“Now, Max!”
I throw my free hand up, conjuring enough magic to form the sigil. I’ve just about got the portal open when a second demon comes sprinting from deep inside the forest.
Max jumps forward, scythe tripling in size. The demon takes a swing and Max drops down, avoiding the blow. He swings his scythe, grazing the demon’s kneecaps.
It cries out, and I splay my fingers over the sigil that’s floating in the air. The demon’s face is full of so many slashes it appears completely red.
“Open the portal!” Max shouts, and scrambles back. This demon is a Red Skull, possessing way more power than we’re trained to handle.
I say the incantation and turn, extending my hand for Max. I link our fingers and tug him forward in my direction. The demon roars, and the bellow is so deep and startling that some of the humans jerk their heads up, wondering what they just heard. They’ll chalk it up to thunder, even though the skies are blue.
Max pushes me forward and the demon reaches for us. Its claws graze my skin, and pain radiates through my body from its touch. Max and I start to fall back, but before we do, I get a glimpse of something hanging around the demon’s neck. It’s a rune, and one I’ve seen before.
It’s Blaze’s necklace.
20
Iland hard on the stone floor of the demonology classroom. My scythe clatters to the ground, and only half a second later, Max is on top of me. I’m crushed under his weight, and for a second, he’s completely still.
“Max?” I frantically bring my hands to his head, cupping his face. He inhales sharply and jerks his head up.
“Are you okay?” he asks me, and tips his head down, eyes meeting mine.
“Yeah,” I answer as I become aware of his body on mine. Heavy. Warm.Hard.
He lets his scythe fall from his grasp so he can get up. He winces and squeezes his eyes closed.
“Let me get you up to bed.” I hook my arm around him only to be pushed away.
“I’m fine,” he huffs, and I roll my eyes. God forbid he allow anyone to help him. “Just…just let me sit for a minute.”
We’re alone and I know the others will be bursting through the door at any second.
“Max, I saw something.”
“Shocking, so did I.”
I roll my eyes but refrain from giving a sarcastic retort, knowing we don’t have much time. “That demon…the Red Skull…it was wearing Blaze’s necklace.”
“What?” Max’s mouth drops open. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. It had the bravery rune on it. He told me all the men in his family get one.”
“Fuck.” He buries his face in his hands, and his body starts to tremble. Shocked by this display of vulnerability, I stare for a minute, then tentatively put an arm around his shoulder.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I know how close you two were.”
“It’s not just him,” he croaks. “Dorian, Terrence—"
The classroom doors fly open, and Maxon jerks upright, schooling his features.
“Excellent job!” Professor Dal says as he strides into the room, the other students behind him. “That went much more smoothly than I expected.”
I exchange a glum look with Max. I don’t feel like I did an excellent job. We lost two of the souls we were sent to reap and I know part of it was my fault. I got distracted, thinking like a human.
“But Professor,” June says as she and the others sit down. “Two of the souls were missing when we got there.”
“It happens.” Professor Dal seems unfazed.. “Every soul reacts differently to seeing their body on the ground for the first time. Many go into denial. Some won’t leave their bodies and some cannot stand the sight of their body lying on the ground, bloody and mangled.”
