Academy of Falling Kingdoms Box Set

by Marisa Mills

  That’s the last one, Lucian murmured. It takes a toll, remember?

  We slipped out of the Academy and into the town, with no one the wiser. The streets weren’t busy, and some of the shops had closed out of respect for the queen, but there was still enough commotion to blend in with the pedestrians showing off their finest black fashions.

  Performance grieving, to boost their status, Lucian said darkly.

  “Where are we going?” Alexander asked.

  Viviane hummed. “I don’t know,” she said. “I just wanted to get out.” We found our way towards the edge of Reverie, into a wide outdoor plaza funneling into a lookout point. A series of fountains churned together into canals of rushing blue water, that emptied right out over the edge, before the wind whipped it away into a fine mist.

  I gasped as we came to the final section of the platform. Thick, transparent panels of crystal projected a clear view of the landscape below. Even the outer wall was made of crystal; it was like walking straight out into the air. I experienced a wave of vertigo, and put my hand against my chest, my heart pounding against my palm. Down below, I could see a sliver of Argent, a patch of green and gold, cut off from the brown and gray stretch of the Scraps by its tall wall, and then the outer walls of crumbling stone that divided the Lower Realms from the vast forest that stretched into the distant mountains. It was a clear day and we could see farther than I’d ever seen before. The world was so much larger, I thought, and here we were, poisoning each other on a flying rock rather than confronting our inner demons. Literally, in this case.

  “My grandfather built it,” Alexander said, coming up next to me. “To impress the tourists.”

  “There are tourists in Reverie?” I asked.

  “Those who can afford the pass,” Viviane smirked. “I’ve heard it’s very common in Argent, for an unforgettable birthday or honeymoon. There are even packages you can buy.”

  Why was I not surprised? I’d starved half my life in the Scraps, while rich people in Argent paid for this view. My eyes returned to the streets far below, wondering where exactly Dorian was at the moment. Was he already on his way to Aubade? What would he find when he got there? I felt a rush of longing for Briar and Sterling, hoping they were safe as well.

  “We could see my father,” Tatiana offered, pulling us from our gloomy thoughts. “We didn’t get to last time.”

  “Can’t we just do something frivolous for one day?” Viviane asked. “Like shopping and ice cream?”

  “Considering Wynter has no black clothing,” Jessa said, “maybe we should search for bolts of cloth so we can get something made. But the ice cream sounds good.”

  Alexander picked at his black jacket, then looked up at the oversized black garment I was wearing.

  “Or maybe, some cheerful colors to wear once the mourning period has passed,” he said.

  “I can’t just hide under my blankets all week,” I said, once we started walking again. “I have to get dressed sometime.”

  “Are you sure?” Alexander teased quietly. “There’s a lot we could do under your blankets.”

  I glanced quickly at the others, my cheeks warming, but they didn’t seem to have heard.

  We wandered through the markets, further than I’d ever been. A wave of homesickness rose inside me as I remembered the vibrant market in the Scraps. This one was mostly covered, tight alleys filled with small stores, but the similarity was enough to form a lump in my throat.

  I drifted along with my friends, stroking my fingers over the fine bolts—satin, velvet, chiffon, tulle, silk, and countless other fabrics that I never thought I’d be allowed to touch, much less buy. I let Jessa and Viviane pick things out for me, and held still as a seamstress took my measurements in a round changing room lined with mirrors. Tatiana tried on increasingly ridiculous outfits to make us laugh, including one with so many yellow feathers she looked like a fat duckling.

  It was nice, and almost disturbing to see how easily we were all getting along. The youngest prince of Reverie, the daughter of accused spies from Aubade, the crazy girl who thought the sky was falling, and an orphan from the Scraps who was pretending to be a lady mage. I wasn’t even sure if that last description applied to me anymore, or to Viviane. They were all extraordinary in their own way; a motley crew of broken toys, that somehow fit together perfectly. I didn’t deserve them.

  You’re the girl who fell and survived, Lucian whispered. The one who speaks with demons; the daughter of Nicholas Armenia and Guinevere Rosewood. Your friends aren’t just doing you a favor, don’t you see? You’re the glue that holds them together.

  I also learned little things that I’d never known before. Dorian had been right; Alexander favored red. Viviane’s favorite color was purple. Jessa’s was blue, Tatiana’s green. They decided light blue was my color, though I’d always preferred navy and gray. I didn’t protest when they ordered a couple of black dresses and something blue I could wear the following week.

  Viviane charged everything to her father’s accounts. I learned that Frederick hired widows and old women to spin wool for him, which he then sold for a sizable profit. With his connections, she told me, we’d also be getting a cheaper deal.

  Jessa had taken a seat near the window, and I realized she must be tired. The light was already starting to fade, and in the dimness of the shop, the sigils running down the mage-tech that held Jessa together were burning brightly, like a row of distant stars.

  We started walking back, when something caught my eye in a small stall, squeezed between two stores. Unlike the other shops with large reams of fabric, this one’s wares were stacked in short piles, with colored patches of fabric squares. I ran my hand over the tightly stitched embroidery. It must have taken someone ages to make each square. The thread was so tight it flexed like hard scales beneath my fingers.

  “Imported from Selene,” the old man said. “The finest fabrics in the world, and only ten gold coins per sample.”

  “Is that all?” Alexander scoffed, picking up one of the samples and waving the square patch of fabric. “You could buy five suits for that price. This isn’t enough to even make a hat.”

  “The right hat could save your life,” the man said, with an enigmatic smile. Something about the fabric reminded me of the red dress Dorian had given me, and the riddle he’d mentioned in his note, but the others were already several shops ahead and we hurried to catch up with them.

  As we retraced our steps through the city, Alexander was hanging back, so I slowed my pace to walk alongside him. His smile was forced, but he stayed quiet. I didn’t know if he wanted to say something, or whether he was just making the moment last as long as possible. It had been a lovely day, despite everything—we even had time to stop for ice-cream—but I knew we couldn’t keep pretending everything was normal. The back of his hand bumped against mine, and he took my fingers loosely.

  “I can’t even imagine what you must be going through right now.” I said, breaking the silence between us. “How do you feel?”

  “Mostly, I’m in disbelief,” Alexander said. “My mother and I weren’t really as close as we should’ve been, but it’s strange to think I’ll never see her again. And the last time I saw her, we fought. About you, actually.”

  I winced. “I’m sorry,” I said.

  “It wasn’t your fault,” he said quickly. “You have to stop blaming yourself for everything. You can’t single handedly save the world, Wynter.”

  “I don’t blame myself for everything.” I thought.

  Yes, you do, Lucian replied.

  “If whoever killed the queen was one of the rebels, she was being punished for crimes she committed long before I came to Reverie,” I said, musing out loud. “On the other hand, Kit today said one of those rebels had been hired to go after me, because they needed my blood. I don’t think Kit knows everything about the chamber. Do you think we should tell him?”

  Alexander’s eyes sharpened suddenly, and he glan
ced around us. He shifted uneasily before speaking again.

  “You think the rebels are after you, so they might know about the demon chamber. If so, they could be trying to finish what Celeste started. And you and Viviane are more exposed, now that Dorian is gone. And locked up in the Academy all the time—”

  I offered a one-shouldered shrug. “That red dress you saw earlier was from him. He said to wear it after he dies.”

  Alexander snorted. “He’s such a strange man,” he said, “although I’m sure you’d look lovely at the funeral. You’d look lovely in anything.”

  I think I might vomit, Lucian said.

  “But with him gone,” Alexander continued, furrowing his eyebrows, “you and Viviane are more exposed, and usually locked up in the Academy. Now with my mother’s death, everyone is probably crowded together at the assembly.”

  “You think that has something to do with me?” I asked, a hand covering my mouth.

  “I don’t know,” Alexander said, “but we should probably get back. It’s almost sunset, the assembly will be ending soon. If I’m not around, Kit will probably think I’ve been abducted by Aubade’s agents or something.”

  I hadn’t even thought about that. Alexander was a prince; he had guards for a reason. Sneaking him out made him vulnerable, and put us all in danger. It was dusk before we reached the Academy. Through the twilight sky, I could see puffs of black smoke rising lazily between the silhouettes of the great buildings, and a handful of glowing lights illuminating the tall, black iron gates that curved towards the sky. One of the lamps flickered, creating a strobing light over the pretty scene. There were fewer guards this time, and they seemed to be lying down. I’d never seen them take breaks before. My heart raced, and my stomach twisted, even before we heard the muted sobs and cries for help, even before I smelled the blood.

  ***

  We raced towards the gates to close the distance. Two guards lay on the ground covered in blood, their metal breastplates smashed in and their throats ripped out. The Academy gates lay tangled around them, but they were bent the wrong way, as if something had been trying to get out. Pieces of other guards were strewn along the path like breadcrumbs. I closed my eyes and walked past a young soldier’s head, as it considered me with astonished eyes. He couldn’t have been much older than I was.

  “Stay behind me,” Alexander said, drawing his sword. I curled my fingers into the air, and Lucian’s blue-green fire leaped hungrily to my hand. A shadow flickered near the bushes as we crossed through the main entrance. I whirled around to find Francisca at my side, her knives already unsheathed. A dark shawl covered half her face, but I could still see her worried expression.

  “How did you—” Alexander began.

  “I followed you,” Francisca said. “There’s nothing to do around the estate with His Lordship gone.”

  Francisca strode forward, blades gleaming in the moonlight. I trailed after her, unsheathing my sword as I walked. Viviane and Tatiana came behind us, clutching their pens and drawing golden sigils up their arms for strength and protection. Jessa hobbled after us, clearly favoring one leg. She wiped the look of pain from her face when our eyes met. The closer we came to the building itself, the worse it got. Shattered crystal and fractured stone littered the ground, crunching under our footsteps. As we passed through the arched doorway, we had to step over fallen pillars and broken statues. When we reached the main hall where the assembly was to take place, a vaulted chamber with stain-glassed windows, Alexander pushed on the doors but they wouldn’t open.

  Barred from the inside, Lucian said. Francisca slipped away, climbing in through the shattered remains of a window, and unlocked the door for us a moment later. But instead of pulling it open, she blocked the entrance with her body.

  “Go back to the dorms,” she hissed between her teeth. “You don’t need to see this.”

  But it was too late. My eyes had already seen the thick puddle of blood covering the stone floors, oozing towards us. I pushed past her, nearly stumbling over the bodies. It looked like a fruit salad, where colorful mages and stern soldiers had been chopped up and blended together. Most were destroyed so thoroughly that they were unrecognizable. I choked back the bile that rose in my throat.

  Behind me, Tatiana retched, leaning against the wall, and Jessa rubbed her back. I was too frozen to move, though my hands shook so badly I finally lowered my blade and put it away.

  “I should have been here…” Alexander trailed off. Dread spread across his features as he studied the bodies, probably looking for Kit’s royal uniform amongst the fallen soldiers.

  “If you were here, you’d be dead like the others,” Francisca said, her voice hard. “Let’s not speculate or assign blame before we know exactly what’s happened.”

  Demons happened, Lucian said.

  But there hadn’t been any earthquakes. And while Celeste had used demons to attack us before, it took a tremendous amount of energy. Whatever this was, it was so much worse. Had they escaped when my friends and I opened the chamber? But how could so many of them show up now, at the same time and place?

  Whatever demon—or demons—had come through, it had slaughtered everything in its path. The blood was so thick it sank into my shoes. I squinted my eyes, trying to narrow my vision. I wanted to see as little as possible. But I couldn’t help searching every body we passed for a familiar face.

  Francisca followed the trail of bodies, opened the ballroom and then slammed the doors closed just as quickly. “Don’t,” she said. “There’s nothing you can do.” I followed her, even though my every instinct was screaming at me to look in the room.

  “It’s so quiet,” Viviane whispered, her voice shaking.

  “Do you…do you think everyone is dead?” Viviane whispered, her voice shaking.

  “They can’t be,” Tatiana said, sounding distant.

  “They’re here somehow,” Francisca said. “I know it seems bad, but we’ve only seen a few dozen bodies so far, if you don’t include the king’s guards. They seem to have taken the worst of it. Probably because they aren’t trained how to fight demons.”

  We were halfway down a flight of stairs when I heard footsteps on the level above us. I spun around, pointing upwards. Francisca placed herself in front of me and brandished her knives.

  “I am Francisca. My master is Dorian, Lord Rosewood,” she said. “Who—”

  Before Francisca could finish her introduction, Delacroix emerged from the shadows, climbing down the half-collapsed staircase. Her eyes were wild and her teeth bared. Blood covered most of her; it was even drying in her hair.

  “What happened?” I asked.

  “Demons,” Delacroix replied, “At least a dozen. Where were you five? Prince Kit has been worried sick.”

  “He’s alive, then?” Alexander asked, his face easing into relief.

  I swallowed. “We…we went out to town,” I said weakly.

  Delacroix nodded. “Perhaps, it was for the best,” she said. “I’ve never seen anything like this. They were massive, monstrous things. Old and powerful.”

  “With Celeste gone, there shouldn’t be anyone to summon or control them,” Francisca said. “And demons don’t team up into battalions. How did this even happen?”

  “Follow me,” Delacroix replied. She led us downstairs, deeper into the building, until I realized we were near the room of choosing, where I’d picked out my sword. The door to the room had been blown off its hinges. It was half scorched and still smoldering against the burned carpet, sending a foul smell through the air. The carefully organized jewelry and weaponry lay in broken pieces and piles, littering the ground. It looked like a tornado had ripped through the room.

  “We fear Aubade has other agents,” Delacroix said. “But freeing a demon you can’t control is dangerous, they’ll lash out at the first thing they see. They can’t even help it, after being contained so long, they’re like pufferfish, shooting thorns in every direction when threatened
.”

  I’m vaguely offended by that comparison, Lucian grumbled.

  “But it also takes time, and we check this room regularly. There would have had to be several to free this many at the same time, and what we can’t figure out is how they got through the guards at the gate, and all the way downstairs without being seen.”

  “Oh, well that part’s easy,” Viviane said. She pushed past us to the back of the room, flicking the latch that held the door to the secret passage shut. Delacroix’s jaw dropped as Viviane swiveled open a section of the wall, revealing darkness behind.

  “In hindsight,” Alexander muttered, “I should have told Kit about that earlier.”

  Delacroix’s shoulders were shaking and for a moment I thought she was going to yell at him. But it wasn’t his fault. We’d all known about the secret passage.

  “How many other people knew about this tunnel?” Delacroix asked, her eyes narrowing.

  “I’m not sure,” I said. “Besides Celeste and the five of us.”

  “My father, maybe,” Tatiana said. “He showed us the blueprints in the first place.”

  Gareth knew, Lucian said.

  “Where…where is everyone?” I asked suddenly, fear prickling up my neck.

  “The infirmary or the dormitories,” Delacroix replied, sucking in a deep breath. “Protected by the rest of the guards and teachers. The rest of us are patrolling the corridors to make sure all the demons are really gone.”

  “What about Du Lac?” I asked. “Gareth?”

  “I haven’t seen Du Lac since this began,” Delacroix said, “and Gareth is badly injured.”

  I let out a strangled cry, and Francisca put a hand on my shoulder.

  “It was the strangest thing,” Delacroix said, her voice haunted. “We were all together at the assembly. The demons came out of nowhere, and even some of our own enchanted objects weren’t working. Magic requires energy, and pens are charged with demons to power the sigils.”