Page 6 of Immortal Consequences (The Souls of Blackwood Academy #1)

But that had been the dream of a child. Of a stupid, na?ve child who hadn’t accepted the reality she had been handed—the reality she couldn’t run away from, no matter how hard she tried.

And despite any lingering childish fantasies, Irene had soon learned just how certainly she couldn’t run away from the life her mom had given her. Because that life had consequences.

And those consequences had brought her here.

“What are you waiting for?” Masika asked, cutting through Irene’s thoughts. She snapped her fingers and a small flame burst from her open palm.

“Nothing.”

Irene pushed the door open, the rusted hinges creaking as she took a tentative step inside.

The office was dimly lit, nothing but the pale glow from the night sky pooling in through the windows and the soft light emanating from Masika’s flame.

An enchanted lantern hovered by the entrance, which Irene lit with a quick snap of her fingers.

Painted landscapes and dust-covered bookshelves adorned the wooden walls, the shelves filled to the brim with leather-bound textbooks and ancient scrolls on illusionary magic. Even the air was redolent with the stifling scent of old books.

“Should be somewhere on his desk,” Irene muttered to herself, scouring the stacks of papers thrown over the large wooden desk at the center of the room.

“You could just study, you know?” Masika twirled the flame in her hand. “Might do you some good.”

“I do study,” Irene grumbled. “But I need an advantage. Everybody needs an advantage.”

“You’re worried about the Decennial.”

A tense silence swept over them like a sudden gust of wind. Irene’s entire body froze, her hands clamped firmly over the edge of the desk. She could feel her emotions getting the better of her, the anger rising deep within her belly, threatening to pour out of her without restraint.

She inhaled a sharp breath. A second one for good measure.

Relax, Irene. You are in control.

“I’m…not worried.” She spoke the words slowly. “Being prepared is not a bad thing. And if there’s a chance this stupid exam is what is standing between me and accessing my full power, then so be it.”

Masika stepped forward. Irene still hadn’t glanced up, but she could feel her friend’s eyes boring into the side of her face.

“Look…I get it. The Decennial is important for all of us. I’d obviously love to be nominated, but…” Masika’s words trailed off as she let out a soft sigh. “It’s a game of luck. There are so many of us who are talented, who are good enough, but—”

“ I am good enough.” Irene slammed her fist onto the desk. An inkpot rattled and tumbled to the floor. “There is nobody who deserves this more than me. Nobody who has worked harder.” She paused, steadying her breathing. Her control was slipping, edging closer toward the rage begging to break free.

She exhaled a long, steadying breath and glanced up, finally meeting Masika’s eyes. “And if you think I’m going to spend another ten years wasting my potential…draining my magic until I’m dumped into the Ether to reap insolent souls for the rest of eternity…then you clearly don’t know me at all.”

Silence reverberated between them. Masika’s eyes were filled with an emotion Irene couldn’t quite read. But before either of them could say anything else, something caught Irene’s attention—a large envelope tucked beneath a stack of old exams. She let out a sigh of relief.

“There you are…I knew I could find it. Honestly…Calligan should really clean up a bit in here. It’s an absolute—”

“Irene…” Masika cleared her throat. “You’re still not considering…the other option, are you?”

Irene blinked in surprise. She hadn’t been expecting that.

“What?”

“Last Decennial…,” Masika began, her words slow and steady. “When the nomination went to Avery. You got drunk and went on a tirade about becoming a Demien. You said… I’d rather the shadows swallow me whole than waste another second here. ”

Irene stiffened. “I didn’t mean that.”

“Because that isn’t an option.” Masika walked forward.

“If you give up your humanity and start using shadow magic…it could destroy you. You’ve heard the stories.

The more shadow magic Demiens use…the less human they become.

Not to mention that you’d lose all the parts that belong to the person you used to be when you were alive. ”

Little did Masika know, that was precisely the reason why Irene wanted to join them.

“I was just drunk.” Irene sighed. “Saying that was…a mistake.”

“You promise?” Masika’s voice wavered. The question was a moment of weakness. She knew that. And yet…here she was. Exposing her vulnerabilities to Irene. Handing over her heart on a silver platter.

Irene swallowed her remorse. “I promise.”

She didn’t want to lie to her only friend, but she had no other choice.

Masika had lost someone to the Demien Order, long ago, before Irene had ever arrived at Blackwood.

Irene knew little of what had happened between them, tidbits of information she had managed to coax out of Masika over the years, but the details were blurry.

All Irene knew was that Masika had once cared for someone and the Demien Order had taken them away.

Which meant that if Masika ever found out Irene was considering joining them…she’d never forgive her.

Luckily for Irene, Masika didn’t stay on the topic long. She leaned forward abruptly, as if something had caught her by surprise. “Where on earth are they going?”

“Who?”

Masika scurried toward the window. “It’s Olivier. He’s running toward the main gates with that newbie.”

Irene shrugged. “So?”

“What do you mean so ? You’re going to tell me you’re not the least bit curious as to where they’re heading off to this late at night?”

“I don’t really bother concerning myself with Olivier’s late-night escapades.”

“Right.” Masika chuckled. “Because you prefer breaking into offices and stealing confidential files.”

“Exactly.”

“Okay…but what if it is something that concerns you?”

Something sparked within Irene. “Like what?”

“I don’t know.” Masika slid open the window and hoisted one leg over to the other side, amber eyes gleaming under the silver glow of the sky. “Only one way to find out.”