The Ruin they Crave

Chapter 5 Lumina

There is nothing like soaking in a lava pool in the morning before classes to make sure you don’t have a Ruin Flare in the middle of a lecture.

Hellhounds naturally have immunity to scorching things, so this feels more like a hot tub than a death trap. I can feel the itchy, restless energy beneath my skin easing as excess Ruin slowly seeps out of me.

Honestly? Thank the gods for lava pools because they’re apparently a permanent part of my future now.

And if I’m going to spend the rest of my life managing Ruin alone, I might as well do it in a ridiculously expensive lava pool.

Sereya knocks on the bathroom door.

“Lumina, I want to get there a little early so I can show you around more. Is that okay?”

I swear this girl is so thoughtful. How did I get this lucky?

“Yeah, I’m coming. Just letting the magma drip off.”

Once I step out, the magma slides down my body while steam hisses from my skin. I pull on the uniform, dry my hair, and leave it down for now.

Despite the hell I went through, my skin is glowing and my hair is still platinum blonde—almost white if I’m being honest. But my mom used to swear there was the tiniest hint of gold in it.

I smile at the memory of her fussing over my hair and instantly regret it when tears sting my eyes.

Damn it.

I grip the sink hard, biting my lip while grief crashes over me so thick I can barely breathe. I miss her. I miss all of them.

I let myself cry for a minute before forcing it back down with sheer stubbornness until I can walk out looking semi-normal.

Sereya, meanwhile, looks completely unbothered by the horrors of existence.

She’s wearing the same uniform, but somehow it fits her completely differently. Curvier. Softer. Her thick dark hair is tied back neatly while mine hangs loose around my shoulders.

I look like a pale haunted ghost standing next to her.

Sereya looks vibrant. Alive. Honestly, it’s kind of refreshing in this muggy underworld.

She notices me and double-blinks.

“Your eyes are…beautiful."

“Huh?”

“They glow after lava dips like Amber jewels.” She chuckles softly. “It’s cute.”

I roll my eyes while grabbing my bag.

“Thanks, Mother Nature.”

“Mother Nature?” She tilts her head. “Me?”

“Yes. You have the vibe of someone who could cure Cinder Madness with a smile.”

Sereya snorts so suddenly I almost laugh too.

“You know what’s sad?”

I instantly brace myself. “What?”

“You’ve complimented me more than my exes ever did.”

I smirk and give her a dramatic little bow.

“I can be such a gentleman. Plus, all my clothes would fit.”

I gave her a second to catch the lyrics.

Then her eyes widened. “Oh! Dove Cameron!”

“Yes.”

And somehow, for the first time since my world ended, warmth spreads through my chest like maybe today won’t be entirely terrible after all.

On our way to Ashborne Territory, Sereya explains that there are four Factions within Ignis Academy. Ashborne, Bloodforge, Cinderfell, and Scorchlands.

Apparently, I’ll meet the other Faction Leaders eventually, but for now, I’m supposed to focus on the workings of my own Faction first.

At first, it’s just us walking the trail toward Ashborne, but little by little people begin appearing from different paths branching through the forest. Some are alone. Others walk in groups.

I can immediately pick out the bonded packs.

Mostly because of the visible mate marks and the way they gravitate toward one another, like being apart longer than five seconds would physically pain them.

They walk close enough to brush shoulders, hands occasionally bumping, flames flickering against skin without either of them reacting.

Like space itself offends them.

Then my stomach twists as a horrible memory flashes through my head.

The male in the infirmary. The silence after he stopped breathing. The order to contact his mate.

Gods.

Maybe that’s why bonded packs cling to one another so tightly. Because when you know you could lose someone that quickly, you probably start treating every second together like it matters.

Someone slams into my shoulder hard enough to nearly knock me sideways.

I stumbled directly into Sereya with a curse.

The bulky male who hit me doesn’t even glance back. Rude ass. I instantly start moving after him, but Sereya grabs my wrist.

“Don’t,” she hisses quietly. “Trust me, you want to lie low for a while. Remember those combat classes you wanted? Starting a fight and getting your butt kicked won’t help.”

I rolled my eyes dramatically. “Why can’t you just humor me and say I’d win?”

“Because Silas is a huge hound with enough bite to back up his bark.” Sereya grimaces slightly. “And…I heard he and his mate had some kind of falling out recently, so he’s probably not in a good mood.”

I give her the flattest look possible. “I really don’t want to be that person, but…”

Yeah. I’m going there. My entire family got massacred and this guy is bulldozing strangers because he argued with his mate?

“Lumina,” Sereya says in horror. “That is not nice.”

“Who said I was nice?” I look utterly offended, especially right now when I have no idea how to feel about anything. I’m just kind of flowing with the damage at this point.

Sereya shakes her head before looping her arm through mine. “You are nice. You’re just…going through some stuff.”

I told Sereya what happened to my family last night. I couldn’t help it. She might be the only person I’ve ever met besides my mother who makes me feel safe enough to say things like that out loud.

“Thank you for reminding me not to be a crazy b***h in public,” I say with a laugh.

She gasps dramatically before shoving my shoulder. “I did not say that!”

“My mind has very creative ways of rephrasing things.” I tap my temple knowingly. “It’s a specialty.”

Soon enough, we reach the entrance of Ashborne, and the second we step inside I feel like I’ve walked into some kind of royal castle with decorative gold and dark flames on the chandelier, but the lighting is normal.

I can immediately tell this is the main gathering area, though I’ve never seen one set up right at the entrance before. There are way more people here than I expected too. It almost feels like some giant orientation.

At least for me.

Sereya points toward an enormous buffet table and I instantly abandon all coherent thought.

They have human food here. Not just food either. Coffee and Pancakes.

Actual salvation.

Sometimes Hades allows human world things into the Netherworld. I guess even the Lord of the Dead likes spoiling his people occasionally.

Still not happy with him right now though.

But I’ll accept these pancakes with spite and my coffee with vanilla creamer anyway.

After I fill up my plate, Sereya and I find a table and start eating. I didn’t realize how hungry I was until the first bite hits my tongue. The fluffy pancakes practically melt in my mouth, and the coffee almost makes everything feel normal again.

Almost.

Sereya grabbed tea and enough protein to feed a small army. She glances around while sipping some kind of sweet spiced tea when, suddenly—Wind whips through the gathering hall out of nowhere.

Her dark hair flies across her face while papers rustle from nearby tables. The breeze makes a straight path toward the massive couch setup in the center of the hall.

Honestly, it’s less of a couch area and more like someone shoving an entire living room in the middle of the building.

But my attention locks onto the person who appears out of nowhere and drops onto the couch like he owns the place.

Sereya sighs while fixing her hair. “I hate when Nyxian does that.”

Nyxian.

One of Veyra’s bonded mates.

I stare at him while he sprawls across the couch like he’s about to take a nap in the middle of a crowded gathering hall. The level of confidence is honestly irritating.

And gods…

Nyxian looks exactly like the type of male people warn you about before you ignore them anyway. The aura of danger.

Dark hair. Violet eyes. Black clothes stretched across enough muscles to make me suddenly understand poor decision-making.

The man looks like a complete menace to society...and panties.

My brain went there without permission. Then I notice the mate mark curling along his neck.

Something ugly twists sharply in my chest.

Annoyance. Which makes absolutely no sense. I shouldn’t care. I don’t know these people.

I don’t know him.

So why does seeing that mark bother me so much?

“Lumina,” Sereya hisses suddenly. “Stop staring!”

“Hm?” I blinked at her. “What?”

“You can’t stare at someone’s bonded mate like that,” she whispers harshly. “It’s offensive.”

Right. I know that.

It just completely left my brain the second I looked at him.

“Right…” I mumble before aggressively shoving pancakes into my mouth like carbs will somehow fix whatever is wrong with me.

Sereya notices my curiosity anyway.

“Nyxian has Black Flames,” she explains quietly. “He can move through shadows without being seen. Most people can’t track him once he does it, but bonded mates eventually learn how.”

Lovely.

Every time she says Bonded pack, this weird burning feeling crawls under my skin like I’m developing an allergy to happy relationships.

And right as that thought hits me—The infamous golden god walks in.