I envied him. Not just that he enjoyed his books, but that he could feel like that. It was another reminder that I wasn’t like him, as much as I wanted to be. When he told me the things his heroes experienced, I found it interesting, but I cared as little about them as I cared about most things.
It was ironic that the one person I never seemed to have trouble caring about was gone.
Ironic or terrible?
I sigh and force the thoughts away before they can pull me under. Turning, I leap down from the wall. If anyone was out, they might be surprised by just how agile I am. All fae are agile, but the dark were more agile than most. Still, it wouldn’t be enough to give away the truth of what I am. Even so, I remind myself to be more cautious next time.
I’m halfway across campus when a shadow man steps out of the shadows of a tree. I pause and regard him with interest. He’s easily ten feet tall, with a long, stretched out body, red eyes, and sharp teeth dripping with drool.
“Hello,” I greet. “I have a shadow man at my manor. He stops in occasionally to chew on the walls. Do you chew on the walls here?”
He’s breathing hard. “Something dangerous waits for you ahead.”
I tense.
“Be cautious, dark queen.” He moves back into the shadows, instantly fading away.
My heart races as I move more cautiously across campus, stretching my senses out for a long moment. Whatever the shadow man warned me about, it had to be dangerous even for me. He wouldn’t have wasted his time warning me otherwise. But all I sense is the students and the teachers safely inside. Nothing at all sinister.
Many people would call me arrogant, but I’m not a fool. Just because I don’t sense danger, doesn’t mean it isn’t there. So I quicken my pace, scanning my surroundings with every step.
I’m nearly to the stairs of my dorm when the iron demon separates from the shadows and my stomach drops. The creature has the shape of a man, only his flesh is a deep dark silver, and where his eyes and mouth should be are only glowing embers like flames. His mouth sits in a permanent mockery of a smile, and two horns, like small deer antlers, sprout from his head.
Instantly, I take a step back. Cold fear sweeps down my spine. As a child, nightmares were rare for me, but when they came, they took the shape of the deadly being in front of me.
Not that I can let him know that. Demons love weakness. And I was anything but weak.
“Go back from where you came, demon,” I threaten in a low voice, reaching out with my powers for its mind.
But when I grasp for its fears and anger, searching for an emotion I can use to take control of it, to hurt it, I feel nothing. Not one drop of emotion I can use to destroy it.
What? Fuck. Even demons should have fear and anger.
Taking another step back, I put a hand out in front of me, as if that might be enough to keep it from ending my life. “Whoever sent you, I can guarantee they aren’t as powerful as I am. Obey me instead, creature of the fiery pits of hell.”
His cold eyes burn as he stares at me, and I know he’ll obey the command of his master, even if his master isn’t as respected as a dark fae. Whatever deal he made, it’s worth it to him.
I also know that even though it’d be safer for me to try to reach the stairs and get help, I’d never put Lucian, Bron, or Dwade in danger like that. The thought of losing them like I lost Rayne tears inside of me, making it hard to breathe, and I make the decision to lead it away from them.
No matter how foolish the choice is.
Each time he moves closer, I try to move back, to keep distance between us. But already, I can feel his powers stretching out to me. My skin starts to ache, like I’m standing too close to a fire. And an itch grows at the back of my throat, making it hard to swallow.
Should the iron demon knock me down and pin me beneath its heavy body, I’ll have only moments to live. The worst part? He’s one of the few creatures more dangerous to dark fae than to light, even though he hurts us both.
Whoever sent him, sent him specifically to attack me.
But if I can reach the main building of the academy, there will be guards. There will be some kind of protection against an iron demon. Even my manor has wards against them, so every major building on campus should too.
Suddenly, I stumble on something, nearly falling back, but smack against the trunk of a tree. My heart races as I try to keep the demon in sight while maneuvering around the thick roots, but I already know that the mistake cost me precious moments.
Fuck.
His legs bunch, and I pray I’m fast enough to escape him before he leaps onto me. And then the worst thing imaginable happens: I trip, falling onto my back. I start to roll, but the iron demon is already on me. Its heavy body instantly crushes my lungs. My skin begins to burn, and I know in seconds blisters will form and my throat will close.
I open my mouth to scream, and the demon’s head is sliced off, falling to my side. Black blood coats my chest and splatters my face, but I couldn’t care less. All I care about is that the demon is dead.
Lucian is suddenly standing over me. With his sword in one hand, and the blaze of fury in his blue eyes, he looks like a knight out of a movie. One of his big hands reaches down and
