“And your roommate,” I start, and wince when I see the pain that flashes across Maxon’s face. “You said he went on a demon hunt?”
“We think. He’d mentioned going to the human realm and getting the first demon of the year. Two days later, he was gone.”
I put my head in my hands and let out a shaky breath. Something is glaringly wrong here, and it’s not just that students are disappearing. It’s like I’m missing something huge, something obvious, and until I can figure out what it is, more students are at risk for going missing.
“If you say you think a demon is in the school, they’re going to shoot you down fast,” Maxon warns, and we start slowly walking forward again.
“Why? If there is, wouldn’t they want to do something about it?”
“Of course, but a demon hasn’t broken into the reaper realm in over two thousand years. Just the notion that one could be here would cause a widespread panic, and families would pull students out of school, which would be a mistake. Reaper Academy is the safest place to be.”
“Is it, though?” I ask. “Two students have gone missing since I’ve been here.”
“Exactly…since you’ve been here.” Maxon gives me a meaningful look.
“Oh, come on!” I hiss. “You don’t think I had anything to do with it?”
He arches an eyebrow. “Strange how Blaze goes missing right after you get what you want from him, isn’t it?”
“Seriously?” Anger surges through me and tendrils of energy pulse around my fingers. I shake out my hands to release them into the air. I’m not going to throw energy balls at Maxon. “He was my friend!” Tears burn in the corners of my eyes. “And you have the fucking nerve to suggest that I—”
“I don’t.” Maxon steps in close, body brushing against mine. “You’ve hardly had time to sleep, let alone go around kidnapping and murdering reapers. I’m just trying to get you to see it from an outsider’s viewpoint. There’s going to be an investigation, and they’re going to look at you.”
My blood runs cold. “Do you think others will think it’s me?”
“I don’t know, Addy. I already told you, nothing about you makes sense. Humans don’t become reapers. You shouldn’t be here.” He runs his hand through his thick hair. “Some people speculate that you’re a rogue reaper in disguise, that you’ve been lying.”
“I’m not!”
“I know, but it has me thinking…therearerogue reapers out there. Maybe…maybe they knew something about you and now that you’re here…I don’t know. They don’t want you here for some reason.”
“But why?” I press. “I don’t know why I ended up as a reaper.”
“Right. But maybetheydo.”
* * *
“Thank you for coming.”Professor Messor sweeps her hand at the chairs in front of her desk. “Have a seat.”
I sit and press my trembling hands against the arms of the chair.
“This is going to come as a shock,” Professor Messor begins, trying to brace me for the news.
“I know,” I blurt. “Blaze, he’s…he’s…” I close my eyes, fighting back tears. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I look up. “Cassandra heard and told me,” I admit, knowing that I’d have to give her an explanation anyway.
“I see.” Professor Messor is visibly shaken, but holding it together. She doesn’t even seem annoyed that Cass was eavesdropping. She obviously cares about her students, and I’m sure feels complete responsibility for each and every one of us.
“You were the last to see him,” she goes on. “He never reported back to his dorm after training. Did he say anything to you about where else he might have been going?”
“No. We were both tired and he was excited for the Captura game. He said he was going to bed.”
“Did you see him go into his dorm?”
I shake my head. “We parted ways on the stairwell. I assumed he went into his dorm, and I kept going to get to my floor.”
Maxon leans forward. “Do you think he ran away?” I can tell he’s asking just to see what Professor Messor will say.
“It’s a possibility,” Professor Messor says, though she doesn’t seem convinced.
