I sit between Grace and Cyrus. “Sorry, stomach problems,” I explain.
“Do you need a Malakim?”
“Nah, I’m okay.” I grab the beer Grace got me as the teams run out onto the field. My eyes immediately hone in on Callan and his impressive ass. “Besides, the game’s starting now.”
At half-time, I use the same excuse about my stomach, and tell Grace and Cyrus I’m going back to my room to get Araceli to heal me. It’s easy to convince them, and I’m sure it’s because they need to sneak off too.
I pretend to head back to my dorm, but then go invisible and slip into the woods. I pull my robes and mask out of my bag and throw them on, before going visible again and heading to the meeting spot.
There are only five of us in white robes tonight. I guess two people either failed the last trial or decided not to go through with, like Araceli. I wonder how many will remain after tonight’s trial, whatever it is. I swallow hard as we wait.
What did Jonah have to do to become a member himself? I’m almost glad I don’t know.
The golden-robed initiates appear, although they seem fewer than last time. I bet some of them are still at the football game.
“Follow us,” the crowned leader says, in their garbled voice.
They walk the same way I followed them last time. When they stop near the boulder, one of them turns us toward us and hands us each a blindfold. “Put this on over your mask. We will know if you leave a spot to peek out.”
One of them must be an Ofanim. Maybe Cyrus. I’m glad I’m wearing the necklace, though I don’t need to peek. I know where we’re going.
Just to be safe, I put the blindfold on properly, while the other initiates do the same. Then we’re told to wait, and I hear the sound of the boulder moving. If I didn’t know what it was already, I’d be clueless though.
Someone takes my arm and leads me down the long hallway, and from their nails digging into my skin, I guess the hand is feminine. The initiates are all led down to the main cavern, and then we stop. I wait for them to remove the blindfold, but they don’t.
“Congratulations on making it to the third trial,” the leader says. “You will each be taken into another room one by one, where you will be given your task. If you fail, you will be escorted out of here. If you succeed, you will be initiated into the Order at the end of the year. Don’t let us down.”
“You first,” someone says to my left. I hear the sound of movement, as the person next to me is taken away. The rest of us have to wait, still blindfolded.
After about five minutes, we hear the muffled screaming.
My stomach twists. I don’t know if it’s the other initiate screaming, or someone else. What is this third trial? For the first time, I’m questioning whether I’ll really be able to do it or not.
One by one the other initiates are led into this other chamber, and then we hear more terrible noises. At one point I think I hear a drilling sound. That’s when one of the other initiates turns and tries to flee, then yells, “Let me out!” The person is escorted out of the cave, and then there were four.
I’m the last one to be sent in. When the door slams shut behind me with a heavy thud, my blindfold is taken off by a golden-robed initiate. Behind them is a man tied to a chair in the middle of the room. He’s covered in blood and his head slumps forward. A few fingers are missing, and I instantly recoil.
“What’s going on?” I ask, as I scream a little inside.
“This demon is an abomination,” the golden-robed person says.
“Who is he? What has he done?”
“He is no one. A random person watching the games. Does it matter? He is a demon. You will torture him until he gives you any information that can be valuable to the Order. If you come back without this, you will not be initiated into the Order.”
The demon is gagged and manages to look at us with furious eyes. Shit. What do I do? I can’t torture someone! I am a lover, and getting better at being a fighter, but definitely not a torturer. Besides, the poor guy looks like he’s been through enough already.
“We will come get you when your time is up,” the golden-robed person says, and then leaves the room, slamming the door shut.
Across the small room is a table with a candelabra and a myriad of instruments of torture. I walk over and examine them, mostly just to give myself time to think, and see all sorts of terrible twisty, pointy objects, many already covered in blood. Including the drill. I cover my hand to stop myself from gagging.
I look around the room, searching for a camera or recording device, but I don’t see anything, and I don’t think the damp stone walls could camouflage anything. I take out my cell phone and use the flashlight to make sure. It’s about the only use it has down here—no reception at all.
I consider using my succubus powers to get this guy to tell me something, but I’m not sure that would work on this demon. I can’t tell what he is from looking at him. Like angels, demons all look like humans, until they use their powers.
Making my decision, I kneel in front of the guy and whisper, just in case someone is listening in somehow. "I'm going to get you out of here. I promise. But you have to give me something first."
He tries to talk over his gag, and I remove it carefully. "Bullshit,” he says. “You're just trying to trick me.”
"I'm not, I promise."
"Why would you help me?"
"Because I'm like you." I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, but this is the only way he will trust me. I remove my mask, then lean in close and touch his arm. As I do, I let my power emerge and draw out his lust for me. It was there, just a tiny bit, and it’s enough to activate and feed. As I do, my eyes turn black. He gasps when he sees them.
"A succubus! How is it possible?" he whispers.
"I'm infiltrating the school to find out about what they’re doing to demons here. I'll help you however I can, but I'm on a direct assignment from Lucifer, and I can't blow my cover."
“Nope, I’ve heard that line before tonight. I don’t buy it.”
“You…what?”
“The whole spying for Lucifer thing.” He rolls his eyes. “The guy before you said the same thing.”
Whoa. That’s…unexpected. Is there another demon infiltrating the school?
I huff. “Fine, don’t believe me. I’ll just have to torture you, I guess.”
He studies me for a long moment, and then nods. “I believe you. Let me free, and I’ll tell you what you want to know. Juicy things, things that I didn’t even tell your friends who came before you.”
I hesitate. It could be a trap, but I also can’t let this demon stay down here. I’m 99 percent sure they’ll kill him when I’m done with him.
“Okay, but we need to make it look like you overpowered me and escaped.”
“I’m a vampire. It won’t be a problem.”
This is a bad idea, I think, but what other choice do I have? I check out the bindings holding them, and notice they’re imbued with light. No wonder he couldn’t escape. I find a knife on the torture table that glows when I pick it up, and hope this will work. And if he messes with me, well I can always stab him with it. I know first-hand what these imbued weapons can do.
I saw through the ropes, and then the vampire bursts up and grabs me. I use the move Callan taught me and flip him over my shoulder, knocking him to the ground.
I level the knife at him. “Information. Now.”
He grins up at me, and his fangs are out. The fucker was going to bite me. “I’ll tell you a good secret. You’re the succubus everyone is looking for.”
“Why?” And how? I was so careful.
“There have been rumors of an unknown succubus in the area for months. Many of us were told to be on the lookout for you tonight. The Archdemons want us to bring you back alive.” He grins wider. “There’s a nice bounty on your head, and I’m planning to collect.”
Like I have time for this shit. Seriously.
I lower the glowing dagger to
his neck. “Sorry, but I really am on a mission here, and I can’t have you messing it up. Now give me something useful, and maybe I’ll let you go after all.”
“That’s all I know, sorry. Everything I told the others was a lie.” He laughs, and it’s a mad laugh, and I feel bad for the guy again. They really did a number on him.
I stand back. “Go. Get out of here. I’m not going with you though.”
He rises to his feet and pounces on me. So much for being nice and trying to help him. I dodge him and roll, then get back to my feet and lunge, using more moves from Combat Training. The vampire lets out a blood-curling scream as the dagger cuts him, and he stumbles back, clutching his stomach. He bares his fangs and backhands me across the face, so hard it sends me flying. Damn supernatural strength.
I hit the side of the cave hard, and fall to the ground. I’ve still got the dagger clutched in my hand though. Everything fucking hurts, but I will cut that fucker again if he comes close to me. But instead, he throws the door open and dashes out, so fast it’s hard for my eyes to follow. I have no idea how he’ll get out of the cave, but that’s not my problem anymore. He’s on his own.
Everything hurts, but I manage to crawl forward and grab my mask and shove it back on my face. There’s chaos outside the room and lots of yelling as the vampire makes his escape. For a long time I sit there in a daze, and when it quiets down, someone in a gold robes runs in to me. “Are you all right?”
“I’ve been better,” I say, with the weird muffled voice of my mask. “Did he escape?”
The other person nods. “It seems that way. What happened?”
“I was torturing him but then he overpowered me.” I touch my head, which is pounding. “He threw me across the room.”
“Did you learn anything before that happened?”
Shit. I need something. I decide the truth is the best option.
“I did.” I use the wall to help me get to my feet, but everything hurts, and the hunger is rising in response as my body tries to heal itself. “There’s a demon on campus, infiltrating the school.”
“What?” the other person asks, shocked.
“It’s true. I tricked him into thinking I was going to help him escape, and in exchange, he told me that. But then he actually did escape. I managed to cut him with this dagger though.”
“Good work. That will slow him down, and we should be able to find him. Do you need a healer to attend to you?”
“No, I’m fine, thanks.”
“Then put your blindfold back on, and I’ll lead you out of here.”
I do as I’m told, and as the arm grabs me again, I feel the same feminine nails. I’m led out of the cave and into the forest, and I wonder if the vampire got away.
He was a dick, but I kind of hope he did. Otherwise, I’m pretty sure he’ll be found dead tomorrow.
“You did good tonight,” the golden-robed person whispers to me. “You’ll receive an invitation to the initiation soon.”
The arm releases me, and when I take off the blindfold, she’s vanished and I’m alone in the forest.
I did it. I passed their final test. And I did it without losing my soul too.
Chapter Forty-Three
Olivia
The demons win the football game, and I keep waiting to hear about a dead or tortured vampire, but it seems both the Order and the demons want to keep that quiet. I’m paranoid that the demons know I’m here now, and look over my shoulder constantly during the last few weeks of school. Then final exams draw near, and I’m so busy studying, I don’t have time to worry. At some point during the school year I stopped being here only for Jonah, and started being here for me, and I desperately want to do well on my exams.
The night before our last day of school, I receive my final invitation to the Order of the Golden Throne. At midnight, I’m to head back to the usual meeting spot, where I’ll be initiated into the Order. Finally.
When I reach the designated spot, all of the golden-robed members are there. I think it’s all of them, anyway. I wonder which one is Cyrus, and if Grace and the Princes are among them too.
“Initiates, step forward,” says the leader wearing the crown.
I move two steps forward along with three other people. Who are they? Maybe Tanwen? Other than that, I don’t have a clue. All I know is, I’m glad Araceli isn’t one of them. I made sure she was asleep in her room before I left.
“Only four of you were strong and loyal enough to pass all three trials, and become full members of the Order. For your initiation, we require one last test of bravery, loyalty, and faith.”
Of course. I should have known it wouldn’t be just a simple “here’s your gold robe, now we’ll tell you all our secrets.” Nope, they had to make us do one final thing.
We’re taken to the lake, near where I met with Kassiel all those nights, and then we stop. One figure steps forward and places a gold-plated medallion around the necks of the other initiates and me. Once we all wear one, they step back. I look down at mine. It’s a golden throne with a sun behind it.
“You will wear these around your neck and allow yourselves to sink into the lake,” the leader says. “When you emerge, you will be reborn as a member of the Order.”
Nope, this does not sound fun at all.
Suddenly someone is picking me up by the arms, and I’m flown over the lake…and then dropped right into the middle of it. The other initiates hit the water a short distance away, and as I fall, I try to spread my wings, but can’t. The medallion around our necks must prevent it. I suck in as much air as I can before I plummet into the water. I kick my legs, but my robes make it hard to swim, and the medallion seems to get heavier, dragging me down, down, down, into the pitch-black depths. Thanks to my demon side I can see better than the angels can, but that doesn’t help me at all down here.
My feet hit the ground, and I glance around for something to help me, but all I see is darkness. Every time I try to swim up, the medallion drags me back down, and the robes only get in my way. I fight, and I struggle, and I try to do everything I can to get back to the surface, but it’s no use. None of my demon or angel abilities can help me with this. I can’t see any of the other initiates, and I wonder if they’re going through the same thing as I am, or if this is some kind of special trick just for me.
I can’t hold my breath much longer. Real panic sets in. I am totally going to die down here, and then Jonah will be lost forever.
This is a test of bravery and faith, I suddenly remember.
Am I brave enough to die? For Jonah, yes. And I have faith that I’ll find him, even now.
I let my limbs go limp and blow out my last bit of air. This isn’t going to be the end, I’m sure of it.
Just when I think I’ve made a mistake, my medallion begins to glow with a soft light. I suddenly glide up to the surface, as though propelled by a strong motor, and my head breaks through the surface. I cough and suck in a huge gulp of air, and then arms grab me and fly me back to the shore. I’m dropped on the grass, where I turn on my side and spit out a ton of water, then try to remember how to breathe.
The other initiates lie beside me, coughing as much as I am. We all have our masks on still, somehow. More of the medallions’ magic? Other members of the Order come around and take the medallions off our necks, and then the leader stands before us. “You have been reborn, and are now members of the Order of the Golden Throne. Welcome, brothers and sisters.”
Golden-robed members help us to our feet and pat us on the back. My head is still foggy from almost drowning, but underneath my mask, a big grin splits across my face.
We’re taken around the lake to the boulder and shown how to open it, and then led inside the cave to the great big cavern at the bottom. The four of us who have made it stand in our dripping-wet white robes in the center of the room, while the other members form a semi-circle behind us. I’m given a bundle of gold robes and a matching mask.
“Now that you are members, we shall go over a
few things,” the leader continues. “First of all, you must always wear your robes and masks to the meetings. You shall not know the identities of other members until you graduate, and they shall not know you either. The only exceptions are a few of us who have been chosen to know your identities.”
Except I already know Cyrus is a member, and I have my suspicions about a few others. I plan to keep working to uncover other members next year too—especially if they had something to do with Jonah’s disappearance.
“Now that you have proved your loyalty and devotion to our causes, we shall reveal to you the true purpose of the Order, and give you your first mission to accomplish over the winter break. We seek the Staff of Eternity.”
The Staff of Eternity? The thing Michael and Lucifer used to close off Heaven and Hell? Why does the Order want that?
The leader answers my question without me even asking. “Once we find the Staff, we plan to use it to return to Heaven so that we may rebuild it, and to lock the demons up in Hell for good.”
Oh shit. That doesn’t bode well for me. Or Mother. Could they really do it though? Hopefully Michael and Lucifer hid that thing where no one can find it.
The leader continues. “For the last few years we have been searching for the Staff, to no avail. We have reason to believe it is in Faerie, but the people we sent to find it have never returned.”
That must be what happened to Jonah! I’m practically bouncing on my heels now. I knew I would find the truth once I was a member…except this doesn’t make sense. Jonah must have gone to Faerie looking for the Staff, and he would have been able to sneak into that realm better than anyone with his shapeshifting skills. But why would he want the Staff? The Order is opposed to everything my brother believed in. Like Kassiel, Jonah believed we should have peace with demons, no doubt partly because of me. He would never want to find the Staff of Eternity and use it to kick all the demons off Earth.
And what happened to him once he got to Faerie? Did he find the Staff? Or did something go horribly wrong?
Seraphim Academy 1: Wicked Wings Page 21
