I expected this academy to be stuffy, like an old library you would find back at the school in Furycliff, but this is nothing like I’ve seen before. The entry hall is a large square with an inner courtyard open to the bright sun. A big fountain sits in the middle of the courtyard, with plush grass and immaculate landscaping around it. Plush benches and seating line the tiled corridors surrounding the courtyard.
“Not what you expected, right?” Holly says with a sly grin, like she didn’t just get here and go through the same emotions yesterday.
We continue through the entry as Holly continues her tour. “The dining hall is right past this, in the center of the academy. Most general classrooms are down this hall on either side, but the sin practice classrooms are down a level.”
“Where are the dorms?” I ask, wanting to bypass the sin topic as quickly as possible.
“Well, wrath dorms are in the northeast wing on the third through the sixth levels. Envy is in the northwest wing, closest to ours. Sloth is in the southwest wing, and Gluttony is in the southeast wing. All of our dorm rooms are similar. Two sharing a room, a hallsharing a bathroom. The wealthy factions fill two of the three towers out back. Supposedly, the Pride and Greed dorm rooms are larger than most of our houses back at Wrath. Lust has dorms similar to ours, but I can understand the reasoning for wanting to put them in their own tower,” she giggles.
“Speaking of…” she says, looking down the hall at a group approaching us. The boy at the front immediately catches my eye.
Tan, taut golden skin covers his tall athletic frame. A mop of golden curls on his head effortlessly frame his chiseled face and the biggest bright green eyes I have ever seen. He laughs at something his friend says next to him, exposing his deep dimples around his full lips… I must be drooling.
Holly shoulder checks me lightly and laughs as his group walks past.
“That’s Alexi Zevalli. A freshman Luster. Don’t worry, everyone I’ve seen has had the same reaction as you.”
I clear my throat, embarrassed to be caught. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."
She rolls her eyes, smiling, and continues.
“Rumor has it he is already in with Ryker and his posse. So he must be pretty powerful.”
“Who’s Ryker?” I ask.
“Ryker Blaise. The Councilor of Greed’s son. He’s a sophomore. There’s a huge power dynamic because Councilor Willshire’s son is also a Sophomore.”
Her voice drops to a whisper. “And just like how Greed and Pride are top dogs in Vail, their two sons are just as powerful at SinVail Academy.”
We continue walking through the hall.
“Of course they don’t get along. So typically, the most powerful students join one side or the other. Thankfully, they don’t mix in public. Since the Sophomores can leave campus, most upperclassmen eat in Academy Hollow, or they bring their own food to eat around campus. The cafeteria is mostly just freshmen, although Atticus Willshire and his posse like to show up from time to time and remind everyone they are at the top of the food chain… as if we could forget.” She says.
“So there’s your crash course in SinVail Academy politics. Come on, I’ll show you to our room and then we can grab some dinner.”
I follow Holly up the spiral staircase to the third floor and step out into a long hallway. This section of the academy is a square of hallways wrapped around a smaller stone courtyard full of tables, chairs, benches and flower pots.
“They really encourage us to be outside…” I murmur.
“I love all the outdoor spaces.” Holly looks at the courtyard wistfully. “It makes sense too, this many people, a mix of factions, all under one roof. Not to mention, we’re pretty far out from the nearest city. It helps contain the illusion that we aren’t all cooped up and living like prisoners.”
She’s right. I gaze up at the stunning barrel vault ceilings of the hallways encircling the courtyard. Although the academy is beautiful, I have seen little beyond the classrooms that hints at how we will spend our time here.
Add in that we are mixing all factions and it feels more like a pressure cooker about to blow than an academy. The open areas revealingthe sky look like a welcome escape from academy stress. Then again, maybe it's just here to provide the illusion of being free.
We continue down the hall and she stops in front of a door. She turns to me, handing me a small key on a lanyard.
“This is our room, and this is your key. Try it on the lock to make sure it works.”
I unlock and open the door, stepping into my new home for the next year. The room's beautiful in a cryptic sort of way and immensely better than any of our huts in Wrath. I run my fingers over the beautiful glass window, admiring its jewel colors and intricate design.
Looking around the room, I see two simple wooden armoires facing each other, a plain wooden desk and chair next to each armoire, and two twin beds against the wall opposite the door. I notice that one bed is just a bare mattress. That must be mine.
“Did you bring your bedding?” Holly asks.
“Erm... no, I had to leave in a hurry. I didn’t get to bring much.”
Holly looks a little taken aback but doesn’t push. “Okay, well you’ll be able to order bedding from the dorm store… but it’s closed by now. Hmmm… the bathroom is down the hall on your right. You could grab some towels from there to tide you over tonight? Want me to run and grab you some?”
