“No one should say the name of a shadow demon,” the leprechaun continues, narrowing his eyes on me. “Less ye bring him upon yerself.”
But Riven isn’t like some hell-bound creature ready to steal people into the bowels of pain. He’s kind. Thoughtful. Intelligent. But then I remember the pain I experienced at his hands. Riven is powerful, that much is true. I could see why people fear him. But I shake the concern off. That’s not who Riven is. I want to protest, but the leprechaun pats Riddle and looks up at me.
“Go on then. Do yer best to protect the elemental.” He grimaces. “Not that ‘twill do any good.”
“What do you mean?”
“Grim is here on the condition that he won’t cause chaos. Ye know fire elementals. Can’t keep their wits or anger in check.”
“I’d say what happened was more Tor’s fault than Grim’s,” I argue.
The leprechaun nods. “If ye ask me, that boy… Glassglow, has been tryin’ to rouse Grim’s anger. Seems he found his weakness.” The teacher gives me a sly wink.
“So Grim could get kicked out then?”
The teacher shakes his head. “Perhaps, lass. Or mayhap he’ll be disbursed in the most painful of ways. By a shadow demon.” His body shudders when he talks of Riven.
I frown. I’m confused. “I don’t understand.”
The leprechaun shrugs. “Elementals aren’t born, they’re made. Depending on the findings, Headmaster could choose the ultimate punishment.”
“Which would be what?”
“Disbursement.”
“Does that mean he’ll be killed?”
The leprechaun shakes his head. “It simply means Grim will cease to be.”
What?! I have to get to Riven before Grim does. I bolt out of the classroom, run down the hall, and realize I have no idea where I’m going. I grab a passing student. “Where is the headmaster’s office?”
The kid blinks. “Ummm…” he squeaks. “Headmaster is in the other building.”
I start running, Riddle squeezing my shoulder. It isn’t long before I go down a hallway, then another. I search the next building, then the next. Hallways start to blend together, and I can’t tell where I’ve been or which way I should go. The halls are deserted now that school is over, and I can’t find anyone to tell me where I can find the main offices.
“Shit!” I yell to myself as I realize the quandary I’m now in.
My familiar leans over and coughs. He reaches his claws into his mouth, and he starts rooting around. I go to grab him to keep him from eating himself when he pulls out a crumpled piece of paper.
“What? Why are you eating paper?”
He motions for me to take it and I do, unfolding the thing as I try to ignore the saliva covering it. Once I have it laid out, I realize it’s a map of the school.
“Where did you get this?” I can’t help but think of all the maps on the walls of Mr. O’Neal’s classroom. “When did you get this?”
Riddle looks up at me, eyes big and round.
“Never mind.” I scratch his round head. “Thank you.”
The map is labeled, and I can now see the main offices. Even though I don’t know where I am, I know the shapes of the buildings and use them to compare where we are to where we need to be.
“This way.” I march through the corridors.
Finally, we make it to a familiar office. As I rush the door, Tor steps out, an evil grin on his face.
Riddle hisses and bares fangs I didn’t even realize he had. I stop mid-stride. The moment he sees me, his smile grows wider.
Am I too late? Is Grim already gone?
Before I know what I’m doing, I move past Tor, faster than I’ve ever moved, and barge into Riven’s office.
The headmaster is in his flesh suit—or rather, he’s not shadow dressed—with his back turned to Grim. Thank the goddess Grim is still alive, for lack of a better word. He stands in front of the desk, head held low.
“Grim was provoked!” I blurt out. “It’s not his fault.”
Riven turns around, and his piercing blue eyes rock me back on my heels. His lips are straight, his expression as foreboding as a king turned judge, jury and executioner.
But I’m the next in line to be Priestess of my clan. I’m my own force of nature. My goal is to save lives, and that’s what I’m going to do. So I aim my words at Riven with the goal to unsettle him, to change his mind.
“This is not your fight, Everly,” Riven says, tone clipped.
I glare at him. “It is my fight.” I take a step forward. “What you’re doing isn’t right! Grim defended me against a bully, against Tor,” I insist, glaring at Riven all the while. “And this is the thanks he gets? Punishment? Is that how this school works?”
“This doesn’t concern you.”
“Yes, it does because Grim was standing up for me.”
“Everly,” Grim starts and I can tell by his tone that he’s going to tell me to leave this between Riven and himself. But I won’t. I can’t.
“No,” I say as I look from him to Riven again. “This isn’t right!”
Riven waves his hand between himself and Grim. “We had an understanding. No fire, and certainly no flame wars.” He turns to Grim. “No matter the circumstance.”
“I don’t care,” I say, shaking my head firmly.
A knock sends Riven’s angry gaze to the door. “Yes?”
The door opens, but there’s no one there. Still, a disembodied voice speaks. “Sir, Mr. Cody and Mrs. Pavilion are here to see you.”
“Tell them I’m dealing with it.” Riven raises a hand to his temple and shakes his head.
“Y-yes, sir.” The door shuts.
Riven focuses on Grim, who stands before him, head down. “Now,
