Chapter 2

2

DEVA

Headmistress Estrid.

I was already concerned over the situation at hand—mainly the safety of my men and guilt over having to leave—but as I looked across the pavilion towards the woman who more or less held our fate in her hands, I felt more vulnerable than normal. I had been so damn hopeful about DIA, and while I knew we had to leave, it felt like I was giving up on something big.

Something that could have been life-changing.

Of course, it had already been life changing. I mean, I would have never met or gotten to truly know the five men surrounding me had I not come here. I wouldn’t have made the friends I did, I wouldn’t have healed far beyond my expectations…but it had potential to be more. I had potential to be more, and once again it felt like Astaroth was controlling and taking away my options, demanding that I go on the run.

That I leave a place I wanted to call home.

I knew the guys had packed and removed a lot of our personal belongings, something I had completely missed this morning, but it still felt weird that I hadn’t taken the time to gather any of my things. I had gone so long ‘without’ that now I felt somewhat possessive over the things I did own.

The most difficult element to come to terms with? The issue didn’t come down to my ability to survive here—that wasn’t truly why we were running. It was because my presence here seemed to be doing more harm than good. Eventually it would truly affect someone I loved, or worse—result in their death.

I didn’t want to kill anyone. I hadn’t killed anyone—not even the security guards that had ambushed me and Alek—but at every turn it seemed I was being accused of exactly that. And that was without them even knowing about my past. Imagine if they knew the truth, that at one point I had been a killer.

I leaned into Oz for support as I felt my heart start to palpitate. Were we going to have to find another way off campus? I didn’t think that was even possible though. I’d been told time and time again that Estrid was the only option for leaving…but could she in good conscience release a dangerous student from the confines of these walls? A student that her faculty was accusing of not only having different forms of magic but also being a killer? How was Professor Ledvot even blaming me when I’d gone from her class, severely injured, straight to my dorm?

I honestly had no idea what the headmistress was thinking because her expression was so damn mastered and trained. Any hint of her usual warmth towards me was gone, and it made me uneasy.

The words that had come from security were still echoing in my head, and I had to wonder if she’d also heard them—if Professor Ledvot had gotten the approval to send security after me from her…

Two unblessed deaths.

I wanted to believe she was referring to the previous attacks, but security had clearly accused me of ‘murder.’ I couldn’t begin to unravel my emotions if two more people had truly died, because the truth of the matter was that I was responsible. Even if I hadn’t killed them, they would have died because of me—because of my demons.

Although clearly not everyone thought that, because Professor Boneclaw had shown up to help…or maybe he was biased because of his affiliations with the Nyx family. Honestly, that made a bit more sense than assuming I was innocent.

More than ever, I was thankful for how incredibly strong my men were. Even though I was doing my damn best to keep it together, it wasn’t easy, and their strength, their anger for me in this situation, and their determination to get us out of here was holding me together. I couldn’t even be embarrassed to admit that. I could tell they were tense at seeing Estrid, though, and the sound of her steps echoing across the stone pavilion matched my rapid heartbeat.

“Follow me. All of you—quickly.”

My eyes widened as Boneclaw motioned us forward, standing guard at the gate as we walked towards the tree that would serve as the portal to leave. Despite her pristine clothing and composure, I could tell Estrid was exhausted from the dark circles under her eyes. She pulled on her magic and pressed a hand to the tree, creating a silvery portal from absolutely nothing.

I stared at her in confusion, waiting for her to say something. Surely she wasn’t going to just let us leave without any⁠—

“Drink the cloaking spell the minute you land inside of Garnet Hall before going to your next location.” She met my gaze before looking at the others. “The Hall is currently empty, but I can’t guarantee what you will or will not face once you leave school grounds. Better safe than sorry.”

A sharp exhale left my lips as I finally gathered the courage to voice my doubts. “I…I don’t understand. I mean, I appreciate the advice, but you’re the headmistress—surely you know why the alarms in our sector are going off, yet you’re letting us go?”

Estrid’s eyes warmed in understanding as she stepped closer to me and placed a hand on my shoulder. “Deva, I have been aware that you are unique in your magic from the moment I first came across your test scores, I was even aware of your guarded past and the potential affiliations that go along with it—but something stood out to me more than anything, and it was your willingness and eagerness to start over. Our pasts do not define us, our future actions do.”

“But I’m leaving now,” I whispered. “What…what if I can’t come back.”

“You will,” she said softly, “but I also understand that the politics outside of these walls are causing dangers within, including in the witch sector. If the six of you can help out there, then I see no reason to keep you here. Each of you are imbued with magic far beyond your years, and from what I can tell, that is going to be needed. More than anything, though, I know you aren’t the problem here. You’ve never been the problem.”

My eyes almost pricked with tears. I could see she meant every word, and many of my worries and insecurities seeped out, replaced with determination to come back. To figure this out and return to DIA without demons constantly at my back. I could feel the surprise and relief from the men around me, but they didn’t say anything, leaving us to the moment.

“Now go,” she said, looking over our shoulders. “Security will be checking here shortly. The portal may be a bit bumpier than normal—the wards have been tripled. But you’ll make it there safely. Just remember to take the cloaking spell Boneclaw had you prepare.”

“Thank you,” I said, my voice tight.

“Thank you, Deva. Your efforts won’t be in vain.” Estrid stepped back. I kept my hand in Oz’s as Grimshaw joined me, my gaze moving over my other men as I nodded in determination. Taking a deep inhale, I stepped forward and dove into the portal, leaving DIA after little more than a week.

Darkness seemed to saturate every molecule of my body.

Unlike last time it didn’t feel jostled or chaotic, it just felt suffocating. If it wasn’t for the tight hold that each of my men had on my hands, I wasn’t positive I would feel secure in eventually leaving the dark void. Trying to focus my magic, I prepared for what would probably be a hard landing…and instead we just popped into fucking existence inside of a very familiar building. I groaned, feeling a wave of intense dizziness, the magic from the portal causing my knees to break. Grimshaw instantly picked me up, holding me against his chest.

“Breathe, little jaguar.” He brushed his nose against my own. “We’re off that damn campus. Everything is going to work out⁠—”

“It’s the portal, it’s making her sick,” Alek cursed, his rough Russian accent rolling over my ears as he joined Grim, gently smoothing a hand over my skin. I tried to take deep breaths, focusing on pulling my magic into myself like Alek had told me to on that first day when he helped me recover from the portal. It wasn’t working nearly as well this time though.

“Cloaking spell.” Glass vials clinked as Oz began to pass them out, but my eyes were tightly closed as I breathed in Grim’s familiar scent.

“Put her down for a minute, let her get her bearings,” Lazaro suggested. I opened my eyes and Grimshaw did exactly that, the lunar witch instantly pulling me into his arms as Grimshaw downed his cloaking potion. I was surprised by his possessive grip and touch, but I shouldn’t have been. I was finding that Lazaro, while very demanding, had broken through whatever wall he had up between us—at least mostly.

Now he touched and held me when he wanted, even if he did so in a way that aligned with his completely overbearing, grumpy self. I didn’t mind it in the least. In fact, I would prefer far more of it…

“Will this activate immediately?” Cage asked, appearing on my other side and handing me one. I looked between him and Lazaro, both of them more tense than they were trying to portray. Lazaro stared down at me, his hand rubbing over my back in a pattern that I found extremely soothing, something he probably didn’t even realize.

“No, we can activate it once we all take it and are walking outside,” Oz explained. Cage instantly downed his potion, and I looked down at my own as Lazaro popped open the tab on both of ours. I lifted the liquid to my lips and took a big sip, happily surprised by the taste of berry that exploded on my lips.

“How are you feeling, little thief?” Lazaro asked, handing our glass bottles back to Oz so he could store them away.

“Her back looks a hell of a lot better,” Grimshaw murmured, lifting my shirt just a smidge.

Alek exploded with angry words in Russian. The only thing I understood was the name Ledvot, but Oz nodded sharply just once, making me wonder if he spoke Russian as well. Did I need to learn the Ordinarius language?

“I’m going to kill her,” Cage said matter-of-factly, his gaze flickering with darkness as he offered me an easy smile. “You’re okay with that, little siren?”

Inhaling, I decided to answer Lazaro’s question first. “Better. The portal made me feel off, but Alek taught me how to use my runes to heal myself, so my back feels moderately better.”

“Yes, about that—I felt our connection cut off.” Lazaro’s jaw tightened, the action portraying how much he disliked that concept. I wouldn’t lie, it made my heart warm, and I couldn’t help but lean into him further.

“Didn’t like that shit,” Cage agreed.

“Sorry.” I winced. “It didn’t feel good on my end either, but at least I have a way to heal myself.”

Oz made a sound in the back of his throat, his distress plain to see. Grimshaw and Alek had been the only ones to see the worst of it so far.

“You can look,” I told him, having the inkling of suspicion that he liked to be the one to mend me up.

Oz immediately moved to stand behind me, cursing as he gently pulled up the back of my shirt, his fingers playing against the sensitive nerves there. I stayed leaning against Lazaro’s chest, holding his gaze as the others looked. My old scars would be visible, along with a few new ones from the power of the ward hitting my skin—or at least some faded burn marks.

I wasn’t embarrassed about it anymore, though. The truth was out there, and they knew where my scars had come from. I wanted to view them differently, and if they didn’t view them as ugly, maybe I could feel similar…maybe. One day.

“She’s dead,” Oz agreed softly, and Cage chuckled.

“I was able to get Grimshaw out of the blood ward right as Deva was breaking out of hers,” Alek said. “Ledvot wouldn’t tell me who the fuck was in each or what was happening. And Shade⁠—”

“Shade is equally to blame,” Grimshaw growled.

Inhaling, I turned towards the rest of them and spoke softly. “She wasn’t in support of it. Ledvot bullied her into it. I have no idea what her fucking problem is, but it’s clear that she doesn’t want me on campus. If we ever go back…”

“We will,” Cage assured me, flashing a relaxed smile I didn’t believe for a minute. “I have to show you around campus still—you keep avoiding my tour.”

I let out a small laugh at that—interrupted suddenly by the faintest sound of voices somewhere in the distance, so quiet I wasn’t even positive I’d actually heard them. We all froze. Estrid had said the building would be empty…but I suppose she could’ve been wrong.

“We need to get to my estate,” Grimshaw said. “We’ll activate the cloaking spell once we need it. My understanding is that it has a time limit?”

“Around thirty minutes,” Oz confirmed. “Then it fades.”

“Let’s get out of here,” I suggested, not wanting to get taken off guard with a sense of false security. I couldn’t afford that, especially with the warning Astaroth had given me at the ball—that they would be waiting for me.

Making our way silently through the halls, a chill rolled over my skin as the cold from outside seeped in. Alek and Grimshaw walked ahead with Oz next to me, the other two taking up the rear. It made me feel insulated and protected. In the past I may have taken that feeling as a sign that I was too dependent on them, but now I didn’t. I not only trusted them with my life, but I also understood the protective urge associated with our emotions—I would give everything for them without a second thought. They wouldn’t like it very much if I said that, though.

“Alright, we’re going to step out these doors and immediately book it to the center of the city. I’m hoping we’ll have assistance, but considering we are a bit early, it’s possible we won’t. Let’s just plan on throwing on our cloaking spells if necessary,” Grimshaw said cautiously. I stared at the dark doors ahead, the ones that led to the outside world. Somewhere I hadn’t been for months.

“We’ve got this,” I murmured, having to believe it.

Stepping past my men and grabbing the doors, I threw them open and felt my eyes widen. Any fucking hope of an easy exit was gone. Completely gone. A familiar group of silver robed individuals surrounded the exit, their numbers nearly three times our own.

My chest seized in panic. Fuck.

Astaroth hadn’t been lying—they were waiting for us.