“Run,” I said, my voice deep. We took off in a sprint.
We reached the stairs at the end of the hallway, and I glanced up at the steps leading into the darkness. We had a long way to go.
Another demonic growl, and I turned just in time to catch a glimpse of a large shadow before the torch behind us extinguished.
Selene muttered angry verbiage next to me and took a fighting stance—she must’ve seen it too.
Whatever was down here had to be powerful and dangerous. Selene was powerful, and I was strong. We took on three rock creatures, but this? We could stay, find out what it was, and fight. But I wasn’t going to chance Selene’s life on it.
I scooped her up with one arm, holding her to my chest, and used my other hand to summon my magic. It swirled the airaround our bodies, lifting us off the ground. My palm stung as I held it out, trying to focus on control instead of Selene’s warmth pressed against me. Two hands would’ve made this easier, and flying in itself was already energy depleting.
Somehow, I was able to keep a steady pace. This was the first I’ve flown carrying someone else—and it felt right. My arm squeezed tighter around Selene’s waist, her arms wrapped around my neck. She held tightly onto the book, its corner jabbing me in the back.
The ceiling came into view, marking the top of the stairs. Almost there …
Something sharp struck my leg, embedding itself, and I gritted my teeth against the pain. I held on tight to Selene and glanced down. A long purple—almost black—tentacle covered in suction-like cups but with sharp, tiny teeth burrowed through my pants, piercing my calf. My blood burned like scalding water and then tingled before rapidly fading. The tentacle released and disappeared below.
My magic vanished when the tingling ceased, causing us to fall into the abyss. Air threatened my lungs and my heart raced as we fell. My magic was out of reach and there wasn’t anything usable for Selene’s earth magic in this cursed stairwell. I reached for her, grabbing her and pulling her tight to my chest, and flipped over so I would hit first.
Wind abruptly blew against my back and our bodies stopped just above the stone floor, saving us from a splattering fall. I glanced up at Selene. She had her arms out just enough at my sides, the faint current of air flowing from her palms. Her gaze met mine, a hint of uncertainty wrinkling at the corners of her eyes.
The air cut off and we fell the remainder of the way, Selene falling on top of me. Her lips parted just a touch, and all I had to do was arch my neck and they’d be touching mine. As if sheread my thoughts, her gaze lowered to my mouth. My body was transfixed, like I was being held down, yet I felt the lightest I’d ever been.
A growl came from the hallway and I snapped my head back. Upside-down, red glowing eyes were locked onto us—its prey. The shadow outlining it told us it wasn’t human. Selene jumped up with her hands out in front of her, readying to fight.
“You’re an ether.” I got to my feet, shaking off the haze and standing next to her. “Ethers don’t exist.”
“You got bit by aDemonher Rattus.” Selene drew in a breath. “Your magic will return soon.”
“A what?”
“A ginormous magic and blood-sucking demon rat.” Selene cracked her neck as she stared at the glowing eyes—which were fiercer right side up. Her gaze dropped to the directory book just beyond the rat’s reach. It must’ve dropped from her hands and slid when we fell. “Where there’s one, there’s more.”
Two small, red glowing circles lit the dark space as if on cue, and then suddenly a large rat the size of a panther leapt out of the shadows. Before it could reach us, Selene whipped it into the wall with her air magic. Its oozy leathery skin left a trail on the wall as it fell to the floor. It slowly stood, shaking off the fall, and its tail, with scales like an alligator, straightened.
Another demon rat reared its ugly head just beyond the first, its jagged snarling teeth dripping with drool. They simultaneously attacked—the first one lunging toward me and the second hurling its weird tentacle tongue toward Selene. I ran, grabbing the slimy tongue with both hands before it reached her.
This position left me wide open to an attack, and the other rat changed its course and rushed me. It chomped at my neck, but Selene blasted it a second time with air magic before it couldtake a bite. The slimy warm tongue pulsed in my hand, then started to recoil, managing to slip from my grip.
The first rat began to move. Its head sat at an odd angle, thanks to the way it had slammed against the wall, but it contorted itself back into place and rose. These creatures should have died—they werelivingand made of skin and dark, thick blood, unlike the rock creatures.
“Curse dark magic,” Selene muttered under her breath.Dark magic?There shouldn’t be dark magic inside the academy.
My magic slowly began to stir but wasn’t ready to play yet. A third demon rat emerged behind the first two. I spared a glance at Selene. She braced herself, and I had no idea what she was capable of, but her beauty and resilience did something weird to my heart. I doubt most people would be standing up to three man-eating immortal rats.
I searched the ground near us, but there wasn’t anything that I could use as a weapon. My fists clenched, ready to fight these vermin. A flash of light blinded me for a split-second, and sweat broke out on my neck from a sudden heat.
Selene had turned her hands into a blowtorch. The flames were almost blue—enough to incinerate anything in their path. But the blue and orange flames were not enough. The hideous rat slowly crawled through the flames toward us.
“Go!” Selene yelled at me.
“You’re crazy if you think I’m missing this rat-roast!”
I saw the slight shake of her head before she faltered. Blue flames were challenging to create and hold on to.
Something shifted inside me …my magic?… and I moved on instinct, pushing my hands with my palms out next to hers, almost as if my thought-to-be-depleted air magic aided her fire. The blue flames grew, taking over the orange fire, and I thought my hands were going to melt off. A desert did not compare tothis heat, and it smelled like an animal had died in the walls years ago.
After a long second, the flames died, leaving three piles of ash behind. Two more growls came from the shadows.
