Fallen University: Year Three

“Mm. Well, I’ll tell you what. I was fittin’ to go storm Gavriel’s camp my damn self, before I thought better of it. Decided maybe I didn’t want to die this week after all.” He grinned, and there was something almost feral in the lupine smile. “But it ain’t far. I’ll take you there myself.”

Chapter Fifteen

Instead of taking us back the way we’d come, Michael led us out through a second tunnel. The town seemed to be set up like a rabbit burrow, except that the top was open to the sky, with a bunch of little entrances and exits dug out of the mountain around it.

When I got a peek at our surroundings, I realized we were no longer following the destroyed landscape.

“Are you sure they went this way?” Jayce asked tentatively.

“It’s a shortcut,” Michael grunted. “They had to go the long way round.”

I could see why almost immediately. Sharp, jagged mountains stood in our way. Michael led us through narrow passages and up steep trails where we were forced to walk single-file and occasionally creep sideways along a narrow ledge. We never reached the top, but entered a maze of tunnels instead.

“Old mines,” Michael informed us as we walked. “Before Gavriel got it into his head to invade earth, he spent all his time mining for those damn stones. We’re almost out, now. Keep your heads down and stay behind the rocks. It’s dark out, but they got night vision, some of ’em.”

We followed him carefully, making sure to keep hidden.

When I finally managed to catch a glimpse of Gavriel’s army, my heart plummeted to my toes. The encampment spread out for miles, like a massive oil spill across the valley. Fires burned every quarter-mile or so, creating a lattice-work of inky black around pools of threatening light. Shadowy figures, ranging in size from massive to tiny, moved around in front of the fires.

“Are they all going to be, uh… recruiting for Gavriel?” Hannah’s voice quivered.

I shook my head. “I don’t think this is their recruitment office,” I said, grimacing at the word. That was the most euphemistic term possible for turning people into demons. “This looks more like an invasion.”

“What do you mean? You think Gavriel is going to go up against all of the human armies of earth?”

I felt sick at the thought. “Shit. I hope not. I really, really hope not.”

She shook her head. “There’s no way. Humans have nuclear warheads. He can’t magic those out of the sky. It’s probably just a huge training camp or something, like a retreat for recruiters.”

God, what I would do for an ounce of her optimism. “There’s only one way to find out.”

We crept farther down the hill, moving slowly so as not to disturb any rocks or slip on the steep slope, until we were level with the encampment.

“What’s the plan, Piper?” Kingston murmured, leaning down to speak near my ear, his gaze still trained on the camp before us.

For the first time in a long time, it felt right to be asked for guidance. Something about being cut off from the school made me feel at home. I’d always worked best outside of the establishment anyway—outside of the rules and bureaucracy. I guessed getting turned into a demon hadn’t really changed that part of my personality. If anything, it’d heightened it.

“Some of us need to sneak in there and pick up intel. The rest need to stay here in case we don’t make it out.”

“We? So you’re going in to do the eavesdropping?” Kai asked. The concern in his voice warmed my heart.

“I am. This is one of those subtle things where my skills are actually useful.”

“I’m comin’ too,” Michael said. “I told Jemma I’d get her some information.”

We still hadn’t gotten a chance to speak with the woman Maori had sent us to find. When Michael had offered to bring us to the army’s encampment, we had taken him up on it immediately.

“Two is good, three is better,” I said, nodding at the werewolf. I looked over my group with a critical eye. “Jayce. You up for it?”

He perked up, delighted and surprised. “Yeah! I’m so down!”

“Keep your voice down,” Kai growled. “Piper. Are you serious? He’s a klutz. No offense, Jayce, but you aren’t exactly the sneakiest person in the world.”

“He is when he’s a hellhound,” I said, and the blond man beamed at me. “And he’s got the best ears of everybody.”

“Why not Xero? Or me?” Kingston asked. “Xero could blend right in, and I can get all dragon over you and nobody would even notice you.”

“Too many people know Xero.” I shook my head. “He’s spent the most time here, so the odds of him being recognized or scented are higher. And while I appreciate you using your possessive nature for good, I can see about a dozen ways that could backfire. Look.”