“Should we go back for them?” June asks.
“No, that was quite enough for one day.” Professor Dal’s eyes meet mine and he smiles. “You are dismissed until lunch. Please remember the buddy system is still in place. And I must insist you go upstairs to your dorms and rest for a bit. First missions like this can be tiring.”
“I wasn’t this tired my first mission,” Max grumbles.
Professor Dal arches an eyebrow. “You also didn’t have half your energy burned away by a demon.”
Maxon’s expression is thunderous as we make our way back to the dorms. “How many missions have you been on?” I ask tentatively, keeping my voice down so the others don’t hear.
“Officially, two. But I’ve been out half a dozen times on my own. This is my first time dealing with a demon with powers, though.” He shoots me a worried look. “You won’t tell anyone, will you, about how many times I’ve been out?”
“My lips are sealed,” I assure him, even though I disapprove. After all, he’s being punished, isn’t he? And hopefully he’ll learn his lesson.”
“Thank you. Professor Dal has always been so encouraging, and I wouldn’t want him getting in trouble.”
“Why would he get in trouble?”
Max looks at me like it’s obvious. “Because he’s the one who’s been encouraging me to go out on my own.”
* * *
After lunch,Maxon and I go to the headmistress’s office, determined to tell her about what we learned. Unfortunately when we walk in, it’s to find her deputy, Professor Juvan.
“Professor Messor has stepped out for a meeting with the council,” Juvan tells us. “She will be back after dinner has been served. Shall I let her know you need to speak with her?”
“Yes,” Maxon says. “Tell her it’s urgent.”
Professor Juvan raises an eyebrow. “Is it something I can assist with? I am deputy headmistress, you know.”
“No, but thank you,” Max tells her. “We’ll be back after dinner.”
“Perfect timing, right?” I mumble as we head to the mess hall.
“Don’t worry,” Maxon assures me. “We’ll get everything sorted out. Once the army finds out a Red Skull killed a student, they’ll send a whole team out after it.”
“I’d like to see that.”
“Me too.” He bumps my shoulder. “Maybe we can. We were invited to hang out with the reapers.”
I smile. “It’s worth a shot, right?”
My brain is mush and my thoughts scattered, but I make it through the day. Gertrude and Kaia aren’t at the table, which is strange. Are they catching up on homework in the library? I haven’t seen Kaia all day, now that I think about it.
I half listen to the conversation at the table I eat, mind going back to that Red Skull. How did it get Blaze’s necklace? Certainly Blaze wouldn’t have gone after it alone…right?
“Addy!” I look up to see Gertrude rushing into the mess hall. “Thank the stars you’re here. Please tell me you’ve seen her.”
“Who?”
“Kaia. She’s missing.”
21
“What?” I echo, even though I heard her loud and clear.
Gertrude grabs my arm and leads me away from the crowded table. “We were together all day and then Professor Dal said he wanted to talk to her. I thought she left with him, you know, so she wouldn’t be walking alone, but he said he was waiting in his office and she never showed up.”
Her breath hitches. “Do you think—”
