Warsong | Celeste Academy Series Book #4

Chapter Fifteen ⚜ Demon Born

Seeing as Keelan and Brindon were Valeriana's companions, Lady Seraphina allowed them to tag along. They were part of the Twelve, anyhow, and it wasn't as though they weren't already aware of what happened. Even so, they were forced to wait outside the containment facility, handed over to a common knight to be toured around. After all, bringing in more people could mean more trouble.

Meanwhile, Valeriana was taken down to Chavi's containment cell wherein the young girl was screaming out her throats like it was the end of the world. She looked tormented beyond measure that she was practically breaking down the walls with her fist.

"What's going on?"

"We aren't sure," Seraphina said. "It started this morning and she hasn't stopped since. We tried to ask her questions, the usual, but then she . . ."

Valeriana's heart twisted with unease. "Let me in, then."

"But you—"

"You brought me here to talk to her. Looking at her from outside won't do anything productive," she told the woman. "Besides . . ." She looked at her chained ankles with discomfort. She did not approve of having her chained up like that. "Don't open the door. Once I'm inside. I have a feeling I need to talk to her alone."

Lady Seraphina opened the doors to the room and Valeriana entered. The noises were more profound than they sounded from outside. Once Chavi saw her, she jumped forward like a rabid animal and attempted to claw her towards herself. The door shut tight behind Valeriana, causing her heart to pound.

"Chavi . . ." she trailed off. "Chavi, what's wrong?"

"Get her out of my head!" she cried. "Get her out! Get her out! I want her out!" She balled her fingers into a fist and started hitting her own face, causing Valeriana to gasp. The fifth-ranker stepped forward to tear her hand away.

"Stop! Stop! You're hurting yourself!"

"Please, Val, help me! I don't want to do this anymore. It's not my fault. It's not my fault!" She sobbed, streams of tears and snot on her face as she clung to Valeriana's clothes as though it was her lifeline.

Valeriana knelt before her, a little bit scared, but more worried. Unhesitatingly, she wrapped her hands around Chavi and hugged her tight.

"Stop . . ."

"Shut up, shut up!" she screamed again. Valeriana pulled away, wincing when her nails caught her neck.

"Calm down, Chavi!" she shook her.

"It's all my fault," she said. "I'm so sorry, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have agreed to go . . . it only put everyone in danger, even you, Val, I'm so sorry. You're the first friend I've ever had . . . I wouldn't want you in danger—I swear—" As though in pain, she bent over and yelled at the top of her voice.

Her eyes were already bloodshot the moment she looked at Valeriana's face. Her fingers trembled as she brushed her cheeks. Chavi's tears and sweat came flooding the ground until it created a clear pool.

"I was . . . I was part of those demon-born . . ." she gasped.

Valeriana swallowed, but said nothing, only massaging her shoulders to encourage her to continue and give her some comfort.

"But, but . . . I wasn't like any other. They thought—they thought it didn't work on me, but it did . . . the effects were just different. Every other kid had different side-effects, and mine was that it packed all my evil intentions in one place and created a different person inside my head. I'm hardly in control of my body . . ."

Demonic energy so thick wafted out of her body and the whites of her eyes bled black while her irises turned red. Her brown hair seeped with black. "IT'S NOT YOUR BODY IT'S MINE! Unwanted soul! Unwanted wench! You are a foil to all our plans! Our blood will prevail! Our blood will prevail!"