Sacrifice (6 page)

With Rhea and the spotters starting to hang out at Hale’s house, school became more of a haven for me during the week. Sure, there was still Amber and her posse to dodge, but campus was a lot bigger than Hale’s basement, and I had my friends to keep me company.

At the start of the third week of the semester, I pulled into the parking lot, running late.

“Hey, look.” Lucas, sitting in the passenger side, pointed. I followed his gesture and saw Royal and Cassie getting out of Royal’s car. Cassie heard our car approaching. She turned, saw me, and gave a small wave before heading into the north hall for first period.

I traded a glance with Lucas. Cassie had kept her distance since our talk, and—respecting her wishes—I hadn’t approached her. But I missed her, and seeing that little wave sent a surge of hope washing through me.

“Progress,” Lucas said.

“Let’s hope this means things will get back to normal soon.”

“Normal?” Lucas looked at me with a lopsided smile. “You don’t think that ship has sailed?”

“You know what I mean.” I parked in an empty space and killed the engine. Royal waited as I closed and locked my door. “How is she?”

“Seems to be doing better,” Royal said. He tried for a smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. I hesitated, searching his face.

“Royal, you don’t look so good.”

“Compliments, compliments. You’re going to make me blush.” Royal tried to brush me off, but I caught his hand.

“Seriously. Maybe you should take a sick day.”

Royal’s face paled to an almost ashen hue. “No.”

“Are you sure? You look like you could use some rest.”

“I don’t want to be alone.” His eyes, usually alive with mischief or amusement, seemed hollow, listless. I felt my heart twisting in my chest. This was Seth’s doing. How could I have been so blind?

“Come on, we’re going to be late for first period.” Royal turned and headed toward the north hall. I caught Lucas’s glance. He looked worried, too. There was a darkness hovering over Royal that hadn’t been there before Seth got to him.

Morning classes passed, one by one, and when the bell for lunch rang I was one of the first out of my seat in Physics class. Royal and Cassie were still packing up their notes. I hesitated, unsure if I should approach or give Cassie more space.

“Don’t forget, test on Thursday,” Mr. Harris called after his fleeing students.

I decided to play it safe. I left, hugging my physics books to my chest. Lucas was waiting by my locker. We walked into the cafeteria together, making our way to our usual table.

I volunteered to grab the tray of food from the cafeteria. We ate family-style at Coronado Prep, and today it was chicken fajitas with Spanish rice. I loaded my tray up with tortillas, sour cream, diced tomatoes and onions, guacamole, a bowl of steaming chicken and grilled peppers, and a bowl of Spanish rice. It smelled incredible, and I felt my stomach grumble in anticipation of the meal.

I returned to our table with the tray. Royal took the plate of tortillas, serving himself and passing them to Lucas. We shared the food around until our plates were full. I assembled my fajita, spooning the meat, tomatoes, onions, and guacamole into a warm tortilla, then adding a dollop of sour cream on top. As I was lifting the first fajita to my lips, someone joined our table.

“Did you save any for me?” Cassie took the empty chair beside Royal.

“She returns!” Royal grinned at Cassie, and something like his old fire gleamed in his eyes for a moment.

“Well, fajitas,” Cassie said, as if this explained everything.

I grinned and pushed the tortillas toward Cassie. “There’s more than enough.”

Cassie smiled shyly as Royal and Lucas crowded her with the other bowls. As soon as she’d served herself, she sat back.

“Okay. I’m in.” Cassie caught my gaze and held it. “I’m sorry it took so long for me to work it out, but there was a lot to process.”

“Yeah.” I felt a lump forming in my throat, and caught Lucas’s hand, giving it a squeeze.

“So. Tell me everything.” Cassie took a big bite of fajita, watching me with undivided attention.

“I will,” I promised. I glanced around. Tables were full of kids eating, goofing off, and generally blowing off steam before afternoon classes began. “But not here.”

“Sophie’s?” Lucas asked.

“Just like old times.” Cassie looked pleased.

I smiled at my friend. It was a nice thought. But this was nothing like old times.

The lunch crowd was long gone, and the dinner crowd wouldn’t be here for hours yet, so Sophie’s was quiet when we arrived. We made our way through the dim restaurant toward the back, finding an empty booth near the wide adobe hearth. A large fire crackled happily, and I felt some of the tension ease out of my shoulders in its glow. As we slid into the booth, I couldn’t help but picture the last time we’d all been here together. It had been my seventeenth birthday. Seth had joined us, and we’d trusted him, thinking he was a friend. Royal eyed the place, and I realized he must be thinking the same thing.

“Royal?”

Royal looked at me. Then he glanced around the table. We were all watching him, concerned. “I know,” he said, finally. “I know he was an incubus and I was nothing more than prey to him. But—for me it wasn’t just some fling.” Royal looked down at his hands, struggling for the words. “I thought—I mean, I
was
—I was in love with him.”

Cassie reached across the table and took Royal’s hand. He let her squeeze it in silence for a long moment.

“Do you think Seth will go after Royal again?” Cassie looked at me.

“
No.
” They looked up at the vehemence in my voice. Lucas eyed me, concerned. I cleared my throat and continued. “No. We’ll protect him from Seth.”

“Like you protected Derek?” Royal shifted his eyes to look at me. His words sliced through my heart. The truth was, ever since Seth had escaped through the Seal, a fear had taken hold of my heart. As long as Seth was out there, Royal was vulnerable. I felt goose bumps scattering across my shoulders at the thought, then clenched my fists. Vulnerable just meant we’d have to be extra vigilant.

Cassie watched us, eyes full of questions. I knew we’d get to answering all of them in the next few hours, but right now, I needed Royal to understand something.

“Royal. I promise, I will do everything in my power to keep you safe.”

Royal met my gaze and nodded slowly. We fell into a momentary silence. Then Lucas leaned across the table to catch Royal’s eye.

“And I’ll do everything in my power to make sure she keeps that promise,” said Lucas, his tone every bit as serious as mine had just been.

Royal glanced at Lucas. His lips twitched. Then he laughed. The sound did more to warm me than the hearth behind us. “See that you do.” After his laughter subsided, Royal actually looked a little cheered.

The waitress dropped by and we ordered a few quesadillas and sopapillas to share.

While we waited for our food, Lucas and I filled Cassie—and Royal, as far as the bits he’d never heard before—in on the history of the Guard. We told them about Lilith, and her flight from Eden. About how God had sent three angels—two of whom were now dead—after Lilith to bring her back. And how the war between the Sons of Adam and the Daughters of Lilith had begun when Lilith refused to return to Adam. We told them about the hierarchy of the Guard. How each unit had been operating independently for hundreds of years, but now they were all collecting in our town, ready to defend Earth against the forces of Lilitu who could erupt from the Seal at any moment. We talked until our throats were sore.

Finally, nearly three hours later, Cassie sat back, satisfied. “Okay. So, what can we do? To help?”

Of all the questions I’d expected, that wasn’t one of them. Royal and Cassie—seeing my confusion—traded a look.

“There must be something we can do. I mean, I know we’re not soldiers or super-bad-ass-demon-girls, but seriously.” Cassie looked at me again, getting a little flustered. “You can’t just drop a bomb like that and expect us to go on about our normal lives as if nothing’s changed.”

“I think that is exactly what they expect,” Royal said, giving me a miffed frown.

“Royal, you of all people know how dangerous it is to get mixed up in this stuff.” I turned to him, hoping for an ally.

“I think, knowing what I know now, I’d rather be able to fight than sit back and hope I don’t get caught in the crossfire. You know—again.”

I cringed, feeling the accusation more acutely than I think Royal intended.

Royal shifted in his seat. “I don’t think Cassie’s asking you to give her a sword and send her out to face a demon head on.” He glanced at Cassie for confirmation. She nodded. “But we know what’s going on. And we don’t
look
like the kind of people who’d know what’s going on. So maybe that could be useful. That’s all I’m saying.”

“Yeah.” Cassie met my eyes, waiting for my response.

I glanced at Lucas, unsure what to say. Lucas shrugged, equally at a loss.

I sighed. “Okay. We’ll figure out something for you to help with.”

“Awesome sauce!” Cassie beamed.

“Something very safe,” I added, frowning. Cassie shrugged, pleased, and picked up the last bit of quesadilla off the plate.

Now, all I had to do was figure out something for her to do that made her feel like a part of the fight, without actually putting her in harm’s way. Because if there was one lesson I’d learned since joining the Guard it was this: Lilitu don’t care who they hurt. And all of Cassie’s sweet optimism would count for nothing if she ever had to face a Lilitu in a fight.

The sun had set by the time we left the restaurant. I pulled my jacket closer against the icy gusts of wind. Despite the cold and dark, the Plaza was alive with activity. A few buskers played guitars and sang for passersby. The coffee shop had patio heaters set out, so patrons could sip their coffees or hot chocolates and enjoy the lights of the Plaza. Long strands of small round bulbs were suspended over the street, bathing the cobblestone in a warm glow.

“What is that?” Lucas squinted his eyes, straining for a better view.

At the edge of the plaza, a group of young women were handing out flyers to people as they passed. As we drew closer, I recognized a girl with a cute strawberry-blond bob. It was Carrie, Missy’s older sister. She’d been a senior when I was a freshman. Our school paired seniors with groups of freshman that first year as sort of unofficial mentors, and Carrie had been mine.

I was surprised to see her. I’d thought she’d gone out of state for college.

Carrie looked up and spotted me. Recognition flashed in her eyes, and she waved us over.

“Braedyn Murphy, right? Oh my gosh, it’s been so long!” Carrie threw her arm around my shoulders and squeezed.

“Hi, Carrie. How are you doing?” I smiled, disentangling myself from her grip.

“So good,” she beamed. Her coat was loosely belted over a shirt—I recognized the logo. It was the shirt baristas wore at the plaza coffee shop. “You have amazing timing. Here. Check this out.” She shoved a flyer in my hand. “We’re meeting tonight after the rally, actually—”

“Good evening!” Behind Carrie, a charismatic older woman climbed the steps of the gazebo, raising her hands for the crowd’s attention. She was tall and slender, but age and experienced had etched themselves into her skin. Her face, surely once quite beautiful, still shone with a handsome strength. Her hands, though veined, gestured with power and eloquence. “We welcome all who seek empowerment.”

“Oh, hold on a sec.” Carrie turned to listen to the woman, almost enraptured.

“For too long, we and our sisters across the world have struggled against the injustice of inequality. Inequality in education. Inequality in the workplace. Inequality in our relationships. And while we have languished as second-class citizens, men have plundered our mother earth, leaving destruction and corruption in their wake.”

“Should we be here?” Lucas whispered to Royal. I shot him a small smile.

“It is time for womankind to take back our rights. It is time for us to stand up for our mother earth. It is time for us to reconnect with the first mother. Join us, and embrace the strength of womankind. For we are all her daughters in spirit. Join us on a journey to rediscover the power of Lilith!”