.
“If you’re suggesting we work with a Dark Mage, Hendrik is out of the question,” Olivia added. “He’s been avoiding you ever since you guys got back and I doubt he’ll be any help. None of the other mages seem to trust him.”
“Yeah, what’s up with that?” Yuri asked, taking her lollipop again and sticking it between her teeth. “Didn’t you say he was supposed to be their leader or something?”
I’d been giving Hendrik his space, but he should have gotten over his demotion by now. “Yes, and now he’s not and he’s sulking. Which is why I’m going to go talk to him after we’re done here,” I vowed. I’d been more than patient and it was time he stopped avoiding me.
“You want me to come with?” Olivia asked.
“No,” I said, running circles with my fingers over the sofa’s fabric. “He’s an asshole, but he’smyasshole. I’ll deal with him.”
Yuri got to her feet and stretched her arms up into the air. “Well, sounds like you guys got things covered. I’m going to be late for class.” She pranced over to the mirror and waited for Olivia to cast her spell.
Olivia sighed and leaned back into her chair, looking much more tired and weary than she should.
I sat next to her and forced her to look at me. She obeyed, matching my gaze with those golden orbs that had definitely started to dim. She needed to stop devouring her soul for my sake, but I knew she wouldn’t listen to me. It didn’t keep me from trying anyway.
“No more visions,” I reminded her. “We have all the clues we need.”
Her lips creased into a thin line before she replied. “If this next vampire doesn’t turn up any new leads…”
I squeezed her hand. “No more, Olivia. Promise me.”
“Okay, fine. But I mean it.” She glanced down at my bracelet that now had five glowing red gems. “Time is running short and it won’t much matter that I saved my soul if Calamity gets ahold of us.”
“Yeah, maybe,” I said with a sigh. “Maybe Hendrik knows something that could help.” It was another excuse to talk to the Dark Mage, at least. Hendrik used to fight vampires in the Monster Arena, so surely he knew something that could help us.
Olivia gave my knee a squeeze. “Go to him. I know you want to.” She glanced at Yuri who tapped the mirror impatiently. “I’ll send her home and then I’ll read up until we have to go to class.”
I hugged her neck and gave her a quick kiss, because I knew she was just giving me an excuse to see Hendrik and I loved her for it. “You’re the best.”
She smirked and peeled me off. “I know.”
Olivia always made me feel better, so I ventured down the hall with a spring in my step.
Even though I’d been able to spend some time with Orion during these past few months, I missed my other Virtues. We had to stay apart, and I understood the need for caution, but I had a feeling that some of my Virtues were avoiding me for completely different reasons. I’d barely spoken to Logan, and Dante and Hendrik had avoided me entirely.
It was time to find out why.
Exiting the dorm, I kept my head down and avoided a few of Melinda’s mindless thralls on the way.
The Dean still had the Arena up and running to supply the massive Blood Duty needed to keep shoving Fortune Academy deeper into Hell. All of the students knew something funky was up, but with Melinda’s thralls running around everywhere as “Mandatory Campus Monitors” while on high alert in case of more “monster attacks,” it was clear that anyone who asked too many questions got zombie-zapped.
The best thing to do was to keep your head low. I continued down the campus streets and spotted a few students going to their classes. The demeanor had changed under the sweltering red skies. Once these streets had been full of wolves chasing panthers, giggling witches, and duds fawning over the Demis like a bunch of groupies.
Not anymore. Now the students kept to themselves as they clung to their textbooks and hurried to their next class. Those who weren’t enthralled Campus Monitors were subject to Blood Duty and had bruises or cuts over their arms and legs. Some wore long sleeves despite the heat to cover the worst of their injuries. Even the smallest of infractions resulted in mandatory Blood Duty, and those who had three or more strikes got themselves thrown into the Monster Arena for good.
That was a punishment I’d considered myself, but those students rarely made it out alive from what I heard. Olivia’s visions suggested I’d wind up the same or worse if I got on the Dean’s bad side.
