Quiet Burn (Discordia University #2)

Dream

Kit/Kat

S lash is giving me a mixture of irritated and concerned looks and I honestly have no idea what to say to him. He’s definitely the type of dude who would put the wellbeing of his caliphate before his own, but somehow, it’s not okay that I did it. I don’t get why not, nor why Jasper was being such an asshat. I did the same thing any of them would have done for the others—in fact, it is what some of them attempted to do.

Boys are stupid and if they were left to their own devices, procreation would cease entirely.

“Kit Kat, you have to stay still while the doc examines you.”

I blink, realizing that Dank will have to remove the shirt sticking to the wound. Panic sets in as I try to figure out how I’m going to kick the rest of them out when I just made a point to only block Jasper. “Ummm…”

“You’re hurt, man. It’s no time to be weird about who sees you. Besides, you’ve seen Salem and I?—”

The Universe favors me for once, and Dank makes a clicking sound as he removes the mask. “Master Kit is quite uncomfortable with being undressed. He will require me to draw the curtain, and Master Slash will have to exit the space as well.”

I duck my chin, not wanting to look at any of them when he saves my bacon. Thank fuck Dank did because I was floundering; however, now I feel bad. I don’t want the guys to think I don’t trust them to behave. The big secret I’m keeping demands that I continue to shy away from exposing bare skin whenever possible. It’s just not an option until I’m able to divulge the truth to all of them.

The big guy looks frustrated as he moves to leave, so I reach out, grabbing his hand tentatively. He blinks, looking surprised, and I squeeze lightly. “This is just the past stuff, you know? It’s not about you or them—don’t think it’s because I don’t trust you guys around me.”

His face lights up and he nods. “If you say it is true, I will believe it, little demon, even if your magic fooled me before. The truth is always preferable to a lie, even a kind one, with our caliphate. We have our own issues from before you arrived.”

Shit. I may have triggered their bad parent trauma with my selflessness. Way to go, Kat.

“I’ll remember that.” I let go, giving him a small smile and the shark shifter trudges out of my sickbay. When I turn to look at Dank, I murmur, “Thank you. I didn’t know how to address it.”

“It is my job, Master Kit. Now, lie back and allow me to examine this wound so I can assist. You have been brave for long enough.”

Leave it to the flaming skull demon to call me out without calling me out.

The garden around me is lush… nothing in Hell looks like this, so I have no idea where the fuck I am. The last thing I remember is Dank starting his work to heal me and feeling very tired. I guess I passed out from the pain, though that seems pretty far-fetched for me. I might freak out and have panic attacks, but I’m fairly good at keeping my shit together when I’m injured, even without magic concealing it.

Biting my lip, I look around cautiously, not enjoying the stab of fear that being in a place I don’t know brings. The world of paranormal and demonic stuff is new to me and I am not dumb enough to believe that anywhere—even a land in my mind—is safe for me to simply wander about in. There are plenty of demons at Discordia whose powers reside in dreams and nightmares, so this could be something insidious made to look friendly. That happens in nature in the human world, so it follows it sure as fuck could here.

The only sound I hear is water rushing somewhere, so I use my other senses to reach out before I move. It smells like a fragrant garden, so that doesn’t help me. I’m definitely not tasting anything because that seems like a terrible plan. The ground beneath me feels like regular old grass when I touch it. All I see is some gorgeous Garden of Eden-type set-up and it makes me huff in annoyance.

No other option but to explore, I suppose.

Rising to my feet carefully, I notice that I’m in some sort of hospital garb. Dank must have disappeared the torn and bloodied activities uniform, which means I’ll have to figure out how to get more. I’ve already lost two to that damn class, and I’m down to the last one. No way that’s going to survive long enough to get through the next month, much less the year.

“Okay, Ka—iiit,” I say to myself with a grimace. Normally, I use my real name when I’m talking to myself, but since I don’t know whose fever dream this is, I probably shouldn’t risk it. I already have a target on my back from asshole classmates and that dickface Lucian. No need to give them more ammunition.

I look around, seeing nothing but a fairytale-esque landscape close by. There has to be a point to being here, but which way do I go? It’s not like a friendly woodland creature is here to—oh, damn. Dottie. I hope Salem and Oriel are keeping her calm because she’s probably flipping out if I’m unconscious in the doc’s office. Damn demon drama distracted me and I completely forgot to make sure she’s nearby.

What a bad mama, I am. Sheesh.

Feeling like a jerk, I head towards the sound of the water since it’s the only thing that stands out in this weird place. I walk through the beautiful foliage, frowning when I don’t recognize a lot of the plants. I’m not a botanist or anything, but these things don’t look like anything I’ve seen before. The smell is amazing and the colors vibrant, but they’re all alien to me. Either someone has a vivid imagination, or I’m really in another realm.

“There you are!”

I blink at the sound of the voice, whipping around to trace the source. My eyes land on a perfectly set table next to a waterfall and the pool below it in alarm. That was not there a minute ago and who the fuck is this person? I can’t make anything out because they’re in a cloak with a full hood, revealing nothing but the delicate hands that clapped as I came into view.

Female? Maybe? The voice sounded like it, but I know better than to assume given my current disguise.

“Uh… not to be rude, but who the fuck are you and where the hell am I?”

The hooded person laughs, the sound musical as they gesture towards the empty seat at their table . “Don’t be afraid, Katarina. You are not in danger here; I promise.”

How the fuck does this person know who I really am?!

I arch a brow, not moving from my spot. “No shade, but isn’t that what every villain looking to hollow out my body and use it for some weird ritual would say? Ted Bundy didn’t tell people he was a serial killer, either.”

“You’re cautious—that will serve you well in the coming times,” the hidden figure says. “I appreciate a healthy skepticism in women. History has not been kind to them and the future will likely be no different. However, in this one instance, the unknown is not here to harm you. Sit with me.”

My eyes narrow as I weigh my options. I could run, but if this person has magic, it won’t matter if they’re telling the truth. They’ll just reappear wherever I go, making the same request. That goes double for bad intentions, so unless I want to stand here until they get bored, I probably have to do what they ask. I don’t like being boxed in, though, and my blood pressure is rising with every second. I have to breathe or I’ll spiral out. I don’t know what the fuck will happen if I go into an attack here, so again, my options are limited.

This is bullshit and I’m royally pissed off.

Walking over to the fancy garden table, I see that it’s set with finger food and a shiny silver tea set. This is like a damn scene out of a fantasy version of Bridgerton, and I’m not having it. Kat Camponella is not Alice and I’m not eating or drinking a damn thing in foreign land. I won’t even eat food I haven’t seen prepared in public since the incident, so this hooded asshole can fuck right off.

“It’s not going to shrink you, Kat.”

I drop into the chair, glaring at the amused creeper. “Don’t mess around in my mind. It’s bad enough that humans did. Plus, it’s rude as fuck.”

The hood moves with its head as the figure shakes it. “I am not in your mind. I simply know the cultural zeitgeist of this current world well enough to guess where you would go. It’s predictable, as is the tough front the women I visit have developed due to the circumstances.”

“You visit lots of women in this fairyland without consent, hmm?”

They laugh again, pouring more tea in their cup. “No, not lots. I have specific people to see and when I do, it’s because they are at a turning point where it is time for them to accept many new truths about the world and themselves.”

“Uh, you’re too late, dude. I already got tapped for a university in Hell, which I thought was as fictional as the big sky man. Then I was told that I have to be part demon, again previously fictional, and was inducted into a demon boy band. The ship to Big Change Land has already sailed for a new port.”

The tea cup disappears into the hood as the person sips, and once it lowers, they sigh. “Yes, I am a bit overdue with you, but maintaining the schedule I envisioned has been difficult. Not all of you hit the mark at the right time—some are early and some are quite late. It’s made my schedule quite jumbled. I adapt well, but the others… not so much. For that, I apologize.”

Why do they owe me an apology? This is getting weirder by the second.

“Thanks, I guess? But I still don’t get why I’m here.”

Another sigh escapes as the figure pauses. Once they make a decision, they fold their hands on the table. “You are not far into your education about the greater world of the supernatural because in a quirk of Fate, machinations in Hell moved more quickly than predicted. Unsurprising, as demons are… difficult to pin down because of their natures.”

“I’m still not hearing why I’m here.”

“Patience, Katarina. You are young, I know… younger than the others I’ve seen insofar. But I must be cautious how I approach this or I will cause unintended consequences.”

Fucking riddles. Who the shit is this joker?

“Okay. Go on.”

“When you get deeper into the world you were not aware of, you will learn about the many governing bodies outside of Hell and their relations with their people and the other species. You will likely learn about origins, but you will not be told the most important story. That will be revealed eventually and your existence will make a great deal more sense. I cannot tell you this now, but I can say that you are not the same as the others in this school.”

“Obviously not since I’m a girl,” I scoff. “That’s not news.”

“So jaded at such a young age. It’s heartbreaking, but there was no way to prevent it.” The figure leans in, but all I see in the hood is a black void. “I am truly sorry that the human world caused you to be so broken, Katarina. Unfortunately, the threads of Fate require great sacrifice in order to forge the fire needed for the future, and you are one of those victims.”

Great. It was my destiny to be neglected, assaulted, and abused. Super awesome for my ego, you dime store Jawa.

“Not helpful at this juncture, but the sentiment is nice. You still haven’t answered my question, and I’m hoping the guys and the demon doc who are probably losing their minds right now yank me out of this acid trip.”

“The reason you’re here, Kat, is for me to tell you that your abilities will not be like others where you are. You need to choose your allies wisely, and keep your secrets well hidden. You must survive this education in order to find out what you want to know—where you came from and why you are like this—but also for larger concerns.”

“Oh, goody, you only visit ‘chosen ones,’ is that it? Well, tell the Watchers I decline. We all saw what happened to the last girl who accepted—over and over, until even death didn’t keep her from peace. No thanks; I’m unavailable for world saving duties.”

Hood Person laughs, the cloth around their head shaking again. “Oh, Kat. You’re quite delightful, but you cannot decline Fate. It is the one true equalizer in all the realms—as it is woven, it will be so.”

“Again, hard pass.”

They sigh, waving their hand. “You are not ready. I will return when you have a bit more experience under your belt. Be well, be wary, and most of all, be happy, child.”

That’s when I wake up, cold and clad in a hospital gown, with six furious looking demons, a kinkajou, and a curious skull demon doctor peering down at me.

“Uh, hi, guys… was I out long?”