Academy of Falling Kingdoms Box Set

by Marisa Mills

  I know you didn’t see the point in a rescue, Lucian purred, but perhaps, we ought to try an escape?

  When I took a step forward, the marble beneath me crumbled and shivered. The ground trembled beneath my feet. At my approach, the crowd became frantic in its movements, trying to back away as quickly as possible. Except for Dorian, who seemed more distracted by the crack stretching across his wineglass. Above the roar of the crowd I could hear the bright sound of a girl singing.

  You didn’t do that, Lucian said. It’s Tatiana trying to—

  —break the glass! Elaine exclaimed. I can help with that! Go, Wynter!

  I whipped around and ran.

  “Stay where you are!” a man shouted, pointing his sword at me.

  I halted, my gaze snapping to the three guards blocking my path.

  I think it’s time to create some mischief, don’t you? Lucian asked. Cool blue flame erupted around my fingertips, and with a wave of my hand a fiery serpent wrapped around me, snapping its jaws at the soldiers. They attacked it with their swords, but couldn’t make contact. Just as one gathered his courage and charged towards me, the ground beneath his feet burst apart, and thick vines wrapped around his ankles, lifting him into the air.

  Jessa! It had to be her. She was standing off to one side with a thick coat, leaning against her crutch. One hand clawed at the air and blood was dripping from her nose.

  “Go!” she shouted.

  I grabbed Alexander’s wrist and pulled him along with me. Behind us, I heard the sound of glass breaking and screams as the wine glasses shattered one by one. The crowd before Alexander and me scattered, rushing towards the exits.

  “Move!” Alexander roared.

  A sleek, silver-white fox darted between their feet. Somehow, I knew it was Elaine. It slipped deftly through the crowd, nipping at their heels and sending them bolting away. We’d nearly reached the edge of the crowd, when a row of at least twenty guards appeared before us, blocking our exit with a wall of armor and pointed swords.

  “Now, what?” Alexander hissed.

  I’ll handle this, Elaine said, as the fox slipped beneath my feet. As soon as I’ve given you the opening, run! The fox halted, twitching her ears. Then she tipped back her head, and a soft, white mist poured from her mouth, creating a dense fog. I tugged Alexander through the forum gates and we slipped away down an alley. I heard shouts behind us as Elaine’s mist faded. I ran through the first floor of a building and emerged in a private garden between two houses.

  “Where are we?” I asked.

  “Follow me!” Alexander exclaimed.

  We ran across the road, drawing a few more shouts. It wouldn’t be long until the guards found us again. A prince and a girl with a blood-stained dress didn’t exactly blend in. My bare feet fought to find purchase as we sprinted down the sleek pavement.

  Alexander turned another corner, and I finally got my bearings. We were heading towards the entrance of the demon chambers. I quickened my pace, even though my breath came in ragged pants. But what good would this do? We didn’t have Viviane, so we wouldn’t be able to enter the chamber. When we reached the familiar fence, Alexander whirled around.

  “Can you climb?” he asked.

  Yes, I nodded. I was winded, and my legs were shaking, but I heaved myself up, climbing over the gate with the cracked crystal that Lucian had busted out on our last visit, and lowered myself down on the other side. Alexander followed and pressed himself close to me, kneeling in the thick grass. I held my breath as more guards raced past on the other side of the fence. But then the shouts faded, and Alexander met my eyes for the first time.

  He took off his coat in a smooth motion and wrapped it around my shaking shoulders. What was left of my dress hung off me in bloody shreds, but modesty was the least of my concerns.

  “Now what?” I asked.

  “Now,” he whispered, rubbing my shoulders. “We wait for the others. We agreed to meet here if our escape plan worked.”

  “Escape plan?” I asked.

  Alexander’s blue eyes widened. He tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear, his finger lingering for just an instant. “Of course,” he said. “You didn’t think we were going to let you suffer, did you?”

  My heart pounded in my ears as he tilted my chin up to meet his eyes.

  “I’m so sorry that I had to hurt you,” he whispered. “I promise, I’ll never hurt you again.”

  I held my breath, savoring the moment, then leaned up and pressed my lips against his.

  Twenty-Three

  MY LEGS WERE SHAKING, SO I pulled my knees up to my chest and let my chin rest there. The graveyard was silent, save for the sound of my own beating heart. I looked down at the blue stones of the pendant, and wiped away the blood. The stones had been glowing earlier, but now they rested coolly against my skin, practically opaque.

  Alexander was pacing in front of the entrance waiting for the others, but there was no sign of Tatiana or Jessa. Elaine had vanished, too. My stomach twisted when I thought of her. The silver fox, the white mist. Gareth was in love with a demon, all this time.

  “Did you know, Lucian?” I whispered.

  Yes, he replied. His voice was quiet, and far away. We’d both used too much magic. I knew from the moment I saw her walking by the edge. I could feel her power.

  And he hadn’t told me.

  We weren’t quite friends, then, Lucian said.

  No, we hadn’t been.

  Somehow, it was already dusk, and the sun was casting long shadows. I uncurled my fingers and studied Guinevere’s charm again, rubbing my finger against the miniature runes etched across the gemstones. It glittered in the dim light. Nick had made this for Guinevere. I thought it was just so she could communicate with demons, but he must have embedded it with growth and decay as well. I wondered whether a demon had taught him, like how Lucian showed me the sigil to pass through walls.

  I thought of them standing in the woods of Plumba and the way the sun lit Guinevere’s eyes. They’d been so happy and so in love, then. How had things gone so wrong?

  Alexander was pacing around the fence, his sword drawn, like a caged animal.

  “I can’t believe you stole this for me,” I said, holding up the pendant.

  “I borrowed it,” he smirked. “My father will be furious when he realizes it’s gone.”

  Alexander tapped his fingers on the pommel of his sword.

  “I’m sorry,” he said slowly, “for whipping you.” His voice dripped with shame.

  “You did what your father ordered you to.”

  “That doesn’t make it right,” Alexander replied. “My father shouldn’t have ordered that to begin with. I think he was trying to toughen Kit and me. To test our loyalty, and also to show off our powers. I never would have done it, but he said he’d kill you otherwise.”

  He should have just helped you in the first place, Lucian said.

  Beneath the worry and exhaustion, there was a buzzing, light excitement. Despite lying to them for months, my friends still cared enough to help me. I parted my lips to express these new emotions, but I couldn’t find the words. Tatiana and Jessa could’ve done nothing. Alexander could’ve washed his hands of me. And Lucian could’ve fled long ago and left me in the mess I’d made. But they hadn’t.

  Doubt and worry crept in as we waited. The king’s look of astonishment when I’d healed my wounds was seared into my memory. If Alexander had finished my punishment, I’d probably be on my way back to the Scraps by now. I’d be exiled from Reverie, but now I was a fugitive, and my friends were in danger as well. I felt like we’d crossed a bridge, and then burned it down.

  You’re alive, and you’re free, Lucian reminded me.

  “I guess that makes two of us,” I murmured.

  “Maybe we should go without them,” Alexander said, after tracing another loop around the perimeter.

  “Just a little longer,” I replied. “Please.”

 
A few minutes later, I caught the sound of footsteps pounding the pavement. Alexander crouched low to the ground, and pulled me down into the weeds. A scraggly thorn bush separated us from the fence. Through the branches, I saw a mane of red hair. I burst from my hiding place and scrambled over the ground, tripping over jagged marble and sharp weeds.

  “Tatiana!” I exclaimed. She grinned and pulled herself over the fence.

  “Wynter!” she replied. She didn’t even wait to climb down. She jumped and pulled me into a hug so fierce I thought my ribs might break. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement. Jessa was trying to climb the fence, struggling with her cane. Alexander walked over to help her.

  “Tati, that was incredible,” I said, “With the glass.”

  Tatiana’s face lit up. “I didn’t do it on my own,” she said. “A demon helped me.”

  “And you’re all right with that?” I asked.

  Tatiana nodded vigorously. “My father has always believed that all living beings are equally capable of being good and evil,” she said. “Why should demons be any different?”

  Jessa came to us as quickly as she could, leaning on Alexander’s arm.

  “Wynter, are you all right?” she asked, turning me to inspect my back.

  “I’m fine,” I said. “Apparently, Guinevere’s charm heals, too.”

  I unfolded my palm. Jessa and Tatiana leaned close, looking over the pendant. The winged lion glittered in the blue light of the stone.

  “Decay and growth,” Tatiana said. “That’s incredible. For Nick to have made that, he must’ve been remarkably powerful. Do you think we’ll be able to enter the chamber now?”

  “I don’t know,” I frowned. “We don’t have Viviane this time.”

  “Hopefully, she doesn’t show up either. I’d be perfectly content with never seeing another Rosewood as long as I live.” Alexander paused thoughtfully. “Well, most of them.”

  “We can’t blame this all on Viviane,” I said. “She did what she thought was right.”

  Alexander shook his head. “She wanted to hurt you. That’s all.”

  But it wasn’t all. Viviane had changed in the last few weeks, I’d seen it. Maybe learning that her real father came from the Lower Realms had given her a fresh perspective.

  “Do we need her, though?” Tatiana asked. “Isn’t it possible that the charm itself will work?”

  “We’re going to try,” Alexander replied. “If we can prove what’s really going on, it’ll give us leverage. Maybe we can even discover who is really releasing the demons, that would clear your name at least.”

  “Good,” Jessa said. “Tatiana told me about the chamber, but I didn’t get to go down with you the first time. I’m curious to see what’s there. I’ve always wondered what kind of magic holds the kingdoms in the sky.”

  Let’s go, then! Lucian exclaimed.

  Fire burst forth, lighting the entrance of the chamber.

  Alexander, hand on his sword, went first. I followed with Tatiana and Jessa behind me. Because Jessa couldn’t walk very fast, I slowed my pace to stay with her.

  “Thank you,” I said, touching her shoulder. “The vines were really a nice touch.”

  Jessa was a dancer, too, so it must’ve been hard for her to use magic at all with her injuries. She beamed at me. “I tried my best,” she said.

  “You set my father on fire,” Alexander said suddenly.

  “I can’t take credit for that,” I replied.

  Lucian had done that. I wondered if the king had been badly hurt.

  Why do you care? Lucian murmured. Do you truly believe he’s ignorant of the source of his kingdom’s power? Do you think he doesn’t realize what’s keeping Reverie afloat?

  I swallowed. Maybe not. But what could I do about it?

  Let them go, Lucian replied, a strange edge to his voice. Let the kingdom crash and burn.

  Perhaps. But didn’t my friends prove there was good here, too? Didn’t they prove that the people of Reverie could be something better than Lucian always thought they were?

  You’re right, Lucian conceded. I’ll grant you that. But that doesn’t mean some of them are deserving of redemption.

  Maybe not. But I’d always liked to see the best in people.

  I know, Lucian said. And I suppose that’s part of your charm. You look for the best in people. I think that might be your greatest strength, or your greatest weakness.

  “Have some faith in me, Lucian,” I muttered.

  Always, he replied.

  We reached the chamber and the locked doors beyond it. Giant slabs of stone, perfectly fitted together, were decorated with carved scenes of past battles. Giant waves destroyed cities, while mages opened round portals and waged war on monstrous, winged creatures. They bound the demons in crystal slabs, and lifted their cities into the skies.

  “Oh!” Jessa exclaimed, marveling at the artwork. “This is beautiful!”

  “Isn’t it?” Tatiana asked. “I imagine it’s magical in nature. I looked through Nick’s papers to see if I could find anything about its composition, but I’m afraid there weren’t any notes on it.”

  “I don’t know that it matters much,” Alexander replied. “Even if we knew what it was, I doubt that would help us get in.”

  I stepped forward and held Guinevere’s charm out.

  Focus, like Elaine had said.

  I took a deep breath and imagined the door opening. Nothing happened. I frowned and turned the pendant over in my hand. The stones were cold and dark against my skin.

  “I guess we do need Nick’s blood,” I said.

  “Do you think Viviane will agree to be involved?” Tatiana asked. “Maybe I should go back and look for her. With the chaos we caused, Eleanor and Frederick would probably—”

  Alexander drew his sword. “I don’t think we need Viviane,” he said.

  “But the charm didn’t work,” I replied.

  “I know that,” Alexander replied, “But since we’re here, let’s try. Give me your arm.”

  “Me?” I asked. “That doesn’t make any sense. Why would I be able to do it?”

  “It’s a theory,” Alexander replied. “Just trust me.”

  I sighed, offering him my arm. This was probably the first time I’d willingly let a man cut me. Alexander made a shallow incision over my forearm. I swiped my finger through the blood and slowly approached the door. What was Alexander thinking? There was no reason for this to work. I wasn’t even a mage.

  Lucian seemed strangely quiet, as if he was holding his breath. My fingers touched the cold, metal panel, leaving a trail of blood over it. I held up the pendant again. This time, it gave off a subtle glow that shimmered over the wet blood.

  A low rumble spread through the chamber. I thought it was another earthquake at first, but then we heard a loud click that echoed through the chamber. I stepped back in disbelief, staring at the hair-width crack between the open doors.

  ***

  “You did it!” Jessa exclaimed.

  Tatiana placed her hand against the door. There was something thoughtful about her expression, like she was trying to solve a puzzle, and the pieces were finally beginning to click together.

  There was heat and the sound of crackling beside me. I turned and watched as a ball of blue fire appeared, twisting and growing until it was nearly my height.

  Don’t be afraid, Lucian murmured. I’m not going to burn you.

  When the fire dissipated, a dragon stood there. My breath caught in my throat. I had faced a demon that looked like a dragon. It had been all scales and bulking muscle. This demon, though, was sleek and slender. Serpentine. It was only a foot or so taller than me and with red scales that caught the light. Its massive wings were feathered and black. I knew those wings.

  “Lucian?” I asked.

  Were you expecting someone else?

  My hand shook as I raised my hand and stroked the soft feathers of his wings.


  “Hello,” Tatiana said.

  Lucian tilted his head. I don’t think she can hear me, he said. Perhaps, if I took a human form, she could.

  “Are you going to?”

  Lucian stretched his wings. Not right now, he purred.

  “This is your…friend, Wynter?” Jessa asked.

  “Yes,” I said. “This is Lucian.”

  Jessa bit her lip.

  “So what the king said in the forum, it was true. You can talk to demons.”

  “Yes, but I swear, I’m not the one releasing them, controlling them. There’s someone else out there.”

  She looked like a rabbit on the verge of bolting, but slowly, she relaxed. “A friend of yours is a friend of mine,” she said finally.

  Alexander stood back, his arms crossed, and said nothing. Lucian snapped at him, causing him to stumble backward.

  Oh, I think I’ve upset your princeling, Lucian said. How delightful!

  “Stop that,” I said.

  Lucian rumbled with something that I thought was a laugh.

  Shall we enter, then?

  I nodded. “Let’s go,” I said.

  I pushed my shoulder against the door; Alexander joined me.

  “Be on your guard,” he said. “We’ve no idea what will be on the other side.”

  “Demons,” Tatiana said simply. “If my father is right, thousands of them.”

  “Yes,” Alexander said, “But considering they’re demons, and we’re mages, maybe that’s not a cause for celebration. And there may be traps in here.”

  Alexander and I pushed. The door creaked open. I slipped inside, my hand clenched tightly around Guinevere’s charm.

  The chamber was round and made of a sleek, white stone. There didn’t appear to be any seams where the different bits of stone met, as if it had been carved into a hollow circle, straight through the bedrock.

  Marble columns ran along the perimeter of the room, spinning slowly in uniform. Each was studded with hundreds of cubes of pink quartz, held in place with gold bands and covered in sigils. In the center was a massive chunk of white quartz, filled with long golden fibers, that stretched all the way to the high ceiling and pulsed like a beating heart.