Seraphim Academy 3: Fallen Kings

by Briggs, Elizabeth;

  As we enter the auditorium, I spot Jeremy in the crowd, and remember it’s not all good here. He’s been a prick ever since he learned I was half demon, and then he fought with the Order against us. He even tried to get me killed by a drone once. We questioned the asshole after we got back from Faerie, but he told us nothing and we had to let him go. What else could we do with him? We couldn’t hold him prisoner. We couldn’t turn him over to the authorities. As far as we know, the Order reaches far wider than the school. We can’t even trust the Princes’ parents or the other Archangels.

  Once we’re seated, Uriel walks out onto the stage and the entire room quiets immediately. Even from a distance, Uriel’s Archangel presence radiates power, and when he gazes across the crowd it’s like he can see into your soul and uncover all your darkest secrets. I hate it every time those eyes fall on me.

  “Welcome to another year at Seraphim Academy,” Uriel begins. He then launches into his usual speech about the history of the school, how it was founded in 1921 with only fourteen students, and after the Earth Accords it expanded a lot. I tune him out and think back to the end of last year.

  After graduation, Uriel summoned us all to his office and asked us what happened. We couldn’t lie. Well, technically I could thanks to my necklace, a fae relic from my mother that allows me to conceal the truth. But the others? No way. Uriel’s the most powerful Ofanim around. Not to mention, his Archangel power allows him to see glimpses of people’s past when he looks them in the eye, according to Bastien. We had no hope of lying or hiding the truth, so we told him everything. How we fought the Order during the soccer game against the fae. How we found the Staff and Jonah in Faerie. How Grace betrayed us when she took the Staff. Nariel’s death. Eveanna’s banishment to Earth. Everything.

  We had no choice.

  Uriel already knew about the Order, of course. How could he not? But he claimed he thought they were a harmless secret society on campus acting as an elite fraternity, and nothing more. He didn’t realize they were killing people or going after the Staff, and he thanked us for bringing it to his attention. He said he’d be diligent this year in working to remove them from campus and asked us to report anything else we found out about the Order’s activities at Seraphim Academy. He also covered for our absence while we were in Faerie, along with Nariel’s death, and made Eveanna an official fae representative to the school in order to explain her presence here. He even let her stay in one of the professor’s dorms.

  “Although there have been no Duskhunter attacks in months, we must be vigilant in case they return,” Uriel says, bringing my focus back to the present. “Until we are sure the area is safe, you are not allowed to leave campus without permission. We will plan two days a month for each student to visit Angel Peak, and these will be staggered for safety. In addition, we recommend all second and third years carry their weapons on them at all times.”

  I glance at Araceli in surprise. I didn’t expect that one. The attacks have stopped, and Gabriel and Uriel have worked hard to make sure both Angel Peak and Seraphim Academy are safe. Do they expect another attack soon?

  “Now I would like to introduce the new members of our staff,” Uriel says.

  Three people emerge from the side of the stage, and the first one is Bastien. He’s wearing a black button-up shirt with slacks and his sharp, handsome face is serious and cold as he faces the auditorium. Last year he sat in this audience, and now he’ll be teaching his peers, including some people he shared classes with. Is he nervous about that? It’s impossible to tell with him. I doubt anyone would question him as a professor though—he’s much too scary for that.

  “Professor Bastien will be teaching Angelic Studies this year,” Uriel says. He doesn’t mention Kassiel at all, which makes me scowl. Technically Kassiel quit his job to find the Staff, but he would have been forced out anyway once people realized who he was.

  I nearly laugh at the realization that once again I’ll be sleeping with my hot professor. Uriel knows, of course, but he asked us to keep our relationship on the down low this year until I graduate. I’m just glad he didn’t forbid us from seeing each other, but maybe he knew that wasn’t going to happen.

  “Professor Rosangela is the new teacher of Ishim Studies,” Uriel continues, gesturing at a woman beside him. Again, no mention of what happened to Nariel. It’s probably better this way. If people knew he was dead there would be too many questions, and possibly an inquiry into his death at Callan’s hand. He did it to protect me, but other angels might not see it that way, or they might feel that my life wasn’t worth protecting over Nariel’s. Especially if they’re secretly in the Order. Until we stop them, our little group is on our own.

  We can’t trust anyone except ourselves.

  Chapter Five

  Olivia

  Class starts the next morning, and while I’m excited to be back at Seraphim Academy, it’s hard to focus knowing the Staff is out there somewhere. We don’t have any new leads at the moment, and we have no idea how close the Order is to using it. My blood boils just thinking about Grace, imagining when she used the Staff to shoot a bolt of light at my brother. I’m going to find her and make her pay.

  Until then, all we can do is wait.

  At least Jonah is in school with me. My first class of the day is Ishim Training, and I can’t help but grin when I see him already in the class when I arrive. I searched for Jonah for two years, and I found him when no one else could. Granted, he wasn’t locked up in Faerie like I presumed, or dead like everyone else thought. He stayed in Faerie of his own choice to protect the Staff, mainly to keep me safe.

  Turns out, we’ve both been trying to save the other one for the last two years. Jonah and I might not have grown up together, but we would do anything for each other. Including going to Hell—or in our case, Faerie—and back. That’s family for you, I guess.

  Professor Rosangela looks like someone’s favorite aunt, with soft curves, super curly brown hair, and laugh lines around her eyes. “Welcome to Ishim Training. I’m Rosie. Please don’t feel like you have to call me professor, and for the love of apple pie, don’t call me Rosangela. That’s what my grandmother calls me before she starts yelling.”

  The class chuckles along with her, and I find myself smiling too. She’s so damn likeable, it’s impossible to resist.

  “You may be wondering why I’m qualified to teach this course. I’ve worked for Gabriel for six hundred years. I’ve been a spy, a scout, and a guardian angel to kings, presidents, and even a few celebrities.” She gives us a kind smile, and I bet her appearance makes her perfect for any of those roles. I already want to invite her over to bake cookies in my kitchen while I spill all my secrets to her. “Now that I have grandkids I’m taking a break from that life, and this seemed like the perfect position for me.”

  I wonder if Gabriel recommended her for the job. I wonder what she thinks of Azrael, who tried to take over as leader of the Ishim for years, until he got a better job as leader of all angels. I wonder who will take my father’s place now that he’s been kicked off the Archangel council.

  Yeah, I’m wondering a lot of things these days.

  “By now, you’ve probably learned most of the advanced Ishim moves, so this year we’re going to focus on preparing you for life after graduation,” Rosie continues. “As an Ishim, you’ll be expected to serve the angelic community as a spy, scout, messenger, guardian, or even assassin. There are plenty of skills you’ll need for any of those roles, and that’s what I’ll be teaching you. How to observe your surroundings and take in all the details. How to move silently. How to sneak into places. How to protect from the shadows…or kill.”

  I share a wide-eyed glance with Jonah. I’m starting to rethink inviting Rosie over for cookies. It’s hard to imagine her sneaking around or killing anyone, but maybe that’s why she was so good at her job.

  It’s also hard for me to imagine what I’ll be doing after graduation. None of those jobs sounds right to me. I’m already goo
d at sneaking around, and a master at breaking and entering, but I’m not sure I want to be a spy. Definitely not an assassin either. Guardian angel? No thanks. I have enough on my plate already.

  “Once we see what you’re good at, we can help you decide your career path, and whether you’d like to work for the Archangels, for Aerie Industries, or do something else entirely.” Rosie smiles at the class. “Think of me as your career counselor.”

  She lets us leave class ten minutes early, and says we’ll be starting our training tomorrow. Jonah and I head out of class together, but neither of us are in a hurry, so we sit in the grass and soak up some sunlight.

  Jonah stretches out his long legs and looks up at the bright sky. “It’s so weird being back here,” he says as he glances at the students walking by. “I don’t know any of the other students. All my classmates graduated last year, and I was gone before any of these people came here.”

  “Well, you’ve got me,” I point out. “And Araceli.”

  “True.” He gives me one of his easy-going smiles that make him look just like Dad. “Being in school with you for the first time is the only thing making this tolerable.”

  “Do you miss Faerie?” I worked so hard to rescue him, but over the break I caught him staring off into the distance or poring through some of my books on the fae, and sometimes I wonder if he wished I hadn’t brought him back.

  He idly rips up pieces of grass. “Sometimes. It’s so different there.”

  I bite my lip and look away. “Maybe you can go back sometime. Do you have any idea what you’ll do when you graduate?”

  He shakes his head. “Not a clue. You?”

  “Nope.”

  Time’s up. We get to our feet, and he slings an arm around me. “We’ll figure it out together. With Rosie’s help, I guess. Can you believe our new professor?”

  I lean against him as we head to our next classes. “She’s very different from Nariel, that’s for sure.”

  “No kidding. I bet she’s a mean assassin.”

  “Seriously. No one would ever suspect her. You and Dad have the same thing though.”

  “What thing?” he asks.

  “That thing that makes people immediately trust you. You’re like the quintessential boy next door, and Dad is like that friendly neighbor who throws BBQs for the entire block.” I shrug. “Whatever it is, I don’t have it.”

  Jonah shoves me a little. “No, you look like trouble.”

  I grin at him. “Damn right I do.”

  Yeah, it’s good to have my brother back.

  Chapter Six

  Olivia

  Next up, Combat Training. I’ve been working with Tanwen all winter to improve my skills and I was looking forward to showing them off, until I learned Callan is going to be there. When is he going to get it through his thick skull that I don’t need or want his constant protection?

  Araceli catches up with me and Jonah halfway to the gym, and we all head in together. Tanwen is already inside standing with her Valkyrie friends, but she gives us a little wave, which surprises me. I wasn’t sure if she’d still be cool once her friends were around.

  “Everyone gather close,” Hilda calls out. She stands in the center of the gym with her hands on her hips and a huge sword strapped to her back, looking every inch the formidable Valkyrie. “This year we’re going to continue to work with your chosen weapon until you’re an expert. We’re also going to learn some more advanced maneuvers, such as aerial combat. It’s my hope you won’t ever have to fight in the sky, but it’s a skill all angels need to learn. It certainly helped in the fight against the drones last year. If they come back, I want you to be ready for them.”

  I remember those attacks, and how chaotic and difficult it was trying to fight and fly at the same time. The only reason I’m still alive is because Tanwen saved me at one point.

  “I guess this is why this gym has such a tall ceiling,” Jonah mutters, and Araceli grins.

  “Callan and I will demonstrate some of the things we’ll be practicing this year,” Hilda says, before turning to the man I’ve been trying very hard to ignore. It’s impossible, of course. Callan dominates any room he’s in, even when he’s just standing to the side with his hands behind his back. That plain blue t-shirt shows off every muscle in his hard chest, and those sweatpants cling to his tapered waist. I tear my eyes away.

  Callan grabs a sword, and then his gold-tipped white wings spread wide to launch him into the air. Hilda leaps up with her own pearly white wings and raises her large sword, and the clash of their weapons makes the class gasp. I can’t help but watch with rapt attention as they pivot, slash, and fly around each other with a speed and beauty I could never achieve. They’re both Erelim, bred to be warriors, with the thrill of combat running through their veins. When the dance comes to an end, the entire class applauds. Even me.

  After that, we’re given some time to pair up and spar using our preferred weapons. Lilith’s daggers are too dangerous to use in class—one touch of the dark-infused blade would be enough to make an angel scream—so I grab some practice knives instead. I try to get paired with Araceli or Jonah or even Tanwen, but of course Hilda puts me with Callan. Who else?

  “How does it feel, slumming it with us students?” I ask, as I grip the hilts of the practice daggers.

  Callan grits his teeth and raises his sword. “Show me these new moves Tanwen taught you.”

  He comes after me and I use both daggers to fend him off, spinning and slashing the way I practiced for hours with Tanwen.

  Hilda comes to watch and nods her approval. “I can tell you’ve been practicing, Olivia. Nice work.”

  Her praise makes my chest swell, and I wipe the sweat off my brow and smile at her. She heads over to watch Jonah and Araceli next. Jonah picked up some fae moves while in Faerie—I’ve seen him practicing with Eveanna sometimes—and he’s showing one of them to Araceli now. She nods with determination in her eyes and tries it herself, while Hilda adds her own notes.

  Class is over before I know it, and then it’s time for lunch. I grab a quick bite to eat in the cafeteria with Araceli—Jonah has another class, unfortunately—and then we head to our third year angelic class, Immortal Ethics. Except on the way there, Araceli realizes she forgot her bag in the cafeteria and has to run back. I promise to save her a seat in class.

  This class is in the main building, the one with the Princes’ bell tower on top, and I make my way up to the second floor. When I get to the room I’m a little early, but the professor waves me inside. He’s wearing jeans and has close-cropped dark hair and warm eyes. I’ve never seen a professor wear jeans in class before.

  “Please, come in,” he says. “I’m Professor Simiel.”

  “Hello. I’m Olivia.” I step into the room and finger the strap on my bag. I’ve never met this guy and have no idea how he feels about me being half demon. Last year my Light Control teacher was downright terrified of me.

  He gives me a wide smile, showing perfect teeth. “I’ve been eager to meet you. Please, have a seat.” He maneuvers me to sit right at the front of the room. “So, you’re the hybrid.”

  “That’s me,” I say, as I take a seat. I’m still not sure where he’s going with this.

  He leans on the edge of his desk, crosses his arms, and stares at me intently. “Have you found being a hybrid to be more difficult than if you’d been born a pure angel or demon?”

  Wow, he’s just jumping right in with the questions, isn’t he? “Sometimes.”

  “I’m sorry, I won’t pry. I’m simply fascinated by your parentage. Do you know your mother?” He cocks his head and doesn’t seem to realize his second question pries even more than his first.

  “I do…” I shift in my seat, really wishing someone else would show up. Where are the other students?

  “The fact that she’s the only one to become pregnant out of all the demons and angels that have consorted over the years...” He gives me a grin that makes the hair on my arms stand
up. “She must be something special.”

  I’m saved from having to answer when other students begin to pour into class and Simiel’s attention is diverted. When Araceli drops into the seat beside me, I want to hug her in relief.

  “Welcome, third year students, to Immortal Ethics,” Simiel says, once class begins. “This is a required course to graduate, and while many write it off as boring, I suggest you take good notes because we’ll be discussing things that will affect you for hundreds of years to come. Possibly thousands.”

  He drones on and on about what we’ll be learning, from angelic laws about marriage and property to the proper way to behave around humans so they never learn about our presence. I’m sure it’s all very important, but it also sounds really dull. It doesn’t help that he keeps giving me a creepy smile as he talks either.

  The bell doesn’t ring soon enough, and I make a beeline for the door, vowing to never, ever come to this class early again.

  My next class is Human Studies with Raziel, and to my delight he’s wearing a green plaid bowtie today. Since I grew up among humans this class should be a breeze, at least. Jonah is in this one too—he took Fae Studies his first year, so now he has to double up and take both Human and Demon Studies in order to graduate on time. I already told him I’d be happy to help out with either of those areas if he needs. Plus my brother can be my partner on whatever group assignment we’ll no doubt be given.

  That asshole Jeremy slides into class just before Raziel closes the door and I nearly groan out loud. He takes a seat on the opposite side of the room, just before Raziel launches into his usual jovial welcome speech. I glare at Jeremy as he sits down, and he sneers at me. He may not know where Grace or the Staff is, but he’s still a member of the Order, and I’m going to keep an eye on him. He’s our one link to the Order’s activities on campus, and soon he’ll lead us right to them. I’ll make sure of it.