by R. L. Perez
Izzy exhaled and laughed. “That would be a nice problem for me to have. It would mean I’d stop hurting people.”
“Yeah, well, it’s not that great,” I grumbled. “I’m not mortal, so I don’t fit in there. But I’m not allowed to be part of my mom’s coven, so . . .” I lifted my shoulder in a shrug.
“Your mum’s coven?” Riker asked. “What about your dad?”
“He’s a demon, so he belongs to a different coven.”
Riker’s fork fell on his plate with a loud clatter. Several voices fell silent as some of the other boys turned to look at us. Riker chuckled and said loudly, “Bit my tongue. Don’t fret over me, you lot.”
A few of the Douchebags rolled their eyes before returning to their food. Riker leaned closer to me over the table and hissed, “Your dad’s a demon?”
I nodded. My throat felt dry. I met Juan’s gaze from farther down the table, and he quickly looked away. Remembering his reaction when I’d mentioned my father, I whispered, “You guys hate all demons then? Even the ones who follow the law?”
Riker shook his head, closing his eyes. “It’s not just that, Brielle. The Count believes all demons are inherently evil. That they’re all going to Hell no matter what. Remember what time period you’re in. Religion is a lifestyle for these people. They think demons are crimes against nature and can’t be cured. It doesn’t matter if your father is the most charitable saint in the world. He’s a demon. And you need to be careful.”
“If the Count finds out,” Izzy said quietly, her face grave, “there’s no telling what he’d do.”
My blood ran cold as I looked at Juan again. He was speaking with Armin and avoiding my gaze. But I couldn’t help remembering that he was from the eighteenth century. He knew the Count. It was only a matter of time before he shared the information with him.
If he hadn’t already.
I’ve got to find a way out of here. Fast.
12
Brielle
AFTER BREAKFAST, THE Count announced we had the day to ourselves while he and the mages repaired things from yesterday’s attack—and no doubt scoured the castle to see if anything important had been stolen.
I found it odd that the Count volunteered to do this himself instead of leaving it to the help, but I wasn’t going to complain. Not when it provided me a full day of research.
Knowing I might be in some kind of trouble because of my demon lineage, I was even more determined to find out more about this stupid time period and how to escape.
Izzy showed me to the library so I could get to work. The room itself was as big as a cathedral and had shelves climbing all the way to the ceiling. It made me feel grateful for the help, though I’d turned my nose up at it earlier. Tackling it on my own seemed way too intimidating.
“The books are arranged by topic and then date,” Izzy said, stretching out her hand to gesture to the monstrosity of books. “But very few of them are in English.” She smirked at me.
“I have a way around that,” I said quietly, approaching the nearest bookshelf and squinting at the titles. Under my breath, I uttered a spell.
“Magic above and powers that be,
Translate these words here before me.”
My hands glowed blue, and the titles shifted before my eyes. I read through labels of medieval magical battles and warfare, then strode past them to the next set of shelves.
Izzy let out a low whistle. “That’s amazing.” She approached the shelf and frowned, cocking her head. “It still looks the same to me.”
“It only works for the caster,” I said absently, running my finger along the old leatherbound texts as I searched.
Izzy chuckled. “That’s a shame. I was thinking you could invent the translation charm early.”
I didn’t answer. My brow furrowed as I moved past the books about wars, medicines, indigenous cultures, and education before I found a book about the history of demon covens. I hefted the large book off the shelf and wiped dust from the surface, coughing as the particles filled the air.
I slammed the book on the table between the two armchairs.
“Can I cast the spell too?” Izzy asked, squinting at the foreign text. “Then I can help you.”
I hesitated for a moment, but the eagerness in her eyes told me she wouldn’t back down. I sighed. “Yeah, you can cast the spell yourself.”
“Fantastic. What am I looking for?”
“Any information about this time period—Leo and his coven and where they came from, the dark warlock who cursed the city with the time loop . . . anything that might help.” I returned to the shelves and scoured them until I found what I was looking for: demon mythology and origins. I glanced over at Izzy and found her poring over the book, leaning closer as her eyes narrowed with concentration.
My heart racing, I selected a book and pried it open, holding it against my chest as I flipped through pages. Then I found it.
Lilith’s curse.
My eyes flew back and forth as I quickly read through the section, skimming for anything helpful. Lilith only possesses female witches . . . A beast is conjured, wreaking havoc and destruction . . . The witch never regains her powers when Lilith takes control . . . The only way to stop the beast is by killing the witch.
My blood chilled as I read. But the more I studied the passages, the more my heart sank in my chest. It didn’t mention anywhere how to defeat Lilith or resist her influence, nor did it say how to stop the beast without killing the cursed witch.
A lump formed in my throat. If I truly was Lilith’s cursed witch, then I was doomed.
And if I wasn’t, I had no way to prove it. Once the Count found out I had demon blood in me, he was sure to jump to the conclusion that I was responsible for unleashing the horrible monster that kept destroying the city.
I flipped through pages, trying to find any information about what kind of creature was unleashed. I spotted words like dragon, phoenix, wraith, and hellion, though it was all speculation. No one knew for sure.
Right, I thought, determined. Time to switch gears and find a way out of here.
“What are you two doing in here?” a voice asked.
I slammed the book shut and fumbled to keep it in my grasp. My wide eyes looked up at the intruder.
Riker stood there, leaning against a bookshelf, his eyebrows raised.
Izzy shot me a glance before she responded. “Research. Want to help?”
I suppressed a groan and shelved the book I was reading.
“With what?” Riker asked, striding toward the table where Izzy was sitting. He peered over her shoulder and wrinkled his nose. “Blimey, Izzy. This is in Greek. I didn’t know you could read that!”
Izzy snickered and shared an amused glance with me. “Courtesy of Brielle’s ingenious enchantment.”
Riker looked up at me with wide eyes. Half his mouth lifted in a smile. “You translated this?”
I shrugged, looking away. “Just a little charm. It’ll wear off soon.”
“That’s brilliant.”
I tried to suppress my smile, but I was hopeless. My cheeks warmed, and I inwardly cursed myself. You aren’t doing yourself any favors by liking him, I told myself. Especially if you’re just doomed to die anyway.
“How can I help?” Riker asked, taking the seat opposite Izzy.
“She wants information about Leo Serrano and his coven,” Izzy said.
Before I could correct her and mention I wanted information about more than just Leo, Riker perked up. He straightened in his chair. “Why are you picking through these dusty old things? I can tell you everything about the coven.”
I sighed and pulled up a chair to join Riker and Izzy. There was no use avoiding it now. I might as well take advantage of what he knows.
“Who is Leo Serrano?” I asked, clasping my hands together on my lap. “Where did he come from? And what does he want from the Count?”
Riker grinned. “Ah, well, it’s quite a long story.”
I raised my
eyebrows expectantly while Izzy rolled her eyes and returned to her reading.
Riker sat forward with an eager glint in his eyes. “Just after the Great Mage War, covens from both sides were severely depleted. Leo’s brother, Ronaldo, rose to power. He was a shapeshifter, just like Leo, but he was young. Barely eighteen years old.
“The light coven, led by the Count and his mages, tirelessly hunted the Serrano coven until the demons were forced underground to wait out the search. Ronaldo was . . . inexperienced. He believed he could ambush the Count and launch an attack, but many of his demon followers doubted they would survive. Several defected to another coven, leaving the Serrano brothers with only half the numbers they originally had.
“According to the history I studied, Leo and Ronaldo had a falling out. Leo wanted to abandon the idea of an assault and rejoin the demons who had left, but Ronaldo was determined to prove himself. Leading just a few men, Ronaldo crept into the Castillo de Coca and slaughtered many of the soldiers. He stumbled upon something large and powerful that caused a great explosion, reducing many of the rooms to rubble and ash. When the area was cleared, Ronaldo and his men were gone. Never found.
“It is said that ever since then, Leo has regrouped his coven and launched attack after attack, trying to find the weapon his brother had stumbled upon to get it out of the Count’s hands. The historians of my time were never certain if Leo sought revenge or somehow still believed his brother was alive.”
I frowned, staring hard at the smooth mahogany of the table. “And . . . is there a weapon hidden here?”
“Lilith, no,” Riker said with a laugh. “I’ve seen the Count’s mages perform some powerful, explosive magic. I’m certain that Ronaldo was attacked and cursed into oblivion and that’s what caused the explosion. Leo is as stubborn and persistent as his brother, but he’s clever and patient as well. He hid away for years, training and recruiting more demons to his coven to rebuild his numbers. Every attack of his was planned and calculated, and even though we always saw them coming, they were quite a challenge for us.”
“And what about the time loop?” I asked. “When did that happen?”
Riker stroked his chin thoughtfully. “After Ronaldo’s death, I believe. Lilith’s beast emerged right around the same time Ronaldo was killed, so Leo’s counterattack was put on hold as the city was under siege by the beast. Then, the dark warlock trapped the city in the time loop, and . . .” Riker sat back and spread his hands wide. “Now you’re all caught up.”
My brows knitted together as I tried to sort through all the information. Leo’s brother snuck into the castle, there was some huge explosion, then Lilith’s beast emerged, and the dark warlock cast the spell, locking everyone into the time loop.
Which meant Leo’s brother wouldn’t come back. Because he died before the time loop started.
Sheesh, what a mess.
“Did Leo and his coven remember anything when the time loop started?” I asked.
“I assume not. Otherwise why would they keep attacking? My guess is the loss of his brother is still fresh, which is why he continues his offensive. But it certainly changes things now that he’s found a way out of the time loop.”
I leaned forward. “What is Lilith’s beast? Have you seen it?”
Riker shook his head. “None of us have. It only emerges at night. It has a great roar that shakes the trees and the ground, and it rains fire down from the sky. Many believe it to be a dragon. Others think it’s a mutant Elemental—like a shapeshifter hybrid, similar to Leo.”
“You don’t try to hunt it down or stop it?”
“No. Since we’re exempt from the time loop, if we die, then”—he shrugged—“we don’t come back. The Count thinks it’s too risky. He’s more intent on finding the cursed witch and stopping the monster that way.”
I kept my gaze fixed on the table as I asked quietly, “And who is the cursed witch? Have you found her yet?”
“No. We assume she’s a demon, though. The Count has led several attacks on the demon’s coven but hasn’t found any clues yet. But now that the demons have broken free from the time loop, he fears that Lilith’s cursed witch will find a way out of the city. If she survives . . .” He closed his eyes. “She could destroy the world.”
A foul taste filled my mouth, and I swallowed. She could destroy the world. I could destroy the world.
No, I argued with myself. It’s not true. It isn’t me. I would know. Someone would know.
I cleared my throat. “What about . . . this dark warlock? What do you know about him?”
Riker blew air through his lips. “Nothing. According to history as I know it, this time loop never happened. So, whoever cast it never went down in history. Now, I do know about the demons of this time period—the Serrano brothers, of course, and their predecessor named Fernando Castillo. He was a bloody awful bloke. He used to torture light casters—for fun.” Riker shuddered. “Then, the one before him, Santiago Suares, he—”
“I found something,” Izzy interrupted, lifting a finger in the air. “This here says the Serrano brothers had a sister.”
Riker sat up straighter, and I sucked in a breath. “A sister?” I repeated.
Izzy nodded. “Lucia Serrano.”
“What happened to her?” I asked.
Izzy shook her head. “It doesn’t say. It’s just listed here in their family tree.”
Riker frowned, his eyes contemplative. “I haven’t heard her mentioned in the stories. Perhaps she died young.”
“How does Leo’s story end?” I whispered, almost afraid to ask. “Who prevails in this battle between his coven and the Count?”
Riker looked up to meet my gaze. “You have to keep in mind, Brielle, that history has been affected because of the time loop and because of everyone’s arrival here. If the dark warlock had never cursed this place and if the Councils around the world had never sent impaired casters here, things would be very different.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
Riker paused, pressing his lips together. “Eventually, the Spanish monarch sends an army to assist the Count. They slaughter all the demon covens in the city.”
The news should have brought me relief, but it didn’t. A hollow feeling settled in my chest, and I looked away from him.
Leo would lose his life and his coven. He would never avenge his brother or find out what killed him.
Riker leaned closer to me and brushed his thumb against my neck. I suppressed a shiver.
“He bit you?” he asked quietly.
I nodded.
“Be careful. Your blood can be tracked.”
I hesitated. “I’m not sure that it can.”
Riker stared at me. “Why not?”
“He said he tasted something . . . different about my blood. Something unexpected. He didn’t tell me what it was, though.”
“It probably has to do with your ailment,” Izzy said.
“Probably.” I felt Riker’s gaze on me, but I stood and returned to the bookshelf to find something else to peruse.
13
Brielle
I STAYED IN THE LIBRARY past lunch. Izzy left to eat and when she came back, her wind became so uncontrollable that she kept billowing through the pages and ruffling our notes. She excused herself to find a mage to help calm her powers.
To my surprise, Riker stayed with me in the library. Both our stomachs growled, but we continued our research. After a few hours, Riker ran a hand through his red hair, ruffling it slightly.
“This is so frustrating,” he muttered. “Not a thing about Lucia Serrano. She didn’t just vanish. If she’d died, there would’ve been an obituary, death certificate, or some kind of record from the local parish.”
“Maybe the family kept quiet about it.”
“That doesn’t sound like something the Count would just let slide, though. He was watching the Serrano family for ages. He would’ve wanted to know for sure.”
“Maybe he keeps documents like tha
t under lock and key.” I looked at Riker, widening my eyes. “There are places we aren’t supposed to explore in this castle, right?”
Riker squinted at me in suspicion. “Why Brielle Gerrick, I’m surprised at you. Are you suggesting we snoop around?”
I shrugged, biting back a smile. “Aren’t you curious?”
Riker offered a low chuckle. “Maybe. But not curious enough to incur the Count’s wrath. We all keep our memories when the year resets, so it’s not like he’ll forget about it if you cross him. He’ll carry that grudge forever.”
“I’m new here, though. I can just pretend like I didn’t know the rules yet.”
Riker crossed his arms and smirked at me. “And what about me? What’s my excuse?”
“I dragged you against your will, threatening to cut you open if you refused.” I flashed a grin.
Riker snorted. “It’d be more believable if we claimed you’d seduced me.”
My face flushed, and I looked away, though I felt his eyes on me.
“What?” he said quietly. “You don’t believe that’s possible?”
I raised my eyebrows and said nothing. My face still felt unbearably hot.
“You’re right,” Riker said, his tone suddenly serious. “It would be better to convince them it was my idea and I’d seduced you.”
A loud snort burst from me before I could stop myself. I clapped a hand over my lips, giggling madly. Riker joined in, pointing at me with glee all over his face.
“Very ladylike,” he choked, wiping a tear from his eye. “Just add it to your long list of charms and wiles you use to ensnare men.”
More laughs poured from me. “Love at first snort.”
Riker barked out a laugh that echoed through the library. In a smooth, narrator-like voice, he said, “And he knew right then and there—when he met her gaze and she squealed like a pig—that he was truly enamored with her.”
