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CHAPTER4
Blackthorn Academy was housedin an honest-to-goodness castle. Early fourteenth century if I knew my architecture.
I did, for the record.
As Asmoday led me across a wide, wooden bridge spanning the moot that surrounded the castle, he said, “Normally, I’d slip in using a mirror or one of the secret passages I discovered my first year here, but I figured you’d want the full effect of the main entrance.”
Again with the reference to mirrors. Clearly, I needed to do a little research so I knew what I was up against. As for secret passages, I’d been keeping two steps ahead of Dad’s goons for years now. I knew how to sniff out secret passages.
Arched double doors swung open as we drew closer, and for just a moment, I considered turning around and running away. This wasn’t me. I didn’t do academia, and honestly, I was beginning to wonder if maybe I shouldn’t just give in to Dad. How bad could the family business really be? If he put me in charge of something, it would probably be a pretty cushy job, right?
“Everybody has the jitters the first time they walk into this place,” Asmoday murmured, far too close to my ear. I couldn’t suppress the shiver.
He noticed, of course. The lecherous grin spreading across his face told me so.
Damn it.
And double damn it, because I was now hurrying over the threshold instead of hauling ass back to that captain’s ship. She probably wasn’t there anymore anyway, and I’d gotten some seriously dangerous vibes off that water once we’d passed through the fog, so I probably didn’t want to swim with the fishes in my attempt to get back to the human world.
As I stepped into a massive foyer with domed ceilings and tall, narrow windows, I felt a jolt, not unlike when I’d touched Asmoday, except without the lusty bonus. Glancing down, all I saw was stone floor, but there was definitely something down there. Something powerful.
“Ley lines,” Asmoday supplied helpfully, and damn it, I did not like that he could tell what I was thinking.
I moved deeper into the hall and paused to take in my surroundings. Five passages stretched out from the entrance hall, and a massive staircase was straight ahead, leading up and up and—I craned my neck—how many levels were there to this place?
“Six,” Asmoday said.
I gave him my most furious glare. “Stop getting into my head.”
He shrugged. “As much as I love the idea of a secret connection with you, I have to disappoint you. Every first year has the same thoughts while they’re standing here.”
“I’m not disappointed.” Hellfire and damnation, the last thing I needed was some sort of connection to this guy. My lusty reaction had dulled somewhat once we walked into this place—probably some sort of spell to keep students’ focus on their studies—but it was still there. That urge to shove him up against the nearest wall and climb him like a freaking monkey.
Gah, I was starting to sweat again.
“Just tell me where to go from here,” I ground out.
He pointed at a wide doorway to the left of the staircase. “Dining hall. Meals are when you’d expect them to be, although if you miss one, you’re screwed until the next time it opens, so I’d make friends with the students who have stashes of snacks.”
“Good advice.” I’d miss breakfast on the regular. I wasn’t a morning person. “How do I find these students?”
“Don’t worry; they’ll find you. They’re entrepreneurs, always looking for more sales.”
Which meant I needed to figure out how to come up with some cash, since I’d left without my wallet.
He pointed at another corridor. “Offices over there. Kitchen over there. If worse comes to worst, you can always try to sneak in there to steal something to eat. Just be aware that the kobolds who run the kitchen seem super friendly on the surface, but they’re tricksters through and through.”
“And that’s a half demon talking.”
“Exactly.”
Noted. Don’t mess with the kitchen staff. Back to figuring out how to earn some currency, stat.
“Upstairs, on the residential floors, girls are to the right, guys to the left. Professors and staff all live here, too, in the middle wing. Bathrooms are unisex.”
“Seriously?”
He chuckled and winked. “Only if you’re sneaky.”
