Forsaken (Academy of the Fallen #4) Read online

  She looks me in the eyes. “Damn it! You’re not leaving me here alone!”

  I manage to put my hand on hers. “You know that you are not alone. Let me go. This is for the best.”

  “How can you even say that?”

  “’I’ll be able to come back and help you and Trent more than I can help you now.”

  “How do you think you are getting access to this place?”

  I laugh. “I made enough damage during my life to know that Hell is where I belong. They’ll accept me with arms wide open.”

  I start to cough up blood.

  I look up at her, “You need to save him Kayla. He is part of us and we… you, need to protect him.” I see that she’s crying and that terrifies me. This is the most fearless girl I have ever met. She doesn’t cry!

  But it’s too late for me. As much as I got a hint of a desire to fight, I can’t. I close my eyes and I’m gone.

  ***

  KAYLA

  I put my ring back on and hold Samael’s limp body and I scream until I have no voice left. When I finally get a hold of myself, I try to heal him one last time. Nothing happens and I feel it in my bones that nothing will happen, but I keep trying. I know I can’t be here alone. I don’t know what to do. I sit here and hope that Samael will show up as a ghost, demon… anything, just as long as he shows up, but nothing happens.

  “He’s gone, my dear.”

  Startled, I look up and see two beings standing behind me: a man and a woman. I’ve seen them before… where?

  One of them looks at me and I see the images of them outside, right before I healed them.

  “We’ve been trying to break the wards for a while now. We found a way in when they were weakened. We must get you out of here, nephilim.”

  “Kayla. My name is Kayla, not nephilim!”

  They give me an apologetic look.

  “Who… what are you?” I ask.

  “We are who you made us,” says the woman, “we owe it all to you. You saved us.”

  “The Forsaken,” I whisper, remembering what Samael told me about them.

  They nod.

  “I can’t leave. Not without Trent.”

  They give me a puzzled look. They think that I’m the only one here, and I think back at how often Trent is not in this house. Trent has to be hidden in the human world somewhere. Maybe the others will help me find him.

  “We don’t believe we have much time,” says the man.

  “How are we getting out of here?” I ask.

  “We are able to take care of the wards. Once we are out of here, we will guide you into the Otherworld, and from there, we can try to guide you back, but we are unsure of what we can really do past this world.”

  I nod.

  I stop and look back at Samael one more time before I follow them out through the door and then, out of what looks like a front door to this place. I feel the heat from the fires. Outside, there is nothing but mud, grass, and fires. I follow them as we walk toward the darkness of the Otherworld. The man walks in front of me and the woman walks behind me. It’s not until we’re closer to the Otherworld that I hear the screams coming from the lost souls.

  “Are they coming from the Otherworld?” I ask.

  “No,” the woman shakes her head. “They are coming from others who are like we used to be.”

  I feel the uncontrollable need to heal them.

  “Not now,” says the man as if reading my mind. “You need your strength to go back.”

  I nod. “I’ll come back to help you,” I say.

  They look at me with nothing but admiration and faith.

  As we approach the Otherworld, I get consumed by my own fears. Will I make it out of there? Will I be able to contact Hunter for help? I hate asking for help, always have, but I know I need him. Will he even answer my plea for help after so much time has past?

  SEVENTEEN

  STEPHAINE

  The time has come. Over the years, I had been using my abilities and connections with other fallen to know what was happening at the Academies. I knew that they needed Ben to find Kayla and Ezra, and I was sure that Ben could help if he chose to, but I was afraid that taking Ben back to that world would set him back. And so, there were moments when I dreaded this time and moments when I hoped this day would come and everything would go smoothly. Now the day is here and Ben will have to choose sides.

  Little by little, I could see the change in him over the years, but he also didn’t have the influences of other demons and fallen ones.

  I kept expecting him to one day leave me and go after his father, but he kept the promise he made to his mom, to turn away and live his own life and, for as long as he did, they would all leave him alone.

  Now, everything is about to be tested. Truth is, I’m a fallen and he is half-demon and we can’t pretend to live normal lives forever. We can’t keep hiding at this beach cabin and pretend that the entire world around us isn’t falling apart.

  What I fear the most is that he will resent me for showing Ethan where we are and for hiding from him throughout this entire time, that his father was holding Kayla and the other nephilim hostage.

  I look at him lying on the bed with his eyes closed. He didn’t belong where he was raised…. Not with that demon, not with any demon.

  Ben feels there is something wrong before I can even sense that they are here. He opens his eyes and practically jumps out of the bed.

  When I turn around, I know something went horribly wrong. It’s not Ethan who I see. I find myself surrounded by fallen ones. Ben takes a step forward and stands in front of me.

  “What do you want?” he asks.

  Their gazes fall on me. “We need her.”

  Ben laughs. “Well, too bad.”

  He stops laughing when his mom walks in.

  “You can leave. ALL OF YOU!” he snaps.

  “Son, we’re not leaving until we get what we came here for.”

  “You’re not taking her to the Academy or anywhere else for that matter.”

  His mom nods. “That’s fine. Either way, it’s her choice, but we’re not leaving until you agree to help us.”

  He laughs again. “Me help?… YOU?” He rolls his eyes. “Not that I will, but what do you need help with?”

  “We need you to lead us to Ezra.”

  “First, I have no idea where he is, and even if I did, I would never betray him. You have to remember that he was there for me when you weren’t.”

  She looks away for a split second. When she looks back up at him, I can tell she’s holding back tears.

  “I don’t blame you, son.”

  “Stop calling me son.”

  She flinches at the sound of those words.

  “We know where he is, Ben. We just need your help to actually get to him.”

  “Where?” he asks.

  I get closer to him and hold his hand, trying to calm him down.

  “Will you help us?”

  “Answer my question!” he yells.

  “Ben, not until you agree to help us. He has your sister and the other nephilim.”

  Ben’s grip on my hand tightens and I can feel his entire body tense.

  “Of course he does. All he ever wanted was to have precious nephilim at his side.”

  Looking at the door, I can see two others show up. Ethan and Hunter.

  I already knew what Ethan and Hunter needed help with. The only reason I allowed Ethan to know where we are is because I trust him. I face Ben’s mom.

  “Please step outside. I will talk to him.”

  She nods and asks everyone to leave.

  When Ben turns to face me, I see betrayal all over his face.

  “You showed them we were here,” he says.

  “Ben, it’s not like that. I only showed our location to Ethan, I knew they needed help so I thought—”

  “What? You thought I’m evil turned good? Steph, I’m who I am and you can’t change me.”

  He did change but there is no need t
o bring it up… not now. “Did I EVER ask you to change, Ben?”

  He shakes his head. “But isn’t that what you are doing now?”

  I shake my head. “I’m simply asking that you listen to what they have to say and consider helping in any way you can.”

  “I’m not going against my father.”

  I put my hand against his chest and meet his gaze. “I’m not asking you to do that. Just listen to what they have to say and we’ll take it from there. If there’s a way to help get Kayla without you having to cause your father any harm, please help them.”

  He nods. “I’ll listen to what they have to say, but that’s all. And only one of them can come in… and I suppose the immortal can, too.”

  I smile at him and gently touch his lips with mine, giving him a kiss.

  I go to the door. “Ethan, Hunter, please come in.”

  Irene starts to walk toward me, “Please, Irene. He said Ethan and Hunter only. I don’t want to push it.”

  She looks hurt, but steps back.

  Ethan and Hunter come in and stand across from Ben. I was honestly surprised he let Hunter in.

  “So what is the deal?” Ben asks Ethan.

  Ethan sighs. “Your father is keeping Kayla and Samael in Hell and we need you to get through the wards and get Hunter through the portal.”

  Ben gives them a puzzled look. “So you think that the immortal who passed out when attacked by a succubi, can survive in Hell?”

  Ethan nods. “I doubt you’ll volunteer to go and get the nephilim, so Hunter is our best chance.”

  “Well, I’m not betraying my father.”

  Hunter moves forward as if he is about to attack Ben and I move in between the two and shake my head at Hunter.

  Hunter takes a deep breath. “Can anyone else get through that portal?” he asks.

  “Not without a demon from his blood line.”

  Hunter takes another step forward. “Name your price. I will do anything. Just please help me get her out of there,” he begs.

  “Hunter!” warns Ethan. “You’re not making a deal with him.”

  But Hunter doesn’t back down. He doesn’t even look back at Ethan. He just stares at Ben, searching for his answer.

  I turn around and see that Ben is considering it. His eyes are dark and cold like they used to be when I first saw him. I walk over to Ben, unleashing my now dark wings and wrap them around his body, blocking him from everyone else.

  “Look at me, Ben,” I say.

  He looks down at me, his eyes locked on mine.

  “I know you don’t see it, but you have changed and I love you for that and for so much more. Ben, do this for me… please,” I beg.

  I place a kiss on his cheek and walk away to the other side of the room. I can’t look into his eyes, not with all that darkness in them. I can’t be reminded of how much pain he was in when we first left. And the last thing I want is for him to go back to feeling worthless like he did before.

  There is silence in the room and I can feel Ben’s gaze on the back of my neck, but I can’t bare to look.

  “I won’t betray my father,” he says. I turn around with tears in my eyes and find him still looking at me. “But there is another way into the Otherworld,” he says, “and you won’t need my help with that.”

  I watch him wondering if this is just a trick, even though his eyes tell me otherwise. I hate that during this moment, I question him like I used to so long ago.

  He winks at me and I close my eyes.

  “Please tell them, Ben.”

  He looks at Hunter. “You can get there through the Otherworld. Follow the most painful shrieks; they are your guide. You’ll know once you are there.”

  “Thank you,” says Hunter.

  “Now you are going to do something for me,” says Ben.

  Ethan steps forward and I can tell he doesn’t like this at all.

  “Don’t leave until Steph portals us out of here. I don’t want them coming after her.”

  Ethan and Hunter both nod and I approach Ben, wrapping my arms around him and taking us out of there.

  EIGHTEEN

  HUNTER

  The fallen can feel as soon as they are gone. By the time we turn around to leave, they are already walking into the cabin. Ethan faces me and shrugs. “I’m already damned anyway.” He grabs my arm and just like that, we are out of there and through the portal that takes us to the Academy, straight to Xavier.

  “What’s going on?” asks Xavier.

  Ethan sighs. “We have no time to explain, but we need you to come with us.”

  Xavier nods and Ethan portals us out of there and into the cabin that belongs to the Erza… the one where Kayla was last.

  Within seconds, Chase shows up with Jennifer.

  Xavier gasps at the sight of her. This is the first we’ve seen her since she fell and something about her falling is all wrong. In spite of the black wings, she radiates goodness… and sadness.

  Her expression softens once she looks at Ethan, but anyone can tell it’s just a façade to hide her sadness from him. She walks over to him and he puts his arms around her, pulling her close to his body and what they have, makes me miss Kayla even more.

  “You called,” says Chase.

  “I’m going to get Kayla,” I say.

  “How?” Chase and Xavier ask at the same time.

  “Benjamin said I can get to where she is from the Otherworld.”

  Xavier shakes his head. “There are rumors that it can happen, but you can’t seriously take a demon’s word for it!”

  “It’s all I have to go on,” I say. “I’m doing it. Chase helped me get her from the Otherworld before, so at least that part is familiar to me.”

  Xavier is right. We don’t know if this will even work, but I’d go through hell and back to find her and now it’s time to prove it.

  Chase nods. “Just like last time?”

  I nod.

  “I’ll see you there,” he says and vanishes.

  Ethan has limited abilities because of what happened to Jennifer. Once she fell, for being with him, his wings darkened even more. He can no longer send me to the Otherworld without help, so Xavier helps him.

  I grab Kayla’s dagger and hold it close to me. Shortly after I close my eyes, I can feel that I’m in the Otherworld. It’s dark, but I can hear Chase right next to me and I’m glad that at least for now, things are moving along as planned.

  “So, I guess we just wander around and see if one of the lost souls knows something that will help us get there,” says Chase.

  “If we can even get there…” I pause. “Benjamin said we would be able to tell the direction based on their sounds.”

  We walk for a while in the darkness, guided by nothing but the cries and screams of lost souls. It makes me wonder just how much worse is the place where Kayla has been trapped and I start to prepare myself for the worst. She won’t be the same. Not after something like this.

  We walk in silence trying to find anyone who can help us. I suddenly hear Chase’s voice, “What is that?” he whispers.

  I look to the other side of where we were heading and see a light.

  “I don’t know. Should we check it out?” I ask.

  I have Kayla’s dagger in hand, just in case we need it.

  “Let’s go,” says Chase. As we move toward the light, we notice that it’s moving toward us at a fast speed.

  I freeze as soon as I realize that it’s a person, and that the light is radiating off him.

  “Took you long enough!” says Samael.

  “You piece of—”

  Chase interrupts me, “Where is Kayla?”

  I look at him with disgust. He watches me but doesn’t say anything. I launch toward him but my body goes through his.

  “What the hell?” I ask.

  “Yeah, about that… I’m dead.”

  “WHERE IS SHE?”

  “Look, I’m here to help you get to her, okay? But chill out.”

  I kn
ow he didn’t just tell me to calm down.

  “Is she okay? Is she hurt?”

  “She is fine and I can tell you how to get there, but Chase won’t be able to get through and neither will I.”

  “But I will?” I ask.

  “I’m not sure. You’re different than any other beings I know. I’m not exactly sure how the rules of Hell apply to you exactly.” He pauses. “There’s a building there. It’s the only one you’ll see, but it’s warded. Also, there are a lot fires around and the lost souls are a bit more aggressive than the ones here.”

  “How do I get past the wards?” I ask.

  He shrugs. “I honestly don’t know. For all I know you could get in there but just not be able to get out. Worst case scenario, you’ll be her motivation to break out.”

  “She hasn’t tried to break out before?” I ask. “I know her. She would have.”

  “She did at least once, but things are not that simple. There were other obstacles. Not to mention that fear can block what we can do. Our abilities were already limited because of Ezra’s wards, but some of her fears made things worse.”

  “Fear? You are talking about Kayla?”

  He nods. “For one thing, she is afraid too much time passed and that you moved on. God knows I have no idea what she sees in you—”

  “Enough. Stop wasting time. How do I get there?”

  He points to the side. “Keep moving that way. You’ll see the fires soon enough.” He pauses. “I was only given a limited amount of time to help. I have to go, but Chase should follow you for as long as he is able to.”

  “Where are you going?” I ask.

  “I can’t say, mostly because I don’t know it myself.” He hesitates. “Before you go, you should know that some things have changed, but they won’t be what they seem. Please help her make things right.”

  I give him a puzzled look.

  “Time to go,” he says as he vanishes and we are in darkness again.

  Chase and I don’t say a word. We practically run in the direction he pointed.

  We run until Chase abruptly stops. “This is as far as I can go,” he says. “We must be close. I’ll wait here. If things don’t go right, just rush back.”