Dark Souls Academy: The Sacrifice (Hell Dimension #4)

Chapter 21

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

I snapped upright so fast that my back popped. The pain was a mild throb as my eyes scanned the old worn-out pages. Bones’ finger moved back and forward, reading the words.

“Well, I found two spells that can help… I just don’t know which one we need to use.”

My stomach turned. Magic was dangerous when you didn’t have the exact words or ingredients.

“They’re short spells. I’d think they would be longer,” Kain said.

Both Dex and Alaric came over. Alaric pressed into my back and kissed my neck where his mark was located, giving me tingles all over my body. He was probably telling me that he would need to feed soon, but I still loved the closeness. His comfort let me breathe easier. Besides, it would be my pleasure. The venom in his fangs was addictive.

Read them to me, Trigger demanded.

Okay, let’s see. First one is, “Magicae proferte ad me.” My talent for languages had me bunching my nose. ‘Magic bring forth to me,’ didn’t sound correct.

Trigger hummed and I could almost feel the pen pressing into his lip as he thought about the spell. That was simple and straight forward, but the wording feels like we would be taking magic from someone, not getting it back. The other?

“Aperi mentem et spiritum.” Bones read and it clicked into my mind. I wouldn’t have picked that one because it literally means, ‘open your mind and spirit’ but I was pretty sure that was the one the Headmaster used.

Kain snorted and rolled his eyes. “It’s the first one. The other one doesn’t make sense.”

Trigger sent his confusion through the bond. It could be either or since spells don’t have to be literal, but the intentions do. I’d say the first one as well.

It’s the second one. I heard the Headmaster use those words in his mind. A record might as well have screeched to a halt with how everyone froze. They must have all agreed with Kain.

I wouldn’t fight with them over this because they would have to let the spell be used on them, but hopefully they would trust me. I held my breath while waiting on them to decide. I could feel them doing that weird brother communication thing. It wasn’t talking and, for Trigger, not even seeing, but the intuition of each other. It reminded me of my brother and I in our teens. Zar left a lot after high school to search for his Queen, so the deep sense of each other was gone now.

Are you positive? Trigger asked, but his tone didn’t have doubtful or belittling tones. He was just curious.

Yes.

Again, I didn’t add anything to try to persuade them. It wasn’t a game, but this would also tell me how serious they were about us working together. They could dismiss me. It would hurt, but I’d do the spell they wanted me to do. I would also distance myself from them because if they couldn’t trust me, I definitely shouldn’t trust them.

Okay. We’ll go with number two, but I’m the one you’re going to use it on first. If for some reason, the spell doesn’t work, I’m the strongest of my brothers. Kain’s words didn’t help me feel better. I stepped out of Alaric’s embrace.

Do you not trust me? I asked because I really needed to know.

He stepped closer to me, grabbing my clenched fingers. I don’t trust magic, but you, I do. Everything inside of me is saying you’re wrong, Ivy. I’m doing this to prove that I’ll follow your lead, but I’m also making sure that there isn’t some trick in this book that can hurt my brothers.

I bit my lip and leaned into his warmth. You sure?

His eyes widened at my question because he knew I wasn’t asking about the spell. I was asking about us. He knew this was a chance to back out. We wouldn’t break up, but our relationship would be more like his had been with Tila. They were forced together, but not really. I sensed it through the bond. Yet, I wasn’t regretting my offer.

I wanted him, but he’d have to fight himself constantly for me. It wouldn’t be fair to not give him a choice. When he agreed to be my mate, he was the leader, he held all the power.

Kain closed the distance between us. His large, callused hands gripped the side of my neck and softly glided to my cheeks. He jerked my head slightly up, so I would be his full focus. He didn’t need to worry about that because my senses were going haywire. There wasn’t a chance in, well, in Hell, that I would glance away from his perfection.

“You’re everything I could have hoped for in a mate. In a Queen.” His smoldering lips consumed mine, stealing my breath. “There’s no need to ever give me a way out. I might struggle with my demon and his placement in the mate group, but never for a second have I questioned you. Us. Understood?”

Nodding, I bit my lower lip, my cheeks heating. The action made him growl, so I exaggerated the movement. His growl rumbled through his chest and tickled my nipples. The tip of his thumb pulled at my chin to release my bottom lip.

“Those plump lips are mine to bite.” If we had more time, I would have melted at his feet by now, but I didn’t want to get caught or drain Trigger.

As if reading my mind, he smirked at me. Those piercing eyes seemed to see right through me, so I wasn’t surprised when he pulled away after kissing the fuck out of me. His teeth slowly pulled on my bottom lip as he did.

“Later, my poisonous Queen. You’ve had a long day.” He lifted me into his arms and placed me back in front of my Alaric with a smack of my ass.

The smirk on his face fell so quickly, I stumbled backward. He lifted his head to the side as if hearing something. My gut sunk to the floor, splashing all over my toes. At least that was how it felt.

We need to get out of here, now , he demanded. He grabbed my hand and ran to the door dragging me. But he paused at the door. Shit, they’re in the hallway.

That meant we couldn’t run for it without being seen. Shit was right. I sucked in a sharp breath.

How many of us have teleporting potions? I asked my breath coming in quick, giving me a headache.

They don’t work in here, remember? Which is why we didn’t use them. Only the Headmaster has that ability, Bones grunted out, his eyes darted around.

The Headmaster would have no option, but to punish us if we were caught. Especially me since I had the access to the office. The magic controlling him wouldn’t let us get away with this.

What the fuck were we going to do?