Descendants Academy: Young Adult Urban Fantasy

by Belle Malory

  “This sounds like my curse.” I was so excited, the words started spilling out at a rapid speed. “Two babies with different mothers. Cursed at birth. One was in line for a big title, king or something equivalent. The other son’s mother was resentful because her child was a bastard, while the other had his father’s name and would eventually go on to receive the title. Whoa…” I lifted my brows. “If this really is the same curse, a lot of time and energy was spent binding it. Not only would Petra have had to sacrifice her womb, but she would have needed to kill something or someone, too. Then, she needed drops of blood from me and Riley, along with tufts of our hair. She would have had to spend three straight nights chanting the spell, without wavering.”

  “That’s all good and great, Sher, but what does the book say about breaking the curse?” Xander looked at me impatiently.

  “Well, it didn’t work out the way the bastard’s mother planned. The boys ended up working together. They were friends—oh, my—and they did it. They actually broke it.”

  “How?” Both Ione and Xander said in unison.

  I blinked. “Persephone’s Cure.”

  “Persephone, the goddess of the Underworld?” Ione said.

  I nodded. “The book mentions the story about how Hades abducted her.”

  “We know it,” Xander said, quickly reciting the tale. “Hades wanted to marry Persephone, but her mother, Demeter, thought her daughter was too good for him. So Hades, being the dick that he was, took matters into his own hands. He captured and took Persephone into the Underworld and forced her to marry him. Mama bear, Demeter, was pissed. She refused to harvest the earth until Hades returned with her daughter. Zeus knew the people needed to eat, so he ordered Hades to give Persephone back. But Hades was a crafty bastard, and he gave his bride a fruit that would make her miss the Underworld. So the three of them worked out an arrangement. Persephone would split each year between both worlds. The story accounts for the change in seasons, yada yada. It’s autumn when she leaves, everything dies, and spring again when she returns.”

  I blinked at his cut and dry accounting. My dad, ever the mythology lover, would get a kick out of him.

  “Pretty much sums it up,” I said, nodding. “Anyway, back to the brothers. They claim the cure is found through death and destruction, just as the curse reads—”

  “Ah, hold up.” Ione said, reaching for the popcorn. “Isn’t that what we’re trying to avoid?”

  “I’m getting there,” I said, tapping my fingers against the book’s cover excitedly. “The brothers went about it in a roundabout way. They went to the Underworld in autumn, stayed for the same length of time as Persephone did, and ate the same fruit. When they returned to earth, the curse was broken. Their stay in the Underworld symbolized their deaths, hence destruction, and their return to earth in spring symbolized their rebirth. Boom, problem solved.”

  I looked between the two of them, but their expressions remained skeptical. “Can you find me the passage?” Xander said.

  I handed him the book. “Page seventy-two.”

  He flipped through the pages, reading through everything I just told him. I grabbed a handful of popcorn, stuffing it in my mouth, thinking about what this could mean. If Riley and I went to the Underworld, stayed there for six months and found this so-called fruit, maybe we could be cured too. Not only that, but maybe I would get to see my mom.

  Xander slammed the book shut. “Nah, it’s no good. Let’s keep looking.”

  “W-what?” I said, nearly choking on my popcorn. “But this is it—this is the answer we’ve been searching for.”

  He shook his head. “Did you forget the Underworld is full of monsters, demons, and Hollows, Sheridan?”

  I had forgotten that terrifying detail, but that was beside the point. “You lived there for three years, Xander. I think I can handle six months.”

  “Yeah, but I spent those three years imprisoned, and they were the worst three years of my life. Trust me, you don’t want to go there.”

  “I also don’t want to murder my sister,” I pointed out. “Or wait for her to murder me.”

  “Nope. No way,” he said, continuing to shake his head. “This is the worst idea. Petra would come after you. She would never let you pull this off.”

  Feeling helpless, I looked to Ione. “Do you agree with him?”

  She pressed her lips together, considering it. “It’s a better option than dying on the Curse Breaker’s table.”

  I grinned, happy she had taken my side.

  Xander let out a frustrated breath. “Come on, Ione. Don’t you remember the way I was when I returned?”

  “Of course I remember,” she said, like it was a stupid question. “Xander, I cried and cried at the sight of you, half-starved and covered in scars.”

  I could only imagine how Xander must’ve looked after being tortured for three years.

  Ione tilted her head as she spoke. “But like you said, yours were different circumstances. What if there was a place where Sheridan and her sister could hide out? We could ask Daddy—”

  “No!” The force in Xander’s voice shook the entire house. He stood and went to the French doors that looked out onto the beach. He placed his hand on the knob. “Don’t ever mention him around me again.” With that said, he left and slammed the door behind him.

  Ione let out a small sigh. “Well, that didn’t go over well.”

  I swallowed, feeling really bad about starting family drama. “Yeah.”

  “It’s not a bad plan, Sheridan,” she said, watching his form disappear down the beach. “But it’s going to be difficult for Xander to handle. After everything he went through…”

  “I get it,” I said, understanding.

  She looked over at me. “I have a few connections, within our family. I could talk to them, see if they could find a safe house for you down there, somewhere Petra would never find you.”

  “Really?”

  She nodded. “Xander won’t like it, but it’s better than the Curse Breaker’s table. Not much better, but desperate times…”

  I knew about that all too well. Desperate measures and I were becoming good friends.

  28

  I found Xander sitting on the beach, staring out into the moonlit horizon. Resting his elbows on his knees, he looked as if he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders.

  “Hey,” I said, tucking the skirt of my toga under my legs. I plopped down next to him.

  He glanced over at me. “Where’s Ione?”

  “Asleep,” I said, scrunching my toes into the sand, still damp from the retreating tide.

  About a mile away, the sound of music and laughter carried along the shore, proving once again this was the island that never slept.

  Leaning over, I nudged Xander’s shoulder with mine. “I have a request.”

  “Oh yeah?” He raised a brow, looking amused. “What’s your request?”

  “Can we take a beat away from all this curse stuff? Since I met you, it’s been one doom and gloom revelation after another, and I think we’ve met our quota. We’re officially maxed out.”

  One corner of his mouth curved. “All true, damsel.”

  “Then let’s let it go for now, or at least until we’re back at Arcadia.”

  “What would you like to talk about in the meantime?”

  “I don’t know. Anything.” I grinned. “Tell me your favorite color, if you feel like it. I don’t know anything about you.”

  Since we met, Xander and I had never had a normal everyday conversation. Everything always revolved around our pasts, around this curse, and his oath to my mother. I didn’t even know who he was outside of that.

  He stared hard at me for several seconds.

  For a second, I thought he would let it all go. For a second, I thought he might actually tell me about himself. But I should’ve known better.

  He let out a breath, all traces of humor disappearing from his face. “We’re not doing that, Sheridan. Go back to bed.”


  I blinked. “Why not?”

  “It’s as you said—you and I are allies, not friends. We help each other because we’re tied to each other. We talk about what we need to talk about. That’s it.” He steered his attention back to the ocean, dismissing me entirely.

  My heart pounded in my ears. His words had done what they’d intended, cutting me straight to the bone. I kept forgetting all of those gallant things Xander had done for me weren’t actually for me. Even him coming here, was out of obligation. All part of that stupid oath.

  Reaching for my sandals, I stood, trying not to turn into living breathing ammo. But before I left, there was one thing I needed to say. “You want to know the worst thing about you? You pretend to be this good guy, but really, you’re only thinking about yourself.”

  His jaw ticked, and the muscles in his arms tightened. “Good. You’re finally catching on.”

  I spun away, marching across the sand back toward the cottage. My entire body shook, and I had to fight to keep that part of me contained. Balance and inner clarity, I reminded myself.

  I couldn’t sleep. Tossing and turning, I burned myself as sparks of heat made their way into my fingertips. This was my fault. I kept feeling things for Xander I shouldn’t be feeling. Kept forgetting he was not a prince charming, coming to the rescue. More like an obedient servant, doing someone’s bidding.

  Ugh.

  It would help if I wasn’t so attracted to the guy. Maybe he was a distraction. I just got out of a relationship, or at least, what I thought had been a relationship anyway. It only made sense that the next guy that came along would be someone I would want to lose myself with, to make myself forget everything that happened before.

  Just a distraction.

  Pfft. Yeah, keep telling yourself that.

  Then it hit me. There were two parts to that oath Xander made. He swore to protect me and that he wouldn’t fall in love with me. If that was the case, I shouldn’t take it so personally. He was simply carrying out my mother’s orders, even if that meant pushing me away.

  I sighed, closing my eyes. The best thing I could do was go to sleep. Forget what happened. The trouble was, because I’d slept for so long earlier, I wasn’t tired. With no TV available to kill time, there was nothing to do.

  I stared at the ceiling, counting invisible sheep, bored out of my mind. Minutes, maybe hours, passed like that.

  Then the floorboard creaked. Swifter than a cat, Xander’s arms came around me, pressing into the mattress, his face hovering above mine. “Wake up,” he whispered, his blue eyes glowing in the dark.

  “I’m already awake,” I whispered back, wondering at his strange behavior.

  “Good. Get up.”

  “Why?” I said, my tone full of suspicion.

  “We’re going out.”

  First, he pushes me away. Now he tells me we’re going out? He had to be the most frustrating, confusing guy I’d ever met.

  I stared back at him like he’d lost his mind. “You wanted a break from all this, remember? Let’s go have some fun.”

  Hmm…exploring Twilight Island at night? I’d never get another chance, not anytime soon anyway.

  I narrowed my eyes. “What made you change your mind?”

  He shrugged. “You were right. We need to pause all the heavy stuff.”

  “Oh ho. I’m right about something?”

  He snorted. “There’s a first time for everything.”

  Ten minutes later, I was on the back of Xander’s moped, speeding toward the center of Folly Promenade. “Where are we going?” I shouted against the briny wind.

  “You’ll see.”

  A very cryptic answer, but okay. I’d deal with all the suspense just to see what he had in store.

  Folly at night was even more enchanting than during the day. Overhead were dozens of twinkle lights, canopying the street. The crowds were thick with mages and other magical beings. We parked next to a bluish street lamp, then Xander helped me down. He took my hand and led me through the crowds.

  We sidestepped sequined dancers, fortune-tellers, one monkey wearing a turban, and a firebreather who created images out of flames. A heart, a pair of eyes, and even a dragon. I stared at the firebreather, fascinated, but Xander continued pulling me into the heart of the promenade.

  “Where are we going?” I said again, once we found a lull in the crowd. I walked beside him, trying to glimpse his face. “To see a voodoo priestess? A medicine man? Oh, I get it now. You’re hauling me off to my death so you can finally be free from the Silver Oath, aren’t you?”

  I was teasing, but he only frowned at my joke. “Stop trying to spoil the surprise.”

  “Fine,” I huffed dramatically.

  We rounded a corner. Up ahead, there was a building where everyone seemed to be going, taller than any others nearby.

  I glanced at Xander, wondering what was going on with him. I was glad he took my advice, but the hot and cold shift in his personality was confusing as hell. I stopped walking, forcing him to do the same.

  He turned to face me. “What?”

  “Look, I appreciate the spontaneity, but what happened to the whole we can’t be friends thing?”

  I needed some sort of explanation.

  Xander rubbed the back of his neck, appearing nervous for a change. “Sheridan…I…” He couldn’t seem to finish his sentence.

  “You what? Did you mean it or not?”

  “I was angry.” He sighed. “I shouldn’t have said it like that.”

  “Then what did you mean?”

  “When we go back to school, we still have our own agendas. Nothing changes.”

  I pursed my lips to the side, slitting my eyes. “It’s still like that, huh?”

  Xander squeezed my hand. “Yours is finding your place in Aphrodite, and I want you to do that. I want to see you succeed, and not just because I made a promise to your mother.”

  “Mm-hmm…” I wasn’t sure I could trust him on that.

  “Don’t you want that too?” His eyes searched mine, those blue orbs glowing softly against the dark.

  There was something in that question, a genuine curiosity that made me think he would be willing to do whatever I wanted. It made me think he would be willing to end the secrecy he believed was so important.

  Was it important?

  What if people knew we were friends—or more than friends? In my near-impossible fight to fit in, I had finally found some progress with Peter and the other Aphrodite descendants. And Xander was Ares’s house leader. What if the other Ares students hated him for it? Or worse, voted him out?

  Then there was the promise he made to my mom, that he wouldn’t fall in love with me. She made him make that promise for a reason, one I really wished I knew.

  I looked at Xander, unsure, and that was enough answer for both of us.

  “Hey, this was your idea.” He cleared his throat, shaking away from the tension. “For tonight, can we just agree to have fun and forget about everything else?”

  I glanced up at the starry sky and back at him. It would be a shame to let this opportunity go to waste.

  I tilted my head to the side. “So you’re saying what happens on Twilight Island stays on Twilight Island?”

  He laughed, the sound warm and inviting. “Sure.”

  I really hated this whole secret-friend business, but at least Xander was honest about where he stood. It was a lot more than Connor ever gave me. I let out a breath. “Okay then, Mr. Let’s Have Fun. You better not let me down.”

  He grinned. “I would never.”

  Once we decided to forget everything else, Xander took me inside the tall building. He paid at the ticket booth, and the cashier unlocked the gate. Up ahead, people were laughing—and screaming—excitedly. Music vibrated against the walls. I glanced back at Xander, wondering what we were getting ourselves into.

  “You’ve come this far,” he said, nudging me forward.

  Once we stepped into the main room, the ceiling disapp
eared. The entire center of the building was one big, open courtyard space. Disco lights flashed in every direction, making it hard to see what was going on. I saw a trampoline and figured this was one of those trampoline parks, the kind where eleven-year-olds had their birthday parties. How mortal.

  People were actually floating, and my gaze slowly drifted up. “Xander,” I said, swallowing. “What is that? Are those bubbles?”

  “That’s right,” he said, watching my expression. “Enchanted bubbles.”

  Those bubbles carried people inside of them.

  Some of the mages danced. Some did tricks, cartwheels, flips, and spins. The surface tension of the bubbles didn’t last long. The rider would eventually slip through, and they’d either topple onto another bubble—or into it. Or, if the rider couldn’t get hold of another bubble fast enough, they fell to the trampoline, bouncing against the net.

  One mage’s bubble popped from several stories up, and they took a massive nosedive. Good grief—this was clearly where the adrenaline junkies of Mythos liked to hang out.

  “Hope you’re not afraid of heights.” There was a gleam in Xander’s eyes. I wasn’t afraid of heights—I was afraid of falling from them. But by the looks of things, there was no way around that. Everyone fell at one point or another.

  I so did not want to do this.

  Those people might laugh as they fell, but clearly, they were all insane. Xander stared at me like he brought me to the mecca of fun, and I forced a smile.

  It didn’t make any sense. I was an Ares descendant. I should be running full-speed toward those bubbles, hopping into one without a care in the world, just like the other mages were doing. But I was terrified.

  Xander grabbed my arm, pulling me in the direction of the bubbles. “Come on, let’s get in there.”

  I dug my heels into the ground. “Ah, Xander, I’m not feeling well. I don’t think I’m up for this.”

  “Seriously?” He looked back at me like I’d lost my mind. “Wait a sec—don’t tell me you’re chicken.”

  Oh, the nerve.

  I mean, yeah. Okay, it was sort of, kind of, true. But he shouldn’t just assume that about me.