24. Ignatius

24

IGNATIUS

I glance at Addy, noticing the strain etched on her face and the dark circles under her eyes. She's holding herself together with sheer willpower, and I admire her resilience. Zaiah's right – there's a shadow creature attached to her like a… err… shadow, but that's the least of our worries.

"Okay. Let's focus on the task at hand. We need to organise the students and figure out a plan of action. If these ‘others' are as dangerous as we think they are, then we need to be prepared."

Zephyr nods in agreement, his gaze thoughtful. "As soon as the students are sorted, we will head to the stone circle and do this ritual. I feel it may entail more than just sex, though. In fact, I don't think that is the cornerstone of this at all, the more I think about it. It's got to be blood."

"Always, blood," Corvus nods in agreement.

"Aw, so no sex?" I ask with a sassy smile at Addy.

She laughs. "Oh, there can still be sex." She pulls out the book from the back of her leggings and hands it to Zephyr. "Do you want to see if you can find out anything in here?"

He eyes it warily and then Addy. "You're quite possessive over it, princess. You sure you want me to take it?"

She smirks. "As long as you give it back."

I see Blackthorn talking to some other members of staff and leave the group to the book while I sidle over. "Professors," I say. "How can we assist with the student relocation?"

"We're contemplating sending everyone home," Blackthorn sighs. "For now."

"Luke," Professor Hartridge hisses as he clearly gives away too much information for her liking.

"Enough, Lucinda. This is a done deal. Until the threat is dealt with, we can't have the students out here in the middle of the forest indefinitely."

"I and the other House Captains can spread the word," I say. "Get everyone to contact their parents."

He gives me a grateful smile. "That would be great, thank you, Ignatius."

I nod and move over to Zephyr and Corvus to relay this information. They nod and go off to their respective Houses, still huddled into groups and I turn to see Lyra, Troy House Captain, lurking.

"What do I need to do?" Lyra asks.

I eye Lyra warily, not entirely trusting her intentions. "Professor Blackthorn wants us to inform our Houses that everyone will be sent home temporarily until this threat is dealt with. Can you spread the word to Troy House?"

Lyra nods, her expression unreadable. "Of course. I'll take care of it right away."

I make my way back to Addy. "I'll speak to Rome House, and then I'll be back. Whatever happens next, we are staying here. We will go back to MistHallow, fallen or not. It wants us there."

"Yeah, I feel it too," she says, giving my hand a squeeze. "Go, I'll be fine."

I let go of her reluctantly and make my way over to where Rome House is gathered, demanding answers.

"Listen up, everyone," I call out, raising my voice to be heard over the murmur of conversation. "I have an update from Professor Blackthorn. Due to the current situation at MistHallow, you'll all be sent home temporarily until the threat is dealt with."

A wave of whispers and exclamations ripples through the group. I hold up my hands for silence.

"I know this is unexpected, but it's for your safety. Please contact your parents or guardians as soon as possible to arrange transportation home."

That's all they need to know. It's all I know what to tell them. I turn back to look for Addy, but she's disappeared.

Panic rears up as I search through the crowds of students but come up empty. Frantically, I search, and then I find her behind a tree, drinking from the neck of someone Corvus will be mightily pissed off to see.

"Addy," I say quietly. "Let Lucian go."

Her eyes meet mine.

Adelaide releases Lucian, who slumps to the ground, unconscious but alive. Her eyes are wild, her pupils dilated, and blood staining her lips and chin.

"I don't know what came over me," she says, her voice shaky. "He offered, and I just lost control."

I approach her slowly, hands raised in a non-threatening gesture. "It's okay, Addy. You're still learning to control your hunger. But we need to be more careful, especially now."

She nods, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "I know. I'm sorry. It's just everything that's happening, it's making me feel so out of control."

I pull her into my arms, feeling her tremble against me.

Over her shoulder, I see Corvus approaching, his expression darkening as he takes in the scene.

"What happened?" he demands.

"Just a little slip-up," I say, trying to downplay the situation. "Addy's still learning to control her hunger."

Corvus's eyes narrow as he looks at Lucian's unconscious form. "So, you drank from him ?" he spits out, fury pouring out into every word.

"He offered," Addy stammers. "I was desperate. I haven't fed for hours, and I'm so hungry…" She trails off and leaps at him.

Corvus catches her as she wraps her legs around his waist and sinks her fangs into his neck. He groans, his hands going to her arse to pull her closer. "Always me," he rasps. "If I ever catch you going to another vampire again, I will punish you, Little Dollie. Are we clear?" He yanks her back by her hair, tearing her fangs out of his neck. I wince as that looked like it hurt but he doesn't seem to notice. "Are we clear?" he growls at her.

"Yes," she pants. "Yes." Then she goes back to feeding from him, grinding against him as he presses his back to the tree.

"Fuck, this is turning me on," I say.

"Try being me," Corvus says as he slumps to the ground; Addy now nestles on his lap, still drinking.

Corvus's eyes glaze over.

"She's taking too much," I say, going to them. "Adelaide. You need to pull back."

She ignores me as Corvus's eyes roll back.

"Adelaide," I bark, but she still ignores me, drinking more and more of Corvus's blood. "You are leaving me no choice, girl." I bring a ball of fire to my palm and press it against the back of her neck.

She growls and hisses as I scorch her skin, but she pulls back, her eyes fixed on me as she turns her head. What I see there scares me. Adelaide is gone, and what has replaced her is vicious, savage, confident and coming for me next.

She launches herself at me, but Zephyr steps between us, catching her by her waist and misting out with her to God only knows where.

"Fucking hell," I pant as I crouch next to Corvus and give him a shake. "You okay, mate?"

He groans as he comes to, his blood replenishing quicker than Lucian's, who is still out for the count. "Let me guess… Crimson."

"Think so. Zephyr took them somewhere."

"Fuck," he grits out and gets to his feet, slightly unsteady for a second before he straightens up. "We need to find them."

"Where is Zaiah?"

We frown at each other. "Good question," he mutters, scanning the area for our djinn friend. "He was here a minute ago."

Moving away from the crowds and deeper into the forest, I spot a familiar figure in the distance. It's Zaiah, his white eyes glowing faintly in the dark. He's standing at the edge of the Sanctuary, where the protective wards meet the wild forest beyond.

"Zaiah!" I call out. "We've been looking everywhere for you. What the fuck?"

As I get closer, I notice something odd about his posture. He's standing unnaturally still, his gaze fixed on something in the distance that I can't see.

"Zaiah?" I say again, more cautiously this time. "What's going on?"

He turns to me slowly, his white eyes seeming to look through me rather than at me. "Ignatius," he says, his voice sounding distant and echoed. "I can see it. The bridge. The pathway between worlds."

"What do you mean? What bridge?"

"The one I'm meant to create," he replies, his voice taking on an almost trance-like quality. "I can see how to do it now. How to connect our world with the other."

Corvus and I exchange a wary glance and approach him carefully, unsure of what's happening but knowing it's significant. "Zaiah, maybe we should get back to the others. We need to regroup and figure out our next move."

But he doesn't seem to hear me. His eyes are glowing brighter now, and I can feel the air around us pulsing with power. "It's beautiful," he murmurs. "And terrible. So much potential for both creation and destruction."

I reach out to touch his shoulder, hoping to snap him out of whatever trance he's in. But as soon as my hand makes contact, I'm hit with a wave of images and sensations. Flashes of other worlds, glimpses of beings both wondrous and terrifying, the feeling of vast, incomprehensible power.

I stumble back, gasping. "Zaiah, what's happening to you?"

"I understand now, Ignatius. Why I was born when I was. Why we are all here. Why I have these unique powers. I'm meant to be the bridge. The conduit between worlds."

"Uhm." I have nothing. What he is saying doesn't make sense to me, but he seems to believe his words. "We need to find Addy. Crimson has taken over her body."

That snaps him out of his daze. "Fuck," he says. "No! No! She is destruction. She is chaos. She is… the end."