Fallen University: Year Two

“Gavriel declared war ages ago,” Kai said coldly. “We pleebs are caught up in it whether we like it or not. I refused to admit that for a long time, and it took being sent to Fallen University to make me begin to understand. There is no ‘neutral’ in this fight.”

Vee sighed heavily and gazed around her home as if saying goodbye to it—to the last shred of peace and safety she’d been able to muster up in this terrifying world. I held my breath, almost afraid to hope.

“Well. It isn’t anything that the whole underworld doesn’t already know,” she muttered, almost to herself. Then she straightened up in her chair and faced me directly. “Gavriel has been obsessively recruiting demons for his army. That is why I laid the trap as I did. I will not be forced to go to war for his cause.”

“What is his cause?” I asked as a chill trickled down my spine.

“To take earth,” she said bluntly. “He has been increasing his numbers here and on earth for the last several months. He’s training his troops day and night. I thought he was readying himself for a war with the Custodians, but now—if he’s cut off their supply, he isn’t anticipating a war. He’s anticipating a slaughter. The end of humanity.”

The little chill exploded violently, turning my blood to ice, and I froze.

The end of humanity. Fallen rule. Destruction.

“Then we have to get back to earth as soon as possible.” My voice shook a little, but I kept my gaze steady on her. “Please help us.”

Vee tilted her head sadly and sighed again.

“It won’t work,” she said. “He’s too strong now. Armies upon armies of fallen, and more every day. You think your Custodians can stand up to wave after wave of bloodthirsty brutes?” She shook her head. “Gavriel wants earth, and he’s going to take it.”

“Well, we’re not just going to roll over for him,” I said through my teeth. “We might not win, but we can at least slow him down.”

A slight smile touched her lips. “I admire your conviction.” She gazed up at a painting that’d been applied directly onto the stone wall of her little dwelling, her brows deeply furrowed. The room fell silent for a long moment, then she looked back at us.

“I will help you,” she said. “But first, sleep.”

Chapter Twenty

The magical transport bubble wasn’t quite as bad the second time around.

I wasn’t in it for as long, for one thing, but I was also functioning on over ten hours of cuddle-puddle sleep. I could have withstood virtually anything at that point, but Vee made the whole process as painless as possible. One minute, we were standing in her living room, then we were floating above the ground. Next thing we knew, we were two-thirds of the way up the mountain and the orbs were already dissolving.

“There are the three spikes,” I said, pointing. Vee had given us detailed directions before picking us up in her orbs, and she’d placed us exactly where she’d promised she would. “She said we go north from here.” I glanced at Xero. “Uh… which way is north?”

He nodded

toward the steep incline. “That way.”

It looked too sheer to climb, but I soon discovered that the mountain was staggered. Thin ledges snaked across it as if it were actually sheets of slate stacked up and shoved unevenly sideways into the ground. They were only wide enough for two, so Xero and I took the lead while Jayce and Kai took the back. Kingston walked at the very back for a moment, then took flight.

“Get down from there,” Xero ordered.

Kingston roared a question.

“Because this is prime dragon real estate, moron. You’re going to fly into someone’s territory or get too close to a clutch.”

The green dragon roared an indignant statement.

“Oh, really? You, a little half-blood lizard, are going to beat down an angry mama dragon with a thousand years and a million kills under her scales?”

Kingston huffed reluctantly.

“Even if you can survive that, we can’t,” I pointed out. The thought of my bond mate fighting a massive, ancient dragon in the sky had made my heart lurch in my chest, but I figured he’d respond better to arguments about our safety than his. It would’ve worked on me anyway.

Kingston groaned and flopped back toward earth, looking exactly like a toddler doing that boneless tantrum thing. He shifted back as he landed, and his boots touched the ground behind Jayce as he shoved his hands in his pockets.

“I can’t believe I’m hiking,” he muttered just loud enough for us to hear, sounding truly disgusted.

Xero and I shared an amused look. “Bet he never even did that as a human,” I whispered.