Shadowborn Academy_ Year Three (Dark Fae Academy #3) - G. Bailey Page 0,2
filling even me with strength. “A war is coming, yes, but the academy was made by Selena herself and her love for all things shadowborn. The academy will defend us and keep its students alive. Now, I want everyone to go to your rooms and send letters of warning to your families before it is too late.”
The students move like a wave, disappearing into corridors as Ivywood turns back to me. She still looks broken but more determined than ever.
“What is your plan, Your Majesty?”
“I don’t have one…” I pause, worrying my bottom lip. “Yet.”
Ivywood nods and walks to the door. I find myself following her outside, knowing my guys are right behind me. We stop behind Ivywood on the steps of the academy and Ivywood holds her hands into the air.
“Selena, I call on your protection.
The academy needs a shield.
The shadowborn will rise.
The Academy will protect.
In the name of Selena, I unlock the academy and call to the forest to protect us.”
The moment the last word leaves her lips, the ground shakes. I hold onto the banister of the stairs as the floor trembles and vines shoot out of the ground. Hundreds, if not thousands of vines smother the academy, crawling around every inch of stone until they form an enormous egg shape. A wave of dark magic projects from the vines and wraps around the academy, forming a protective barrier from the outside world.
Shadowborn Academy is in the dark, and if Eva wins the war, it always will be.
Pushing the door to my room open, I expect to see Sage, for some insane reason, curled up on her bed, our stuff littered around the room. The sweet smell of her vanilla perfume barely lingers in the air after all this time.
It’s just an empty room full of memories now.
My guys flood inside and Echo jumps into my arms as Ambrose slowly enters. I sit on the edge of my bed, stroking Echo’s fur in a bit of a haze as I place the crown on the bedside table.
“I lost both my parents young. Gods tend to kill other gods as much as royals love to murder their own,” Ambrose confides as he sits next to me.
“Royals love it enough to give the act a word. Regicide,” I sourly reply, looking up at Ambrose. I recall what I read about him in Zander’s book. “I’m sorry about your parents and your wife and son. I’ve lost three now, but who’s counting?”
“Vina,” Zander gently says my name as I make things super awkward.
Echo jumps off my lap and curls up into the pillows of the bed. Standing again, needing to move, I walk to the window and start to pace up and down. What the hell do I do next? Eva has to pay for what she has done, I’m sure of that. How I’m going to get to her alone is another issue. And after what she did to Sage? Eva has a lot we need to discuss. Well, less discussion, more me kicking her skinny little black-hearted ass into Tartarus where it belongs.
“Where is Sage?” I ask, turning around to see all of them looking at me, and I try not to register how worried they look. “Is she alright?”
“Sage is with her teacher, and I’ve healed her,” Ambrose answers me. “She will be fine. I would give her at least twelve hours to wake up. Is there anything else you need, Vina?”
“That’s our nickname for her, not yours,” Pitch all but growls, stepping right in front of Ambrose.
“Funny. I’ve been in her head almost as long as you,” Ambrose replies dryly, his arms crossed and pressing against Pitch’s chest with how close they are. “I’m pretty sure I’ve earned nickname rights.”
“You fucking haven’t,” Pitch grits out, and Jonah steps in the middle of them, shoving them both apart.
“Look, I know you’re a god, mate, but we need to be alone with Vina. Why don’t you find a room and get some sleep,” Jonah suggests as Pitch stalks over to me. “That’s our plan, anyway.”
The room seems tenser by the second as Ambrose stares Jonah down.
With a big grin, Ambrose holds his hands in the air and steps back. “Your mortal message has been received.” Ambrose heads to the door and tugs it open, looking back at me with a wink. “See you in your dreams, Vina.”
“Fucking asshole god,” Pitch growls as Ambrose slams the door, but I can hear his laughter from the corridor.
I place my hand