All Hallows' Eve (Ravensbane Academy Book 1)

by Dallysten Mackenzie

  I had to take to the skies but in the back of my mind I knew there was only one way I would get Elke back and take care of the Palmer problem. There was only one person who could help me in my time of need right now.

  The one person who was trying to get me to come back home.

  My mother – Lilith.

  I flew down to the driveway and headed outside of the academy walls. Once I was out of sight, I planted my feet on the ground as I drew the pentagram on the around me using my hellfire. Dallas had followed me and was walking slowly up to me. I stopped just short of forming the top part of the star.

  “What are you doing?” he asked, looking down at the star.

  “There’s only one person who can help Elke before Palmer hurts her and put an end to his demonic plan.”

  “But she’ll take you back to Hell with her, son. I know you don’t want that.”

  “I don’t have a choice,” I felt my voice break. “I love her, do you understand…I love her.”

  Dallas wanted to stop me, I could see it in his eyes, and that hurt because he didn’t really know me. He didn’t know any of us, but I saw him protecting all of us here. He’d be a hell of a dad to Elke, and that was what she needed more than me right now.

  “Stand back, you don’t want to get caught up in this.”

  Dallas nodded without another word and headed back to the academy before I completed the pentagram. Taking a deep breath, I called forth my mother, hoping like hell she would accept my plea. There was never any certainty with her.

  An eruption of flames through the pentagram sent me scuttling back. When the flames died down, my mother stood before me, a wicked smile on her face.

  “I knew you would come to me, my son,” she said. “Come, let’s get away from this impending war.”

  “No, I need you to save Elke first.”

  She cocked her head to the side and considered me for a moment. I wanted to scream at her to be a mother once in a while but that would do the opposite to what I needed. “Why would I do that? She’s the only reason you have a pull to this place now.”

  “That’s my stipulation. I will come and assume my duties in Hell but you have to protect her first.”

  My mother didn’t like to be spoken to like this, she hated negotiation. But I needed her to protect Elke. I had to make sure she was okay before I left.

  “And you will come back willingly?” she asked.

  I nodded my head, holding back the threatening tears.

  “Granted. I will bring your girl back and we will discuss this further.”

  She evaporated into thin air and I knew she was going to get Elke back. I only prayed she wasn’t too late. Running back into the academy, I saw that the rooftop was now devoid of enemies. A few slain bodies lay around, as Ianthe, Ike and Joan all sat together on the rooftop, Ianthe’s eyes were red and watery.

  “Where’s Stig?” I asked.

  They all looked up at me, Joan was the first to get up. “I haven’t seen him in a while.”

  “He has to be here somewhere.”

  We ran through the school, looking into each room and calling out his name. If he were injured somewhere, he probably wouldn’t be able to call out to us.

  “Ike?” I called out. He was behind us, looking through rooms. When he ran up to me, I saw he was an eager to find Stig as I was. “Can you use your Sight?”

  “How?”

  “I’ve heard of Oracles using their Sight to see where someone is.”

  “I’ve done it a few times without realising but I need something of theirs to hold on to.”

  Joan nodded. “I’ll get some clothes.”

  She ran off to his room to retrieve his clothes while Ianthe caught up to us.

  “Alvarez is dead,” she said. “I found in him his classroom, an obvious potion foaming in his mouth.”

  I’d started to like Alvarez. Pretty soon, we’d have no teachers left. Goddamn how hadn’t I seen what Palmer was doing all this time? He’d fooled us all.

  “Here,” Joan ran down the hall with Stig’s clothes. Ike took hold of them and gripped them tight in his palm before closing his eyes. Ianthe did the same thing and tried to help him boost his power. Two Oracles were always better than one.

  Just as they were focusing, I saw Tiger waltz her naked self in through the doors, dragging a naked Selena behind her, knocked out.

  “You okay?” I asked, pulling my shirt off and handing it to her. She dropped Selena’s leg unceremoniously, like she were dropping trash, and took my shirt.

  “Yep. Bitch got my leg but I’ll survive.”

  I saw the scratch marks over Tiger’s face and arms and the big gash on her ankle, but she was happy. She pulled the shirt over herself and she picked Selena’s leg back up. “I’ll take her down to the basement and tie her up.”

  Nodding, I wanted to follow and make sure she was okay. I think she knew that because she smiled, even though I saw the cut on her face that stopped her from doing so.

  “I knocked her out with enough wolfsbane to put out a whole pack, I’ll be fine.”

  She headed off into the direction of the basement.

  Anise was no longer in the classroom we’d shoved her in, so they both must have gotten free when Palmer came here. I turned back around and saw them all running off into a direction, behind Ike. I followed close by and realised where they were headed.

  Palmer had been looking around the end of the hall where students were no longer permitted when he was still a student. I’d put it down to innocent curiosity and let it slide, but I’d known there had been a pit in the school.

  A pit used for the wolves who wouldn’t shift back. It was a dungeon and very hard to get out of. I pushed them back and looked down at the pit. Stig was sitting in the bottom of it, looking up at me.

  “Get me a rope!”

  Ianthe ran off to get a rope so we could pull him out. When she returned, I unfurled the rope and held onto the end, but he wasn’t strong enough to pull himself up.

  “I haven’t fed in days, Luther.”

  “Let me,” I heard Dallas say as he stepped forward.

  “Stig, I need you to stand up,” he said, kneeling down. “I’m going to use the Earth to get you up to me.”

  “How?” Joan asked. “This is a building.”

  “There are trees that were slaughtered to build this place. They live in the foundations. It will uproot part of the academy, but Stig can be freed quickly.”

  Joan nodded and stood back. We all did. The floors were moving as Dallas manoeuvred his hands around in circles, a bright neon purple light shot around his hands as I saw the pit moving and Stig was able to climb out. We dragged him free before Dallas let go of the power he had on the ground and part of the floor collapsed in.

  “Are you all right?” Joan asked him.

  “Yeah, just hungry.”

  I helped Stig to his feet. He looked up at me and at first I thought he’d dribble some kind of hate for me but he looked genuinely appreciative.

  “About time, man.”

  I smirked and helped him through everyone and out into the fresh air.

  “Where is everyone?”

  “Palmer took Elke.”

  “What!”

  “I found a solution, that will work, but we have to let it work.”

  “What solution?”

  “The one person who won’t be afraid of anyone.”

  “Oh shit,” Stig replied. “That must have been hard to have to admit you needed her.”

  “It is what it is.”

  We sat in silence as the cold air wrapped around us and we both thought of the same girl. The one we both loved, and the one who chose me. It was going to hurt when I had to walk away from her.

  Elke

  Palmer paced the floor and looked like he was about to lose it. I felt a sharp pain in my arm, but for the most part I was okay.

  “Where is she?” he kept asking over and over again.

  “Who?” I finally as
ked, wanting him to shut up.

  “Who you think?!” he screamed. “Where is Anise?”

  “She was in the school, maybe you left her behind when you grabbed me.”

  “No…no…she wasn’t there. They looked for her.”

  He continued to pace, becoming more erratic as he did so. The door opened and a man I’d never seen before came into view. A strange sensation in my stomach erupted and instantly I recalled this was the way I felt when I saw the shadow in my visions. First with Ms Cashell and then with Luther.

  I was in trouble.

  “Stop dramatizing everything,” the man said. “Anise will be found and you will be reunited.”

  “You said she wasn’t there but why would she leave?” Palmer asked.

  It was now I realised, Palmer had never been the one in charge. He was a puppet for someone who didn’t want his face shown…and now I saw his face.

  He was going to kill me.

  As he headed toward me, the feeling of revulsion got harder in my stomach. I felt like I’d been sucker punched.

  “Well hello there,” he said with a sickening smile. “So you’re the one causing all this mischief in our world. For one so little, I thought this power was impossible.”

  “We need to find Anise, man.”

  He shot Palmer across the room with one hand. It was just me and him now and I wanted to hurl.

  “We’re going to be a very strong couple, little Elke.”

  I spat in his face and he stumbled back, wiping it off his eye. Instead of lashing out, he simply got up and looked down at me with a smile.

  “There’s a lot of fire in you. You must be Ianthe’s daughter. Eventually, you’ll warm up to me.”

  He turned around and left me in the room with Palmer who was just standing up, holding his shoulder where the shot had hit him.

  Palmer was about to open his mouth when someone appeared in the room instantly. Palmer stumbled back and I looked at the woman all in red, her pale skin against her dark hair made her skin look like porcelain.

  “Palmer DeFries,” she announced in an authoritative tone. “You have been a bad boy.”

  “No…no…not you.”

  “Afraid so, little boy, I always come for the bad ones.”

  She leant down to Palmer who was shivering as he rocked against the wall. “No...no…”

  “I’m going to have so much fun with you down there. You know where you’re heading right? It’s hot as hell, just enough heat to prickle this smooth skin of yours.”

  Palmer screamed as the woman put her hand on his arm. I could see it searing into his skin, steam erupting under her palm. When she removed her hand, his arm was blistery and red and he disappeared without another word.

  I looked to the woman again. Her beautiful hair was long and straight and fell over her shoulders like a waterfall.

  “Come with me, Elke.”

  She held her hand out to me. I hesitated, not wanting to be burned like Palmer.

  “It’s okay, I cannot banish one with such a pure soul. I’ll take you back to your school.”

  I took her hand and the next thing I knew we were outside the school gates. Hesitating, I let go of her hand.

  “Aren’t you coming in?” I asked.

  “I cannot.”

  I turned around and looked at her. Those same eyes I’d seen so many times before only this time they weren’t from the one I loved, but his mother.

  “You’re his mother, aren’t you?” I asked.

  She nodded. “I am. He loves you a lot to seek me out to assist.”

  “He doesn’t want to go back.”

  “He doesn’t have a choice, child. That is his destiny. You understand, he doesn’t belong here. He never did. You’re a strong woman, and you’ll be even stronger as you learn to harness your power, but it’s not enough. It just can’t be, do you understand?”

  Her words weren’t to scare me. It was a mother looking out of her son. I saw that now. Luther was meant to rule Hell. I think I always knew that when he told me what he was but I’d been blinded by my love for him.

  With a heavy heart, I nodded and headed in through the gates without looking back. My arm was hurting, but not as much as my heart. I held back the tears though and I was proud of myself for it.

  Luther

  I could feel her behind me as I pulled the sheet over Elke who was sleeping in my bed. Slowly, I turned to her and motioned for her to follow me down to the landing outside. She did without hesitation.

  She was going to take me to Hell now, I could feel the anticipation.

  “I like your girl, Luther,” she said. “She has spunk.”

  “Yes, she does.”

  “I can feel your love for her, but son, you had to know it wouldn’t last.”

  I closed my eyes and pushed the tears back inside. There was no room in Hell for weakness.

  “Just take me.”

  “No,” she said softly.

  I opened my eyes again and looked over to her. “What mind game is this?”

  “No game, son. I will give you until next All Hallows’ Eve. You can tell her and be friends or you can keep on going, your relationship may fizzle over time and it will make returning easier. It’s up to you. But no more time. You have ten months with your girl. Make them count.”

  She closed the distance between us and kissed me on the cheek before disappearing. I felt the breath I’d been holding exhale and I finally felt free. I didn’t realise I’d been holding on to so much fear about leaving until just now.

  Ten months would never be enough with Elke, but I’d take what I could get.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Elke

  The Queen wasn’t an overly pretty woman, but she did have the look of someone who held a lot of power. I’d learnt recently that she was only the Queen of the Americas, and that there were Queens and Kings everywhere around the world. Luther held my hand as the Queen spoke with Joan quietly. The man with her looked incredibly familiar but I couldn’t place where I had seen him before.

  All of the students were lined up outside of the academy for the Queen. No one spoke unless they were spoken to. It was the kind of awe I appreciated but it was scary. I wondered if this Queen really was as bad as they say.

  She slowly turned to me and her eyes told me everything I needed to know. She didn’t want to be here, near me, but after all that had happened, she felt as if she had to be. She was here to save face.

  I’d learned her name was Regina, and she was only ten years older than I was and had been Queen since she was twenty after she had killed the last Queen to take this position.

  “Elke,” she smiled at me. It was fake, and she knew I knew it too. “You’ve done such a brilliant job at honing your powers. After everything you’ve been through, I am so glad you’re okay.”

  “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

  “I’m sure your fellow students are glad you matriculate here, as do your teachers.”

  I didn’t know what to say, but everything she was saying sounded forced.

  “We understand that there are still some missing that caused the fray,” she said, aiming it toward Luther. “Will this be an issue?”

  “No, Your Majesty,” Joan came up to us. “We have closed to new admissions until Anise has been caught.”

  “There is one more,” Luther said. “He was the one who had mentored Palmer it seems, but he escaped when Elke was rescued.”

  “Oh?” Regina turned to Luther with an unbridled hatred of him, judging by her expression. He had told me he didn’t report to Regina, nor was she his sovereign so the Queen naturally hated him. She had no real power over him and that scared her.

  “I took a photo of him,” Luther said, holding out his phone and showing her. Regina’s reaction was instant, and she was shocked.

  “Has anyone else seen this photo?” she asked.

  “Only Stig, he was the one who identified him.”

  “And you’ve told…?”

  �
��Only yourself, Your Majesty.”

  She nodded. “Let’s keep this quiet. I will ensure all of my men will be at your disposal should you find a location on him, or Anise.”

  “Thank you.”

  She nodded quickly and moved away, still shaken, but holding her own. Most of the students had been dismissed and they all moved off quietly back to their dorms. Tiger stood by Stig who was being spoken to by the man who accompanied the Queen.

  “Who is that man, Luther?”

  “Stig’s father and the Queen’s consort.”

  “Wait…what?”

  I turned to Joan who watched on as her son spoke to his father. The very man who looked at the Queen with respect and admiration. Joan was horrified, and yet I could see she wouldn’t give in. She didn’t want to show her emotions in front of everyone, but she could easily crumble. It was obvious she was still in love with her husband.

  “Yeah, long sordid history there,” Luther replied. “Stig isn’t exactly happy as you can see.”

  “So what is the Queen?” I asked, as we wandered away from the dysfunctional family reunion. “Usually I get a sense of what someone is but with her there’s just a blank.”

  “She’s a Fae.”

  “A Fairy?”

  Luther chuckled. “Yes, a Fae.”

  “Wow.”

  “Yep and the photo she freaked out about, which I know is going to be your next question, was of her brother.”

  I stopped in my tracks. “Her brother tried to kill me?”

  “Well, to be honest, I don’t think he wanted to kill you. I think he wanted your power to use against Regina.”

  “Why?”

  “He’s wanted to dethrone her for years,” Luther said. “Sibling rivalry I guess. She banished him after he tried to kill Stig’s dad a year ago. He must have been planning for revenge ever since.”

  I continued to walk inside with Luther, trying to wrap my head around it all.

  “By the way, just so you know, Regina and your uncle were a thing at one point.”