Demon War: Shadowguard Academy Book 4

by Samantha Britt

  “Panic causes people to make mistakes,” Vivian replies, keeping a steady pace just below a quick jog. “I’m not useful to anyone if I panic.”

  True, but still…

  “Lex is out there,” I point out needlessly. “And so are so many others. How are we going to help them?”

  “By following your guard’s instructions and getting to safety.

  “Speaking of which,” she pauses, twisting around to look into my eye. I wince when the blue light from the stylus threatens to blind me. “Do you trust your guard? Is he loyal?”

  I blink, clearing my vision. “Yes,” I answer. “One hundred percent.”

  She nods. “Good.” We resume walking. “Like I was saying, we follow your guard’s instructions and get to safety. Only once we are safe can we evaluate what we can do for others.”

  It’s hard to admit, but Vivian is right. I’m no use to anyone if I’m not safe.

  With a simple thought, I call holy fire into my hands. Seeing the power’s light, Vivian glances over her shoulder. Wonder shines in her gaze. She turns back around to focus on the path ahead, but not before she says, “Amazing.”

  I stand a little straighter. Whatever happens next, I am not helpless. I’m a strong fighter, and now I have access to my God-given powers. I won’t be forced to stand by and watch someone I care about get hurt.

  Never again.

  The secret passage leads Vivian and I into a square chamber, no more than eight feet by eight feet. There’s another dark hall extending off the room, opposite where we came from, but Vivian talked me out of continuing on. Ladros said to wait in the first room we reached and, though the concrete walls and empty floors don’t look like much, this is technically a room.

  So, we wait. I stand for several minutes before my legs grow tired and I decide to sit on the floor. I guess I’m not completely unaffected from Hermona’s memory like I thought.

  I tuck my legs to my body and prop my chin on my knees, content to wait as patiently as I can even though every cell in my body is eager for action.

  Various sounds continue to travel through the walls, more muffled than before. My anxiety kicks up to another level, and I itch to leave this room and figure out what is going on outside theses concrete walls.

  For all her talk about the importance of keeping a level head, Vivian can’t stop herself from pacing. Her steps aren’t rushed or frantic, but her agitation is clear. I eye her designer pants and flowery blouse, wondering where she’d kept the dagger she now tosses in her hand. I’d never known Vivian to carry a weapon.

  “Aspen?” A cautious voice calls.

  “Olina!” I leap up and rush toward the mundane demon as she exits the same passageway we’d used. “What’s going on? Where’s Belial?” Ladros had said he’d be the one to meet me here.

  Vivian moves to stand at my side, just as eager to hear the demon’s response.

  Olina’s lips form a grim line. “Master Belial is dealing with our current threat.”

  I tell myself I’m not disappointed by his absence. Emotions from my recent dive into Hermona’s memories have jumbled my feelings.

  “And what is that current threat?” Vivian steals the question right out of my mouth.

  “Beelzebub,” Olina hisses his name with disdain, mixed with fear. “He has breached Master Belial’s wards and is tearing the house apart, bit by bit. So far, he is alone, but chances are that won’t remain the case. We must evacuate. Come.” She gestures to the adjoining passageway right before she moves. Vivian and I follow without hesitation, but I continue to ask questions.

  “If it’s only Beelzebub, shouldn’t Belial and the guards be able to stop him?” One demon from Hell against an original and all the mundane demons Belial keeps in his employ seems like an easy victory.

  “Beelzebub is not an easy creature to defeat,” Olina says without slowing down. “He’s the first demon to escape the bounds of Hell in millennia, and his link to its otherworldly power hasn’t been seen in just as long. His abilities rival even the master’s.”

  Oh crap.

  If that’s true, then we definitely need to get out of here.

  “So, what’s their plan? Do they have a way to defeat him?” The ground slopes down dramatically. I throw my weight back to keep from falling forward.

  “Right now, Master Belial and the guards are buying the rest of us time to escape through these tunnels. After that, I am not privy to their plans.”

  Well, that sounds ominous.

  I strain my ears, hoping to hear the sounds of my peers shuffling through these dark tunnels, but it’s just us.

  “Where do the tunnels lead?” Vivian asks.

  “Underground,” Olina says, veering to the right when the steep incline in front of us splits into two. “Eventually, we will connect with a wider tunnel system which takes us about a mile away from the safe house.” The mundane demon spares me a quick glance. “This escape route is one of the reasons Master Belial chose this particular safe house for you.”

  I nod, not knowing what to say.

  I have this nagging feeling that something isn’t right. I find myself worrying for Belial, hoping he doesn’t do anything foolish and get hurt.

  The muffled noises eventually disappear the longer we walk. The air becomes cool and damp. I wrap my arms around myself, wishing I’d slept in fleece pajama bottoms rather than these shorts.

  The ground levels out and, just as Olina said, the tunnel merges with a wider one. We pass several openings, connecting the tunnel to other passageways. I’m wondering how many secret halls existed in the safe house when a bouncing light catches my attention.

  All three of us freeze.

  So does the light.

  Then, a familiar voice murmurs in surprise. “Mom? Aspen?” Lex lifts the flashlight from his cellphone to his face. Relief washes over me.

  “Alexander.” Vivian is across the tunnel and hugging her son tight. “Thank God you’re all right.”

  “I could say the same to you.” He steps back to examine his mom for injuries. Seeing she’s unharmed, he does the same to me. “I tried to reach you after the attack, but the stairway to the bedrooms was completely collapsed. How did you guys get out?”

  “Ladros guided us to a hidden passage. What about you?”

  “Same. I mean, it was a different guard, but he shoved those of us he could find into a hallway hidden behind a painting in the dining room.”

  “Us?” I peer at the darkness behind him. “Are you with someone?”

  “Yes, but the others stayed farther back to wait and see if anyone else escaped through our passage. I offered to venture ahead to see what waited for us.”

  “Of course you did.” My brother, always the brave one. “Who else is with you?”

  “Cortney, Fiona, Lauren, Freddy, and Trevor.”

  That’s still too many students unaccounted for.

  Olina, sensing my distress, places a gentle hand on my arm. “I’m sure the others are somewhere in these passages as well. If the house ever came under attack, our first duty was to secure the safety of all the guests by leading you to these escape tunnels. Master Belial was very clear, and we would never disobey his orders.”

  Honesty shines from her kind, red eyes. The mundane demons under Belial’s care have given him their loyalty, and I know they would do anything he asked.

  “That is a relief,” Vivian exhales.

  I have to agree, but I’m still concerned.

  “Do you think the other students have a demon to guide them here?” I realize Lex and his group seem to have been sent through the passages on their own. Who knows if the others are the same, and they are hanging back in the passages, hesitant to continue into the unknown?

  “Maybe.” Olina lifts her hands, uncertain. “But maybe not. If they were escorted by a guard, chances are the guard returned to the house to help defend the house. The only reason I’m here is because Master Belial specifically ordered me to find you. I’m not sure if he
gave any others the same order.”

  My gut tells me he didn’t.

  Whether I like it or not, I’m bound to receive extra attention from the original, especially extra protection.

  “What about your sister?” I think of Mina and the other mundane demons who aren’t trained fighters. “Will they be all right?”

  Her expression softens. “They will be fine, Aspen.” She gives my arm a squeeze. “I appreciate your concern, but we really should focus on getting you to the extraction point.”

  “Extraction point?” Lex repeats with a raised brown.

  Olina quickly explains, “This tunnel leads to a rendezvous point designated by the alliance. A message was sent the moment Beelzebub attacked. There should be people there to help evacuate students to a safe location.”

  “Great. Let me go get the others. I’ll be right back.” Lex disappears into the dark passageway without another word.

  While we wait, Vivian makes conversation with Olina. She asks simple questions like how long she’s worked for Belial, how she enjoys her job, if she has any hobbies... You know… typical polite stuff.

  But I can see from Olina’s stiff back that she’s caught off guard by how friendly my foster mother is. Just like with Lex, it warms my heart to see Vivian treating Olina as an equal. Though I heard the stories about the work she and my mom did for lesser demons, it’s still cool to see in person.

  Lex returns in record time trailed by five others.

  “Aspen!” Cortney leaps at me, nearly choking me when her arms wrap around my neck. “We were all so worried!”

  “So was I.” I return her hug with a quick squeeze, then step back and look over the group. Freddy and Trevor have seen better hair days, but other than that, none of my peers look any worse for the wear. “Is everyone okay?”

  “We are now.”

  I give Lauren a questioning look.

  The pretty girl waves a manicured hand my direction. “If we’re with you, there’s no way we are walking into danger. Your original demon wouldn’t allow it.”

  My face heats.

  “We should get going,” Lex speaks up, saving me from needing to respond to Lauren’s statement.

  “But what about the others?” Cortney steps back and looks at her boyfriend. “Shouldn’t we wait for them?”

  Suddenly, all eyes swing to me.

  I take a step back and shoot a quick look over my shoulder, wondering what they’re looking at.

  “Aspen?”

  I turn back around and meet my best friend’s gaze. “Yeah?”

  “What should we do?” She stares at me with unwavering trust. “Should we wait?”

  I feel everyone else’s eyes gazing at me with the same intensity, even Vivian and Olina.

  I’m totally lost. Since when am I qualified to make these calls?

  “Uh… I don’t know.” I turn to Olina, begging the mundane demon to help me out.

  She obliges. “I think we should continue on, Lady Aspen.” She makes sure to throw in the respectful title now that we have a larger audience. “I have no doubt the other guests are safely hidden in the passageways, and our allies are probably waiting to take everyone to safety. We shouldn’t delay.”

  I nod, grateful for her opinion.

  Straightening my spine, I turn back to my peers. “Well, you heard her. Let’s keep going.”

  No one objects.

  With the help of several phone flashlights and Vivian’s stylus, we journey through the wide tunnel,

  I’d extinguished my holy fire the moment we found Lex, and now I’m hesitant to call forth the power in front of my peers. I’m not sure how they will react. And with tensions already running high, I decide it would be best not to do anything that might make them even more stressed.

  The tunnel drags on for a heart-racing, adrenaline pumping, and agonizing mile. We are all jumpy, fearful of an enemy leaping out of the shadows our lights aren’t wide enough to dispel. Despite each of our silent hopes, we don’t encounter anyone else on our journey.

  Part of me is worried I made a mistake. Maybe we should’ve waited for more students to reach the tunnel before leaving.

  But the optimistic side of me remembers Vivian and I had waited for Olina in that square room for a while, and the other group had waited in their passageway too. Perhaps the other students didn’t waste any time, continuing through their passages and the tunnel with no hesitation. If so, they could very well already be at the extraction point and taken to safety.

  Please, God. Let that be the case.

  At last, sunlight greets us in the distance. Several sighs of relief travel over our group. I even hear a few delirious laughs, no doubt caused my dissipating fear and heightened adrenaline.

  The end of the tunnel beckons to us like a long-lost friend, but none of us rushes forward. We are still careful to move as quietly as possible. We are ten feet from the opening when Olina maneuvers to the front and holds up a staying hand.

  We all remain silent as the mundane demon silently creeps toward the opening. In addition to sunlight, I see brown, dormant grass. But that’s it.

  The swish of Olina’s skirt blocks out the sunlight as she ducks through the four-foot-high opening. I hold my breath.

  Seconds tick by. I count them with the beat of my heart.

  Someone shuffles their feet behind me. We’re all anxious.

  “Where is she?” Cortney murmurs in my ear.

  Almost as soon as the question passes her lips, Olina’s red eyes reappear. They glow in the dark when she ducks her head back into the tunnel.

  I perk up, relieved, but that relief immediately fades when I register her grim expression.

  “Olina?” I take a tentative step forward. “What is it?”

  She frowns, looking just as confused and unsure as I feel. “No one is here.”

  Chapter Twenty

  The rest of us file out of the tunnel one by one. We take turns spinning in circles, surveying the empty field we’ve been dumped into, looking for any sign of the allies who should be waiting to take us away from here.

  “I don’t understand,” Olina mutters. She chews her bottom lip, her fangs digging into the flesh in a way that must be painful. “The message went out seconds after the attack began. The allies should be here by now.”

  I look up at the clear sky, unable to ignore how unshielded we are from above. “Something must have happened.” The nagging feeling in my stomach grows.

  “Yes, but what?” Vivian draws near. Lex, Cortney, and Freddy follow. The rest of our group stands farther away, huddled together for warmth. “Is there a chance the message could’ve been intercepted?”

  “No.” Olina jerks her head. “At least, not all of them. The message was sent with magic to the Blackstone Coven, the lycans in the Woodlands, and the New York coven. I can’t imagine none of them received it.”

  “Maybe they did receive it, but something detains them,” Cortney suggests.

  “All of them?” Lex questions. “That seems unlikely.”

  “What other explanation is there?” Cortney crosses her arms as she shivers.

  No one offers an answer.

  I look up again, as if the answer to our questions will fall right out of the sky and into my lap.

  A crisp breeze rolls through the field. Goosebumps prickle my arms and legs.

  I jolt in surprise when I feel soft fabric brush against my arm. I look down and see Freddy offering me a green sweater.

  “Here.” He swallows, his eyes flickering from me to the empty space behind me.

  “Are you sure?” I eye his short-sleeved t-shirt.

  “I’ll be fine.” He gently presses the shirt towards me. “But you’ll freeze if we’re out here much longer.”

  “Thank you.” I accept the sweater with an appreciative smile. I slip it over my head, and the winter weather is instantly more tolerable.

  Freddy dips his chin, then quickly steps back to resume his position at my brother’s side, a
s far from me as he can get while still standing in our small group.

  “Forgive me for my impertinence,” Olina begins, bowing her head in Vivian’s direction, “but do you have the ability to transport from this location?” She eyes my foster mother’s stylus meaningfully.

  Vivian purses her lips. “Maybe, but the sigil takes significant effort to construct, and I will only be able to transport one person at a time.”

  “I can help with the sigil,” Lex says. “Andrew’s been teaching me its layers. I can construct the first four designs if you can complete the rest.”

  “Absolutely not,” Vivian is quick to reject her son’s offer. “Transportation is a fine-tuned skill. Even the slightest variation in the sigil can disrupt the magic, and significant harm can befall those attempting to travel with an imperfect sigil.”

  Lex opens his mouth to object, but Vivian’s narrowed gaze dissuades any argument.

  He groans. “Fine, but I think we should leave here as soon as possible.” He looks around the eerily empty field. “Something doesn’t feel right.”

  I have to agree.

  “But where would we go?” I glance around our group. “If our safe house wasn’t safe, where will be?”

  “Our house?” Lex suggests.

  “It could be compromised,” Vivian says. “We need to avoid any location on the Shadowguard’s radar—on the head minister’s radar.”

  “But that’s everywhere,” Freddy exhales. “There isn’t a Guardian house the Shadowguard doesn’t know about.”

  Olina clears her throat. “What about the home of lesser demons?”

  Our attention shifts to her.

  “It depends,” Vivian tells her. “If it’s a well-known location like the New York coven, I’d say no, but if it’s somewhere else…”

  “I’ve overheard Master Belial during some of the alliance meetings,” Olina admits, looking ashamed of the admission, but not enough to stop speaking. “The security of Blackstone clan has been mentioned on more than one occasion.”

  The mundane demon meets my gaze. “I believe that is where Master Belial planned to take you should the protection of this location be compromised.”