The night I met Max, he was out by himself. He told me Professor Dal encouraged him to take that risk, and Dal assumed he wouldn’t make it back.
But unfortunately for him, I was there. I killed the demon and Max came back.
And then before him was Dorian, and Terrence. Blaze. And Kaia was almost killed, too.
But why?
What could he get out of hand-delivering meals to the demons, to use the demon’s own words. Demons and reapers are natural enemies.
I have to go to Professor Messor. I have to tell her what I saw, though I know she’ll never believe me. My best bet is to grab the list and show her. It’s in Professor Dal’s handwriting. She’ll know it was him and can report him and have him arrested by the army.
Another log pops and tumbles down inside the fireplace. It startles me and I whirl around, heart in my throat. I stare at the flames for a few seconds, needing to gather my thoughts.
And then he appears in the doorway.
“Miss Blake. What are you doing here?” Professor Dal asks, a pleasant smile on his handsome face.
“I…I…” I blink several times. “I came to ask you something.” I quickly bend forward and grab the fire poker, making it seem like that’s the only reason I’m here by the desk. Like I didn’t just realize he’s been playing us all.
“Is everything all right?” He moves into his office and I tense. I can’t let him know I’m onto him. That Iknow. He might kill me right here and now and no one would know.
There’s no body. There wouldn’t be a crime scene. I’d disappear like the others, and it wouldn’t be that unbelievable to convince everyone that this new life got to me and I cracked under pressure. That I’d deserted and run back to the human realm.
I swallow hard and stare at him, heart breaking at the same time that it fills with fear. I trusted him. Liked him. I was even attracted to him. I would have let him kiss me the other day…would have let him do more than kiss me, probably.
And he’s been lying. Using us. Sacrificing students. How long has this been going on? How could I have been sostupid?
“Miss Blake?” he repeats, and his eyes flick from me to his desk.
“Yes, Professor.” I force a smile. “Everything is fine. I, uh, keep thinking of those two souls we weren’t able to find.” My heart skips a beat again as I realize that he’d gone to the accident site before us. Had he taken those souls as well? “And I feel like I made a mistake.”
He smiles kindly and the ease with which he’s able to look at me, like everything is fine, unnerves me. “You did not make a mistake. Sometimes souls leave before we are able to get to them. But that is why we have Soul Trackers who specialize in finding those lost souls.”
He moves into the office and goes around to his desk, acting as if he’s straightening up. If I didn’t know there was a list of dead students’ names on the desk, I wouldn’t have suspected anything.
“I know how devoted you are to becoming a top reaper, Miss Blake,” he says as he surreptitiously slides the list beneath another piece of paper, ruining any chance of me being able to steal it and prove he’s behind this. “But you shouldn’t be so hard on yourself. By all accounts you should be with the first years, and yet you performed admirably on your first mission.”
“I know. It’s just…I feel sad, for the people who didn’t make it.” I grip the fire poker to keep my hands from shaking. “I’m still not used to seeing death, I guess.”
Professor Dal’s expression softens in sympathy. “I understand how you feel. He lifts his hand again to touch my face, and it takes every ounce of willpower not to recoil in disgust. “But it will get easier in time, Miss Blake. The more you go out on missions, the better you will become. You are an extraordinary young woman.”
He moves in closer, his breath ghosting against my lips, and a shiver of revulsion ripples through me as I realize he’s finally going to kiss me. Before I can stop it, a sob rips from my throat.
Professor Dal recoils, surprised. “Addison?” he asks, his voice rife with concern. “What is it?”
“I-I-I’m sorry,” I sob, letting the tears that have been threatening for the past few days spill over my cheeks. Anything to keep him from touching me. “This has all been so overwhelming, and I still haven’t gotten over Blaze’s death. I’m sorry, Professor, you’ve been so kind, but I need some time.”
I throw down the poker and hurtle past him. “Addison!” he cries, but he doesn’t stop me as I race down the hall.
I run until my breath is fire in my throat, until my legs are jelly, until I can’t take another step. Shaking, I collapse beneath a tree on the grounds, which are deserted right now. I feel sick, and I take slow, shuddering breaths to keep myself from puking.
Eventually, my mind calms. My heart rate returns to normal, and the grief in my chest turns into cold, icy rage. The man I trusted…the man who I thought was on my side is the one who’s been killing off students. Feeding them to demons—to the enemy.
And yet I have absolutely no proof. Nothing to point the finger at him, and I know that Professor Messor won’t listen to a thing I say unless I have hard evidence. Maybe when Kaia wakes up, she’ll be able to give testimony against Professor Dal. I’ll have to make sure she’s watched around the clock and is never left alone, in case Professor Dal tries to finish her off.
You’re going to have to train hard, I tell myself as I watch the setting sun turn the sky a deep, bloody red. Master my scythe, teach myself powerful spells so I can protect myself and my friends. And spy on Professor Dal whenever I can.
Because no matter what, I’m not going down without a fight. I’m not going to let another student die. Somehow…some way…I’ll stop Professor Dalmatius.
To be continued…
