I couldn’t do anything for Gage, but I could help my mom. I didn’t have a hope of succeeding if I was distracted, so all my attention needed to be focused on that one task.Save my mom.I’d deal with grieving for Gage properly and opening Pandora’s box later, possibly with a therapist.
Lumen Academy had given me a leave of absence due to what happened with Gage, but now they’d thrown me in full throttle. I was set to take the Junior Hunter Skills Test tomorrow, and then Aurelia said she would advance me to junior hunter.
Aurelia promised me that once I advanced to junior hunter she would start to plan a mission with me to the Netherworld to rescue my mom. She’d said that because it was dangerous, she’d have to ask people to go on a volunteer basis only. She also mentioned that after a lot of the hunters saw how hard I worked trying to close the portals during the attack on my Ascension Ceremony, she didn’t think we would have a problem finding enough volunteers.
“So we fight in teams.” Drea held her open notebook out in front of her and rattled off things she knew that I would need to know for my test. Drea and the rest of the Angel Gang had been amazingly supportive through this entire Gage-missing fiasco. Sometimes I’d burst into tears, and they pretended not to notice. And not that I’d left the sanctuary very often, but the few times I’d emerged they’d put off their plans, sometimes just sitting and watching a movie with me instead of going out. I think Skye even canceled a date once, which was huge for her.
“Every team has a leader and a scanner,” I spoke through a mouthful of food as I thought of Drea, and Marlow with her device. “There’s also a flyer and at least two warriors.”
“I’m the flyer.” Jacob winked at me from across the table and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes and offer him a smile.
“I’m the warrior, along with Dash.” Skye puffed up her chest, which caused Drea to laugh.
“Well, we’re all warriors, but yes, in an attack Skye and Dash take defensive point first,” Drea said.
Dash had headphones in with his hood up and poked at his food as he looked out onto the New York skyline. My heart pinched as I remembered how he’d picked up Gage’s feet and asked me where we were flying him without hesitation. I shook the memory from my head, cramming it deep down into that box.
Move on, Tatum. Just move on.
“Do Shades work in teams like this as well?” I asked.
Drea shook her head. “They’ll work in groups to defend open portals, but they don’t have dedicated teams like we do. It takes a lot of trust to form an effective unit, and trust isn’t something Shades cultivate within their ranks.”
From my own experience with Shades and at their academy, that made sense. There was an air of distrust that always seemed to be present, as if people weren’t truly friends, but rather temporary allies. It was obvious that Gage had been a lone wolf.
I gritted my teeth.Stop thinking about Gage, Tatum.
“Demon levels?” Marlow quizzed, helping me shift my thoughts back where they belonged.
I rattled off the levels and characteristics and they all grinned.
“Okay, guys, I’ve got Angel Script class.” I stood and popped the last tater tot in my mouth. The thirteen-year-olds in my class thought it was hilarious that I had to sit with them and learn for the week. I was like a baby having to learn about a new world.
“See ya la—” Drea’s voice cut off when everyone’s phones began beeping with a demon alert. I’d gotten used to this, seeing them get these alerts and run out on calls. I wasn’t allowed to go until Aurelia approved me, and she thought with Gage and everything that I wasn’t ready.
Drea stood, looking down at her phone. “We’ve got a bunch of level twos and threes in Central Park.”
The team chewed the last bites of their food and then pushed off the table to join their leader.
Drea looked at me with a grin. “My mom just texted that you can tag along.”
“Yes!” I screamed a little too loudly, causing some of the other hunters to stare.
This wasjustwhat I needed to get my mind off of Gage and my mom.
“Armory!” Drea grabbed her backpack and slung it over one shoulder as we bolted out of the Academy. My heart pounded in my chest as we jogged the few floors down the steps. This would be my first ever demon call.
Normally, Drea and the team got called out after school hours. For dispatch to pull them from class, there had to be a good reason.
By the time we made it across the courtyard and to the armory, I was surprised to see it packed full of hunters. They were all stowing weapons, either on their arms through their magical tattoos or on their person.
“What’s going on?” Drea asked one senior hunter.
“Coordinated attacks all over town. They’re drawing us all out.” He looked concerned but just continued to pull swords and daggers from the wall. I’d never seen the armory look so empty. The giant barnlike room with floor-to-ceiling walls was normally full of glinting gold and silver, but now was nearly bare.
Coordinated attacks? That didn’t sound good.
Marlow walked up to me, grinning. There was a giant sword in her hands. “Weapons storage mini lesson. You ready?” she asked.
