Slaying Year Two (Grim Reaper Academy 2)

The old man attempted to stand up. “This is not the way things are done,” he tried.

Valentine hit the floor again, and the whole building rumbled. His long black cloak whooshed behind him, like an invisible wind had blown it away. Magic crackled in the air. Dark magic.

“You will do as I say!”

His voice was deep and dark now. When he spoke, his scythe banged on the marble floor a third time, the invisible wind picked up, and when it blew over his face, his features changed. His whole body changed. In the blink of an eye, the strong, handsome man turned into a mummified creature. I could see his bones through thin, translucent skin, his eyeballs floating in his eye sockets, his empty chest cavity devoid of organs… I took a step back, but it was too late. I was too close to him, so when his scythe banged on the floor a fourth time, the room trembled, coffee cups were smashed, papers flew, and I was thrown a few feet in the air, like a strong force had punched me in the stomach. I landed on the floor with a thud, my back hitting a chair.

What the fuck?! Valentine Morningstar was powerful. And dangerous. Now that I saw his real face, I knew why everyone had put their faith in a silly prophecy. It wasn’t much, but it was something.

In his new skeleton form, he placed one hand on the table, and as it shook and clattered, he looked the old gargoyle in the eyes and said one last time:

“You will make me Headmaster. Now.”

But the Council was powerful, too, wasn’t it? These people couldn’t just…

“Headmaster Morningstar. Grim Reaper Academy is yours.”

Fuck.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

We were all gathered in the dining hall, students and professors. It was 2 AM in the morning, and we were waiting for the last Grim Reaper who was supposed to bring his practice students back to the Academy. Morningstar had called it all off. There wasn’t going to be any practice until he designed a test himself and we all took it. There were going to be no mistakes on his watch. He was alone at the professors’ table, while all the professors were standing before it. He hadn’t invited them up, so they didn’t dare to take their usual seats. Headmaster Colin was Headmaster no more, but Morningstar had allowed him to keep teaching Psychology. He was going to keep a vigilant eye on him, though.

GC, Paz, Francis, and I were at the VDC table. Sariel was nowhere to be seen. Since we’d come back from the Co

uncil, he’d disappeared. I tried to ask Morningstar about him, but he’d shot me one of his angry looks, and I backed away despite myself. His appearance was back to normal, but I was never going to forget how he’d changed and how he’d made the ground shake with a tap of his scythe.

“Can’t you talk to him?” GC asked me.

“I don’t think I can ever talk to him again. He’s… changed.”

“Where did he take Sariel?” Paz was just as worried as I was. It wasn’t that we liked Sariel much, but if Morningstar could get rid of a Gracewing at a snap of his fingers, then he could get rid of anyone. He could expel anyone he liked on a whim.

“In Heaven,” said Francis. He stole a glance at his phone. He’d just received a text, and now he was turning it off and putting it away. “He’s fine. For now.”

“What do you mean?” I leaned over Paz. “Morningstar just expelled him. What did his parents say?”

“He didn’t tell me. He just said he’s fine.”

The practice party we were waiting for materialized within a cloud of black smoke. Lorna, Sheba, and another Righteous Death guy emerged from it, and their mentor joined the other Grim Reapers who’d formed a separate group next to the professors. So, people have stopped dying all over the world because fucking Morningstar wants to hold his first speech as the Headmaster? There were no words to describe how big this man’s ego was. Of course no one had stopped dying. They were just going to suffer until he allowed the twenty-one Grim Reapers to return to their duties.

The new Headmaster banged his scythe on the floor, the walls rumbled subtly, and silence fell over the dining hall. All eyes were on him. Even the staff had emerged from the kitchens and were listening from behind discreetly cracked doors. I saw Corri flying around one of the hidden doors behind the MDC table, and I knew Patty was with her.

“From this day on, there will be no more mistakes,” Valentine started. “Sariel Gracewing has brought shame upon this institution, but he wasn’t entirely at fault. The fish rots from the head down.” He paused for effect, and I was glad he wasn’t going to say more about that. I actually liked Colin, and I would’ve hated to witness his public humiliation. Morningstar had class, at least. “Practice is suspended. I will spend the next few days constructing a fail-proof test that will show once and for all in which Cabal our students belong. Until then, all activity is suspended. The students are not allowed to leave the Academy. There will be a curfew. The professors will work on a new, improved curriculum for year three.” No one said anything, but the professors were visibly displeased. They’d already established the classes for next year, and now he was asking them to change them according to his instructions. “Once we are sure that each student has been sorted into the Cabal he or she belongs to, practice may start again. I shall be the one to decide who practices under which mentor.” Now, the Grim Reapers looked displeased. Valentine looked at them, seemingly unaware of their feelings. “You may go now.” They all vanished in clouds of smoke, happy to get out of there. Next, he looked over the dining hall. “You may all return to your dorms. Tomorrow is a new day.”

The students started making their way out of the room, creating a bit of a commotion at the exit. They were eager to gather in their dorms, away from Morningstar’s keen eyes and ears, and gossip about the latest events, call their parents, turn it into a huge drama. It already was a huge drama. I didn’t see how they could add to it. There were too many people pushing each other, so I stayed back and waited. GC, Pazuzu, and Francis waited with me. Now that Sariel was gone, me and my boyfriends had silently agreed to adopt Francis.

“Mila.”

I jumped out of my skin. He was behind me. I composed myself and tried to look normal.

“Yes?”

“A word.”

Morningstar pulled me away from the boys.

“Two things, daughter.” I didn’t like the sound of it. “One, once practice is over, you’re spending the summer vacation with me.” I wanted to protest, but he cut me off. “Two, you’re done dating GC Apis and Pazuzu Eremus.”