Red Rose Academy Year Four, page 3
My heart raced as two red glimmering eyes melted some of the ice away. “Do not seek to reveal that which is hidden, Rose Allen…” a chorus of voices hissed, making every hair on my head stand straight up.
Fearfully, I stumbled backward, feeling a great abyss opening before me.
Chapter
Four
My bedroom door burst open with a thunderous crash, and Headmaster Tarus appeared in the doorway. His eyes were cold and determined as he glared straight at the red eyes. With a flick of his wrist and a muttered incantation, he channeled his magic into his palms and aimed them at the glass.
“Evieo Dragite.”
A wave of warm air rushed into the room, and I watched as the frost on the window melted right before me. The red eyes vanished like smoke in the wind, but the creature’s words echoed in my ears long after the creature itself had faded away.
Headmaster Tarus whirled around and grabbed my arms. “Rose, are you okay? Did they hurt you?”
I shook my head. “No. I’m fine. Were those shadow demons?”
He nodded and dropped his palms. “Yes. Thank goodness the wards prevented them from coming into your room.”
“If we didn’t have wards…”
He gave me a fearful look. “They would have whisked you away, same as Dimitri.”
I looked at the window and then back at him. “Headmaster, what exactly are shadow demons?”
He sighed. “Nothing to be trifled with, and since you have encountered them, I think I need to prepare you. Come with me to my study.”
I left the book on New Orleans on my bed, hoping he hadn’t seen it.
He hurried down the hallway with me right on his heels. He took out a ring of keys and opened the door to his study. The room was dimly lit, save for the soft glow coming from his desk lamp. The walls were lined with ancient books, and the air was filled with the scent of old parchment and wax.
Headmaster Tarus pulled out an ancient text and placed it on his mahogany desk. He flipped through the pages until he came to a chapter titled ‘Shadow Demons’. He pointed to a picture of a hideous creature. “Shadow demons are ancient entities, born of the darkness between realms,” he said. “They are not of this world, nor entirely of another. They exist in the spaces in between, thriving on fear, chaos and uncertainty.”
I gazed at the picture in horror. The demon was a writhing mass of shadows and smoke. It had twisted, spindly limbs that ended in sharp claws and shredded wings that filled the page with an oppressive sense of dread. I swore its red eyes almost glowed, and I thought any minute it would fly off the page and spirit me away, like Dimitri.
I swallowed hard, my hands clutching the edge of the desk. “How… How do you fight something like that?”
The headmaster sighed, his gaze distant. “It is difficult. Physical weapons are of little use. They feed off emotions, especially fear, which makes them stronger.”
I thought of poor Dimitri and how he screamed when they had dragged him away.
A cold shiver chased down my spine. “Is there any way to repel them?”
He gave me a hard stare. “You must have immense mental fortitude—the ability to push away all fear and uncertainty.”
“But that’s impossible, especially facing something as terrifying as that.”
“Exactly.” Headmaster Tarus reached into a drawer, producing a small vial filled with a shimmering, opalescent liquid. “This is lumina essence. A rare potion made from moonlight and certain herbs. It can create a barrier against shadow demons, but it’s not foolproof. Use it wisely.”
Taking the vial, I nodded. “Thank you, Headmaster.” I still wasn’t sure if this little shimmering vial of liquid would keep back a single shadow demon—let alone a host of them.
Headmaster Tarus clasped my shoulder. “Don’t go anywhere without the lumina essence. Your very life may depend upon it.”
I clutched the vial firmly in my hand.
“Since you’ve encountered these demons already”…he handed me the ancient text…“I suggest you read this. Knowledge is power, as the saying goes.”
“Thank you,” I murmured, holding the book close to me.
Maybe it would tell me what a demon would fear even more than the Archangel Michael.
He sat down in his chair heavily. “I will also alert Professor Eastey. He may know some spells of which I am not aware.”
I gave him an appreciative smile. “Thank you.” I headed out of the study and ran into Ethan. I inhaled the aromatic scent of coffee, which was just what I needed. Not that I was remotely sleepy after being visited by a shadow demon.
He gave me a warm smile that chased away some of the fear floating around my heart. “Good morning, Rose. Would you like some coffee? I have some brewing fresh in the kitchen.”
I clutched the ancient book tighter to my chest and smiled. “You read my mind. Thank you.”
Ethan led me into the kitchen. Bellona was already lapping at her cream.
Hungry, Bellona?
She licked the last bits of liquid delicately from her whiskers. After that scare this morning, cream was just the thing to calm my nerves.
I slowly cocked my eyebrow. Nerves, huh? Any excuse for you to drink cream.
Ethan poured me a cup of coffee and doctored it with plenty of cream, just how I liked it. Hmm. I guess I had a little something in common with Bellona there.
“Did you sleep well?” he asked as he handed me the mug.
“No, not really. A shadow demon was outside my window early this morning.”
The smile on his face vanished. “Are you all right, my dear?”
“I’m fine.” I shoved the book in front of him. “Headmaster Tarus gave me this to read, and something called lumina essence to keep them away.”
He stared at me with a weary look. “Rose, I know what you’re like. Don’t go looking for them. They’re extremely dangerous. They can even drive a vampire mad.”
My heart clenched as I thought of Dimitri and I wiped away a tear, wondering if he would ever be the same.
“You’re thinking of Dimitri, aren’t you?” he asked softly.
“I know you and the headmaster don’t believe it, but Dimitri isn’t anything like his father. He was always helping us, giving us clues, risking his life. He doesn’t deserve what’s happening to him.”
“I’m sorry, my dear. There’s nothing you can do. All you can do is pray that he’ll escape.”
I took a sip of my coffee and didn’t answer. Forget me being a good schoolgirl while my friend was being tortured. I knew the idea tore Valentin apart, too. He’d definitely go in search of him, and I wasn’t going to let him go alone.
“I went to the market yesterday and got some shrimp. How does shrimp and grits for breakfast sound?”
Ethan was a marvelous cook, and I couldn’t resist. “Yes, please.”
While I read the demon book, Ethan placed grits, water, and milk in a saucepan. My mouth watered and my stomach grumbled at the wonderful smells soon coming from the stove.
I discovered that shadow demons could shift into smoke or mist, making them hard to discover. Great, they could ambush us at that church. Apparently, their eye color wasn’t always red. It could be any striking color. Being translucent, they could blend into the night. They were definitely a formidable enemy…and these were the guardians of the light.
“Rose, your breakfast is ready,” Ethan said, interrupting my studies.
I shut the demon book, glad for the break.
“The headmaster is waiting for you in the dining room,” he said.
Honestly, I would have preferred to eat in the kitchen. It was so much homier. But when I went out to the dining room, I was surprised to see Professor Eastey sitting next to the headmaster. He was wearing a dark robe and his blue eyes lit up when he saw me.
“Rose, Rose, Rose.” He tutted and gave me a weary smile. “I hear you’ve been messing with shadow demons.”
I nervously glanced at the headmaster, whose mouth was pinched around a steaming mug of coffee.
“Not exactly. They found me.” I cleared my dry throat and felt my face flush with heat as I struggled to force the words out. “And they took…and they took…”
The headmaster’s eyes, filled with unspoken sympathy, focused on me, but he remained silent.
“Dimitri, I know,” Professor Eastey said, as his blue eyes took on a faraway look like he was picturing Dimitri trapped in some horrible place with shadow demons. He blinked the look away and took a sip of his steamy coffee.
Professor Eastey gestured for me to take a seat next to him, across the table from the headmaster. I did as he asked, hesitantly sinking into the cushioned chair.
He served himself a big bowl of shrimp and grits that smelled of butter and garlic and all sorts of delicious Cajun spices. “I think you and I need to practice some more magic.”
Ethan placed my own bowl of shrimp and grits in front of me and my stomach growled hungrily in response. I didn’t want to go to magic class, dammit, I had to find the St. Louis Church where Dimitri was being held. “But…” I started.
“No buts. I want you in my classroom right after breakfast. I’ll wait for you while you change.” He gave me a beady stare and dipped his spoon into the bowl.
I looked between the headmaster and Professor Eastey and their grim looks told me any argument would be squished like a bug.
“Please eat, Rose,” Ethan said gently as he looked at Professor Eastey uneasily. “I have a feeling you’re going to need your strength.”
I sighed as I chewed on the tender flesh of one of the fat shrimps. They tasted so good cooked this way. It was way too early in the morning for worrying or being told what to do, but both men had you’re-going-to-do-what-we-say looks on their faces, and I didn’t have the energy to argue with them.
Anyway, from what I’d read in that demon book, it was going to take more than the lumina essence to stop them. Well, maybe…just maybe…Professor Eastey had something up his sleeve to help me fight the shadow demons.
Maybe he also knew what would frighten a powerful demon.
Chapter
Five
After breakfast, I went back to my room, showered, and quickly changed into a white blouse and a red and black skirt. Since this was technically class, albeit a private one just for me, if I didn’t dress in uniform, I knew Headmaster Tarus would be less than pleased.
Before I left, I hid the book on New Orleans and my journal underneath my pillow. I glanced warily at my window, but it was clear and only the sunlight peered back at me.
Bellona entered my room. Valentin is here. Professor Carre is with him.
Professor Carre? I brushed past her, eager to tell Valentin what I had found out and discover what was up with Professor Carre. Why would the Magic Intuition teacher be here?
She followed me. Rose, wait.
Valentin stood in the entryway, his face a mixture of anger and fear as he argued with Professor Eastey, Professor Carre, and the headmaster. His hands, normally so steady, trembled slightly as he gesticulated emphatically, as if trying to make a point that seemed increasingly futile. When I caught his eye, he quickly looked away, and it was clear that something was terribly wrong.
I hurried over to Valentin’s side and clasped his arm protectively. “What’s going on?”
Professor Carre, always a sour puss, stood in the hallway, looking as if he had just got done sucking on a lemon. His dark eyebrows were drawn together in a frown and his lips were firmly pressed into a thin line. He shot me a sidelong glance. “I caught this young man coming out of Professor Eastey’s locked classroom,” he said in a glacial tone.
I glanced at Valentin, who refused to meet my gaze and kept staring resolutely at the floor. Professor Eastey’s usually gentle expression had been replaced with one of stern disapproval as he pointed to an ornate object lying on the headmaster’s desk. The mysterious item glowed eerily in the subdued light of the office. It gave me the creeps.
“Mr. Dragan, would you care to explain why you had this? And what you intended to do with it?”
Valentin swallowed nervously. “I…I know it’s a conduit. A means of communication,” he said hesitantly. “I thought it might help me contact my brother and find out where he is.”
I took his hand in solidarity.
“Valentin, I understand you love your brother,” Professor Eastey said slowly, looking from me to him. “But this conduit uses dark magic. That isn’t ever the answer.”
Professor Carre raised an eyebrow. “Magic always comes at a price, especially dark magic,” he said gravely.
Headmaster Tarus tapped his fingers on his desk impatiently. “I would like to know how you found out about this conduit at all,” he said sternly.
Valentin shifted uncomfortably on his feet and shrugged unconvincingly. “I just figured Professor Eastey would have something I could use…” he replied without meeting anyone’s eyes. His answer hung in the air, and everyone in the room knew it was an obvious lie.
How would Valentin even know about such a thing? Then it hit me. Oh god.
He didn’t… He didn’t call upon Ari, did he? Ari never did anything out of the goodness of his heart. There was always a price—an ungodly price.
Headmaster Tarus sat on the edge of his desk and gave Valentin another black look. “Valentin, the use of such forbidden magic is dangerous. Not just to you, but to all of us. You’ve put the entire academy at risk.”
Valentin’s face flushed with a mix of shame and desperation. “I’m sorry, but I didn’t think I had a choice. My brother is in grave danger. This was my only way to contact him.”
His anguish tore at my heart. I looked between the two professors and the headmaster, looking for some mercy, but saw none there.
Headmaster Tarus stared at Valentin. “I’m sorry, but I can’t let this go unpunished.”
My stomach sank at his words. “Please, don’t expel him.”
Headmaster met my worried gaze. “That’s not what I plan to do.”
Valentin and I looked at each other nervously. Somehow, I had the feeling whatever Valentin was in for was going to be worse than a temporary suspension.
“Do you know what the Mark of Dishonor is?” the headmaster asked quietly.
Valentin braced his shoulders. “No. But I’ve been treated like a pariah ever since I got here, so if it’s like that, it’s old news.” He couldn’t hide the bitterness in his voice.
“Yes, I’m very aware of that,” Headmaster Tarus said as he crossed his arms. “And I regret it. But it does not excuse you from being disciplined when you have broken the rules.”
I could feel Valentin trembling next to me, but I wasn’t sure whether it was from fear or anger. I cleared my throat. “What exactly is the Mark of Dishonor?”
The headmaster uncrossed his arms and waved his hand in a circular motion over Valentin’s wrist. “Repeenum Honorictum.”
Valentin cried out as a tattoo of a closed eye with a single silver tear dropping from it formed on the back of his hand. He fell to his knees, holding his wrist.
“Valentin, what’s happening?” I shouted, turning to face the headmaster with fury in my eyes. “What did you do to him?”
Valentin’s hand shook as he held it up to the headmaster, who studied it with a critical eye. The living room was silent except for the soft ticking of an old grandfather clock in the corner.
“I merely gave him the Mark of Dishonor,” the headmaster announced, pointing to the tattoo. “The closed eye signifies the act of theft or some other betrayal done in secret, while the tear symbolizes remorse and regret.”
I wrapped my arms around Valentin’s shoulders, trying to offer some comfort.
“When Valentin acts honorably, the eye will begin to open slightly, revealing a hint of a vibrant iris, symbolizing increasing awareness and the beginning of redemption,” continued the headmaster. “The tear becomes more luminous, almost glowing, indicating the purity of the action.”
Valentin was struggling to stand, and I helped him to his feet. His face was contorted with pain and frustration.
“However, when he acts dishonorably,” said the headmaster, “the eye remains closed or closes even more tightly, with the eyelid appearing more creased. The tear might multiply, with more tears streaming down, or turn darker, hinting at further deceit or wrongdoing. You will not be able to hide any lies or misdeeds, Valentin.”
Valentin gritted his teeth. “How do I get rid of it?”
“That is up to you,” replied the headmaster calmly. “After the eye is fully open, revealing a clear iris, the tear might transform into a star or a small radiant gem, signifying that out of wrongdoing, something valuable and enlightened has emerged, or it might disappear completely, signifying the washing away of the past.”
I could feel Valentin’s body shaking with rage and shame as I helped him sit on the couch. How could the headmaster do this to him? For the last few years, he’d worked so hard to battle his family’s reputation for wrongdoing and to prove he wasn’t like them, but now he was branded as a traitor.
Bellona rushed over to me and hopped on the couch next to me, nudging me with her head. I’m sorry. I did try to tell you.
Ethan stepped forward with a basin of warm water and a soft cloth draped across his arms. “Here—this will help ease the pain a little.”
I looked at him gratefully. “Thank you.” Gently, I wiped Valentin’s tattoo, watching the angry flesh begin to cool under the soothing cloth. He still hadn’t said much, but I could see in his eyes that he felt betrayed by someone he’d trusted.
The headmaster and the two professors adjourned to the study and the door closed softly.
Ethan knelt down. “The pain is terrible, but it will ease soon. I promise.”
Valentin glared at him, still shaking with anger. “And how would you know?”
Ethan sighed and met Valentin’s angry gaze. “Because long, long ago, I too bore the Mark of the Dishonor.”
