Page 106 of Demon Apathy: Sunderverse
“What day is it?” I asked, wondering for the first time how long I’d been out.
“It’s still Monday.”
I found my phone on the side table and checked the time. It was 3 PM. I’d missed all of my classes and would need to catch up. Jenna would be at the library studying right now, so I would go find her and borrow her notes, but not until I got a couple of aspirin for the splitting headache that now was making my temples throb like giant hearts.
The next few days passed as normally as they could. I went to classes, studied, and visited Preston—or more precisely, Striker’s portrait, which he’d hung on the wall behind him. As soon as I greeted the librarian, my eyes flicked up, searching for inhuman features on the demon hunter’s face. Preston peered at me through his thick glasses, and he never asked whether or not his spell had worked. My expression of disappointment told him what he needed to know.
Thanksgiving came and went. My family begged me to go to St. Louis for a quick visit, but I knew that, if I went, they would notice my worry. I didn’t think I could handle their questions, because I didn’t want to lie, so I promised to visit them during the Christmas break.
My mind and heart were anchored in New York.
“Nothing!” Jenna exclaimed from across the library table where we sat with Sage and Benjamin, studying. It was the week after Thanksgiving, the last day of November, and we were preparing for our final exams.
Since we got back from visiting her family, she’d been scanning the news, trying to find anything about Sir Fernsby, but she had no luck.
“Why won’t Drevan contact us?” she wondered, not for the first time.
“Do you think Richie figured out you’re not Sir Fernsby’s son and the whole thing fell through?” Benjamin asked.
I shrugged. I wasn’t too worried about Drevan’s silence. After what had happened that night, I was sure a bit of distance could only do me good. Besides, the next time I saw him, I wanted my Truesight to be in place.
Except that evening, Grant called me into his office to inform me that Drevan had made a deal with Richie, and an exchange would take place that very night.
“But Sage never called Richie,” I told Grant, scratching my head.
Grant raised his blond eyebrows. “Do you think posing as someone else on the phone would be a problem for Drevan?”
Duh!Of course not.
“He called Richie using Sage’s voice and arranged it all. The old man is salivating at the thought of owning such a coveted piece. But that’s not all Drevan did. Apparently, he helped create some anxiety in Richie’s circles. The word through the grapevine is that Maximilian Fernsby is dangerous and erratic. So Richie is sending Solar to the exchange, and he will only attend virtually.”
My eyebrows rose up. It seemed Drevan had been hard at work, setting everything up. It made me feel gratitude to think he was so vested in this purpose of saving humanity.
He’s also saving himself, you idiot,that pesky voice of reason said in my mind.
Though something in my heart told me it wasn’t just that. He cared about our fate. He wasn’t all bad.
That’s what he wants you to believe.
“Everything all right, Ms. Sunder?” Grant asked.
I shook myself and glanced up from the floor to meet his gaze. “Yeah, it’s fine.”
“You and Sage will need to meet Solar tomorrow night. It should give you some time to meet with Drevan and prepare. I will be attending, too. I’ll be on standby, of course. Things seem to be building up some momentum now. I want to be there in case backup is needed for any reason.”
Knowing that the best demon hunter alive would be there to help relaxed me a bit. If Jophiel and LeBeau showed their faces, it would be good to have him on our side. Though the two had been quiet, I was sure they were planning something.
Something occurred to me.
“If Solar sees me, he’ll know right away that something’s wrong. He knows me as a league student, not Maximilian Fernsby’s girlfriend.”
“I think adding to the confusion is part of Drevan’s plan.”
“O-kay.” I wasn’t sure exactly how that would work, but who was I to question evil plans?
“Drevan will be by later this evening to pick you up, so you and Sage can prepare,” Grant added.
The thought of seeing Drevan made my heart pick up its pace. My Truesight hadn’t kicked in yet—I’d checked just a couple of hours ago—but what if it did when we were together?
