33
Luka
I glared at Coach Miller.He was calling off names one at a time, purposefully leaving me until the end. The twins went through a few people after Raven and then Ben had gone. He just really hated me. With each student that went after Raven, it was more distance between the two of us.
He knew what he was doing. He split up all the friends. Makayla was still waiting with me. Finally, he called her. She glanced over at me. “I’m sure she’s fine.”
“Right.” With each passing second, I was feeling more and more anxious. Usually, I was able to calm my nerves. These things didn’t get to me. But today, there was something nagging at me that made me feel on edge.
Two more students went after Makayla and I moved closer to the front. There were only three of us left.
“Demon,” Coach Miller called.
I glared at him. He rarely used my name and he wasn’t calling medemonas a term of endearment.
“You’re up, lover boy,” he said.
Clenching my teeth, I walked past him, not giving him the satisfaction of a response. Finally, I could see if I could catch up to Raven. I didn’t care what he said about working together. I knew Raven could take care of herself but I’d feel better if I could be close to her.
I followed her scent, easily turning at each fork toward the direction I knew she went. Ever since the night we bound the book to ourselves, I’d felt like all my skills were heightened. It was as if everything had been amplified by the magic I’d taken inside me.
Right now, I was grateful for it because it was taking me straight to Raven. Everything inside me was telling me to get to her. It didn’t make sense. I trusted Raven and I knew she was powerful in her own right. And this was just a test. Despite the dire warnings, I never really worried about any of us finishing it. But there was something wrong. I could feel it.
The air grew colder and I ignored it, hardly phased by the change. My demon blood ran hot and while I disliked the cold, I could block it out. In the dim light of the tunnel, it looked like I was headed toward a dead end.
I stopped walking and reached out for the bond with Raven. She was nearby and I was going to trust my instincts.
Walking forward, I stopped at a wall of vines. I couldn’t explain it, but I knew she was behind the barrier and I was going to get to her.
The worst part was that I could sense that she wasn’t alone.
I reached out, tugging on the vines. As I expected, they didn’t budge. I could feel the magic coursing through them. It felt dark and heavy. Not like the magic I usually experienced at the academy.
This wasn’t a job for a demon. My magic wasn’t strong enough.
Whatever was happening to Raven wasn’t part of the trials. I was sure of it. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and used my magic to reach out toward the other three. We’d developed an unusual bond during our magic meld. Raven wasn’t the only one I could sense.
Their magic was weaker than hers and I could tell they were farther away. But I knew I needed them here. Raven needed them.
I sent a burst of my own magic out through our connection, trying to share my location.Raven’s in danger.
A surge of anger rolled through me that didn’t belong to me. Adrenaline spiked and I knew the others were responding. They heard my call and they were on their way.
I only had to wait a minute before one of the twins showed up. He was breathless and his shirt had a hole burned in it. I glanced at the hole then looked back up at him.
“Fire breathing lizard,” he said. “Don’t ask. Where’s Raven?”
“I think she’s through here,” I said. “It’s sealed with magic. I can’t break it.”
“Where’s Raven?” Another voice asked.
Ben had arrived, his whole body tense. I could almost feel the anger vibrating off of him.
“Through here, I think,” I said. “Don’t shift on us yet.”
He growled. “I can’t hold it much longer. They tried to force a shift down that trail.” He lifted his chin in the direction he came from.
“Deep breaths, bro,” the twin said. “We’re going to get her out.”