Page 45 of Demon Reform Academy, Term 3

45

PANDORA

T he soft sounds of my breathing filled the dorm room as I lay cocooned in my comforter. It was too quiet without my mates. Hunter had a counseling session for the next hour with Reed, and Dex, Skel, and Bram were all in their make-up exams for a class I didn’t have with them. I had to convince Dex to actually go, but I knew he wouldn’t be gone long. He didn’t stray very far from me anymore.

I was already caught up in all of my classes, so I was left with nothing but numbness creeping into my bones and the lingering pull of sleep tugging me under.

The energy in the room warped, and a faint prickling skittered over my skin like an electric current.

My heart stuttered on instinct. Something was wrong.

A cold presence loomed over me like a heavy fog, crushing the air from my lungs. My body screamed at me to move—to wake up. But I couldn’t. It was as if I was caught in between my dreams and consciousness. My eyes were heavy, and my limbs were sluggish and unresponsive.

Nebula’s disembodied voice sliced through the haze clouding my mind. “Pandora, wake up! Now!”

My eyes snapped open. I blinked hard, struggling to shake the fog of sleep from my brain. I tried to move, but my body didn’t respond.

I was… paralyzed .

Hovering above me was a woman. She had ice-blue eyes that gleamed with a white ring, and flecks of legitimate frost shimmered in her irises. Her hair was cut short, above her shoulders and white-blonde strands faded into vibrant aqua.

The edges of her lips quirked into a dangerous smile. She was pretty—but it was the kind of beauty that hid death beneath the surface. I felt it. The lethality radiated from her soul like the bitter chill of a frozen blade.

“Aspen Drakonus,” she purred. “I’m a mercenary with a reputation. Maybe you’ve heard of me.” Her hand was poised above my chest. A jagged shard of ice formed in it, and the tip hovered right at my throat. Cold radiated from it, biting at my skin.

She was going to kill me.

Why didn’t that instill fear in me? Why was I so calm?

My breath hitched, but she didn’t strike.

Her gaze lingered on something—my aquamarine pendant. The one that Jenni had given me.

Her icy expression softened, and she tilted her head curiously. “This is pretty,” she mused, her voice rich with amusement. “Oddly, I don’t sense evil in you.”

The words struck me like that shard of ice would if it hit its mark.

Evil? What was she talking about? Why would I have evil inside me?

Her eyes met mine again, the chill behind them shifting to something more thoughtful. “I know evil. I grew up in Blezen, after all. You don’t have it in you.”

Confusion clouded my mind. Blezen? Why was she here? Why was she?—

“I injected magical paralytic into your system. I was going to shove my ice through your jugular, but…” She pulled a small vial from her belt and sighed as she tipped its contents into my mouth.

The liquid burned like ice as it slid down my throat, but within seconds, I could feel the paralysis lifting. My lungs burned from the sudden rush of breath. My body trembled as sensation finally returned.

Aspen Drakonus moved and sat beside me casually, as though we were friends.

“What—” I started, my voice shaky and raspy as I sat up, rubbing my throat where the ice had nearly pierced.

“Rumor’s been going around,” she explained smoothly, twirling the empty vial in her fingers with unnerving ease. The ice she had was gone. “That you want to wage war on Kalista with dark magic. Nasty business. You can see why the Blezen Guild would want you dead.”

“That’s not true,” I croaked. “I’m fighting against it. Dark Veil is the dark magic cult behind the dark magic spreading in Kalista.”

My pulse thundered in my ears, and disbelief clawed at my chest.

She waved me off, a smirk playing on her lips. “Figured as much. Your aura is too kind.” Her eyes lingered on the pendant around my neck again, the edges of her lips curving into a satisfied smile. “Really pretty necklace. Good thing you had it. It made me stop for a moment. Lucky for you.”

My heart still pounded, sending my blood roaring through my veins. The danger she posed was palpable, but something had shifted in her demeanor—like a predator sizing up its prey and finding it unworthy of the kill.

“How so?”

“I like shiny things, and aqua is my favorite color.”

Something about the way she said it, the casual ease with which she could’ve killed me but didn’t. She was here to kill me. On orders from a guild, yet there was no malice in her soul.

If anything, she seemed...intrigued by me. I could reciprocate that. Her soul was different than anything I’d ever sensed before. There was so much strength…but something else lurked deeper. Something incredibly dangerous.

After a long pause, I unclasped the pendant from my neck and handed it to her. “Here. Take it.”

Her eyes widened, and genuine excitement sparked in them as she accepted it, inspecting the gem with obsession. “You sure? You don’t know how much I love things that glitter.”

“Considering that necklace is what saved my life, I can tell,” I rasped, a smile tugging at my lips.

I could sense good in her soul, and I trusted her. She didn’t hesitate to stop once she realized I wasn’t her enemy.

She stood, tucking the pendant into her pocket, her gaze briefly flickering to the door as it burst open with a violent crack.

Reed’s violet eyes blazed with fury. “Pandora, what happened?”

He was followed by Hunter.

“Who are you?” His muscular frame coiled with tension. Dark blond locks fell into his white eyes that burned with vengeance magic as he glowered at us.

I only now registered the sheer panic in all of my matebonds while Dex, Skel, and Bram materialized from the shadows.

Dex appeared, his white blond hair disheveled, but his fog gray eyes were sharp and lethal as they locked on Aspen Drakonus.

Skel emerged from the shadows next. His shaggy black hair streaked with white was a mess, and his green eyes glowed.

Bram was the last to stumble out, but he ran a hand through his sleek black hair. His red eyes were just as panicked as the others.

Aspen stood in one fluid motion, glaring at my mates who had entered the room. “I’ll handle the guild,” she told me coolly. “Seems we were misinformed. Also, men suck. Sorry you have five.” She sent me an icy wink before turning on her heel and striding out as if she hadn’t just tried to kill me.

My lips tugged into a smile.

“What the Fates just happened?” Reed demanded, his voice rough. His eyes darted between me and the open doorway where Aspen had disappeared.

Hunter was beside me in an instant, his strong hands ghosting over my arms as if searching for any sign of injury. “Starlight, are you okay? Who was that?”

“I’ll find out.” Murder danced in Dex’s eyes as he moved to follow her.

“Don’t.” I reached up, catching his wrist. Something in my gut told me that not even Dex would be a match for her. “It’s fine.”

“Fine?” Skel’s voice cracked, his arms spread wide in alarm. “Your emotions were all over the bond. It was like someone was trying to kill you!”

“She did try to kill me.” I leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to Dex’s knuckles to soothe him. “But she didn’t.”

They all stared at me like I’d lost my mind. Maybe I had. Maybe all the assassination attempts had finally gotten to me.

“You’re not scared?” Bram’s voice was low, but his red eyes betrayed his worry.

I blinked, shaking my head slowly. “I guess I’m not. But you didn’t sense her soul like I did. The guild sent her to kill me because they got a tip that I was the one responsible for the dark magic plague. She realized I wasn’t, and that was that. She didn’t continue.”

Dex’s jaw clenched, but my gentle touch kept him from storming after her.

Reed shook his head and strolled over to sit beside me. “You’re sure you’re okay?”

“I’m perfectly fine,” I answered with a small smile.

“The bond says you are,” Hunter murmured, his brows furrowing.

“Aspen Drakonus isn’t evil. She’s dangerous, yes. But she doesn’t have a bad soul,” I told them.

“Aspen Drakonus?” Hunter choked out in shock. “Are you sure that was her name?”

“Yeah.” I nodded. “She told me so.”

“I’ll be back.” He jolted to his feet, sweeping his gaze around the room. “Watch her.”

“Like we’d fucking leave now.” Dex rolled his eyes.

“We’ve got her,” Reed assured him.

“Go do what you have to,” Bram told him.

“You sure you’re alright, princess?” Skel’s gaze caught mine.

“I wasn’t assassinated when I very well could have been.” I thinned my lips into a line. “I’m relieved.”

They exchanged a look.

“I’m alright. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Hunter scrubbed a hand down his face. “Stay safe for me, starlight.”

Yawning, I tugged Dex into bed beside me. If I let him go, he’d definitely go after Aspen, and I didn’t want that.

“I will,” I mumbled.

The weight of their fears pressed down on me through our bond, but I smiled softly. I was alive. Somehow, I knew Aspen Drakonus wouldn’t return to finish the job.

That was the best feeling because I had no doubt she was able to.