Page 69 of Deck of Scarlets

I leaned over to Chloe. “Is there something I’m missing?”

“Emilia is one of the top Scarlets in the region. That tall, scary-looking man behind her? That’s the top Tutelary Saint, and her guardian, Cillian. Together, they’re one deadly duo and have killed thousands of demons.” Cillian’s dark eyes scanned the room, his reddish hair half shaved on one side. Some type of symbol was tattooed on his scalp there. The man had to be over six and a half feet, with a broad stature that could shoulder someone to death.

“So, why are she and Thatcher beefing?”

Chloe snorted. “Because Thatcher was training her to become an Ace. Emilia called that position weak and incompetent.”

Stunned, I continued to watch their exchange unfold.

Thatcher crossed her arms, fists tucked underneath. “So, how does any of what Captain Harrison said explain a security breach?”

“Because the security prayer was never placed.” Emilia took notice of us in the crowd. “And with that came the nests, festering for months. That Magidoz demon was a female.”

“That’s impossible,” whispered Thatcher, her eyes wide, her mouth somewhat agape.

Toke dabbed some sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. The man, good-looking as he was, seemed a nervous wreck after Emilia’s claims. “You tested the area with holy water?”

“Doused every inch,” confirmed Cillian. The way he spoke, his words were laced with a cautionary tone that dared anyone to challenge not only him but Emilia herself with what they claimed.

Emilia leaned casually against the podium, twirling a piece of her midnight hair. “Like I said, the prayer was never placed. It seems like an oversight from your Priest.”

“She acts like she’s never worked with Father Benedict before,” whispered Chloe.

Then it all clicked together. “That’s why Dean Poverly left to assist Father Benedict.” Josh stole a glance in my direction, a curt nod to confirm my train of thought.

“The real question is, how long has it been broken? Because that would mean—” Chloe never finished her sentence. Emilia must’ve been paying attention to us because she strolled over, Cillian not too far behind.

“Oh, please, finish your thought,” she purred. Never in my life had I been scared of another person, but Emilia oozed power from her poreless face.

I watched Chloe’s throat bob, her eyes slightly wide. I’d never seen her so nervous. Usually, people avoided her because she gave off an I-don’t-care attitude, but her body language said otherwise. “Because that would mean…” she took in a deep breath, “that would mean it’s been open season for the demons to prowl right through. It also means whoever ‘placed’ the protection prayer on the perimeter did it wrong… on purpose.”

Thatcher clutched her blue blazer, worry crossing her face. Toke stopped dabbing his sweaty face, eyes wide as saucers. Professors Levine, Stoll, and Adler exchanged hushed words, panic rising in the room.

“Glad to see someone has been paying attention,” remarked Emilia.

She started to retreat toward the front when a thought struck.

“But that doesn’t explain how only one Magidoz came through,” I said.

She froze. Her eyes traveled over to my face, and a smile appeared on her lips. “And you are?”

I squared my shoulders, aware that all eyes were on me now. “Remi Watson.”

Recognition crossed her face, and her smile turned genuine. “Ah, the famous Remi. Lizzie’s granddaughter.”

“You knew her?”

“She was a fine lady. One of the best in her rank during her time. I’m sorry she passed.”

It dawned on me that Emilia knew of her passing, but Josh didn’t. Something didn’t add up.

“You were saying?” she pushed.

Clearing my throat, I proceeded. “If the security was never placed for a period of time, wouldn’t there be more breaches of other demons? I don’t think it was never placed, I think it was recently broken.”

A pin could have dropped in the long stretch of silence in the room. Thatcher looked back and forth between Emilia and me, waiting for some type of explosion to occur, but all she did was nod, accepting my opinion.

“I like the way you think, Remi. It seems we have a Scarlet who’s not afraid to question all sides.”

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