A Demon Underwater

By Cordelia Faass

Dayinara Malino, age 17, is far from Normal. However, as Chantless Angel, she is expected to fail every task she is presented with, but when her teacher, Ms. Nightengale, sends her on a Quest, her world is turned upside down, forcing her to face the truth about herself.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 9, 2013
• ISBN: 9781493105250

Book preview

Chapter 1

It all started on a Tuesday. It all ended on a Tuesday, too. There was nothing then that I could think of that could have prepared me for this. I was as unprepared for the future as a beetle is for the windshield of a moving car. I quickly glanced back and forth between the road in front of me and the forest behind me. The trees living alongside the busy street seemed to laugh mockingly at me, as if I was missing something obvious. Which I’m sure I was—I have a bad reputation for missing the obvious, but I was too determined to get to school on time that day to worry about forgotten homework. If I was late another day I was sure one of my teachers would give me a week of detention, which I was not interested in receiving.

As soon as the cars stopped zooming by, I sprinted across the black pavement and up the hill, just in time to hear the ding-ding warning bell. I gave a brief glance around to see if anyone was near by. After confirming that no one was around, I slipped quietly through the back door of the Normal school and into the janitor’s closet. There were mops neatly propped on the side that needed dusting from lack of use, and the bucket that accompanied them housed at least a dozen spiders. Even the dustpan and broom provided shelter for a handful of insects and other kinds of creepy crawlies. Pushing open the little door in the back of the cluttered room, I got into school just as the late bell rang.

Die, you’re late again, taunted Richard, my best friend, his amber eyes reflecting his malicious smile. He seemed to always be in school before me, even though we lived in the same place, and he got up a good thirty minutes after me.

Shut up, I growled, walking down the hall next to him. We alternated knocking into each other’s shoulders as we walked to our first class of the day: chemistry. Richard had been my friend for as long as I could remember.

I think Ms. Nightengale is planning a pop quiz for you because you’re late again. At least it’s better than a week of detention, he said smirking at me with his bright eyes.

Naw, she’s got a soft spot for me, I shrugged, strolling into class. Ms. Nightengale was the teacher that most students did everything to avoid… mostly because she was the chemistry teacher, partly because she was the Angel of Fear. But unlike them, I liked her. I enjoyed wasting class time to do the very best I could to piss her off. She was the only teacher I could piss off without getting in any kind of trouble. Unlike Mr. Weis, the Demonology teacher. He didn’t seem to appreciate people messing with him.

Dayinira, you’re late, growled Ms. Nightengale, her sharp, dark hazel eyes shooting me down as if I were a criminal she was accusing of a horrific crime. I knew she wasn’t really mad at me. She was never really mad at me.

I know, I know I’m sorry, I apologized, tucking my long black and red bangs behind my ear. For the record, I’ve never dyed my hair; it’s just naturally that way. No idea why, but that’s how it is.

You know Dayinira, Mr. Cruncher, Mr. Weis and I have been talking. We believe that it is time for a Quest. And we want you to take it, she announced, folding one of her treasured manila file folders and pulling a pinch among the edge with her long sharp nails painted silver and black. A Quest? I looked from Richard to Ms. Nightengale in shock. Quests were a sign of the highest honor: the Quest taker chooses two teammates, and together they do their best to complete the assigned Quest.

Th… thank you, I stuttered in shock. I never thought that they would pick me for a Quest. I was what most Angels would call a ‘Chantless’ Angel. I have Magik, but at the time I just couldn’t use it.

You will start tomorrow, Ms. Melinoe. You may select one teammate, and the other has been chosen for you, she explained, pausing to look me in the eye with hope. I’d never seen that from her before. Hope; such a strange word. Hope can change the world. I wish there was another way to describe her deep gaze, but that was the look. I hope no one stares at me with hope again. It was so shocking I almost forgot what she had said. Almost. Go home and prepare.

Thank you so much, I chirped with the best smile I could make glowing on my face. It was hard to make my lips curve up in such a way that it did not appear to be a snarl; I don’t smile much. I turned and followed Richard out the door.

Congrats. Who you going to take with you? he asked, his voice dripping with obvious sarcasm.

You! Of course, I said pushing him playfully with the palm of my hand as we walked out the front door into the tiny janitor’s closet.

Who do you think the other teammate is, Die? he inquired, his inquisitive stare fell down to the ground as we walked across the schoolyard as if the ground was suddenly very interesting. I knew what he was doing: avoiding my eyes. He knew how I felt about strangers. Other than Richard, I didn’t exactly ‘play well with others’. He did, of course; he got along with everyone. With his smile, his laugh, and his humor, it’s hard not to want to be his friend. But when he was around me, no one would talk to him. I don’t know why though, I wish I did. I just don’t like people, and they didn’t seem to like me.

I don’t really know, and I don’t really care. As long as I’ve got you, I know I’ll be safe, I smiled, turning onto the sidewalk. Richard walked close behind me; I could almost feel him brush against my shoulder, his stride synchronized with mine as we walked together.

Do you think it’s because of what happened with your parents? he asked abruptly, shattering my thoughts. He said that with confidence although he knew I would flip out on him. I hated it when he brought them into a conversation. He had terrible timing.

Maybe, I hissed, increasing my pace. To explain, a couple of years ago, my parents had disowned me because one day on my way to school I was hit by a truck going 45 mph. To be candid, I was perfectly fine, except for the fact my eye color changed from blue to lavender and I had to go to the hospital because a lot of pieces from the truck were sticking out of me like pins in a voodoo doll. It could have been a lot worse. I could have broken everything, or died, but no, my eyes changed color, and I was disowned. My parents had died in a car crash a week after the incident on their way to court. I have been living in a little loft above the horses at the Winged Stables owned by Richard’s father ever since.

Die, slow down, or you’ll get hit again, he shouted with a warning tone, grabbing my arm and pulling me out of the road just as a dark blue car rushed by, running a red light. I was so focused on getting home and trying to forget about what he just said, and what had happened, I had forgotten to be careful.

I know what I’m doing, I snapped, pissed that he was there, that I cared about him, that he cared about me. I just didn’t want to think about it, or anything for that matter.

Look, I’m sorry for bringing up your parents, but you can’t run from them forever! I should know! he shouted, as he ran across the street without looking to catch up with me. He was referring to the death of his mother. She died in a car crash. That’s how we met. His parents were friends with mine, and while his parents were in the hospital, he lived with us. We were five.

I could see the grey stones that made the walls of Richard’s old plantation house through the scattered trees on top of the hill. I knew that if I climbed one of those trees I could just see the roof of the stables that were on the other side of the hill. There were shallow impressions in the dirt where old houses had once stood, and where the road once ran through this old, forgotten neighborhood. The developers had kept one of the houses intact, saying that it was important to Angel history, but no one ever went in there, no one but two of the teachers from my school, Ms. Nightengale and Mr. Weis.

Hello, Die, aren’t you’re home early! called Mr. Lehrs from the garden, closely watching me walk up the hill with a curious look. He preferred to work on the garden while Richard and I were at school. It bothered me, because I knew he was just going to have me do something in the garden that he would later undo while I was gone, only to reQuest that I do what ever it was again! I never seemed to be able to do anything right in his eyes.

Yeah, I’ve been assigned! I cheered. I waited patiently for his reaction. I thought he’d be proud of me, being Chantless and all, but I was wrong. His face froze with fear for a split second, and then went back to being the neutral expression he wore when we spoke.

Really? By who? he inquired, trying very hard to feign excitement.

Ms. Nightengale! I shouted, almost up the hill. There were only a couple yards separating between Mr. Lehrs and I now. I could Richard panting heavily behind me.

Really? Well, of course, you are always welcome to do as you please, but I think Ari needs a run, could you take her for me? he asked with a fake smile. That was his way of reminding me that even though he and my parents were friends, I still had to work for my rent. A smile was forced upon my face as I ran down the other side of the hill to the stables.

Time to go to work, Luna! I called as I ran into my room, glancing around the room for my cat. That’s how Richard convinced me to live with him, by allowing me to live with a kitten named Luna. She was a cute black kitten with shiny gray claws. She had been acting unusual recently. She didn’t bring me mice anymore and she was barely eating, but she still seemed healthy.

As soon as I dropped my backpack on the ground, she sprinted out of her corner, and ran up to me, pouncing on my shoe as if it were a toy. I picked her up and walked downstairs to the tack room before letting her wander around while I got Ari from her stall. Ari was a beautiful bay Akhal Teke horse, with a blonde mane. Mr. Lehrs loved this horse, and only would allow Richard or me ride her. He said that she had the spirit of one of the Fallen Angles.

Headed out already? asked Richard, attempting to slow his heavy panting.

Your dad told me to, I answered, strapping the saddle onto Ari.

Did he? he inquired, one brow raised. As if I would disobey his father! At the