Demonspawn Academy: Trial One

by Annabel Chase

  “You ready?” Sage cut a quick glance at Barris. “If you’re going to freak out, do it now so we can leave you behind.”

  Barris squared his shoulders. “The only ones who will be freaking out are the mortal women when they lay their eyes on a specimen like me.”

  Sage looked at me. “We’re going to be invisible to humans, right?”

  I shrugged. “If we want to be. I mean, it’s probably a good idea, or at least glamour ourselves to look more human.” I wiggled my wings. “I’m sure you’ll be shocked to discover they don’t have these except in lingerie catalogs.” I only knew that much because I’d seen Elder Asago’s secret stash of them on his nightstand.

  Sage placed a hand on Barris’s chest. “Do us all a favor and stay invisible.”

  “You’ll want to have your weapons on you,” I said. Elder Sam never went to the city without a small arsenal.

  “Right,” Barris said, wary. While he went to his room, Sage and I grabbed our swords and daggers. Barris returned with a crossbow secured to his back.

  Sage sheathed her sword in one swift, deliberate movement. “Now we’re ready.”

  Rylan stuck her head through the doorway and looked left and then right. “Clear.”

  The three of us slipped into the corridor and went to the internal portal at the far end. It was how the Elders came and went between lessons, except Elder Sam who sometimes chose to fly with his artificial wings. Old habits die hard.

  “I’ll go first,” I said. “If I see anything problematic, I’ll whistle once. That means don’t follow. If I whistle twice, you can come.”

  “Got it.” Sage nudged me forward.

  I stepped through the portal and emerged in the main spire, in the corridor not far from the kitchen. Based on my knowledge of the Elders’ schedules, nobody should be in this area right now except Aldo. Everyone else should be checking in on the younger cambions in the lower spires.

  I whistled twice and Sage emerged, with Barris close behind.

  “A little breathing room,” she said, and gave him a light shove.

  I rushed down the corridor in a blur and the others followed. The external portal was at the end of a side corridor. It blended in with the wall until you activated it. I placed my palm flat against it until the circle glowed. One ring, then another.

  “Cool,” Barris said.

  I pulled a pin from my pocket and stuck it into my palm until a small blood bubble appeared.

  “Less cool,” Barris said.

  “Won’t they know it was you?” Sage asked.

  “No, it doesn’t work like that. And even if it did, they won’t think to check because we’ll back before anyone notices we’re gone.”

  “If it did work like that, then they could’ve seen whose blood was used to access it from the city,” Sage said.

  “It wouldn’t have mattered. It’s not like they have the blood of every demon in the world on a database,” I said. “Now stop pestering me with questions. We need to hurry. When I press my hand on the activator, we’ll have sixty seconds to go through, so don’t trip or anything.”

  Sage tossed a glance at Barris. “Hear that?”

  He muttered something unintelligible. “Just do it.”

  I bowed. “Your wish is my command.” I smacked my hand against the activator and the portal exploded with light.

  “Wow,” Barris said.

  “Stop gawking and move.” Sage shoved him through and went straight in after him.

  I gave a cursory look behind me before entering the portal. I felt the familiar drop in my stomach and heard the whoosh of air as the portal closed behind me.

  And then it went dark.

  Chapter Five

  “Why is it so dark?” Sage moaned. “It’s the middle of the day.”

  “We’re in a tunnel,” I said.

  Sage turned around in a circle. “Why?”

  “Because the Elders thought it made sense to leave and enter the city somewhere inconspicuous.”

  “But they’re invisible,” Barris said. “What does it matter?”

  “Not to everyone,” I said. “Not to celestials or fae or other demons.” Or Whistlers, but I didn’t dare mention them out loud for fear of summoning them, not that it worked that way. “Besides, Harlan is a lutum demon. His type of demon prefers underground. It’s one of the reasons he left the academy. He couldn’t handle the location.” I remembered the way his eyes would turn to slits when the sun’s glare was too much for him. I bet when he took the job, the Elders hasn’t discussed the location because of the secrecy surrounding it. Harlan would have been surprised and disappointed. Demons—even half demons—didn’t tend to go upward. The sky was for celestial beings. Dominion cities were full of spires like ours, apparently.

  “How many tunnels do we need to search?” Sage asked.

  “As many as it takes to find him,” I said. “If you’re not up for it, now’s the time to say so. You can go back.” I gestured toward the wall where the portal was hidden from view.

  Sage scrunched her nose. “It reeks down here. Why does it smell like urine? I thought bounders had toilets like we do.”

  “I wouldn’t think the stench would be an issue for you, given your fondness for corpses,” Barris said.

  Sage ignored him and examined the tunnel. “How often do the trains come through?”

  “Often enough. This one is a disused track though,” I said.

  Barris eyed me curiously. “How do you know?”

  “It’s the reason the Elders chose it.”

  We walked the length of the tunnel until we reached a crossroads.

  “Left or right?” Barris asked.

  “There’s more light in the tunnel on the right,” Sage said.

  I started forward. “Then left it is.”

  “Why?” Sage asked. For someone who liked to brag about her ability to puppeteer corpses, she sure seemed nervous about dark spaces. Too much time in the spires and not enough time underground, Elder Alastor would say. In this case, he wouldn’t be wrong.

  “Because Harlan would choose the deepest, darkest tunnel available,” I said. “Whenever he mopped the kitchen floor or swept the common areas, he’d chat to anyone within earshot. Sometimes that anyone was me. His dream life was an underground lair with a good woman—didn’t have to be a demon, he wasn’t particular—and as far from sunlight as possible, with a box of donuts and an endless pot of coffee.”

  “In that case, why not go to the Nether?” Barris asked. “Seems more in line with his dream life.”

  “I got the sense that he’d left the Nether for a reason,” I said. “He didn’t mention it often, but he made a few negative comments here and there about his family. Didn’t get along with his parents. His brother was the golden demon of the family.”

  “And you think someone like that would murder poor Mariska?” Barris asked.

  I shrugged. “That’s what we’re here to find out.”

  “Either the smell is fading or I’m getting used to it,” Sage said.

  “Regardless, it’s a win.” Barris clutched his stomach. “I really should have considered bringing a packed lunch. I’m already hungry.”

  I shushed them both so I could listen. The noise was faint and quick, but I was sure I’d heard it. “Might just be rats,” I whispered.

  Sage rolled her eyes. “Oh, that’s much better.”

  “Might be,” I said. “Depends on the alternative.” Slowly I withdrew a dagger. Sage noticed me and did the same. Barris left his crossbow on his back, which was probably a wise decision. I got the impression that he was more adept with magic than weapons.

  A lone figure emerged from the shadows. All six foot four of him boasted lean muscle. His dark blond hair shone even in the darkness of the tunnel and his white wings were dusted with silver. His clothing appeared normal enough—black jeans, a gray T-shirt that showed off the definition in his arms—but there was something not quite human about him.

  Barris spoke
first. “He’s…”

  “Hot,” Sage finished for him. “And dreamy.”

  “I was going to say armed.” Barris gestured toward the scabbard he wore.

  “Even better. Come to mama,” Sage said huskily.

  The hot, dreamy guy edged closer and drew his sword. “Stop where you are,” he said. The sword began to glow with a white light, illuminating our section of the tunnel. “You’re not bounders. What are you?”

  “Hey, is that a light saber?” Barris asked. “I’ve heard of them but haven’t seen one.”

  “It can’t be a light saber,” Sage said. “It didn’t make that sound.” She tried to mimic the noise.

  I looked at them sideways. “Are you serious right now?”

  The hot guy frowned, seemingly confused by our unconcerned response. “What are you doing down here, demonspawn?”

  Sage pointed an angry finger at him. “Hey, language.”

  He blinked at us. “You do realize I’m a Watcher, right?”

  I snapped my fingers. “Right, he’s one of the nephilim. I knew I sensed it.”

  “Sensed it? I’m carrying the Sword of the Watcher,” he said. “Kind of a dead giveaway.”

  Sage cocked her head. “Somehow seeing one in the wild isn’t the same as studying them in pictures. This one is definitely better looking up close.”

  The Watcher’s fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword. “This tunnel is my domain.”

  “Sucks for you,” Barris said. “I’d request an upgrade.”

  “Or a neutralizing spell for the smell,” Sage added.

  “Not just the tunnel,” the Watcher said in a huff. “The whole city.”

  “One Watcher for the fifth largest city in the United States?” I asked. “The seraphim are spreading you guys a little thin these days, huh?”

  Instead of responding, the Watcher slid his sword back into the scabbard and held up his hands. “I can see I have nothing to fear from you. Tell me—what business do you have here?”

  A flash of movement caught my eye and I spun to the right. The creature was fast. It launched itself from the wall of the tunnel and landed on the Watcher’s side. Its long arms clung to the nephilim like a needy toddler. The Watcher tried to reach for his sword, but the creature’s grip was too tight.

  “That’s the ugliest monkey I’ve ever seen,” Barris said.

  My heart thundered as I tried to get a handle on the situation. “It’s not a monkey,” I said. “It’s a kappa. We have to help him.”

  Sage looked at me askance. “Are you nuts? Let’s just go.”

  “It’s our fault he put away his sword,” I said. “We owe him.”

  Sage grimaced. “You think we owe a Watcher anything? They kill our kind.”

  “They’re not Whistlers,” I said. “They’re protectors of the mortal realm. He would only harm us if we were here to hurt humans, which we’re not.”

  Barris and Sage remained rooted in place, so I went ahead on my own. I’d never seen a real kappa before, but this one looked exactly like the one I’d seen pictures of during my lessons with Elder Asago.

  “You have to drain it,” I yelled.

  The Watcher was busy trying to elbow the kappa in the stomach to remove his powerful grip.

  “Drain it?” Barris asked. “It’s not a sink.”

  The Watcher’s expression brightened. “Water demon.”

  “Aim for its head,” I called from a safe distance.

  “Why do you know that?” Sage sounded annoyed.

  The Watcher used his free hand to grab the kappa by the neck. The creature was scraping and clawing with a ferocity I wouldn’t have expected from such a small demon. Finally, the Watcher gave up whatever he’d intended to do and employed a blinding head butt instead. They broke apart and both he and the kappa staggered backward, away from each other.

  I was too impatient to let him handle it.

  “Cassia, what are you doing?” Barris asked, alarmed.

  The dagger sliced through the air and punctured the kappa’s forehead. Water streamed out and the creature shriveled to a husk before it turned to dust.

  The Watcher wiped his hands on his jeans. “I appreciate the help, but I had it under control.”

  “If having it under control means getting your butt whooped by a monkey demon, then you most certainly did,” Barris said. “Are you sure your job is to keep the mortal realm safe? Because I have to think there are worse creatures to fight down here.”

  The Watcher ignored him and focused on me. “I’ve never actually met a kappa before,” he said. “They’re not local to this area.” He extended a hand. “The name’s Rafe.”

  “Cassia.” His hand was rough and calloused. “These are my…friends, Sage and Barris.” I couldn’t very well tell him that we lived at the academy together. Domus was a secret we’d take to our graves, like those that came before us.

  “And you live here?” Rafe asked.

  “In the tunnels? No,” I said quickly. “We came here looking for someone.”

  He observed me with renewed interest. “And who would that be?”

  I decided to go ahead. It was possible the Watcher might have helpful information if he kept tabs on demons in the city. “A lutum demon named Harlan. Short and squat with stringy hair.”

  Rafe rubbed his rugged jawline. “Can’t say he sounds familiar. What’s he done?”

  “We’re not sure if he’s done anything,” I said. “We need to speak to him to find out.”

  “That’s decidedly vague,” Rafe said.

  I debated whether to say more. Maybe there was a way of giving just enough information that the Watcher could be of use. “Someone stole a book and we want it back,” I said, choosing my words carefully.

  “Don’t forget the murder,” Sage added.

  Rafe blinked. “A mortal?”

  “A brownie,” I said. “We think she tried to stop the thief.”

  “What kind of book?” Rafe asked.

  “It has confidential information in it,” I said. “It’s warded, so whoever took it will have trouble opening it, but we need to find it and get it back before they manage.”

  “If they’re willing to kill to get it, it sounds to me like they’ll manage.”

  “That’s what we’re afraid of,” Barris said.

  “What about you?” I asked. “Just patrolling down here for fun?”

  He hesitated and I knew he was assessing the situation—debating whether to share, whether we might be helpful to him. “I’m looking for an entrance, actually.”

  “To a nightclub?” Sage asked hopefully.

  “Afraid not,” Rafe said. “To the gray market. Have you heard of it?”

  “No,” I said. “Is it like the black market?”

  Rafe’s expression hardened. “Worse. It’s an illegal trading ground like the black market, but for the worst types of exchanges, often involving the sale of living creatures or death deals.”

  “And you want to go there why?” Barris asked.

  “It’s an assignment I’m working on,” Rafe said.

  “You’re a Watcher,” Sage said. “You don’t know how to get to it?”

  “It’s somewhat new and a well-kept secret, as you can imagine,” Rafe said. “Only those buying or selling are given the location.”

  “It’s probably heavily guarded though,” Barris said. “Even if you find the entrance, you might want reinforcements.”

  Rafe offered a winning smile. “I can take care of myself, thanks.”

  “Not if that monkey demon was anything to go by,” Barris said.

  Rafe’s smile faded. “It took me by surprise. I was focused on the three demonspawn I wasn’t expecting to encounter.”

  Sage narrowed her eyes. “I warned you once already.”

  “Shouldn’t you be afraid of us?” Barris asked.

  Rafe met his inquisitive gaze. “I assessed the situation and determined that you weren’t a threat.”

  “But lik
e you said, we’re demonspawn,” Barris pressed. “We’re supposed to be reviled and feared.”

  Rafe reached for his sword. “I can fight you if you’d like.”

  Barris waved his hands. “No, no. I’m good.”

  “I’ve been a Watcher for many years now,” Rafe said. “I can tell fairly quickly if a demon is going to be a problem. Lesser demons are more of a nuisance, although there are certain depraved ones to watch out for. Greater demons are more of an issue. Those I tend to keep a close eye on.”

  Sage stepped forward, her chin tilted upward. “And half demons?”

  The Watcher’s eyes twinkled. “To be honest, I find half demons in this city to be surprisingly well behaved. It’s like they’ve gone to some sort of finishing school on how to maintain a life in the mortal realm.”

  “That’s kind of insulting,” I said. Yet kind of true.

  “And you three seem to be no exception,” he said cheerfully. “And knowledgeable about kappas too.” He winked at me.

  I started forward. “Good luck with your search,” I said. “We should probably be going.” We didn’t have much time before we had to sneak back or we risked getting caught and Elder Alastor’s punishment would be far worse than any damage a kappa could do.

  Rafe put a hand on my arm to stop me. “If you come across anything that would help, would you call me? I’ll give you my number.”

  My gaze shifted to Barris and Sage. “Um, we don’t have phones,” I said.

  “We’re against technology,” Barris added quickly. “Makes everyone lazy.”

  Rafe seemed to take it in stride. “Too bad. It’s helped the Watchers immensely. Now we don’t have to meet all the time. We just have a group text.” His eyes locked on mine, sending a jolt down my spine. “Thanks again for your help, Cassia.”

  “No problem.”

  He swaggered past us and I resisted the urge to turn and watch him walk away. I was fairly confident that the back view was every bit as good as the front.

  “If I’d known nephilim looked like that, I might have snuck out a long time ago,” Sage said.

  Barris snorted. “And here I thought Rylan was the only half succubus.”