Page 48 of Magic Unchained

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“Like hell I’d let you toss me out again,” I warned as I leapt.

But the prince was fast. He pulled me to his side. So I jumped with him from twenty feet in the air, my hand on his arm to steady myself when I touched down on the hot sand.

I could never have done this when I’d believed myself to be human.

Loki looked at me with an appreciative smile. “You’ll always have fun with me, Celeste.”

“You call forced jumping fun?” I asked, jerking my hand away from his arm. “You should get your head checked, prince. But I doubt Hell has any good doctors since this realm is all about killing, not healing.”

“Now you spoiled the fun,” he said.

Smoky wheeled his head and shot out a cloud of smoke toward me.

I dove to avoid it, but the smell of brimstone and burning wood still got into my hair.

“Fucking animal,” I said without heat this time.

When I see you again, Princess, I hope you curse less.Smoky snorted and disappeared over the ring of volcanic mountains.

All this time, the horse had understood me perfectly.

I stared hard at Loki. “Was he serious? The talking horse that pretended to be mute gave me pointers on manners?”

“Picasso thinks he’s a good judge of character,” Loki said. “Let’s go to your class. There’ll be no orientation in the Academy. You’ll have to navigate the dangers all by yourself and survive on your own. There will be no rules either, except for obeying the demons who rank higher than you. In Hell, our hierarchy is strict. And the instructors can kill students if they see fit.”

“Peachy,” I said.

“You sound as if you’re looking forward to it, Celeste,” he said almost admiringly. “Lucifer and Ares couldn’t even scar you, and they’ve broken everyone else.”

Including him.

“Oh, the fuckers left scars, and they’ll pay for those.”

I had every intention of living through Hell’s Academy so I could see my mates again, even if only in the Dreaming. Eventually, I’d find a way back to them.

I’d abandoned all hope when I was in the Ever Realm facing the devil and the god. Back then, I’d accepted that I was done.

But my demigods had assured me in the Dreaming that I was still their beautiful monster, now and forever. They’d even fed me and let this monster drink their blood.

They’d given me back the light, and now it shone in me. That was the spark Loki had seen.

So, I was adapting and changing my strategy.

I wouldn’t fight with rage and desperation; I would use them to fuel me, like how I’d use the light and hope my mates offered me to push myself forward. Equipping myself this way, I wouldn’t allow the devil and the god to turn me and break me. I’d almost let the insane rage inside me take control, turning me as dark and evil as my enemies.

Rage and hate were the demons’ primary language, but I’d hone my weapon of light and let it pierce the murky dark.

“You’re your mother’s daughter,” Loki said. “She’d be so proud. She could never dream to be as powerful as you are.”

Mom was in another realm, trapped in the Void.

Loki led me toward the end of the beach where a military compound loomed, its large, dark gate stretching into the purple, red sky.

“Affiliating with me won’t win you any friends in Hell,” Loki warned.

“You think I don’t know that?” I said. “Don’t worry. I won’t wave your banner around like a fancy flag. And I’d bet I’m already a target just for being seen walking with you to class. Thank you very much for helping.”

I’d seen how the prince was regarded. I bet only by his will, might, ruthlessness, and viciousness had he risen to the status of the heir. I bet he’d gone through numerous battles to win that title. His tight circle was all halflings, and his army was mostly half-bloods as well.


Tags: Meg Xuemei X Half-Blood Academy Fantasy