Defying Destiny (Afterword Academy #3) - Katie May Page 0,25

Braxton and I each extend a hand to her. She accepts both, and we pull her up. Above us, Karston and Preston are making their way down. Caius is hovering near them, telling them where to put their feet and hands as they slowly make their way down to us safely, one movement at a time.

After what feels like hours, they finally get to the bottom. Hadley gives them both hugs as we look to Caius.

“What next?” Karston asks. “Can you feel where to go or something?”

The smoke around Caius billows as he moves along the rocky face. “It’s through this rock, that I can feel. But what I don’t know is how to get inside it.”

“Well, fuck,” Brax exclaims running his fingers through his hair as he surveys the area around us. “We’ll have to spread out and search. Karston, Caius, with me. The rest of you head in the opposite direction.”

“Roger that,” Karston says, saluting our Demon brother before trudging along after him. Brax regards me before turning around and heading down the narrow rock protecting us from a liquid lava bath.

We walk far, single file, keeping our right hands on the rock face at all times. Lava bubbles to our left, and if we weren’t paying attention, it would have melted the soles right off our shoes.

“This is fucking pointless,” Preston grumbles from behind Hadley. “We’re never going to find this thing without our Ghost being able to invade the walls.”

“Maybe I could try it?” Hadley chimes in.

“No!” Preston and I respond in unison.

Turning around, I grab Hadley’s hands in mine. “I can’t see you risk yourself again. Not so soon after losing your Reaper power then flying my heavy ass down a fucking mountain. You need to rest, baby girl.”

She pulls her hands from mine and places them on her hips. “I’m fine.”

“I’m serious, Hadley.” Moving closer, I place my hands over hers on her hips and tug her into my chest. “I can’t have you walking through walls with a power you’re not sure how to control.”

“She won’t need to,” a voice calls. Glancing over Preston’s shoulder, I see the smoky form of Caius hovering.

“What do you mean?” Preston asks. “Did you guys find something?”

If smoke could be smug, then Caius would be at this very moment. “I did. It’s a tunnel. And it’s following the right direction to get to Hadley.”

Hadley and I exchange a glance before she turns to him. “Lead the way then.”

“Of course, sweetheart,” he croons before gliding back the way we came.

Sweetheart? Really? Of all the pet names you could pick for your woman, that’s what you choose?

Grumbling to myself, I kick a rock into the lava and watch the magma ensnare and submerge it in its smoldering depths. I feel a lot like that rock right now—drowning, heated, and useless.

I never thought I would identify so hard with being a Guardian, but now that my wings are missing, I feel like less of a man. Less capable of helping Hadley, less able to protect her.

Just…less.

And now here I am, following the smog monster himself into a dark tunnel where I couldn’t even see him if I tried.

Nothing like the blind leading the blind.

Let’s just hope a guide dog shows up to show us the way. If not, I fear we will be stuck down here for all eternity, walking aimlessly in the darkness for the rest of time.

Chapter 11

Caius

The silver cord I saw in my cage—the cord connecting me to Hadley’s essence—is very much present as I lead the group through the twisting labyrinth of Hell. Dozens of tunnels branch in all directions like the spindly legs of a deformed spider. The onyx cave walls drip with molten lava, providing the only light as we trek through tunnel after tunnel.

I can hear Hadley whispering behind me to one of her lovers, but her words remain indistinct as I glide forward in my shadowy form.

“Are you sure we’re going in the right direction?” Braxton grumbles, and I just barely retain my eye roll. Out of all of the brothers, I believe I like him the least. There’s something about his cocky demeanor that irritates me to no end. If I didn’t know he was one-hundred percent devoted to Hadley and just as desperately in love with her as I am, I would’ve left him behind to rot hours ago.

“I’m sure,” I answer gruffly, choosing to keep the details to myself. I don’t know how they would react if they discover