10. Reed

As I pushed open the door to my dorm room, a wave of stale beer and fae rum assaulted my senses, mingling with the unmistakable stench of spicy bourbon. My lips curled in disgust at the overwhelming scents. The golden light filtering through the room from the window cast shadows along the walls, illuminating the stark contrast between my side and my roommate”s.

The soft hues of gray and lilac dominated my area. My sleek tablet I’d snuck in from home lay on my neatly made bed, its screen glowing softly in the dim light. It was a beacon of technology amidst the sea of muted colors. Even though we were encouraged to only use the academy-issued tablet, I brought mine from home to be able to keep all of my contacts and apps. The online world had become my solace since I was a kid, and I didn’t want to lose access to that.

My side was a lot more comforting than the chaos on my roommate”s side of the room. Dark maroon and black hues covered his cluttered space. Empty alcohol bottles littered the floor around his bed like fallen agents from the excessive drinking sprees. It had only been two days.

The bed itself was a mess of tangled sheets and rumpled blankets, a testament to the absolute chaos that reigned unchecked in his half of the room.

Basically, it was in disarray, a reflection of Bram Hemlock and a stark reminder of the contrast between his world and mine.

I couldn”t help but feel a pang of sympathy for my roommate. But then my gut churned as I thought about how callously he’d treated Pandora today.

Good thing he was almost never here.

What had she done to get on the radar of those three demons? Bram Hemlock, Dexter Shadowheart, and Skel Grimshaw. They were delinquents, and honestly, they’d always been. Granted, Shadowheart had always been worse than the other two. Their families were all kinds of messed up, and it was common knowledge among the capital. I spent my first couple of years of high school with them before Mom moved us out of the city to a more rural area. We were never friends, but they also hadn’t been quite as self-destructive as they seemed to be now. I had been pulled from the school two years before graduation, so maybe I just hadn’t seen their downfall.

I turned away from his chaos and shut the door. My spirits were lifted almost immediately as I walked toward the soft glow of the tank’s enchanted lights that emitted a gentle illumination.

I knelt beside the spacious tank I’d transformed into a playful gumdrop-themed haven for my aquatic companion. It was a splash of vibrant colors, with bubblegum pink and lemon yellow showing up the most. The substrate at the bottom was a soft, pastel-colored gravel that sparkled in the light, and it reminded me of a bed of candy-coated gumdrops. I’d added plastic gumdrop decorations within the tank, and a miniature gumdrop-shaped castle sat proudly in one corner.

My pink axolotl swam contentedly, his vibrant colors a perfect complement to the sugary-themed surroundings. The gentle hum of the tank”s filter filled the room with a soothing melody, punctuated by an occasional splash as my axolotl glided gracefully through the water.

“Hi, little buddy,” I murmured. ”Did you have a good day?”

Gumdrop nodded in response, eyes gleaming with intelligence as he gazed up at me with an expression that I believed bordered on affection.

We had a bond we’d built upon through the years. After Dad died, Mom went into a deep depression that I had no hope of pulling her out of. Mom and Dad were fated mates, and a literal piece of her soul died with him. I’d spent my teenage years alone, but when she’d moved us out of the capital, I adopted Gumdrop. He had been my only form of companionship that wasn’t online until now.

“I had a good first day, you know.” I reached out to touch the tank, fingers brushing against the smooth glass surface. It was cold, and I could feel the gentle vibrations of the filter beneath my fingertips. “I met a woman.”

He tilted his little head as his legs kicked up as if he were trying to hear me better.

“Her name’s Pandora. She gave me her first name,” I whispered to my little buddy.

I’d always shared everything with Gumdrop. He always listened with rapt attention.

”You know, Gumdrop, I think I might like her,” I confessed as I double-checked the enchantments on the tank. ”She”s unlike anyone I”ve ever met before, so kind and caring. She even stood up to a few demons for me. You know, since Mom’s a human.”

He regarded me with a knowing gaze.

“She’s the daughter of a councilman, specifically, the soul eater representative. She’s a soul eater, too.” I triple-checked the blue crystal that was enchanted to keep the water temperature perfect for him. It was radiating a normal amount of magical energy. “I just…really like her. I’ve never gotten along with someone so well before, and she’s really pretty, too.”

He swam to the top and looked at me expectantly.

“She’s got really long, glossy black hair and beautiful red eyes. I can’t get her out of my mind.” With a sigh, I opened the top window and stuck my finger just above the water.

He met me, nibbling softly on my finger. I didn’t ever pet him because his skin was so delicate, but he loved giving kisses, so I always gave him my finger. Gumdrop was just a sweetheart who craved love the same way I did.

I pulled back and grabbed his food, sprinkling a few pellets into the tank before shutting the window. “But during a feeding exercise today, she got paired with Shadowheart.”

He eagerly snapped his food up with his mouth.

“She completely broke down.” My chest ached as I thought of the terror on her face, and I hated how the shadow tendril sliced into her. Blood ran down from the cut like a curtain around her neck.

She’d had a panic attack. I knew the signs, and it killed me that Ashenfell allowed Shadowheart to take her away while she was like that. I wanted to be the one to do it because I knew I could take care of her. Shadowheart probably traumatized her more.

I shook off the nausea swirling in my gut as I got to my feet and went to pull my academy tablet out. I kicked my shoes off and stripped down to my boxers before splaying on the bed and typing a few messages to Pandora.

Reed Nyx

Are you okay?

If you need anything, just let me know.

I hope you’re getting some rest. I’ll see you tomorrow.

The messages sent, but after a few more minutes of staring at them, they still hadn’t been read.

I groaned, running my hand down my face before grabbing my other tablet and checking my messages.

Charlotte Vane

How’s your first day going? (smiley face with hearts)

Thinking of you, Reed!

Everything okay?

Just checking on you again.

Everything good?

Discomfort rolled through me as I read the messages.

Charlotte was my best friend, and she had been since I was twelve years old. We met online a year after Dad died, and we had stayed in contact ever since. We’d never met in person, but she visited my dreamscape every other night or so. She knew everything about me, and I appreciated her. But she would always freak out if I didn’t message her constantly. It didn’t usually bother me, but something about it did this time.

I typed out my reply.

Reed Nyx

I’m fine. It was a good first day. Made a friend.

Her reply was instant.

Charlotte Vane

Ooooh, that’s sweet! Who is he?

I bit down on my lip with a slight groan.

Reed Nyx

She’s a Gravesend, actually.

Charlotte Vane

She?

Oh.

A Gravesend? Like Death’s daughter?!?!!?!

How in Kalista did you befriend her?

Never mind…hahahahaha.

Um.

Soooo…how is your mom?

I glanced at Gumdrop, who was munching away at his dinner before replying.

Reed Nyx

I haven’t talked to her since getting to the academy.

I’m going to bed. Night.

I checked the other tablet, but Pandora still hadn’t messaged me back. I hoped she was okay. The wound hadn’t healed when she left, and it was small enough that it should’ve healed any demon with a lick of magical reserves immediately.

Charlotte Vane

Can you bring me to your dreamscape?

You need to feed, you know.

Plus, I miss my best friend!

My tablet went off again as the door to our room was tossed open, and irritation flared through me.

Hemlock stumbled over his feet, leaving the door wide open before landing halfway off his bed with a loud groan.

He reeked of fae rum.

I curled my lips in disgust, not bothering to hide the expression. “You left the door open.”

He mumbled something incoherent, but I picked up on something about Gravesend.

Hemlock had one Fates of a drinking problem.

Pushing off the bed, I put both of my tablets up and went over to shut the door before going back and getting under my covers.

It was dark now, and a silvery shine of moonlight started to filter into our room.

“She’s so stuck up,” he slurred. “Her and her bitch friend. Talking about family…and pussy…noble bitches,” he rambled on and on.

I rolled my eyes. It was pointless arguing with him when he was so drunk he could barely keep his eyes open, but I couldn’t stop the wave of anger that hit me.

“Pandora is nice to me. Maybe you should give her a chance before talking about her like that,” I bit out the words.

He gave me a bitter chuckle. “A noble of that standing being nice to a demon with a human mom?”

Fates, his words slurred together so bad.

“She’s a noble. You’re not. She’ll never understand,” he said before his snores filled the room. “Probably got some ulterior motive.”

I violently turned in bed, trying to block out the doubt swirling in my head.

Hemlock was just being a jerk. Pandora wasn’t like the other demons. She was so kind to me. I couldn’t let that drunk put doubts in my head. She was my friend. A friend I couldn’t stop thinking about.

My eyelids fluttered shut as I replayed all of the interactions with Pandora I had today and slowly faded into my dreamscape.

I wokeinside of my dreamscape, enveloped in a misty veil of ethereal violet hues, casting everything in a dreamy glow.

Clouds rippled softly beneath my bare feet, shifting and morphing with each step I took forward. Beautiful, twisted, deep purple trees with gnarled branches reached up toward the sky, blue leaves shimmering with luminescence. The air was thick with the scent of cotton candy and caramel, carrying whispers of what I dreamed to be.

Pandora and I’s scent paired so well together.

My vision pulsated with dream magic, beckoning for another soul, but the one I wanted to pull in wasn’t asleep.

Pandora.

An incessant push niggled at the edges of my dreams, and for the first time since I’d known Charlotte, I hesitated before allowing her access. She was a drude, and while she could only enter nightmares, she could try to access my dreamscape, but only with my permission.

Magic rippled around me as I opened the way for her.

Charlotte materialized in front of me. Her glossy lips spread into a familiar smile as she ran to me. Her arms wrapped around my neck, but my arms stayed still at my sides instead of hugging her back like usual.

A wave of disgust coursed through me, and I tensed.

She pulled back carefully, blinking her green eyes and frowning. “What’s wrong, Reed?”

“I don’t know,” I mumbled, reaching up and scratching my head as I padded back a few steps. “I just…keep thinking about something.”

Or someone.

Specifically, a beautiful soul eater named Pandora.

But I probably shouldn’t be talking about her since she was Death’s daughter and a noble.

“Other demons giving you shit about your mom?” She knocked her red curls out of her face, concern shining in her eyes.

I shrugged. “Yeah, I guess. I’m rooming with Bram Hemlock.”

“Hemlock?” She turned her nose up. “I’m sorry. Their son is a good-for-nothing drunk.”

The Vane family wasn’t nobility, but they took pride in knowing everything about everyone. I got most of my news and gossip from Charlotte.

“He mentioned that Pandora’s a noble, so she probably won’t be interested in being friends,” I muttered, filling my reserves up.

“He may be right about that,” she said softly, walking closer and squeezing my shoulder. “Nobles usually stick together, and with her dad’s reputation, I’d stay away from her.”

Frowning, I shrugged her hand off of me. “I think I’m all filled up. I need to actually sleep, though. Talk later?”

“Reed…” Her eyes widened in surprise, but I booted her from my dreamscape with a hefty magical push.

Guilt swam in my gut, but it hurt to hear my best friend tell me to stay away from a woman I couldn’t stop thinking about. Even Gumdrop had been more supportive.

There was one thing I knew as the abyss of sleep latched onto me, and that was that I wasn’t going to stay away from Pandora no matter what anyone said.