Fallen Kings

7

As we walk across campus, I soak up the sunlight and marvel at how things have changed over the last two years, while trying to imagine what things will be like when this year is over. I came here on a mission to find my brother, but now it feels like my second home. I’ll be a sad to leave when we graduate. As we enter the auditorium, I spot Jeremy in the crowd, and remember it’s not all good here. He’s been a prick ever since he learned I was half demon, and then he fought with the Order against us. He even tried to get me killed by a drone once. We questioned the asshole after we got back from Faerie, but he told us nothing and we had to let him go. What else could we do with him? We couldn’t hold him prisoner. We couldn’t turn him over to the authorities. As far as we know, the Order reaches far wider than the school. We can’t even trust the Princes’ parents or the other Archangels.

Once we’re seated, Uriel walks out onto the stage and the entire room quiets immediately. Even from a distance, Uriel’s Archangel presence radiates power, and when he gazes across the crowd it’s like he can see into your soul and uncover all your darkest secrets. I hate it every time those eyes fall on me.

“Welcome to another year at Seraphim Academy,” Uriel begins. He then launches into his usual speech about the history of the school, how it was founded in 1921 with only fourteen students, and after the Earth Accords it expanded a lot. I tune him out and think back to the end of last year.

After graduation, Uriel summoned us all to his office and asked us what happened. We couldn’t lie. Well, technically I could thanks to my necklace, a fae relic from my mother that allows me to conceal the truth. But the others? No way. Uriel’s the most powerful Ofanim around. Not to mention, his Archangel power allows him to see glimpses of people’s past when he looks them in the eye, according to Bastien. We had no hope of lying or hiding the truth, so we told him everything. How we fought the Order during the soccer game against the fae. How we found the Staff and Jonah in Faerie. How Grace betrayed us when she took the Staff. Nariel’s death. Eveanna’s banishment to Earth. Everything.

We had no choice.

Uriel already knew about the Order, of course. How could he not? But he claimed he thought they were a harmless secret society on campus acting as an elite fraternity, and nothing more. He didn’t realize they were killing people or going after the Staff, and he thanked us for bringing it to his attention. He said he’d be diligent this year in working to remove them from campus and asked us to report anything else we found out about the Order’s activities at Seraphim Academy. He also covered for our absence while we were in Faerie, along with Nariel’s death, and made Eveanna an official fae representative to the school in order to explain her presence here. He even let her stay in one of the professor’s dorms.

“Although there have been no Duskhunter attacks in months, we must be vigilant in case they return,” Uriel says, bringing my focus back to the present. “Until we are sure the area is safe, you are not allowed to leave campus without permission. We will plan two days a month for each student to visit Angel Peak, and these will be staggered for safety. In addition, we recommend all second and third years carry their weapons on them at all times.”

I glance at Araceli in surprise. I didn’t expect that one. The attacks have stopped, and Gabriel and Uriel have worked hard to make sure both Angel Peak and Seraphim Academy are safe. Do they expect another attack soon?

“Now I would like to introduce the new members of our staff,” Uriel says.

Three people emerge from the side of the stage, and the first one is Bastien. He’s wearing a black button-up shirt with slacks and his sharp, handsome face is serious and cold as he faces the auditorium. Last year he sat in this audience, and now he’ll be teaching his peers, including some people he shared classes with. Is he nervous about that? It’s impossible to tell with him. I doubt anyone would question him as a professor though—he’s much too scary for that.

“Professor Bastien will be teaching Angelic Studies this year,” Uriel says. He doesn’t mention Kassiel at all, which makes me scowl. Technically Kassiel quit his job to find the Staff, but he would have been forced out anyway once people realized who he was.

I nearly laugh at the realization that once again I’ll be sleeping with my hot professor. Uriel knows, of course, but he asked us to keep our relationship on the down low this year until I graduate. I’m just glad he didn’t forbid us from seeing each other, but maybe he knew that wasn’t going to happen. “Professor Rosangela is the new teacher of Ishim Studies,” Uriel continues, gesturing at a woman beside him. Again, no mention of what happened to Nariel. It’s probably better this way. If people knew he was dead there would be too many questions, and possibly an inquiry into his death at Callan’s hand. He did it to protect me, but other angels might not see it that way, or they might feel that my life wasn’t worth protecting over Nariel’s. Especially if they’re secretly in the Order. Until we stop them, our little group is on our own.

We can’t trust anyone except ourselves.Chapter Five

Olivia

C

lass starts the next morning, and while I’m excited to be back at Seraphim Academy, it’s hard to focus knowing the Staff is out there somewhere. We don’t have any new leads at the moment, and we have no idea how close the Order is to using it. My blood boils just thinking about Grace, imagining when she used the Staff to shoot a bolt of light at my brother. I’m going to find her and make her pay.