Slayer's Curse: Moonshadow Academy, #2

By Finley Knight

I survived my first year of Moonshadow Academy.

 

As my second year begins, so does my secret training with Desmond Dawn.

Our focus should solely be on magic, but there's something more between us.

 

Something neither of us may be ready to face.

 

To further complicate matters, a curse has befallen the Nightwatchers. Until it is broken, I have no hope of stopping Eriphius and rescuing my father.

As history is rewritten within the walls, there are mages in Moonshadow Academy that will do anything to keep their secrets from being revealed.

 

Even betray those they've sworn to protect.

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• Language: English
• Publisher: Finley Quinn
• Release date: Oct 19, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215770856

Book preview

About This Book

I survived my first year of Moonshadow Academy. As my second year begins, so does my secret training with Desmond Dawn. Our focus should solely be on magic, but there’s something more between us. Something neither of us may be ready to face.

---

To further complicate matters, a curse has befallen the Nightwatchers. Until it is broken, I have no hope of stopping Eriphius and rescuing my father.

---

As history is rewritten within the walls, there are mages in Moonshadow Academy that will do anything to keep their secrets from being revealed. Even betray those they’ve sworn to protect.

---

Slayer’s Curse is book two in the Moonshadow Academy series; a YA/NA Supernatural Urban Fantasy series full of magic, demons and sarcasm. Join Ronnie on this action-packed tale of good versus evil.

Chapter 1

Year Two

W elcome, first-year recruits, to Moonshadow Academy, Professor Bouersox’s voice bellowed in the silent but crowded dining hall.

Silent no longer, the room erupted with a cacophony of applause, followed by the whoops and hollers of the older students. The first-year newcomers clapped softly, riddled with anxiety over the first step of their three-year-long training regimen. I sat in one of the middle booths with my friends, all of us second-year students. All of us knowing exactly what they must’ve been feeling. It was like only yesterday we were seated in the back, filled with anticipation of one day becoming Nightwatchers; an elite group of mages licensed to locate and eradicate demons in the dead of night.

Once upon a time, being a Nightwatcher was all I ever dreamed about. I wanted nothing more in my life than to be where I was now. Well, aside from finding the location of my missing father and rescuing him if he was in danger. That dream still remained, especially now that I knew he was still alive somewhere.

As Professor Bouersox went through the whole speech about ranks, earning points, teamwork, etc., my mind took a trip down memory lane at everything that had happened to me last year, and I wondered what this year would bring me. Hopefully one step closer to saving my dad. I mentally sent a prayer to the gods above, hoping beyond hope that these fresh new faces wouldn’t have to endure what my friends and I went through last year.

Is anyone else getting a sense of déjà vu? Aisha, my best friend and roommate, asked from her spot off to my right. She had one arm propped up on the table, her chin resting on her glove-covered fist, looking bored as hell. Her long, hot pink hair fell loosely over the right side of her head.

I snickered. Yeah. I was just thinking how this all feels familiar to me.

Imagine how the third-year students must be feeling, having to hear the same speech for three years in a row, Dillon, my other best friend, added. He sat across from me, leaning into the embrace of his overly-protective boyfriend, Marcus. Marcus’ chin rested on top of Dillon’s mop of dark violet hair. His sleepy gaze matched Aisha’s, but I could feel his senses working overtime.

I couldn’t blame him for wanting to keep Dillon as close as possible. Dillon not only was brutally injured during a match that left him in a coma, but he was almost kidnapped by an army of demons that invaded the academy. Dillon must’ve understood Marcus’s fears and put up with his boyfriend’s antics. It was sweet. They made such an odd but cute couple.

Professor Bouersox just finished introducing the top three students from the first-year class before bringing her attention to our year next. Introducing the top three students of the second-year class! When I call your name, please step forward. In rank three, we have...Dillon Sparks!

Our little group of friends cheered louder than everyone else as Dillon’s smile split from ear to ear. Marcus reluctantly loosened his grip on Dillon and allowed him to walk up to the front with first year’s top three. I was so proud of him. With Silviya and Angelo gone, the spot for ranks two and three were up for grabs. Dillon was one of the most gifted mages in our class with his sharp wit, his creativity, and near-perfect evaluation. Even with the week he’d been unconscious, and the loss he took against last year’s rank three student, Dillon still managed to pull it off.

Next up in rank two, Melody Harper! Professor Bouersox announced.

Again, the applause rang, followed by a few wolf whistles from the guys. Melody Harper was seated on the far end. She rose from her seat and sauntered over to the front with water-like fluid motion.

Melody Harper was a student I admittedly didn’t pay much attention to last year. I recognized her from my Elemental Magic class, but we’d never spoken or hung out with each other. All I knew was that she was a gifted mage with a gorgeous singing voice and was a water elementalist. Her shoulder-length hair was a seafoam green shade with streaks of light pink. Her skin was on the borderline of alabaster, and her eyes were a deep shade of ocean blue.

I already knew his name was going to be next before Professor Bouersox called it out. Last but not least, we have our number one ranked student of the second-year class. He was also number one the entirety of last year. Step forward our rank one student, Mr. Desmond Dawn!

The crowd was the loudest it’d been yet when Desmond’s name was called. I clapped, but I didn’t cheer. As Desmond stood from his seat closest to the front, his amber-colored eyes looked over to me. My body hummed from the overwhelming pull of magic that was stored within his core. Just as Aisha said, I felt that sense of déjà vu all over again when our eyes met. It was reminiscent of the time his name was announced as the number one ranked student last year. Our eyes connected in the same way back then. If only I knew then what I knew now.

Desmond gave me a soft grin, which I returned with a cold tilt of my head. His gaze dropped as he went to join the rest of the top students. How ironic that in a school specializing in training mages to kill demons, Desmond Dawn of all people was seen as one of the best. Especially considering he was a demon—and not even one of the weaker ones. Desmond was a class four demon, one of the toughest around. Class four demons had the power to shapeshift their appearances, which was why Desmond could easily blend in with the rest of us. None of them knew that one of their most dangerous enemies was attending classes alongside them.

But I knew, and not for the first time, I felt like a traitor for keeping it a secret.

Another thirty minutes went by before the meeting was adjourned. Everyone went their separate ways with first-year students following their third-year student guides.

Hey Ronnie, Aisha called, and I turned to face her. The guys and I were going to head to the gym. Wanna come?

I paused to look in the opposite direction where Desmond stood. His eyes trained on me. As much as I would love to spend time with my friends before classes started tomorrow, I had more pressing matters to deal with.

Sorry guys, but I already have plans with Desmond, I said.

Aisha looked from Desmond, and then back to me. A devilish smirk formed on her lips. Oh? So you and Desmond are finally going to make it official, or what?

I rolled my eyes. No, we just have some things to talk about.

Is everything okay? Dillon asked, his brow crinkling in concern.

If only I could tell them the truth. Hecate only knew I wanted to, but I couldn’t. I felt like a terrible friend for keeping Desmond’s true nature a secret, but to be fair, it wasn’t my secret to share. Besides, I needed his help.

Everything’s fine, I lied.

Aisha and Dillon exchanged glances, unsure whether to believe my bluff, but thankfully they did.

Okay, but let us know if you need anything, Aisha said, looking as if she wanted to call me out, but thankfully kept it to herself.

After that, we all parted ways. Aisha, Dillon, and their boyfriends vacated through the main entrance to head for the gym, while Desmond and I exited through the side doors that lead to the gardens. Silence was our only companion as we walked past eager students awaiting classes to begin tomorrow. The tension was so thick I could cut it with one of my daggers. It carried on as we walked through the wall of trees leading us into the forest, as we did many times for lunch. I already knew where Desmond was taking me.

Moments later, my suspicions were confirmed when we arrived at the clearing that overlooked the red ocean surrounding the island Moonshadow Academy was built on. I stepped closer to the edge, watching the ebbs of the water, drinking in the smell of moisture and the woodsy scent of raw magic in the air. I looked up at the darkened sky, the blending of blue and red which foretold of the demons invading the magic realm.

An entire year had passed since I’d arrived at this academy, eager to learn and grow stronger for the sake of finding my father, whom for many years I believed to have been dead. It wasn’t until my confrontation with Eriphius that I found out he was still alive. My father was still living and breathing, and in Eriphius’s clutches, and here I was with the demon king’s son behind me.

I learned so much since entering the Academy, but there was a lot more that hadn’t been uncovered yet. What was Eriphius doing with all the Nightwatchers and students he kidnapped? What was his plan? Was Desmond a friend or foe? Was I in over my head with this situation? Of all the times I imagined rescuing my dad or finding out what happened, I never believed I’d be squaring off against one of the five kings of the demon realm.

Ronnie, Desmond’s voice rang in a low grumble.

He reached out and rested a hand on my tense shoulders. I was so lost in my thoughts I hadn’t realized that I was panting heavily, or the fact that my hands were balled into fists at my side.

Ronnie, I can’t imagine what’s going through your head, but remember that I’m here for you.

Are you? I asked.

I know you don’t trust me right now, and I don’t blame you. If I were in your shoes, I wouldn’t want to trust me either. All I can do is prove that I’m on your side. I want to stop my father as much as you do, and I want to help rescue yours. That’s the path I chose.

It was so hard to tell if he was lying or not. If he was, he was an incredible actor. Well, he clearly was, considering how he’d been able to masquerade as a normal mage to everyone in the Academy. But he agreed to train me; why would he do that if all he was planning to do was double-cross me?

I turned to face him, staring up into his finely chiseled face, seeing the truth in the depths of his eyes. He wanted to help me, and I’d be stupid not to accept it. Desmond’s hybrid bloodline was unprecedented with exponential powers. I’d seen his skills in battle many times: his mastery over his wind elemental magic, using it in both offense and defense. He’d proven why he was number one last year, and why he still was in year two. I wanted to be just as powerful. It still may not have been anywhere near enough to fight Eriphius, but it was better than where I stood now.

Okay, I relented. So where do we start?

Eager to jump right into it, huh? Desmond asked, sounding amused.

No time like the present.

True, Desmond agreed, then held up one finger in front of him. But first, I’ll need to properly assess your level of physical strength.

Why? I felt like I was already physically fit enough. I’d been able to hold my own so far whenever I had to fight. I didn’t have monstrous strength like Aisha, but I was no slouch either.

Magic is an extension of us, Ronnie. How strong we are physically defines how much magic we’re able to wield on our own. Overexerting yourself without proper training and learning to control it could result in your death. You want to get better with magic, then you need to be fit enough to handle my level of training. Trust me when I say this, Ronnie, it’s not for the faint of heart.

I could believe it. I’d been training since I was little to become qualified to enroll in Moonshadow Academy, and even then I was near the bottom of the list. Things were better when I was able to unlock my hidden element, but I knew I still had a long way to go. Desmond was far ahead of everyone from the very beginning, so I couldn’t imagine what he went through to become as powerful as he was now.

Looks like I’ll find out.

I looked around our general vicinity to make sure we were still the only ones here. So...what, do we spar here then? Or what did you have in mind?

Desmond eyed me cautiously. Are you sure you want to do this?

I nodded without hesitation.

Taking my answer, Desmond closed his eyes for a brief moment. When they opened back up, the gold in his eyes morphed to blood red. The air shifted around us when he began muttering an incantation under his breath. I was about to ask him what he was doing, but my answer came in the form of a magic portal materializing off to our right. The red pentagram inside the rune circle spun counter-clockwise while the circle spun in the opposite direction.

Follow me, Desmond ordered before walking over to the portal.

I grabbed his arm, feeling his biceps bulging in my grip as he stopped and looked back at me. Where are we going?

Somewhere we can train in private, Desmond said simply.

But what happens if someone comes looking for us and we’re nowhere to be seen?

The corner of Desmond’s lip curled into a devilish grin. To think that the sight of it used to give me butterflies, but I would always ignore it and chalk it up to simply being fascinated with what made him tick. I knew nobody was buying my story of not being into him, but I didn’t want a guy to steer me away from my goals. But now the guy I was into turned out to be a frenemy who was going against his own kind for me.

Just trust me, was all Desmond said before I released his arm and he stepped through the portal, vanishing in a flash of crimson light.

That left me alone, contemplating whether or not to take a leap of faith. Trust him? I didn’t, but I didn’t have a choice but to take him at his word. Taking a deep breath, I sauntered forward until I stood at the center of the circle. I squeezed my eyes shut just as my body burned from the light of the magic washing over me. It felt like my body was coming apart piece by piece and was re-stitching itself back together seconds after. Once the light faded, I slowly opened my eyes.

The first thing I noticed was the sky. Clear blue with puffs of white clouds and the harsh beam of sunlight directly on me. Looking down at my feet, I saw the ground covered in grains of sand. Not like the onyx-colored sand that covered the beach area of the academy, this was the kind of sand I was used to back in the human realm.

Des? I called him, turning back to find him standing there with his hands tucked in his pockets. Where did you take us? Are we in the human realm?

The Sahara Desert, Desmond confirmed. Clear of any wandering eyes and miles of open space for us to train.

The Sahara Desert, I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t know what surprised me more, Desmond having the power to transport us to the human realm by himself or the fact that I was in the largest desert in the world of all places."

How did you do this? I asked in astonishment, taking in the view which was nothing but skies and sand. Like he said, completely open. When I first came to the Magic Realm, I—

This is a different form of transportation than what you’re used to, Desmond cut in. The academy has its own unique spell for transportation, which is what I’m sure you’re referring to. It’s meant to keep the academy and its faculty and students safe from invaders. The barrier that surrounds the school is what prevents common transportation magic from being used by anyone outside of those the school recognizes.

Then how were you able to transport us out of it? Are we even going to be able to go back the same way? I asked.

Desmond nodded. My spell is more advanced, being able to transport to any location of any realm with just a mere thought.

My eyes widened at that. Wait, is it the same spell that was used to send those demons into our school?

Yes. Don’t worry, I plan to teach it to you as well. I have a feeling you’re going to need it just in case.

Seriously? I asked in bafflement.

Yes. Now, enough talking. We have work to do.

My expression and posture stiffened. He was right; we’d have more time to talk later. Right now, I didn’t want to lose any time.

So, when do we—? My voice was cut off when Desmond shot his hand forward, and a gust of wind punched me right in the gut. All the air left my lungs as I flailed back and toppled into the sand.

I struggled to catch my breath while trying to pull myself back to my feet, sand splattered all over my clothes, hair, and in my mouth.

What the hell, Desmond! I wheezed out, but when I looked up, he was gone. Desmond? Desmond, where are you?

My head whipped around in all directions, but I couldn’t find him anywhere. I opened my mouth to call for him again, but all that I got out was a cry when I was struck in the back and toppled forward. Sand dusted all in my face and coated my arms.

Your reaction time is sloppy, Desmond’s voice boomed in the distance.

I didn’t even know we were starting! You jumped me when I was unprepared, I growled, slamming my fist into the sand and pulling myself back up.

Right, because your enemies are always going to give you a fair warning of when they’re going to attack, right? Desmond asked sarcastically. This isn’t a school competition, Ronnie, this is real life. And on the battlefield, an enemy can strike when you least expect it.

I wanted to lash out at him, but he had a point. Fine, if this was how it was going to be, then I needed to start fighting back. Closing my eyes, I mentally reached into the deepest part of my core where my lightning magic was stored and coaxed it to the surface. Right away, I felt the tingling jolts of electricity running through my body.

Too slow, Desmond barked.

I opened my eyes in time to see another burst of wind magic coming for me, but I was too slow to avoid it in time. I took a direct hit and fell on my back.

You take too long to charge up your magic. One of the things you’ll have to improve on if you have any hopes of saving your father.

Anger was simmering within me. I flipped myself back to my feet and tried my hardest to figure out where he was hiding. I couldn’t just attack anywhere and hope I hit him. I needed to have him in my sights.

Over here.

I whirled to my right where his voice was located and shot a bolt of lightning out of my hand. Nothing connected, until another wind attack hit my left. I was once again reacquainted with the grainy surface beneath me.

You’re not fighting fair, Desmond, I shouted, fed up with the games he was playing.

Finally, he descended in front of me. When I looked up at him, I saw that he was shirtless. His crow-like wings stretched out along his sides like a beautiful angel of darkness—his hands resting at his hips as his eyes looked down on me.

Not all of your enemies are going to fight fair, Ronnie, Desmond said. Class one and two demons are too brainless to know what’s fair, and class three and up don’t care. All that matters to them is getting the job done, whether it’s to kill or capture. How it’s done makes no difference to them.

My body shook as I forced myself to stand back up. I was hot, dirty, and bruised, and we were just getting started. Desmond wasn’t going easy on me, which I was thankful for. We didn’t have time for baby steps.

At the level you’re at right now, you have no chance against a class four demon like me, much less have any hopes of taking on someone like Eriphius. Even a class three demon may prove to be too much for you, Desmond assessed.

I tried not to let my pride feel wounded, but hearing his disappointed tone stung. Clearly I still have a long way to go.

You do, Desmond agreed. But that’s why I’m here. You’ll get a lot stronger in my care, Ronnie, I promise you. How you evolve afterward depends on you.

I took a deep breath and readied myself. At my confirmation that I was prepared to go again, Desmond’s wings flapped once, causing sand to fly everywhere. I shielded my eyes to prevent myself from going blind, and when it cleared, Desmond was gone again.

You’re relying too much on your eyes, Desmond’s voice echoed. Try using your other senses to find me. You once told me that you were able to sense the strength of my magic. Where is that now?

He was right, there were other ways to pick up traces of an enemy attack than just seeing it. I closed my eyes and focused everything on my other senses. I recalled how I felt when I first detected Desmond’s magic, the shiver that ran up my spine the moment he stood up from his seat at the sound of his name being called. It was nothing like I’d ever felt before. It was similar to the voltage that traveled up my body when I used my lightning magic. His mere presence around me was electrifying.

The world around me was silent as I concentrated, trying to pinpoint where Desmond would strike next. Then I felt it. First, it was the familiar tingle that came from his magic, then it was a faint wisp of wind blowing strands of my hair coming from my left.

Left!

I jumped back instantly and at once felt the blast of wind shooting right past me but not hitting me. Wasting no time, I built up a ball of electricity into my right palm and threw it to my left like a baseball in the direction of Desmond’s attack. It missed, but I guess it was too much to expect a miracle.

Good! Desmond praised. You didn’t rely on your eyes, and you were able to tell where the attack was coming from and dodged in the nick of time. See? Already, you’re improving.

Despite my exhaustion, a smile still formed on my face, proud of the smallest glimpse of progress. It made me strive for more, to keep moving.

Let’s keep going then, shall we? I called back.

The next two hours were spent in a tight routine of Desmond launching bullets of wind magic, and me struggling to dodge them all while trying to hit him with my own attack. The more progress I made, the harder Desmond pushed me. The attacks were steadily coming faster until I was left dancing around avoiding multiple attacks at once. How was he able to move around so fast?

I swerved to the right, avoiding one blow, then quickly whipped around to my left, narrowly missing another one but took a hit from behind just as instantly, which had me on the ground once again.

Desmond appeared in front of me when I showed no sign of getting back up. I was too exhausted. I was drenched in sweat and sand, my hair was all over the place, my body felt like I’d been hit by a car, and any strength I had left to pull myself back up was dwindling. It hurt less to just stay on the ground where I belonged.

That’s enough for today, Desmond announced, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Your reaction time is improving, but you still lack in speed. Don’t let it discourage you, though. I have faith you’ll become a formidable Nightwatcher.

But will it be enough to kill Eriphius? I asked in a strained voice.

Desmond reached out and helped me up, my body protesting the movements, but I was thankful to be back on my feet. I won’t lie. By ourselves, we stand no chance against him. That includes me. But maybe together we’ll be able to pull it off.

I sure hoped so, not just for my father’s sake, but for the sake of everyone Eriphius had captured. They needed to be rescued, they needed to come home. I wouldn’t rest until I could make it happen.

Chapter 2

Deal with the Devil

Going through the portal, we arrived back into the clearing just as the skies darkened, signaling that it was evening time. After a grueling evaluation, as he called it, Desmond and I stepped back inside the academy, then went our separate ways. Him to the east wing where the men’s dorms were found, and me to the west. Last year, the first floor housed my dorm room, but now I was upgraded to the second floor. Thankfully, Aisha was still my roommate.

Needing an extra sense of security, I started casting wards in my dorm to warn me of intruders, and to keep nosy spies out of any conversation we may have inside. Was it successful? I had no idea. It wasn’t as if the wards were some advanced, complicated spells. They were pretty standard. I was sure any average-level mage could breach it with ease, but it was all I could do for now.

Standing in front of my dorm, I rested my hand on the door and recited the spell underneath my breath in a hushed tone. The blue runes ignited before fading to dust. I turned the knob and opened the door, stepping inside. Aisha was seated on the couch by the wood-burning fireplace when I entered. She jumped up when she saw it was me.

There you are. Where have you been? Aisha asked, sounding worried.

I closed the door, then recast the wards before giving Aisha my attention. I told you I was with Desmond.

Okay? Well, what happened? You were gone for nearly two hours.

I yawned, my muscles aching everywhere and exhaustion weighing heavily on top of me.

Nothing really. We just talked is all, I lied, running a hand through my wavy curls.

Aisha tilted her head in confusion. Uh, you sure that was all that went down between the two of you? Because girl, you look like crap right now.

I rolled my eyes. Yeah, I feel it too.

Well, tell me, what did you guys do? What did y’all talk about? Aisha begged as I walked past her, heading for the bathroom.

I felt torn. I didn’t want to lie to