Red rose academy year fo.., p.1
Red Rose Academy Year Four, page 1
Red Rose Academy Year Four
M GUIDA
Copyright © 2023 by M Guida
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Dear Reader
About the Author
Also by M Guida
Chapter
One
It began as a rumble in the heavens, as if the very fabric of the universe was tearing. The sky, thick and angry, whipped into a furious maelstrom. I had never seen clouds like this—black, incandescent, churning, casting an otherworldly hue across Jackson Square, lighting up St. Louis Cathedral and the statue of Andrew Jackson astride his horse. The Mississippi River sloshed back and forth, slapping at the levees.
The demon Balthazar and his minions, including my stepfather, had vanished, taking with them Valentin’s brother Dimitri. We had to find him. He’d helped us so many times, and I couldn’t let him die.
The skies seemed to writhe in agony, clouds of strange shapes and sizes trailing behind them in a multicolored wake. As if summoned by some unseen force, an infernal red lightning bolt split the darkness, its jagged tendrils leaving the air crackling with electricity even after they had disappeared. The thunder that followed was not merely sound but a physical force that shuddered through the air with enough intensity to make the trees sway and the ground shake. A howling gale arose with such ferocity that it nearly drowned out the tormented wail that rode on the wind—a warning from beyond.
Valentin held me and my cat Bellona close to his broad chest as he looked up at the sky. “This is no ordinary storm. Something’s coming. Something that scared a demon.”
I followed his gaze. “Do you think it’s the answer to Ari’s riddle?”
He continued to scan the clouds. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
Poor Rocco still hadn’t moved, as if he was still in a trance. What had they done to him?
This was no ordinary storm, but rather a show of ancient powers so forcefully unleashed that even a demon would quake in fear of what might happen next. Valentin was right. Something powerful was coming.
What could possibly be terrifying enough to scare a demon?
As the last of the lightning illuminated the night, a dark-haired figure stepped forth from the shadows. Impressive muscles rippled beneath the simple garb that did little to hide his strength. Hanging at his side, a sword gleamed, reflecting the ambient lightning back at us, capturing our attention with its ethereal glow.
Did the figure have anything to do with the riddle Ari had given me?
I went over it in my mind again. I had memorized it.
Ah, you’re clever indeed, mortal, well done,
But now comes the next test, a difficult one.
What is the one thing that can make me fall,
My one weakness, that I fear most of all?”
The atmosphere grew thick with tension, every gust of wind, every rustle of leaves underlining the silent anticipation of what would come next. His footsteps were deliberate and confident as he approached us.
“It’s another demon.” Valentin slowly released Bellona and me. “Stay behind me.” He stepped in front of me, trying to shield me.
“I don’t think so.” Ignoring my frantic heart, I refused to be a shrinking violet and stood at his side. Bellona curled around my ankles, trembling.
She looked up at me, her golden eyes wide and terrified. He’s powerful. I can feel it. More powerful than Balthazar.
Not what I wanted to hear. My hand resting on the hilt of the Fury sword, I braced my shoulders and held my chin high. “Who are you? Speak your name.”
The figure stepped into the light, surveying the aftermath of our battle, his glowing eyes finally landing on me and Valentin, and then Rocco, who still hadn’t made a sound. There was a weariness in his eyes, a hint of exasperation. For a moment, I wasn’t sure if he had heard me with all the thunder banging around us.
“Treachery casts a long shadow,” he intoned, his voice deep and resonant, yet carrying a hint of grumpiness.
Power radiated from the man, but I didn’t sense he was evil. “Please tell us who you are,” I repeated, a little more timidly this time.
His lips curled up in a sarcastic smile. “How quaint. You don’t know who I am.”
“What do you want?” Valentin demanded.
Not answering Valentin’s question, the stranger strolled over to the spot where Balthazar and the others had disappeared.
“Intentions and actions often find themselves at odds,” the man responded, his voice a gravelly rumble.
He shifted slightly, and to our astonishment, magnificent celestial wings—previously concealed—unfurled from behind him. The sight was both mesmerizing and intimidating.
Valentin grasped my shaking hand.
Bellona huddled next to me. He’s an angel. Probably an archangel.
The figure held my gaze. “This is bigger than all of you together, Rose. Divine intervention is not to be trifled with.”
Although I was shaking like a leaf, I found the courage to speak. “Can you help Rocco?”
He flicked his gaze over him. “His soul has been taken.”
Nononononono
I squeezed Valentin’s hand tighter. “Can we get it back?”
The mysterious figure, wings now fully extended, took one last look around, his gaze lingering on Rocco. “Yes, but it will be difficult.” He drew his sword that glittered in the moonlight and tapped Rocco on the shoulder.
Rocco blinked and stopped drooling.
The angel sheathed his sword again and folded his wings. “The path ahead will test you. Once completed—call upon me.”
There was a deafening crash of thunder and a blinding flash. I shielded my eyes from the glare, and when I lowered my arm again, the mysterious stranger had disappeared. The only evidence that he had ever been there was a piece of parchment on the ground where he had stood.
Then, just as suddenly, the clouds dispersed and the thunder and lightning stopped, leaving us all in stunned silence.
“Do you think that was the answer to Ari’s riddle? Is that who Balthazar was afraid of?” My shaky voice was barely a whisper.
“Maybe. He sure scared me. But somehow, I think the riddle is more complicated than just a demon being afraid of an angel.” Valentin cautiously lifted the parchment from the ground and read the words on it aloud, his deep voice reverberating off the ancient walls. “Seek the place where day meets night. But beware the guardians of twilight.”
I locked eyes with him, overwhelmed by the seriousness of his expression. His strong jaw was set tight as he glanced back at me. “What does that mean?” he asked, almost to himself.
He shook his head helplessly and pinched the bridge of his nose. “If we don’t figure this out, my brother’s a dead man.” I reached over and squeezed his arm comfortingly. He sighed heavily and ran a hand through his disheveled hair. “That angel didn’t give us the first clue where to look. We’re already trying to solve Ari’s damn riddle to find your father and save your soul. And now this? How do we solve any of it?”
I hesitantly looked into his angry eyes. I didn’t want to say it but there was only one way I knew how to get the answers we needed. “I know you don’t want to hear this but—research.”
He crumpled up the parchment and stared at me. “Are you serious?”
I cupped my palm over his angry fist. “Yes. I am. Maybe I can find something in Headmaster Tarus’ private library.”
He leaned his forehead against mine. “And what do we do about Rocco?” he asked softly.
I reluctantly pulled away and looked at Rocco, who still didn’t seem able to talk. All he could do was move his eyes. “I think we need to take him to Dr. Lascar.” I gently pulled the parchment out of Valentin’s hand and held it out of his reach. “And we don’t want to rip this up, okay? It’s our only clue.”
He cupped the back of my head in his hands, tangling his fingers in my hair. Then he pulled away and whispered, “Okay, I’ll follow your lead for now.” The lines around his eyes and mouth deepened with determination. “But I won’t stop looking for Dimitri, even if I have to tear Heaven and Hell and all of New Orleans apart.”
My fingers tightened around his neck, and before I could speak again he leaned in to kiss me. His lips were soft and warm against my own, and a slow melting sensation spread through my body as we stayed like that, lost in our own little world.
When we finally broke apart, I slowly dropped my hands. “Come on. We must get
Valentin took my arm in a firm grip and his eyes bore into mine with an intense, steely gaze. “You must not reveal Ari is my real father to anyone. Everybody already distrusts me enough because of my family.” His voice trailed off as he averted his gaze from mine, fear radiating from him.
I cupped his chin gently and turned his face towards me. “I won’t tell anyone until you are ready,” I assured him. He nodded slightly but the worry in his eyes remained, like a dark cloud.
“What about you? Will knowing Ari is my dad change how you feel about me?”
I placed my palm over his heart. “Never. You’re mine, Valentin.”
He kissed me hard, taking my breath away.
We need to get the prince back. Bellona batted at my ankles, breaking up our kiss, and we slowly stepped away from each other.
Rocco still stood immobile, staring at the place where the demon Balthazar and the others had disappeared. I almost wondered if he could see something that we couldn’t.
We looped our arms through his and slowly stepped into a mysterious inky fog that had suddenly pervaded the night air. Fear clutched my heart. The fog seemed to have formed out of nowhere. I held tightly onto Rocco’s arm, afraid of what dark forces might lurk in the thick blanket of mist—Ari? Balthazar? Maybe even Grayson?
The dampness seeped into my clothes as we moved closer to Red Rose Academy, permeating my bones. All around us, the night sky seemed to be alive with unseen dangers, and I couldn’t help but wonder if something was waiting for its chance to pounce.
“I can barely see where I’m going,” Valentin muttered under his breath.
Bellona darted in front of us and then sat perfectly still. Someone’s coming. Two of them.
I looked over at Valentin. “She says someone’s approaching.”
“Let’s hide in here.”
He pulled me and Rocco behind him and into an alley. We stumbled into the darkness and shrank against the walls of one of the buildings, both breathing hard, our pounding hearts echoing in our ears. Rocco was still a statue. What if he was like this forever?
The stench of human waste and rotting trash filled the air, but it offered little protection against anything supernatural that might be lurking. I peered out through a crack, scanning the street for any sign of supernatural creatures that could sniff us out. If it was just regular humans searching for us, then there was a chance they would miss us in the dark.
Thump Thump Thump
Two sets of thundering footsteps reverberated off the pavement and deep in my chest, ratcheting up my heart rate until I thought it would burst. I inhaled sharply, unable to exhale for fear of being discovered. As the footsteps neared the entrance to the alleyway, Valentin yanked my arm and Rocco’s, dragging us further back into the shadows. We huddled close together, not daring to move.
And then the unthinkable happened.
The two figures stepped into the darkness of our hiding place. I glanced behind my shoulder and my heart sank when I saw three walls surrounding us. It was a blind alley. We were cornered like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
Chapter
Two
The two giant silhouettes blocked out whatever faint moonlight had begun to peek through the fog, which had gotten thicker and thicker. The bone-chilling cold had disappeared, replaced with a fiery heat. It felt like I had stepped into a steam room. The wet air clung to my skin as droplets of sweat trickled down my forehead and neck. My clothes were drenched, making it hard for me to move.
“We know you’re in there. You might as well as come out.”
I gasped at the male voice. Was it really Headmaster Tarus, or someone just pretending to be him?
We crouched lower, trying to pull down Rocco next to us.
“I have Bellona,” another male voice said.
No! He had to be lying. I looked around wildly for my little cat, but she was indeed gone. I bit my lip, trying not to make a sound that would give us away, but I couldn’t stop the tears from slipping down my cheeks.
Bellona? I held my breath, but she didn’t answer. I strained my ears and shook my head—not sure I was hearing right.
Purrrrrr
My eyes widened. Are you purring?
Of course. I always do when Ethan pets me.
I narrowed my eyes at one of the strangers—slender, shorter than the other one. Could it be?
“Ethan…?” I whispered.
“Rose, please, it’s okay.” His warm voice eased my fears.
I began to stand, but Valentin clasped my arm and held me in place, still not convinced. He shook his head wordlessly.
“I highly suggest you come out now. I’m beginning to lose patience.”
Valentin and I looked at each other. There was no mistaking that angry voice now. It was definitely Headmaster Tarus.
We slowly stood, still linking our arms through poor Rocco’s. He followed us like a robot and we stepped further into the moonlight.
Headmaster Tarus seized my arm. He was livid. “What the hell are you doing out here?”
I didn’t know how to answer him.
He glanced over my head. “What’s wrong with Rocco?”
“We don’t know.” I wet my nervous lips. “We have to…we have to get him to Dr. Lascar.”
Headmaster Tarus released my arm and put his palm on Rocco’s forehead. He turned to Ethan and nodded curtly. “We need to go now before it’s too late.”
Ethan grabbed Valentin’s arm in a tight grip. The Headmaster scooped Rocco up and threw him over his shoulder effortlessly, and then took my hand. I gasped as we sped off—the wind blowing through my hair and stinging my eyes. The buildings, trees, even the mighty Mississippi became nothing more than streaks of light as they whizzed past us. The sensation was like flying, and I felt terrified and truly free at the same time.
The next thing you knew it, we were at Red Rose Academy. The moonlight glistened off the magnolia and the oak trees. As we approached, the majestic wrought iron gates swung open, as if expecting us.
The headmaster, still holding onto Valentin, led the way with a sense of urgency. We raced across the grounds to Dr. Lascar’s infirmary. The academy gardens, typically buzzing with nocturnal life, were eerily silent now, save for our hurried footsteps speeding across the thick carpet of lawn.
Headmaster Tarus pounded on the locked door. “Dr. Lascar, Dr. Lascar, open up.”
The lock clicked open and the door swung wide. Dr. Lascar flicked his gaze over us. His long gray hair was pulled back into a queue and his gray eyes were wary. “What’s wrong?”
“The prince is in the grips of a dark spell,” Headmaster Tarus said gravely.
I swallowed back the fear crawling up my throat.
Dr. Lascar pointed to a neatly-made twin bed. “Bring him over there.”
Headmaster Tarus gently laid Rocco onto the bed. The prince’s eyes stared straight up at the ceiling and he didn’t make a single sound. It was as if all his other senses had been ripped away and he was living in a nightmare of silence.
Dr. Lascar put his palm on his forehead for a moment and then turned and looked at us. His eyes, usually warm and inviting, now bore a serious and concerned expression. “What happened to him?”
All three of them looked at Valentin and me for answers. I wasn’t sure if I should say.
Bellona looked up from where she was still held in Ethan’s arms. You must tell them. The prince’s life depends upon it.
Taking a deep breath, I met the headmaster’s hostile gaze. His eyes were hard as steel and his jaw was clenched tight. His power of compulsion filled the room, and I knew attempting to lie would be futile.
“We went to Jackson Square to meet with Dimitri and find out where my real father was being held, and what Grayson was planning…”
“And?”
