Page 93 of House of Mages and Raven

“Come back and return to your jail cell, wicked Barbie!” Matt howled in panic. “Or His Highness will have my head.”

I shot out of the door like an arrow and shoved away a coven of witches who blocked the stairs, evoking angry shouts behind me. Well, nice people didn’t get things done, and cowards often hid behind the wall of being nice, so they didn’t have to risk their own necks to fight the bad people. Hell had a special place for the hypocrites who even believed their own lies.

“Barbie, shouldn’t you be in detention?” A trio of mage sentinels who hadn’t gone with Cade to the court stalked toward me. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”

“To Hell. Destination is the second floor,” I shouted back mockingly. “Will you be brave to follow me?”

No one followed, and I ran like an army of ants was on my tail, my legs pumping with Sy’s strength.

I got to the peak of the hill, the academy grounds behind me, a breathtaking sight of shiny buildings and shops amid blooming gardens and dark forest. Though the ivory tower of Skyward—the once-radiant symbol of Shades Academy—had dimmed and ruptured after the battle with the Legion of the Brotherhood. It’d been tainted by the druid, who had practiced black magic by sacrificing beings in the depths of its bowels.

The students milled around, enjoying the last hour of twilight, as if they could live a blessed life forever, not knowing the coming of the biggest threat to their realm, not realizing that everything they had could be taken away with their next breath.

I’d never had that luxury. Even hiding from my father for a decade, even hiding out in this last, safest realm with the Veil between him, his abominations, and me, I’d never taken safety for granted. This heaviness, this burden, this petrifying fear, andthis rage were never-melting ice in my chest. Yet there was a spark of hope at the bottom of the ashes and ember, and for the kernel of hope, I’d do just anything to preserve it. I’d give my last breath to protect this magical realm and Underhill.

I gazed over the shimmering Veil across the wide plain before I broke into a run again. With strategies playing in my head, I charged down the hill and zoomed through the blades of grass in a blur.

I halted before the Veil, magic rising from the soil and twirling around my feet anxiously. It’d felt the threat close by. I crouched, cradling it into my arms.I’m here. I won’t let evil touch you,I vowed.

The magic calmed.

I rose to my feet and stretched out a hand. At my summoning, the hilt of Deathsong fell to my palm.

I’m thirsty, mistress,the evil blade chirped.Are we going to drink some foul blood?

I answered by gripping it tighter, my knuckles white.

I blew out a breath.Sy, are you ready?

She grinned.Born ready.

With Sy, I was never alone. And I wouldn’t battle alone today.

“You have me as well,” Pucker said by my side.

“Let do this!” I leapt through the Veil.

31

Sy

When we first stumbled upon the Veil that separated the mortal world from the magical realm, all we saw was a field of bones, skulls, and shattered black walls.

Until Barbie stripped off the glamour.

Icy terror flowed in our blood at the sight of an army of over two hundred Shriekers as soon as we lurched through the shimmer to the other side of the Veil.

The abominations hadn’t tried to dig a tunnel beneath the Veil, unlike last time. It dawned on us that they’d been waiting for Barbie, knowing she would come to face them. Ruin had allies within the realm.

The horde of Shriekers lined up in a battle formation fifty feet from us. They were part machine and part monster, with primary homo sapiens faces, scorpion claws, and lizard-like scaled necks.

Fear from my soul sister seeped into me, and I pumped courage and strength into her. We’d always stand together to face our enemies.

Her ghost familiar widened his eyes at the sight of so many Shriekers. He tried to stand taller and spread his arms to look larger and intimidating in his phantom form but failed pathetically.

“Fuck, they’re too many. We’ll be overrun,” he said. “We need to retreat, get a backup, and regroup.”

“We can’t leave now that they’re here,” Barbie said, her voice grim.

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