Of Deathless Shadows (Alkrose Academy, #1)

by K.M. Moronova

“What did he just say?” Elias bares his teeth and grasps the soldiers beside him by their necks, crushing their throats straight to the bone. They collapse in unison, their blood hot on my ankles.

“Oh, you don’t like that?” Raine smiles against the soft flesh behind my ear and throws me against the wall. He snakes a hand around my throat an...

“Terra.” Raine hums in my ear, panting with the ecstasy rippling through us. Visceral hunger and heartbreak live in his wild eyes. “I’m going to kill him.”

Elias’s eyes widen further, the crescent moons thrumming with his power. He saunters toward us, the remaining handful of soldiers gasping with fear as he lifts them off the ground with a flick of his hand. A wicked smile spreads across his gorgeous lips.

Raine releases me, shaking violently at Elias’s power. He’s fucking terrifying and even though I know I’m safe with him, I find myself trembling too.

Elias—my beautifully crafted monster, a ravenous murderer that has half a heart. I slump against the wall as he approaches us. Raine doesn’t even try to run. He knows his fate is sealed. I’m not sure anything I say will stop Elias this time.

“I can’t be fixed, babe. I’m not a broken toy—I’m an eternally damned soul and I’m so fucking tired.” Elias thrusts his hand into Raine’s chest. His ocean eyes widen and the cigarette drops from his mouth into a pool of blood at our feet.

“Elias—don’t!” I scream and hit him, trying to force him to let go. “No!” The assassin’s eyes are feral—cold. I know the fate of my broken Raine. Amser has other plans though, and she’s pissed.

Elias growls and pulls his hand from Raine’s chest. The blood doesn’t follow. Amser looks at me expectantly and I raise my hand to Raine’s heart, curling my ring finger and pinky into my palm like earlier.

Amser purrs its satisfaction and glares at Elias once more to ensure he won’t hurt Raine again.

“Why would you let me choose? Why not have me go with the highest-ranked House?”

“Because no one wants to train a Solas. Perhaps Arthur, but he’s away at the moment. We’ve received word that he’s finally returning with his House of Novas. You wouldn't fit in with them either though, so Cosmos is a suitable place for you.”

“Why are we here in the first place? Why not kill us with all the rest? It’s not like you can train us to do your fucking bidding.” Kallos pinches the bridge of his nose. “You can become a student, Finn, or go straight to the war front. Or worse, you can be a target for your fellow students to practice on.”

“So obey or die… that’s it? That’s supposed to work?” I snap at him. “It worked for the rest of us. How do you think I came to be here?” My eyes widen and my heart squeezes painfully. He was like me?

“I’m only choosing this because I have to. Don’t think that I won’t fight you every step of the way.” Kallos smirks at me. “I know you will. Now, take my hand. You will receive the Cosmos class crest and then off to bed.”

“Nobodies. They are all dead, long dead.” Oh. My chest curls. “Buried in the ruins of my mistakes. Nothing but hollow memories of the past. All except Arthur and myself.” Kallos’s words are distant. This is a wound long since healed, but still tender.

“Any more silly questions you feel like asking?” His yellow eyes reveal his pain. I’m a fucking idiot for even asking. “Um… no,” I mutter, feeling guilty for pushing. Who is Arthur? “Right. Off to bed. You will be bunking with Kai.”

“How could you see in the dark? It was fucking pitch black in there.” He raises a brow at me. “Really? The room was lit by the ceiling, with the stars and planets and stuff. Didn’t you see it?”

“I think you can only see it once you’ve been branded,” I mumble as I fight the smile and awe that try to push through. How could a nation so evil and wicked have this ethereal castle… It’s wrong.

“This assessment will determine who is strong enough to train within Alkrose. You are to fight a student from another House. I won’t lie or try to comfort you. We will be losing a few members today, maybe more. You will take a life or two today as well. So say your goodbyes ahead of time, and maybe a prayer for your souls too, if you believe in that sort of thing. There will be no mourning until you reach your chambers. Emerai doesn’t take kindly to weakness. Inside or out.”

“I’m going to have to break my promise, Kai.” “Yeah?” Kai mumbles with his serious tone, keeping his eyes on Kallos. “Yeah.”

Everyone’s fucking scared. Kai furrows his brow but nods to Martin in greeting. “We’re all going to be fine.”

“Who am I kidding? I’m fucking shitting my pants.” The three of us look at Kai in silence. It’s unsettling.

I’ve only been to one funeral before and this feels a lot like it. Just… sad. Hopeless, because someone’s already dead. We already know what today will bring.

We have to keep him safe. Please—help us, please. The beast inside me curls. Say my name. I keep my eyes on Martin as I shove the Darkflies out of my way. What’s your name? Laphia.

push into the open fighting circle and stand between Martin and Frederick. My nails dig into my palms and I hold onto each breath as my nerves raise every hair on my skin. Frederick’s blond hair is slicked back and his eyes are feral, wild with hunger. I don’t think he cares who he kills—as long as he’s killing, he’ll be happy.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Frederick growls as he flexes his arms, ready to fight. I meet his fury with my own and I whisper beneath my breath, “Laphia.” For a moment, there’s...

My eyes widen and I catch the fear that swirls in Frederick’s eye...

I glance down to my hands. Blue fire lashes at my skin as if I’m cloaked in hellfire, but I’m obviously not burning alive. Instead of fear, sheer adrenaline fills me fr...

The itch to feel him die at my hand tickles my spine but I try to push the feelings down. That’s not me… it’s Laphia. I would never enjoy this… Or do I? Am I twisted? Cruel and wicked like my father?

“What the hell were you thinking?” he whispers, concern etching his frown. Kallos gives him a sideways glare and Kai tightens his lips but his brows pinch together more with anguish. “Finn, I know it’s hard… but it will be over quickly,” Kallos mutters. The words stop my heart.

Kai sobs silently next to me, fisting his pants and shaking his head. I can’t do anything—I’m helpless. I can only watch in horror as Frederick readies himself for the fight.

But all I can muster is a muffled cry. “Martin!” He lifts his head and meets my gaze. His eyes warm to their former selves and a weary smile breaks across his lips, revealing his buckteeth. His curly brown hair falls over his forehead with the breeze and he mouths, See you later.

I should’ve let him walk through the ocean a little longer last night. I should've… I should've saved him.

Give him eternal rest, a long dream, and peace. I pray silently to any gods out there. My tears stream over the bridge of my nose and I finally close my eyes—accepting that this is where my hell begins. See you later, Martin.

What they must think of me. But I don’t care, not anymore. The only thing that matters now is destroying Fernestia and Heirah. The whispers in my flesh tell me it’s entirely possible with our power.

Sully. Its name is Sully. It's cantankerous and rotten in my blood, but I can’t help but feel this sense of completion. My new friend promises me the vengeance and blood I seek.

“I’ve waited a long time for this day. There was no way to determine how we would come together, but I knew we would. I’m sure you’re all very confused. Trust me, I understand. More than you could possibly fathom.” Arthur laughs feebly and clasps his hands together behind his back.

“Now that your memories have been restored you will each know what fates your hometowns suffered. The death, the demise, the ruin. At the hands of Fernestia and Heirah.”

“What you don’t know is why you’re here. You were selected to come to Za’Afiel, over all others, because you are special and have the most potential.” Arthur pauses and steps behind my chair, setting his palms on either side of me. “Edgar is our prized Nova. The creation that we’ve tirelessly worked to find. He’s been gifted with the Shadow of Dark Matter. The corrupted one of the great Novas. He has affected you, all in a way, just by being grouped with you. Look into his eyes.”

“He’s awakened his Shadow and merged; the turquoise fractures are the proof of it. Lucina is halfway there too.” Lucina’s face fills with shock and fear.

“Fernestia has long ruled over Lamnah and Cyprin. I’m sure you’ve been taught that in your studies. But they were also amongst the first experiments for the Shadows. I was in the first group of subjects. Fernestia discovered the power the Shadows carried with the help of Dr. Cein. Together they were able to use them and the hosts to build an unstoppable army.” His eyes linger in some far-off place. “Heirah and Tornfret never stood a chance.”

“As Fernestia grew, so did their curiosity about the Shadows. So the experiments grew and changed over the years. To see what environments produce the best results to procure a Nova. We’ve been working toward this for years.”

“So you’re telling me my family died for nothing? For some godsforsaken experiment?” Arthur nods. “I suppose you could see it that way. Curiosity got the best of the fools and at the end of the...

“H-How do we get it out?!” Aervin shouts, standing, reaching for Arthur to give him an answer he knows isn’t there. Arthur shakes his head calmly. “It’s a part of you now. They cannot be removed or parted from you. If you are to remove it, your soul goes with it. Trust me, I’ve been a part of the… research done for that. All fatal.”

“You’re always so eager, aren’t you?” He sighs. “Very well, let’s head to Alkrose then. There you will be introduced to your formal training. You’ll be happy to know that the Nova House gets to skip the Culling Assessment.”

I emerge on the other side in the grand foyer of Alkrose. My eyes widen, but I don’t let myself feel anything. Or rather, Sully makes sure that I don’t as he hums beneath my mind. So this is how Fernestia infiltrated Heirah. Portals.

“I can’t tell you.” “Why?” I smile as he leans into my hand and kisses my palm. “Because my Shadow won’t let me. I can’t speak of the visions it shows me.”

“What do you mean it knows?” He doesn’t say anything for a few moments, like he’s trying to sort out what he can actually say. “It says it is destiny, all-knowing across all realities. Future, past, present and in between. It showed me things I won’t be able to forget. Things I have to wait to see come to pass.”

“It tells me you’re time itself.” In between? Destiny… Time… Why hasn’t Amser said anything about this? “And Elias?” Raine’s eyes narrow. “Infinity—the stark opposite of you, but the three of us perpetually seem to spiral around one another. Never to truly escape the pull of one another.”