Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
~ Shade ~
The next night my mates and I sit around a roaring bonfire in the academy forest. The clearing is filled with students and demons, and it’s so strange seeing the demon generals mixing with the shadow warriors as though they’re all good friends.
Some even look like they’re more than friends, and I watch with amusement as Sebastian awkwardly approaches Satine with two drinks in hand.
Satine sits with a small group of students, and she doesn’t look pleased to see him, but she ends up taking the drink offered.
“Well, look who’s here,” Raith rumbles, and I’m distracted when Blake and her mates approach us. “Our salvation,” he jokes. “Get over here.”
Nate grins and claps Raith on the back before they all sit with us around the fire. Blake plops down next to me, smiling at the demons and students enjoying themselves.
“Well, they’ve come a long way. Looks like everyone’s having a good time,” Blake comments.
Alaric places a drink in her hand. “Yeah, a little too good if you ask me,” he says gruffly.
Giggling comes from the darkness of the trees behind us, and going by the grunting noises, I’m guessing the general, Thores, and the student I saw him leave with not too long ago, are really celebrating tonight. “Thores wouldn’t have used his demon powers on her, would he?” I ask Blake.
“Don’t worry, the generals were warned,” Callan replies, tucking in his wings. “Whatever happens tonight is consensual.”
More moaning comes from the trees, and I laugh. “Okay, well I guess it’s better that they’re friends rather than enemies. You get it girl.” I hold my drink in the air as if to salute them and take a sip.
Thane, who’s sitting on my other side, rubs his hand on my thigh, and I try not to think about the fire racing through me at his touch. He draws lazy circles on my leg, edging his hand up higher.
“And speaking of enemies,” Thane growls, peering at Blake and her mates, and not at all acknowledging how his slow rubbing is working me into a frenzy, “how was your audience with Queen Krosia?”
Okay, so hearing her name was like being doused in cold water. I turn to my friend, equally as concerned. Xera and Ravyn had arrived a few hours earlier to escort Blake and her mates to the shadow palace, for one last meeting before the demon generals are to return to Seral.
Blake pulls her drink away from her lips and stares out at her generals.
“It went as well as can be expected. Mostly more posturing on Queen Krosia’s behalf, and nothing we couldn’t handle.
” Blake’s free hand thumbs the hilt of the shadow dagger at her side.
“She’s convinced the Xalgrith are going to attack in full force in the near future, and I don’t doubt she’s going to be expecting our demons on the front lines, but we’ll be ready. ”
“Your generals have done well learning the art of shadow combat,” Galen drawls, the light from the bonfire flickering on his beautiful face. “They might not have our abilities, but they will be powerful allies at our sides.”
Blake gives him a tight smile. “We’re happy to fight. Anything that stops the Xalgrith from spreading to the other realms, but I just wish we could figure out what the Xalgrith and Queen Krosia are both after.”
“I’m sorry I haven’t learned anything helpful from the zenali creatures,” I say.
Borshoz told me that Queen Krosia and the Xalgrith are both after the same thing, but none of the other zenali creatures I’ve questioned seem to have any idea what it is.
Either they don’t know or they’re not telling me.
Nate picks up a stick, poking at the fire, and embers spark into the air.
“For all we fuckin’ know, they’re both chasin’ a fairytale.
It’ll make no difference when we’re on the battlefield staring down each other’s swords.
We work with what we know. The Xalgrith want to take the shadow realm, and we can’t let them do that.
The demon army will be ready when the time comes. ”
That’s followed by silence, and my heart races at the thought of battle. To distract myself, I pick up a stick and conjure a massive pink marshmallow on the end. Yeah, baby.
Tarlaz and Elgen have been hiding in my shirt, and they peek their heads out to see what I’ve got.
“It’s a marshmallow,” I tell them. “It’s like a fluffy cloud of sugary happiness.” I reach forward, placing the marshmallow near the flames, and Elgen shrieks in my head like a banshee, nearly making me drop the stick.
“What are you doing?” I say as my marshmallow dips into the fire and bursts into flame.
Oh crap. I quickly yank it out of the fire, because I want my marshmallow toasted, not charcoaled, but when I jerk my hand back, I flick the stick and the melty treat flies into the air, soaring into the trees behind us.
A moment later, a woman screams and flees into the clearing, completely naked, and General Thores roars as he crashes through the trees.
My flaming, melty marshmallow oozes down one of his bare butt cheeks, and he breathes heavily as the blob of sticky gloop slides to the ground.
“Who did this?” he snarls, and I avoid his gaze, because the guy looks scary.
Nate and Raith are the first to laugh before the rest of us join in, and the demon general walks off in a huff.
“Oops,” I say to the others with a sheepish smile. “That’s my bad.”
Blake grins. “Don’t worry about it. Thores has a temper, but he’ll cool down. Now, where’s my marshmallow bitch?”
My lips curve into a smile, and I grab another stick, conjuring a marshmallow for Blake before creating another one for myself. Thankfully, Elgen doesn’t scream in my head this time.
“So what realm are you going to first?” I ask Blake as I carefully rotate my marshmallow.
“Toralyn,” Callan answers simply, naming the realm of the angels. “They’re likely to be the most reasonable and sympathetic to the cause. If they agree, we’ll send a couple of our generals there, to help train their army on the battle tactics and information we’ve learned here.”
I think of the last time I was in Toralyn with Blake and her mates, and it’s nice to see Callan’s eyes are no longer haunted when he speaks of his childhood realm.
“Say hello to Theon for me,” I comment with a smile, a little sad that I won’t get to see the healer archangel. I’ve always liked that guy.
Callan’s answering smile is genuine. “Of course, Shade. No doubt, he will ask about you as well.”
Thane’s hand squeezes my thigh possessively, and I have to fight not to roll my eyes. “He’s just a friend,” I shadow whisper to my mates and grin when they all visibly relax.
“You know, I’ll miss you guys,” I say softly to Blake and her mates, because it’s true. It’s been so nice having them here.
“Something tells me you won’t even know we’re gone,” Blake replies with a grin, her gaze flicking to Thane’s hand. “Besides, I know your mates will take good care of you.” There’s a slight threat to her words that makes me smile, but my mates only nod like they understand the assignment.
“Plus, this time you’re going to check in with me every few days using the portal ring I gave you,” Blake says, giving me a hard stare. “I’ve already discussed it with Queen Krosia, so she’s aware it’ll be happening. I know you were worried about her sensing the magic if you used it.”
That perks me up. The idea that I’ll be able to speak with Blake whenever I want to has me feeling just a little bit less…
trapped. “Definitely,” I agree, then add, “You know, when Galen’s not stealing it from me.
” Even though I got my ring back, my shadow mate has been borrowing it every so often, though he won’t tell me why.
Am I using Blake to get the truth out of him? Possibly. Do I regret it? Not one bit.
Everyone’s attention turns to Galen, and Blake’s brows lower. “You’ve been taking her portal ring?”
Galen lifts his hands into the air. “I’ve been borrowing it, yes,” he admits quickly, and I smirk at how brilliant I am.
I knew he wouldn’t lie to the demon queen.
Shadows stir around his hand, and he stretches his palm flat.
In seconds, my portal ring appears with the distinct tiny crow on the band.
Instead of looking mad, curiosity fills Blake’s features. “Why?” she asks simply.
Galen closes his hand, forming a fist, and he creates an invisible dome that surrounds us so the other students and generals can’t hear. He takes a moment, staring at the dancing flames before answering. “I’ve had a theory since the moment we met Shade and I detected the magic of her portal ring.”
That has me raising my brows, and going by the expressions of my other mates, I’m guessing Galen kept this from them, too.
“What kind of theory?” Knox asks warily.
“Well, I guess you could say it’s more of a foolish hope, than anything,” Galen goes on. “I’ve been running tests.”
“What kind of tests?” Raith rumbles.
Galen clears his throat. “Since this war started, we’ve been chasing the Xalgrith.
We win a battle and more of their warriors pop up elsewhere in the realm.
We don’t know their numbers. We have no idea what they want, or where the devil they come from.
The prophecy talks about us closing a fold that we’ve never located, and at this point, I’m not sure if we ever will. ”
“Wow,” I comment. “You really need to work on your pep talks.”
Galen’s lips twitch. “But I think this ring could change things. I hadn’t wanted to say anything earlier. Not until I’d figured out if it was possible, but I suppose now is as good a time as any. I think with this ring I can create a portal.”
Nate leans forward and tosses a leaf into the fire. “Well, yeah. That is what it was designed for.” He chuckles.
Galen’s serious expression doesn’t change.
Blake sits straighter. “You don’t just mean any portal, do you?”
Smiling, Galen stares back at her. “No. Our shadow pathways don’t link up with their realm, but I think by manipulating Shade’s portal ring, I can use it to create a gateway to the realm of the Xalgrith.”
Well, holy crap.
It goes silent around the bonfire, and the flames crackle and pop.
“Fuck, Galen, you could have told us,” Raith rumbles.
“I didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up if I couldn’t figure it out,” Galen replies.
Blake holds his gaze. “But you think you’ve done it?”
He nods. “Last night, I finally managed to create a portal that I believe leads to their realm. I can’t be positive seeing as I didn’t go through myself, but I could feel the energy, and I swear it was like nothing I’ve detected from every other realm I’ve visited.”
I swallow hard as Galen’s news hits me. “Hold on. But if that’s true, it means we could go to the Xalgrith realm and confront Professor Yevar.
What about the abducted students? We could rescue them, couldn’t we?
” I stare at Kenzie across the clearing, and I think of Jensen and Kenzie’s friend, Leira.
If Kenzie heard what Galen was saying now, she’d be ready to travel through the gateway in an instant.
“I don’t know, treasure,” Galen answers truthfully. “All I’m certain of is that we may have more options than we initially believed.”
“We could take the fight to them for once,” Thane growls.
“Or at least investigate their realm and determine the full extent of what we’re dealing with,” Knox adds, his eyes dark.
“Hold on, but I can’t leave the academy. You can’t go there without me,” I blurt, panic filtering into my system, because what if my mates go there and they never return?
Thane rubs his hand soothingly along my thigh. “No one is saying we’re leaving, but it’s worth discussing the possibilities.”
“Do you intend to tell this to your queen?” Blake asks, her gaze hard.
Galen shakes his head. “For now, I’m going to continue experimenting.”
Blake’s shoulders relax. “Good. Shade can keep us updated on your progress. For now, I guess let’s enjoy the night. We’ll be leaving at sunrise.”
Germain slinks from the darkness of the forest then, entering the invisible dome as he strides toward us. “Thanks for the invite.” He smirks.
Ambrose walks beside him, the pair taking a seat at the bonfire.
Raith mutters a curse under his breath. Of course, no one invited these two to the celebration, but it’s not surprising they found us.
Callan plays with one of his knives, and going by his expression I’m guessing he’s imagining burying the dagger in Germain’s throat.
“So…what did we miss?” Germain asks, and I’m glad Galen took precautions before he spoke.