Page 15 of Demon Apathy: Sunderverse

“That’s great. I hope it works out for you.” I stuck one leg out of the car. “Well, it was nice seeing you again.”

“It was! Have a good night.”

When I glanced up the steps that led to the League of Demon Hunter’s entrance, I noticed that Drevan was nowhere in sight. The sedan rolled away.

“Wait!” I tried to peer through the tinted windows to see if that tricky devil was inside, but all I saw were the lampposts’ reflections.

“May I help you?” An irritated voice called from the top of the stairs.

I turned and found a familiar face staring down at me.

“Lucia?!” Jenna, my ex-roommate, blinked her blue eyes behind horn-rimmed glasses as if I were some sort of hallucination.

“Jenna! Hi!”

“Holy Goblins!” She bounded down the stairs, her black silky bob swinging around her face. To my surprise, she wrapped me in a tight hug. She held me tightly for a long moment, then pushed me to arm’s length. “What are you doing here? You’re coming back, right? I knew you would come back.”

I shook my head. “No, it’s nothing like that. I’m just… visiting.”

“Oh, you should’ve called.” She shuffled on the spot, looking uncomfortable. “It’s late, and I don’t know if I’m allowed to let you in.” She glanced over my shoulder, spotting Striker’s Queller strapped to my back. “Where... did you get that?”

I couldn’t believe that bastard had just hung me here to dry!

“It’s a long story. Um, I need to see Grant.”

I’d just finished saying his name when Darrold Grant appeared at the door, looking rumpled and frazzled. His blond hair, usually coiffed, lay flat on his forehead.

“Ms. Sunder,” Grant said. “You’re here. Apologies, I… I forgot you were coming.”

Oh, so maybe Drevan hadn’t abandoned me, after all.

“No problem,” I said.

“Please, come in.”

I climbed the steps, with Jenna walking behind me. She was frowning, looking as if she suspected some sort of wrongdoing on my part.

“I’ll get the Animatum.” Jenna rushed to an adjacent room as soon as we walked into the grand foyer.

Grant’s brown eyes darted in my direction as if asking,can you pass the test?

I nodded, and he seemed to relax. Though it was silly. If I was the host to a demon, I wouldn’t confess to it, would I?

When Jenna pushed the device in front of me, I quickly placed my hands on either side of the diamond that was embedded in the middle. Jenna visibly relaxed when the jewel didn’t start glowing, which would’ve announced the presence of a hell dweller inside me.

“Thank you, Jenna,” Grant said. “Good job manning the post. I need to talk to Ms. Sunder now. We’ll be in my office.”

At first, Jenna seemed put out, but after a moment’s thought, she gave me a friendly wave. “Come see me later so we can catch up.”

I smiled back. “Will do.”

As Grant and I walked away, our steps echoed across the expansive halls that lead to the director’s office. It felt strange to be back here, especially since I’d thought I’d never set foot in this place again. I didn’t know exactly how to feel about it.

Grant fastened a button he’d missed and ran stiff fingers through his hair. He had clearly been in bed and had gotten up in a hurry.

“C’mon in.” He pushed the door to his office open and invited me in.

The place looked much the same as when Josephine LeBeau had been the director. A massive desk with two leather armchairs in front of it dominated the middle, while carved bookshelves filled with ancient-looking tomes lined each wall.