Deviant Descendants (Descendants Academy #2) - Belle Malory Page 0,26

way. He may not want to speak to me, but at least he cared enough to make sure I made it back to my dorm safely. That had to mean something.

Just as I rounded the corner to House Aphrodite, I stopped short, my heart slamming into my chest.

Three dark figures blocked the sidewalk, all of them dressed in black, with swords strapped to their backs. The hoods of their capes shadowed their faces, but their magic stood out like a flashing beacon. Sharp, cold, and invasive—it kept me frozen in place. I tried to step backward, but it felt as if my sandals were glued to the cement.

Maybe I should have been afraid.

I wondered what they wanted. This clearly wasn’t Riley’s doing. She was limited to summoning monsters, not assassin swordsmen.

“Sheridan Thorne of House Aphrodite?” one of them said in a gravelly voice.

They’re here for me.

I debated how best to convince them that I was anyone else. Before I could answer, footsteps padded across the concrete from behind me. Xander emerged from the shadows, swiftly moving between me and the swordsmen.

Aha—I knew he had been following me.

His presence alone was calming, given the situation. He kept his gaze laser focused on the three mysterious figures. “Leave.” His tone was deadlier than I’d ever heard it. “Now.”

Unlike myself, he seemed immune to their penetrating magic.

The middle one unleashed his sword. Xander muttered, “Dragontooth,” and his appeared in his hand, glowing a subtle blue.

“We can’t harm him,” said the one on the right.

A silent standoff lasted for several seconds, and I held my breath the entire time. It finally ended with a small nod from the middle swordsman. He sheathed his sword. Then, the three of them disappeared almost as fast as they had arrived.

Once they were gone, I swallowed huge lungfuls of air and stretched out my limbs. Their magic was unlike any other I’d experienced. I wasn’t sure what just happened, but a hundred different questions flooded my mind.

I looked to Xander for answers, but he didn’t offer any. “Go straight to your room, Sheridan.”

“Who are those swordsmen—”

“Do it before they decide to come back.”

Before I could stop him, he disappeared behind the trees. I gritted my teeth to keep from screaming. No explanations. Only orders. This was not okay.

I rushed up the stairs of House Aphrodite, taking them two at a time. I wanted to tell Ione, but when I got to the dorm, she wasn’t there. Out again, at yet another party. Ugh. I had hoped she might know something.

I looked around the empty room and let out a frustrated groan, my hands still trembling. They knew my name.

They were obviously looking for me, but nothing about it made any sense, and Xander acted as if I should pretend it never happened. Ha! Like that was even possible.

Throughout the night, I tossed and turned in bed until I couldn’t take it anymore. I considered impressing more books, but I wasn’t focused enough. My mind was firing in a million different directions, too scrambled for bibliomagery. Instead, I reopened the parchwyn.

I blinked, surprised. Petra’s reply was already there waiting.

* * *

I haven’t heard of Persephone’s Cure, but I will do some digging to see if I can find out anything.

As far as your other news goes, I am blown away. I didn’t receive my soul weapon until my junior year. Your father didn’t receive his until the beginning of his senior year. For you to achieve it at such a young age is incredible. Be proud of yourself, Sheridan. I certainly am!

11

In the middle of the night, I jolted upright in bed, my heart racing. An important detail came to me about the swordsmen. As they left, their black robes had swished behind them, a gold emblem flashing—one I’d seen before. In books, and on my mother’s robe. It was the serpent of the Underworld.

Hollows had come to Arcadia.

Looking for me.

I swallowed and lay back against my pillows, waiting for my heart to slow to a normal rate. While staring at the ceiling, I tried putting the pieces together.

Petra wouldn’t have sent them. They had forced her own pledge upon her, and she made it clear she didn’t want the same life for me.

I doubted this had anything to do with Riley either. She was after my blood, but as far as I knew, she wasn’t connected to powers that dark.

But if neither of them, then who? There were still so many unanswered questions.

Sleeping was impossible. The wheels in