Damn her,I thought as the Princess of Hell flitted further away, out of my range of fire.
A monstrous bellow rang through the night, yanking my attention away from the frustrating Fury. I cast about wildly, and my heart leapt when my gaze landed on the creature that the sound had to have originated from.
One of the trolls was on the ground, kicking and screaming as fae soldiers attacked. At their sides were Professor Tittelbaum, Professor De Spina, and Ms. Seeley. All three looked haggard—far too thin and in rags—but they were fighting. Their presence gave me hope that somewhere, other professors, and perhaps students, were battling too.
Unfurling my dark magic, I bid it to go after my enemies, and took the time to really study the area around us. But when my gaze landed on Headmistress Wake again, I stopped.
Mom and Dad still weren’t fighting with her, or even out of the woods.No oneelse had emerged from the woods, save the headmistress and the girl with white hair.
My heart began to thunder like a racehorse speeding down the track, and I knew, I justknew—something had happened in the woods.
My parents were still in there.
I chanced a glance back to the army my best friends and I were fighting. With every second, fewer opponents remained. I didn’t want to leave my friends, but the pull to find my family was strong, and intensifying by the second. I had to listen to my intuition; I trusted that my group would be able to overcome.
“I have to go!”
Without providing an explanation, I broke away. My friends’ cries sounded after me, but I didn’t turn around, and soon enough, they were lost in the melee.
They’d be fine, they could easily take on what was left, and then move on to assist others. But I had a terrible feeling that Mom and Dad neededmyhelp.
“Miss Dane!” Headmistress Wake called out as I ran up to her and began firing black magic from my hands at the glowing eyes within the woods.
“Where are my parents?” I shouted.
The girl with white-blonde hair twisted to look at me. Her eyes widened. She was younger than I’d thought, and from our world, judging by her tight, black leggings and modern top. “Are you Lauren’s daughter?”
I nodded, and turned my attention back to Headmistress Wake, who looked supremely uncomfortable with my question.My eyes shot to the woods, and I caught dozens of pairs of eyes gleaming back at me. The pit in my gut deepened into a bottomless hole.
Oh no. No, no, no . . .
“Are they,” I gulped, “in the woods?”
“I’m afraid so, Miss Dane. My squad got split up. Alice and I are the only ones who made it out of the forest. We—”
I broke into a sprint toward the tree line, right for the demons who seemed to be hiding within its darkness.
“Miss Dane! Stop this second!”
I didn’t turn around, and when a spray of blue magic hurtled past me, to stop me no doubt, I began zig-zagging.
I was about halfway to the forest, blasting my power with every step, and mowing down demons as I went, when the girl, Alice, sprinted up next to me.
“I was with them for a while. I can help you find them.” She hurled a ball of fire at a wraith who dared to step out of the cover of the trees.
“No thanks,” I said, not wanting to be responsible for anyone’s death. Least of all, some girl who couldn’t be older than seventeen.
“I’m fae, I can fly you above all this. I undid the clasps around my wings earlier, when I was fighting, but the fabric is restricting them.” Alice twisted ever so slightly. “Rip open the back of my shirt.”
My eyes widened. “Serious?”
I glanced at the demons in front of us. We’d be upon them in seconds. Behind me, I could still hear Headmistress Wake yelling my name. My friends’ voices had joined in.
“Do it!” Alice yelled as she thrust her hands out, and a powerful gale of wind surged from her.
I blinked.
Damn. She was strong. Clearly not aether-blessed, else she’d be using it, but still, strong. And seeing as I was about to run into a line of dozens of demons, I needed her help.
