Eva took it in her hand and Juliana read over her shoulder.

Hello! How are you doing today? Not too well, I’d guess, given the mess you had to wade through to reach this note.

In case this letter has been found by someone random, perhaps a first responder or another resident of the apartment building, please see it delivered to the secretary at Brakket Academy. She’ll know who to deliver it to.

Now that this letter is being read by the proper peoples, I’d just like to say that yes, that mess in the apartment room is one of your security guards. Well, half of the mess is. Oh. Right. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you should probably ask whoever delivered this message to show you to the apartment room.

Don’t worry. I’ll wait.

Now that you’ve seen the room, I should point out that the scorch mark at the door was not from your security guard. Just some hel that, as far as we can tell, isn’t associated with everyone else. Don’t worry about it.

You might be looking around and wondering just where your other missing security guard is. I assure you that he is not among whatever remains are left behind.

He’s alive for the moment. Can’t say for how long, but I’m sure that if your devil hurries up, he might be able to save the bastard. He’ll be able to find the morail at a dainty little penitentiary just outside of town. It’s maybe half an hour away by car. I’m sure you all know the place. Sundown seems a fitting time to meet, no?

We’ll be waiting!

P.S. Don’t keep us waiting for too long. We mere mortals don’t have forever.

Juliana blinked with a glance over towards Eva. “I don’t suppose there’s another prison around Brakket?”

In response, Eva clenched her hand into a fist. Rather than crushing the paper, her claws pierced straight through it, tearing one side to shreds.

“Devon is still there. He needs to be warned. All my stuff…”

“Eva–”

Whatever Zoe was going to say, she didn’t quite make it. Eva disappeared, leaving a foul stench behind.

Zoe hissed out a small curse before she disappeared as well. Her vanishing was accompanied by a cold air that cleared out the stench of brimstone left behind by Eva.

Juliana stood in the hallway, feeling somewhat upset at having been left behind. Just because she hadn’t been around in forever didn’t mean that she couldn’t help out. In fact, it was probably best to have more humans while demon hunters were around. Humans wouldn’t get stuck inside shackles or other traps.

Though, maybe with how she had acted upon finding Lucy, Eva was right to have left her behind.

She had forgotten just how… intense things could be around Brakket. It wasn’t something that she had prepared for.

With a sigh, Juliana glanced away from the spot where Zoe had disappeared from.

And found that Ylva was staring straight at her.

Rubbing her thumb across the cold band on her finger, Juliana said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t get much of a chance to greet you properly earlier.”

“The circumstances were understandable,” Ylva said. “After securing Nel, We will be moving to join Eva and Zoe.”

“I don’t suppose that you might take me with you?”

There was a slight pause as Ylva looked over Juliana. A slight nod sent her platinum hair flowing around her shoulders. “That can be arranged.”

“Thank you,” Juliana said with a smile and a bow. Her father would have a fit.

Chapter 023

Security System

At least nothing is on fire, Eva thought with a welling of relief deep inside.