Hades Academy: Fourth Semester Read online

  “I feel weird more than anything else,” is what I came up with this time.

  “Weird?” he asked, a bit taken aback.

  “Yeah.”

  As much as I liked Lattimore—he was undoubtedly my favorite person on staff at the school—I didn’t need therapy right now. Again: feelings? Not my thing. Powering through was more my style, until eventually things just hardened over and everyone could move on with their lives. Fortunately, he seemed to get the message.

  “I’m fine leaving it at that,” Lattimore said. “Nevertheless, should you ever want to talk about the way you’re feeling—”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know I can come to you,” I said, once again coming across as way more sassy than planned. He was only trying to be nice. “I do appreciate that. Honestly.”

  “While you’re here, though, I did want to discuss the situation in more practical terms. Have you felt her presence since that night?”

  So, yeah, there was that whole thing about how my mother and I had some sort of magical demon bond that allowed her to look in on me under certain circumstances, though I still wasn’t totally clear on what those circumstances were. For years this connection had remained dormant, but after my powers awakened and I was scooped off to Hades Academy, it reestablished itself. The most prominent example of this was when I could’ve sworn my mother was at my bedside in the sick ward at the end of my first year.

  The fact that at any given moment my mom might be able to see what I was doing? Not my favorite thing in the world. Especially, let’s just say, after hours.

  “I haven’t,” I told Lattimore. “At least I don’t think I have. It’s so hard to tell. Every once in a while I’ll get a chill down my back or something, and it’s impossible to know if it’s her or just a draft in the room. But no, nothing definite.

  Lattimore nodded solemnly. “Yes, I suppose it’s hard to know for sure. If you should experience anything definite, please let me know. If anything were to occur, we’d want to take extraordinary security measures.”

  “Extraordinary?” I quirked an eyebrow. “Like what?”

  “Never you mind,” Lattimore said. “It is, I hope, highly unlikely. As for my part, I can assure you that the immediate confines of the school will remain safe. Neither she nor her associates will make it past these walls.”

  “And outside of these walls?”

  That was the million dollar question.

  He sighed. “I’m afraid I don’t have an answer for that. Will you be safe in Westrock, for example? Very likely, yes. But can it be guaranteed? Not quite. If you’d like my advice, I think it’d be best not to live your life in fear. What happened several weeks ago was only made possible by your making it so far off the grounds into an emptier area. So long as you remain near civilization you should be safe.”

  This still wasn’t ideal. “How long am I gonna have to worry about this? What about after I graduate? Will I still have to worry about my deranged mother sneaking up on me?”

  He shrugged. “We’ll discuss that matter more as we get closer to your entry into the wider demon world. For now, I just want to assure you that you’ll be safe here. And I thought you’d also like to know that I’ve taken it upon myself to do more digging into the Children of Abaddon.”

  The Children of Abaddon AKA The Children of the literal devil AKA my mom’s cult.

  “How?” I blurted. “I thought any information about them was basically impossible to find. Doesn’t the Regents government want it all to stay some big secret?”

  “Let’s just say I have some friends in high places,” he said with a glimmer in his eye. “There are some in the government who’d prefer this whole matter were much more in the open. I have their ears.”

  “And?” I asked expectedly. “Have you found out anything new?”

  I was desperate for more. All I knew about the Children of Abaddon was that they hoped to somehow resurrect the historical figure of Satan, who would somehow eradicate Chaos forever and usher in a new reign of demons as the supreme beings upon the earth. Fun stuff, I know. But other than their basic goals—and the fact that they did some fucked up shit, including performing sacrifices, in order to achieve it—their whole existence was pretty much shrouded in mystery.

  “I have some promising leads. That’s all I can say for now.”

  “Oof,” I muttered.

  “I’ll of course let you know about any credible information I stumble upon. You have my word on that. And likewise, you can always come to me with any concerns. Consider it an open-door policy.”

  “Open-door whenever you don’t have some other dean duty keeping you busy,” I cracked instinctively. My sassiness was really starting to get the better of me.

  If Lattimore was offended, he didn’t show it. That was another one of his more fatherly qualities: not indulging my brief moments of brattiness. “My hope is that I’ll be significantly less occupied this semester. I’ll make every effort to be available as much as possible.”

  He was being awfully nice about this whole thing, but a gnawing feeling in my stomach was leaving me a little confused.

  “Permission to ask a dumb question?” I asked.

  “Of course!”

  “Am I really worth all of this trouble?”

  “What do you mean?” he asked, seeming genuinely at a loss.

  “I’m just one girl. Is it really worth all this effort to make sure I’m safe? I might be putting everybody else in danger just by being here, after all. I don’t see how I’m worth it.”

  Lattimore looked suddenly distraught, as if he’d just been hit by a giant metaphorical bus. “Oh, gods,” he murmured. “Of course you’re worth it. Your safety along with the safety of every other Hades Academy student is of the utmost importance. And you...you’re one of our brightest students. Never question your worth, Ms. Donovan—not for a single moment.”

  “IT’S TIME FOR NOVA’S favorite part of the semester!” Morgan cheered.

  She still seemed to think my enthusiasm for getting class schedules was absolutely hilarious. Usually I’d make some comment about how being excited about getting my list of classes wasn’t necessarily nerdy, but I decided it wasn’t even worth the faux-fight this time around.

  “You’re damn right,” I replied. “I love class!”

  “Well, I only enjoy classes where I get to spend time with my besties. So let’s see what we’ve got, squad!”

  She and I—along with Teddy and Karolina, AKA our entire untitled squad—were sitting on one of the common room couches, each with our yet to be opened schedules in hand.

  “Without further ado,” continued Morgan, “untie those ribbons!”

  Leave it to Morgan to make an event out of unspooling a parchment.

  “What does everyone have?” she asked before any of us were even able to read the schedules. “I’ve got Necromancy, Advanced Jealousy, and Classics of Demonic Literature! Plus it says something here about being able to pick an elective.”

  “How did you read yours so fast?” asked a baffled Teddy.

  “I taught myself how to speed-read over break!” Morgan replied. “Figured it’d be useful for less time studying and more time socializing.”

  I was pleased to see that the first class listed on my schedule was Introduction to Necromancy and Communication with the Dead, taught by none other than my favorite badass pixie-haired teacher, Professor Mantel. She was a huge help with the whole Wilder-trying-to-murder-me thing back at the end of my first year, and I was glad I’d finally have an excuse to bask in her awesomeness a little more.

  “I’m in Necromancy, too!” I said. “Sounds cool. Very Sixth Sense.”

  “I see dead people,” Karolina mimicked in a faint voice. She definitely wasn’t somebody I would’ve expected to have any knowledge whatsoever of a human movie, but the girl was always full of surprises.

  Or maybe she also literally saw dead people. Anything was possible.

  “Yes, yes, yes!” Morgan exclaimed. �
�And you Teddy? Will you be joining us in communing with the dead?”

  I never thought I’d hear the phrase “communing with the dead” in such a cheerful British accent, but then again, I never thought I’d actually ever go to a demon school where I’d be required to take a class about necromancy.

  “Nope,” Teddy said with a sigh. “And anyway, that sounds a bit morbid for my taste. Is anybody else in Demonological Architecture and Engineering?”

  I nearly spit out the delicious but very strangely flavored juice I’d gotten from one of the vending machines. “I’m sorry, but that’s literally the most Teddy-like class possible.” I looked back down at my schedule. “Sounds perfect for you, but I’m happy to say I will not be learning about demon engineering this semester.”

  “Thank Gods, I’m not either,” Morgan agreed.

  “I’m in it,” Karolina said. “And I think it sounds very fun.”

  I had to admit, I’d totally be shipping the Teddy-Karolina thing if he and Zelda didn’t make such a bizarrely okay match.

  Next on my schedule was Advanced Seduction Skills For Incubi and Succubi, or as I was totally gonna call it, Sex Class Part II. Teddy would be joining me in that one, of course, and we’d continue to be taught by Professor Lamoureux, presumably alongside her mostly silent assistant Claude (although who knows—she could’ve upgraded to a new guy. Or gal, for that matter).

  The class listed below that was one I was already expecting after getting my exetasis results: Higher Order Demon Protocols and Responsibilities. I was so focused on finally finding out who my mother was last semester that I’d kinda-sorta forgotten about that whole “being a demon Duchess” thing. I should “expect a future career and social position of great importance” as my results had put it, which meant I’d take a class “specifically for demons of high ranking and giftedness.” Given the rarity of demons with titles, I wondered who else could possibly be in the class with me. Sadly, it wouldn’t include any of my closest friends.

  “I still can’t believe my best friend is a duchess!” Morgan said when I read the name of the class out loud. “You have just got to tell me about what they tell you in that class. You know I’m all about getting all the gossip about the upper crust of our society!”

  “I honestly have no idea what it’s even going to be about,” I admitted. “I haven’t gotten any official letter welcoming me to the Duchess club or anything.”

  “And yet, you’ll learn! And you will tell me everything!”

  Classic Morgan, I couldn’t help but think.

  “Will all the gossip I get make up for the fact that we only have one class together?” I joked.

  “Absolutely not. The fact that I only have one class with the three of you is unacceptable. No amount of gossip can fix that. But you know what will fix it? Parties! Outings! Social events! You know, all the things I’ve been talking about.”

  I was already feeling exhausted about all the mandatory fun Morgan was going to be pushing this semester. Sure, it’d be a blast, but a girl needs downtime every once in a while.

  “And plus,” Morgan added. “There’s the matter of the elective we get to choose. I’m not saying we have to all pick the same one, but I’m just reminding you it’s an option. I’ll take no offense if we don’t each land on the same one.”

  I knew her too well to fall for that one. She’d definitely take offense. There was a whole list of elective options attached to the schedule, and if she and I were interested in the same one that would be great. But there was still one other person I wanted to consult with, just in case we didn’t have any classes together already.

  I RAPPED MY KNUCKLES on the now-familiar door, although at this point I wondered why I bothered. I should probably ask for a key.

  Or...then again, no. That was kind of...commitment-y.

  To my surprise, the door flung wide open instead of its usual teasing sliver.

  A tall, angular blonde guy stared back at me.

  “Ah,” he said. “Nova.”

  “Aleks!” I bounded forward and threw my arms around his neck, not so much because I was a hugger—not by a long shot—but because I knew the action would throw off Aleks’s dignified Russian demeanor. After a semester of Sex Class with him, I found I enjoyed poking fun at him whenever I could.

  “It is good to see you,” he said, not unkindly, and extricated himself from my arms. “Had a pleasant solstice, yes?”

  I nodded. “It was fine.”

  “Did not get bored, I’m sure.”

  His sharp eyes flickered to the corner of the room. Raines, dark-haired and slumped over, finally looked up.

  “I will go,” Aleks said.

  “Where?” I asked, cocking my head adorably. He blushed.

  “Library?” he said, then restated. “Yes. Library. To study.”

  “But we haven’t started classes yet!” I called after him. I shrugged.

  “You don’t have to embarrass the poor guy,” Raines murmured, standing.

  “Oh, but I do.” I faced him full-on. His eyes were hard on mine, but for once not glowing their deep crimson.

  “Hey.”

  “Hey.” I rolled my eyes. “We’ve got to stop meeting like this.”

  Raines folded his arms. His uniform shirt was unbuttoned down to the middle of his chest, I noticed, and he’d already dispensed with his tie.

  “Nice look,” I added, eyeing him up and down. “You’re really throwing yourself at me, huh?”

  “Give me a break,” Raines said. “Got a fire going and it’s hot in here.” He looked me up and down himself. “You need something?”

  Instead of answering, I grabbed him by the collar.

  Kissing Raines lit me on fire. His hands were always strong, never too forceful, and his mouth hot. All it took was him pressing against me and my mind whited out into buzzing, blissful heat, not having to think about anything or anyone except the guy consuming my being. I didn’t have to think about anything complicated or unresolved, not about who I was or where I was going. This pure, physical burn—that was everything.

  But just as quickly, he gently but firmly pushed me away.

  “What?” I turned around, panting a little. Aleks was gone, and Raines’s other roommate—Collum, the Third rounding out the Infernal Three—was noticeably absent, probably off making out with his own girlfriend, a snotty girl named Amarind.

  “Nothing,” Raines said. “Just wanted to get a word in this time.”

  I made a face. “Talking? Gross.”

  Raines looked at the floor. “I guess.”

  My body was still crackling with desire. I wanted to shove him onto that bed and rip the rest of those buttons open, not do the whole how was your day thing. But at the same time, I didn’t want to be a dick. Raines was a recovering emo-dude, and I wasn’t about to give him more of a reason to be moody and withdrawn. “I mean, no, totally. Uh, did you get your classes?” I shook out the parchment of my schedule. “Check it out—Necromancy.”

  “Cool.” Raines’s voice was a little rougher than usual. Great. My skin prickled. Had I fucked something up? Or was he just being his usual emo self?

  “I still have to pick an elective,” I said. “But I dunno. Nothing’s striking my fancy. All of them look kinda...eh.”

  God, who was I, Morgan? Raines clams up for one second and suddenly I’m the Chatterbox Queen. Must have been the residual adrenaline.

  Raines leaned against his desk, arms folded again, and I couldn’t help but notice a rush of cool air where my own uniform shirt had apparently been unbuttoned.

  “Do you know if any of these are any good?” I said, offering the list of elective options. “Since you’re the one with the legit demon upbringing and all.”

  That got a little flash of red out of Raines. It was so hard to know how far I could take teasing—if being reminded of his bastard status within his own family was fair game or not. Then again, the red eyes kind of turned me on.

  But he blinked, and the red di
ssipated. He scanned the list. Shrugged.

  “Maybe Metallurgy.”

  “What, like forging shit on an anvil?”

  “Creating talismans,” Raines clarified. “And low-level weapons.”

  “Sweet.” I studied the list myself. Sure enough, there it was—and that sounded kind of badass. I could definitely picture myself swinging a hammer and sending sparks flying. Seemed like it’d be cathartic.

  “I might take it,” Raines went on. “I mean, I put it down. I could still change it, I guess. But that was my plan.” He rubbed his chin, lifted a shoulder. God, I loved those strong shoulders. “If you’re interested.”

  So that was it—not just “hammering metal shit into swords” class, but “hammering metal shit into swords with Raines.”

  I chewed my lip. On the one hand, it wasn’t like Raines and I hadn’t been in class together—we had, and plenty of times. But none of that was by our own decision. We’d just been tossed together by fate—or the demon registrar, whatever. But on the other, something about consciously picking out a class to be together felt...different.

  Jesus, Nova, get out of your own head, I told myself. Remember how you aren’t going to overthink things? You can go...metallurge, or whatever, without it being a Big Deal. It’s not like you’re forging wedding rings, for God’s sake.

  “Could be fun,” I said. “I’ll have to look it over.”

  Raines nodded. “Yeah, totally.”

  The door creaked behind us, and I whipped around to see Collum, the russet-haired Irishman, slipping into the dorm room.

  “Sorry,” he said. “Disturbing anything?”

  I hastily and hopefully subtly did up the loose buttons on my blouse. “Nope,” I said cheerfully. “I should probably be going, anyway.” I turned to Raines. “See you later?”

  He nodded. “Yep.”

  And with that, I left—no goodbye kiss (ew) or even a hug (less ew, but in front of Collum, no way). I had plenty of other things to think about.

  But before I went to bed, I marked down Metallurgy on my elective form.

  Chapter Three