The demon paled, shrinking in his seat.
“Enough,” Respa’s voice cut through the room like a blade, and the entire class fell silent. “That is not what I meant by my question, either.”
I pressed my lips together, barely suppressing the urge to roll my eyes at the noble’s arrogance.
Respa’s lips curled upward in a smirk. “I’m pleased to see you all so passionate, but we still have two months of this class left. You didn’t completely answer my question, either. You let that passion drive you off course. I wantedexamplesof ethical killings if you thought killing could be ethical. To be frank, theories in here will be examined, torn apart, and built again. And for your final exam?” She paused for effect, letting the anticipation settle before continuing. “You will be engaging in a mock debate. Something you’re getting great practice with here already.”
A few murmurs of intrigue rippled through the classroom.
“Each of you will defend the ethicality of your own kind’s abilities while countering those of another species. Research thoroughly, because if you cannot justify your own existence, then you’ve already lost.” She smiled wickedly.
She let that sink in before dismissing us with a flick of her clawed hand. I hadn’t even realized she’d transformed during our argument with the noble demon whose name I didn’t care enough to learn.
Perhaps it irritated her as much as it had me.
The class stirred, chairs scraping against stone, students murmuring as they gathered their things.
I had barely stood up when Fester slid up beside me, his brown eyes filled with admiration. “Thanks for standing up for us low-class demons.”
Reed’s arm wrapped around my shoulders and tugged me against him. “She’s always been like this.”
“True.” Fester nodded, playing with a strand of his black shaggy hair. “Um, if you don’t mind me asking, how’s everything with the Dark Veil? And, you know, the whole dark magic plague thing?”
Reed narrowed his eyes. “Why are you asking?”
“Just curious,” he blurted. “Is it…affecting you at all?”
Jenni, who had been gathering her things beside me, snorted. “He’s just being nosy. I mean, he was infected, you know? Makes sense that he’d be curious.”
I searched Fester’s soul for anything suspicious, but all I felt from him was genuine curiosity. “It’s being taken care of,” I rasped. “Don’t stress about it, okay?”
“Okay. Thanks again.” Fester’s head bobbed in relief as his friend, Brimsworth, strolled up to him.
“Come on, dream girl, we should head to our study date,” Reed whispered in my ear.
I turned my head toward him too fast, and his lips brushed mine. His violet eyes were protective as he stared at Fester, but they fluttered closed for a moment as he pressed his lips into mine in a kiss.
Jenni smirked as we broke apart. “I have a date too. With your daddy. I plan to erase this entire class from my memory.”
I cringed.“Gross.”
Fester shot us a small smile. “I’m sorry for holding you all up. Thanks again.” He turned and walked away with his friend, disappearing into the flow of students exiting the room.
Reed sighed. “He’s weird.”
“Agreed,” Nebula muttered from my bag.
I huffed. “I feel kind of bad for him.”
“Same,” Jenni agreed, before hugging me and darting away to go meet my dad.
We stepped out into the hall, and my bag buzzed. I pulled out my tablet to check our group messages.
Dexter Shadowheart
It’s weird as fuck to keep a jar of dirt on the nightstand, Bram.
Bram
