IRENE
Thankfully, Irene had managed to wake up Masika with another swift slap across the face. The pair had stumbled out of the dungeons, relocating to the first floor of the Ascended Quarters. But once they were there, neither one of them seemed to know what to do next.
The heart of the battle was still happening near the main gates, though it had begun to slowly trickle deeper north, migrating toward the Library. Irene scurried over to the nearest window and examined the chaos below. Only a few yards away, a horde of Demiens cut across the grounds, the group flanked by billowing shadow creatures. The putrid scent of blood and violence was inescapable. Most of the Blackwood students had been sequestered in their dormitories, though a few had chosen to join the Ascended, determined to protect their sacred halls. Either way, they were vastly outnumbered. Their one advantage was Silas and the Housemasters. Their power rivaled that of the Demiens—teeming with ancient magic capable of destroying their souls with nothing but a flick of their wrists.
“Where do we go?” Masika coughed, shielding her eyes from the cloud of shadow magic that seeped in through the cracks in the windows. Irene winced at the strain in her friend’s voice. Herthroat was clearly raw from screaming. From hours and hours of torture, suffering under Silas’s hand.
While I just stood back and watched.
“Masika.”
The word slipped out of Irene’s mouth before she could stop herself.
When their eyes met, Masika’s face softened. As if she already knew. With just one look.
“You already know I forgive you, so let’s just skip over the apologies, okay?”
But that couldn’t be it. It wasn’t enough. Irene deserved to be hated.
Scream at me. Hit me. Do something.
“I didn’t—” Irene shook her head, swallowing. “I should never have…” But the words were a tangled heap lodged in the back of her throat. Her gaze fell to the floor. Why couldn’t she ever say the right thing? Why couldn’t she ever put aside her stupid fucking pride? A hand gently brushed Irene’s chin, dragging her gaze forward.
Masika smiled. “I know, Irene.I know.”
Forgiveness radiated from Masika’s gaze, and it was suffocating. Irene didn’t deserve it. Didn’t deserveher. But she didn’t want to push the matter further—truthfully, she wasn’t even sure she was physically capable of it—so she simply nodded and swallowed back the knot in her throat.
“I suppose…” Irene managed to croak out, “we should go find your friends. The people you were working with.”
Masika nodded. “Catherine and Dina should be out there somewhere—”
“Catherine?” Irene’s eyes widened a fraction. “TheCatherine?”
Masika grew unnaturally flustered. “Uh…yeah.” She flushed and her mouth cracked into a sheepish grin. “TheCatherine.”
Irene had never seen Masika smile like that before, and despite their circumstances, she couldn’t help but smile back. She wanted Masika to smile like that more often. For once—she wanted her to have the happiness she deserved.
“Well, then.” Irene gave a firm nod. “Let’s go find your girl.”
But before she could even turn away from Masika, the large double doors that stood at the entrance of the main hall swung open, a billowing gust of wind rushing through the doorway and into the hall.
The rumble of footsteps. A cacophony of startled gasps.
There was a beat of confusion. Of complete and utter disbelief.
“What…in the actual hell.”
Emilio and Olivier stood at the doorway. The duo seemed equally startled, their faces oscillating between confusion and unbridled joy. And then Emilio and Olivier were running, nearly tripping over themselves as they threw their arms around Masika. They wobbled and swayed in their embrace.
“Oh my God.” Emilio pulled back, cupping Masika’s face in his hands. “You’re actually here. You made it. You”—he stopped short, eyes narrowing as he properly took in her appearance—“look terrible.”
Masika chuckled, though Irene didn’t miss the tears welling behind her eyes. “Hello to you too.”
Olivier practically shoved Emilio aside, gripping Masika tightly by the shoulders as he peppered her forehead with kisses, while Masika let out a stream of giggles and pretended to bat him away.
“You”—kiss—“beautiful”—kiss—“woman”—kiss.
“Okay.Enough.” Masika rolled her eyes. “You’re obsessed with me. I get it.”
