The Demon Council sat around the large wooden table with Blackthistle, our headmaster, at the top.
We were all equal members of the council, but lately, he seemed to take on a leadership role that nobody was comfortable with.
The air was filled with the scent of sandstone and the subtle aroma of each council member's unique smell, blending into a mass scent pool of demonic heritage.
We had called a meeting over the dark magic plague haunting the Demon Capital, and I had to inform the council about what happened last night—a painting filled with dark magic and Pandora, Death's freaking daughter, who had absorbed it without becoming infected.
“Pandora, Death’s daughter, is remarkable,” I murmured. “Not only did she survive her mother's cruelty, but now she's purged dark magic from an ensorcelled painting. It’s possible she purged the dark magic from inside of an infected demon, too.”
Murmurs filled the room.
Death lounged in his chair, his black eyes as unreadable as usual. “Penny Bones, her mother, kept her hidden from me…from anyone,” he sneered. “I know little of her. She was a one-night stand, and I’d regretted it for so long, but I got Pandora out of it, so it was worth the mistake. But one thing I will not tolerate is using my daughter in this fight unless it’s absolutely necessary. We have a relic that can absorb dark magic as well. I suggest you count on that alone.”
The council murmured, their intrigue obviously piqued on more than the task at hand.
I watched them, noting the flickers of concern and curiosity that danced in their eyes, but no one asked the questions on the tips of their tongues.
“The Shadowheart family is underinvestigation,” Bane, the shadow demon representative, interjected. Her green eyes were sharp, and her tobacco scent tickled my nose. “Their involvement with dark magic cannot be overlooked. Since it was their son, Dexter Shadowheart, next to the painting, it’s safe to assume he’s working with them.”
“I disagree,” I told them, feeling the surprise roll into the room. “He is being abused by his parents, and his sister was most likely murdered by them. So even if he is doing things on their behalf…it’s definitely not something he wants to do. Besides, I can’t confirm or deny that he brought that painting. Though, I find it odd that it would be him because it caused him immense pain around it. There’s no way he could’ve carried the painting and held back the reaction that long.”
“The Shadowheart family is definitely hiding something,” Joel murmured, tossing a file on the table. “We just need to find evidence of it being dark magic.”
Grimes, the drude representative, spoke next, her voice as soothing as the lavender that perfumed her presence. “We've recovered a letter from a secret society named Dark Veil, addressed to Cass Nyx. It appears she has ties to it.”
The room tensed, the news of a secret society sending ripples of unease through the council members, including myself.
Uncovering the existence of a secret society was ominous news, and unease rolled through my gut.
Gloria Everglow, the dream demon representative who, for some reason, liked us using her first name, added, “We must investigate the secret society, Dark Veil, and their intent. The plague of dark magic in the Demon Capital is no coincidence.”
A silent agreement passed between us as I plopped into my seat next to Daryl and Joel.
“Bring her in,” Blackthistle called, his lips twitching in pure irritation as he sat at the head of the table.
Cass Nyx, a woman I recognized as Reed Nyx’s mother, was then escorted into the chamber by his assistant, her human aura a stark contrast to the demonic energy that filled the room.
“We know all about your involvement with Dark Veil. You will answer our questions about them,” Malice, the fear demon representative, demanded, his purple eyes unyielding.
She bobbed her head, Afro moving with the motion. “I don’t know much.”
“You know they’re responsible for the dark magic plague in the Demon Capital, do you not?” Death raised a brow at her.
Her brown eyes filled with fear as she nodded. “Yes.”
“Do you know why?” he asked.
She wrung her hands together as she stood before us, and I noticed the bags around her eyes. Reed and I had spoken about her a lot in our sessions. She’d been a statue after his dad died, but recently, her behavior had become odd. I couldn’t be more disappointed in her as Reed’s mother.
“Dark Veil worships the Veil, where dark magic is thought to exist. The worshippers use shadow rituals of demonic curses to bring the dark magic here, and when it’s here, they infect demons to help the demon wield the dark magic. Once this is successful, a new demon species will be born that can wield dark magic. The demon species would be the most powerful of all the supernaturals,” she rattled off without so much as blinking.
“But you’re human,” Gloria said gently.
She nodded, and a dreadful swirl of reality slipping was in her eyes. “But my son is a dream demon, and once infected, he can bring my fated mate, his father, back from the dead.”
“You will not infect Reed Nyx with dark magic,” I growled out, feeling fiercely protective of my student. I’d kill her before that happened.
“But you don’t understand, he?—”
