Demonspawn Academy: Trial Two

by Annabel Chase

  Luke sneered. “That the book didn’t exist. My network revealed that its existence was a mere myth.”

  “And he believed you?”

  “He had no reason not to,” Luke said.

  “What about the gold coins he paid you?” I asked.

  “He paid me half upfront to start the work,” Luke said. “That was already a significant amount. I didn’t mind so much not receiving the second half. It was worth losing to keep the book, as it was much more valuable to me.”

  I observed him for a moment, debating my next question. “If you’d gotten the list, what would you have done next?”

  “I think you know the answer to that one.”

  “What about Charlie?” I asked. “Are you responsible for this death too?”

  “Sound like a new line of questioning to me.” Luke turned to the king. “I think we’re finished here.”

  “Tell me if you killed Charlie Mancini,” I yelled. Anger burned my cheeks and my palms began to itch. “He was a little boy. Part fire demon. Admit it! You wanted him for your auction and when he fought back, you murdered him.”

  Luke’s enigmatic smile was all the confirmation I needed. “As I said, I held up my end of the bargain. You can wave your wand or whatever it is you do here.”

  The king glared at the irreverent shade. “Very well then, I hereby sentence you to return to the realm as a scarab demon.” The king touched the shade’s shoulder with his staff.

  Luke’s cheeks puffed with outrage. “You broke your promise!”

  The king remained calm. “And how have I done that? You asked to return as a demon. You didn’t specify which kind, so I’ve chosen one for you.”

  “But it’s a lesser demon,” Luke sputtered. “You might as well have sent me back as a rat.”

  “You should be grateful,” the king snarled. “You deserve much worse.” He gripped his staff. “There is often a delay between lives. I can’t help what might happen to you while you await your next turn on the wheel.”

  The expression on the shade’s face made it clear that he knew the hell that awaited him.

  “I promise to be your faithful servant in the next world…” Luke began.

  The king didn’t wait to hear the rest of the claim. He flicked his fingers and Luke’s shade dissipated. I had to admit that I felt a sense of relief once he was gone. Even the presence of his shade made me squirm.

  “Thank you, Your Majesty,” I said.

  “It was my pleasure. Truly.” He rubbed a thumb over the tip of his staff. “You mentioned a boy.”

  “Charlie Mancini,” I said. “Another demon-human hybrid that suffered at Luke’s hands.”

  The king cast a glance at Du. The chamberlain flicked the pages of his records. “He’s due later today, in fact, Your Majesty.”

  “His shade is here?” I asked in disbelief.

  “Where is he?” the king asked.

  “The south wing,” Du replied. Something in his tone made me deeply uncomfortable.

  “How about it, Cassia?” the king said. “Would you like to see him?”

  Chapter Seventeen

  The palace was eerily quiet as we made our way through the various galleries that led to the south wing.

  “Why not bring him to the throne room?” I asked.

  “I’m feeling magnanimous,” the king said. “It isn’t every day that you get to bestow favors upon your daughter’s rescuer, not to mention the rest of the Nether demons trapped there.” He stepped down from the dais and the winged monkeys hovered on either side of him. He waved his staff at me. “Walk with me, Cassia. I’ll take you on a tour.”

  “A rare gift,” Du added. “You should feel privileged, young lady.”

  “Oh, I do,” I said. I also felt nervous to be heading to the forbidden wing of the palace in the company of the king.

  We reached a spiraling staircase and descended to the lower level. We seemed to be inside a pillar. The staircase emptied into another gallery lined with suits of armor and the stuffed steeds of yesteryear. The mammoth-like creature had been one of many in the line of succession. I wondered how many royals there’d been since the creation of the Nether.

  A set of oversized metal doors loomed ahead. The king held out his staff and the doors burst open. The winged monkeys flew ahead of us, chattering noisily. The floor in the next room was smooth like the one in the throne room, only this one seemed to actually be made from glass because I could see below it—although I wish I couldn’t.

  Fear shot through me like a bolt of lightning. Desperate hands reached toward my feet, bumping against the barrier. I staggered back to the doorway. Even though I knew they couldn’t actually touch me, it was disconcerting to see them try. I braved another look. Their pained faces pressed against each other. They seemed like former versions of whatever they’d once been.

  “We should have warned her,” the king said to Du. “It is rather distressing the first time you see it.”

  And the second time, and the third time. How could this view ever cease to be distressing?

  The king banged his staff on the transparent floor. “Charlie Mancini,” he bellowed.

  A sharp breath escaped me when I spotted a familiar child among the shades. “Charlie,” I said, and my heart nearly burst from my chest. “Why are they down there? What’s happening to them?”

  “This is one of the torture cells,” the king said, as though I’d asked him which flavor of ice cream he was eating.

  “One of?”

  He shrugged. “The Nether is a big place and a very big responsibility. No one understands the weight I carry on a daily basis.”

  I pointed an angry finger at the floor. “That’s a little boy. How can he possibly deserve to be there?”

  “He lived many lives before this one, tender heart. They didn’t end well.”

  “He was too young. He didn’t have a chance to improve this time around,” I said. “It isn’t fair.”

  The king laughed heartily. “Fair? What does have fairness have to do with anything?”

  I lost sight of him and scanned the sea of anguished expressions. He was floating between two other shades, his body stiff with fear and his face contorted in what appeared to be overwhelming pain.

  “How can I get him out of there? Tell me what I have to do.”

  The king stepped forward to study the shade below. “You said he was a hybrid this time around?”

  “Yes, half human and half agni demon. He was murdered when he tried to stop Luke from abducting him.”

  The king fondled his fur collar. “There is a way, but it comes at a price you might not be willing to pay.” He paused. “It requires a sacrifice.”

  “What kind of sacrifice?” I kept my gaze on Charlie. I couldn’t help but think of his mother and her despair. He should’ve been at the academy. If he’d made it, then maybe he could’ve redeemed himself in this life. Then he wouldn’t be suffering eternal damnation now.

  “Someone with a better karmic record,” the king said. “Then we can transfer the merit to this child and release him from the cell.”

  “A shade for a shade?”

  “No, not necessarily,” he said. “The goal isn’t to fill my torture chambers. Make no mistake, I derive no pleasure from it.”

  Despite the cruelty the lines of his mouth suggested, I believed him. “And what happens to him? Does he come back as another cambion or something else?”

  The king gave Charlie a cursory glance. “I have discretion in these matters, though I tend to stick to tradition.” He turned to face me. “Tell me, Cassia. What you like to see this child return as? What do you think he deserves in the next life?”

  “You’d let me choose?”

  “If you’re capable of making the necessary sacrifice, then I would grant you that one-time ability.” His mouth split. “The power will feel like nothing you’ve ever experienced before. It’s thrilling at first.”

  “At first?”

  “Oh, you know how
it is. After centuries, it becomes mundane.” He inhaled through his nostrils. “I would very much like to watch someone else experience that rush of power for the first time. Perhaps I’ll recapture some of that initial joy.”

  I didn’t think I’d experience anything for too long, not if I was about to trade my karmic record to save Charlie.

  “Will it kill me?” I asked. Maybe there would intense pain, but I’d be able to survive it. Before I agreed, I had to be able to pass along to Rafe the information I learned from Luke.

  The king peered at me. “You?” He laughed and the monkeys tittered in unison. They were creepy sidekicks. I would’ve preferred hellhounds.

  “Of course me. What greater sacrifice is there?” I wiped the dampness from my palms. “But first I need to talk to Rafe, to let him know what Luke told me so he can return to the mortal realm.”

  “Yes, Rafe,” the king said. “Your companion.” He turned to Du. “Bring our friend to the Daku Room.”

  Du bowed and slipped out of the room. He was only gone a moment when Yara burst into the chamber.

  “Where is she?” Her breathing came in short spurts and strands of hair had fallen loose from her bun.

  “Not to worry, daughter,” the king said. “Your savior and I were finalizing our arrangement.”

  Yara appeared stricken. “What arrangement?”

  “There’s a boy whose shade is being tortured.” Although I tapped my foot on the floor, I couldn’t bring myself to look down again. “He doesn’t deserve to be here. I’m getting him out.”

  “No,” Yara said forcefully. “You can’t. You mustn’t.”

  “The deal is done.” He strode to the doorway. “Now let us prepare for the sacrifice.”

  Yara wore a pained expression the entire way to the Daku Room located down a side hallway. My heart lifted when I saw Rafe already in the room, but my elation was short-lived.

  “Why is Rafe tied up?” The Watcher was bound with dozens of snakes. Their long, lean bodies were coiled around every inch of his muscular frame.

  “It’s a sacrifice, child.” The king looked down his nose at me. “If we don’t take something you love, it doesn’t count. And what better karmic record to pass to your Charlie than that of a nephilim?”

  “I’m sorry, Cassia,” Yara whispered. “I would have warned you had I known.”

  As fear stirred inside me, an idea began to form. It was a frightening prospect, but I had to try. Rafe’s life depended on it.

  “Wait,” I said. “Before you do anything, please let me say goodbye.”

  The king exhaled his disdain. “Very well, though it will do you good to learn to release your desires. Attachment is a weakness, Cassia. Live long enough and you will learn that for yourself.” He glanced at Yara. “Isn’t that right, daughter?”

  I ran to Rafe and threw my arms around his waist, sliding one hand into his pocket.

  “Cassia, what are you…?”

  I fastened my lips to his and practically inhaled him. I didn’t care that we had an audience. I didn’t want to let him go. One of the snakes hissed in protest, but I simply ignored it.

  “Kad,” I said softly and kissed him one last time—just in case. Then I backed away slowly.

  “Young love truly has no equal,” the king said. He smiled at Yara. “Reminds me of your mother.”

  “Stay safe, Cassia. Please.” Rafe’s voice was hoarse.

  “She’s not the one you need to worry about,” the king said.

  A noose materialized out of nowhere and wrapped around Rafe’s neck, lifting him into the air. My skin immediately began to burn and I steadied myself against the wall.

  “As you shall see, nephilim, torture is one of my specialties,” the king said.

  “You said it’s a sacrifice,” I choked out. “Why do you need to torture him?”

  The king remained focused on Rafe. “It’s all part of the process. A clean death…How is that a sacrifice?” He closed his hand into a fist and the snakes tightened.

  Although Rafe wriggled, he didn’t scream.

  But I did.

  “Father, stop,” Yara cried. “You’re hurting her.”

  The king shot me a concerned look. “Cassia, you knew the price. Why make this harder than it need be?” He stopped to scrutinize me. “Why are there red marks on your skin? What’s happening to you?”

  I doubled over, unable to withstand the pain. “What happens to him happens to me,” I ground out. “We’re bound to each other.”

  “Cassia, no,” the Watcher said through agonizing coughs.

  “Why would you do something so foolish, child?”

  I forced myself to look at him. “Because this is my fault and I deserve to suffer through whatever pain you inflict upon him.” The words were difficult to speak, but I managed.

  The king fixed his coppery eyes on me. “And what makes you think I’m not willing to sacrifice the both of you?”

  Yara crouched over me. “Please. She saved my life and the lives of many of your subjects. She doesn’t deserve this.”

  “She chose this,” the king said vehemently.

  “Please,” Yara said. “You don’t want to do this.” She looked at me. “Cassia, show him.”

  The king eyed me suspiciously. “Show me what?”

  My gaze met Yara’s and she nodded. I lifted my top to reveal my birthmark.

  The king blinked in confusion. “I don’t understand.”

  “She’s your granddaughter,” Yara said. “I am her mother.”

  The king stared at the small blue star on my skin. “How is this possible?”

  “One of the fae,” Yara said. “He’d been kind to us in the beginning. Helped us find food…”

  “But you said you’re half human,” he said accusingly.

  “Because she knows how you feel about intermixing species.” Yara hesitated. “We both know. That’s why I didn’t tell you. I didn’t want to return home only to disappoint you.”

  “I thought you were perhaps past your prime,” the king said.

  “You know better, Father,” Yara said. “A shakti demon’s reproductive cycle is long in comparison with other creatures because of our longer lifespans.”

  The king gaped at me. “My own kin.” He frowned. “What of the father?”

  “Dead,” Yara said. “Killed years ago by his own kind for trying to help us escape.”

  “But her wings,” the king said. “The fae don’t have wings and neither do shakti demons.”

  “Have you forgotten our ancestors?” Yara asked. “There was a time when the greater demons merged bloodlines.”

  The king gave me an admiring glance. “They are a striking feature, aren’t they?”

  I glanced at Rafe, still struggling in mid-air. One of the snakes bit his neck and I yelled, straining against the pain.

  “Unbind yourself this instant,” the king demanded. “I can’t go on torturing him if you’re connected.”

  “That was the deal,” I said. Tears streamed down my cheeks. “You have to.”

  The king threw up his arms. “The goal is to kill him, tender heart. If you’re bound to him, then you die as well.”

  I lifted my chin a fraction. “Then I die.”

  The king bellowed in protest. “This is an outrage.” He returned his focus to Rafe and pulled an imaginary rope. The noose tightened around the Watcher’s neck and Rafe’s fingers dug in, trying to wrench himself free.

  I rolled forward, gasping for air. The king spared me a glance.

  “Oh, now this must stop. I can’t watch my own kin suffer like this.”

  I couldn’t respond. I could scarcely breathe. My lungs felt ready to explode.

  “I suppose I could dispense with the formality and simply kill him, but then I kill you.” He tapped his finger against his chin, as though he had much to contemplate. “There must be a sacrifice. Unbind yourself from him. I will not lose you. That was not the bargain we struck.”

  I shook my head.


  The king yelled a string of obscenities as he flicked his fingers. Rafe dropped to the ground and the snakes slithered away. The rope slid from his neck and I felt the air refill my lungs.

  “Cassia.” Rafe only managed the single word before starting to choke. There were red, angry lines across his neck and other parts of his body. I imagined I had matching marks, although I had no desire to check.

  “Your devotion to the nephilim is admirable,” the king said. “I cannot say I’m surprised. Our family is known for its dedication to causes we believe in. Isn’t that true, Yara?”

  Tears glistened in her eyes. “Very true, Father.”

  My wounds were already beginning to heal, as were Rafe’s. The beauty of healing powers.

  “What now?” I asked. “You didn’t get your dose of karma.”

  “No,” the king said quietly, “but I did get my sacrifice. Your willingness to endure unmentionable pain on your lover’s behalf has moved me, Cassia. I will grant you your request.”

  I could hardly contain my relief. “And you’ll let us go?”

  “You are no prisoner here,” the king said. He shook his head, still seeming to process the news. “I have a granddaughter.” He beamed at Yara. “We only need your brother here and we can be a family again.”

  I rushed to Rafe’s side. “Are you okay?”

  Rafe stroked my cheek with his thumb. “I can’t believe you did that.”

  “I had to,” I said. “I couldn’t let you die.” I took the opportunity to retrieve the rune stone from his pocket and slip it back into my own. There was no need to reveal to the king how I managed that little trick.

  “What made you certain he wouldn’t kill you?” Rafe whispered.

  “I hoped he wouldn’t want to risk losing Yara again, this time to anger. That being her savior would be enough to protect me. Turns out I had to be her daughter.” I gave him a wry smile.

  The king’s pleasant expression faded as he observed our tender interaction. “We are the royal family, Cassia. The bloodline must remain pure.”

  “Well, as you can see, I’m already a hybrid, so I’m not sure why it matters for me.”

  The king handed his staff to Du. “Something to consider.” He offered me his arm and I took it. “Time to hold up my end of the bargain. I must say, I’m impressed by your little stunt. It shows promise.” The king looked over his shoulder at Rafe. “You’ll wait outside the throne room. Nephilim are not welcome in there.”