It wasn’t long until Fester strolled into my office with his head ducked down. When I sensed his soul, it felt innocent. There was nothing evil in it—nothing malicious. His soul felt actually more pure than some of my other students who I knew for a fact had no inkling of a tie to Dark Veil.
His grass-like smell was untainted by the scent of blood or sulfur. He didn’tseemconnected to Dark Veil, but IknewSabine’s intel was to be trusted.
“Hello, Darkmore,” he greeted me with his usual squeak as he carefully lowered himself onto the sofa across from my desk. “Is everything okay? You look upset. Did I do something wrong?”
I exhaled, choosing my words carefully. Dark Veil had been around him since he was a child—he’d apparently grown up in it, influenced by both parents the same way Dex had been. But Fester’s parents are both dead now, and he’s evidently still in the cult. Why had he not left? Or could he not leave?
“Do you ever think about your mom?” I settled on asking.
Fester frowned, his brown eyes darting around my office cautiously. “What?”
“Her death,” I clarified, tapping my fingers on the desk as I studied him. “She was a sacrifice to the Veil, wasn’t she? She injected herself with that dark magic, a dose potent enough that it would kill her before the dark magic could merge with her and keep her alive.”
“I wasn’t there.” Fester’s whole body tensed. His pulse spiked, and he ran both hands through his black shaggy hair. “I don’t—I don’t know. Bane told me that she was murdered by Dark Veil in your custody.”
“Bane was also involved in the cult.” I leaned forward. “I’m sure you knew that, though. Your mother’s death was planned, wasn’t it?”
His breathing hitched, but suddenly, he just…broke wide open.
“Darkmore, I—I didn’t want to—” He sucked in a sharp breath, gripping the arm of the sofa. “I grew up in it. I’ve never had a choice. I wanted to get out, but I couldn’t. When I was infected, I thought that was it for me, but then, Pandora Gravesend saved my life. My mom? She killed herself in custody for Dark Veil, yeah, but my dad—he sacrificed himself the same way in the cult. I don’t know what you’ve been told, but I’ve beentryingto stay away from them. The things I saw, the things I wasforcedinto…all of it—” He let out a sob, but he shoved his fist to his lips to try to hold it in.
There was no deception in his aura, and there was no ounce of bad intent in his soul. Just raw regret and slight fear.
“Fester,” I said carefully, taking on more of the role of the Demon Council rather than a counselor. “Do youwantto make up for those things? Help us burn Dark Veil to the ground?”
He swallowed hard, then nodded. “Yeah. I do. I have nothing in the cult. My parents are gone. My only friend…he knows nothing about it.”
“Then, you’re going to be our spy,” I told him, feeling vengeance magic electrify the air between us. “Got it?”
He bobbed his head. “I’ll tell you anything you want to know, but please, don’t let Sybil find out. She makes a spectacle of those who betray her, and I’d rather you kill me before that happens to me.”
“We won’t let her touch you so long as you stay loyal to us,” I assured him.
If we had Fester, that made one more spy in the cult and a better chance of finding out more information.
34
REED
Iglided the magic algae scraper over the front glass of Gumdrop’s tank, watching the algae disappear from the inside glass. “You wouldn’t believe everything that’s been going on, buddy.” I sighed, finishing the cleaning before pressing a finger to the glass.
He swam up to my hand, pressing his little face close like he was listening as intently as I needed him to.
“Pandora’s stronger now. So much stronger than when we started at this academy. But she’s pushing herselfsohard. She wants to tear the cult apart with her own two hands, and the thing is, shecould. She’s strong enough to do it.”
He blinked up at me, his frilly gills twitching as he listened to me.
I leaned back on my elbows, watching Gumdrop as he slowly swayed in the water. “I get it.I do.Dark Veil needs to be destroyed, but I just hate that she has to be the one to do it. The fact that the world’s famous seer has told her she must make a sacrifice and that the sacrifice is…” I swallowed hard, glancing at my tablet.“Then, it turns out that Fester’s a part of the cult. Iknewsomething was weird about him, but I didn’t think it wasthat.” My jaw clenched as I scrolled back through the group chat, but a new message came through from Hunter.
Hunter Darkmore
Fester’s our spy now, but I’d still keep your distance. He grew up around it so it was all he knew. After his parents sacrificed themselves, he’s been alone. He doesn’t want to be in the cult, and we’re giving him an out.
“Nowhe’s our ally? I don’t believe that for a second,” I told Gumdrop. “Not after Mom. Not after Charlotte.” My grip tightened on the tablet, my knuckles turning white. “Dark Veil is so corrupted, and so are the cultists. That kind of darkness doesn’t just...go away.”
Gumdrop gave a slow, deliberate nod, as if he understood every damn word.
I huffed out a tired laugh. “At least someone gets it.”
