That had to be a mistake.
“Are you positive she is the last of her species?” Thorn asked.
“That’s what the tablet says. I’ve never actually seen that before, but Fate Hollow’s intel is never wrong.” The girl frowned, pity shining through her eyes. “But you can take this to the headmaster to confirm.”
Shaking my head, my heartbeat echoed against my skull. I’d suspected it, but I always thought maybe there was a small village of us in Briesia under everyone’s nose.
“Perhaps another time,” Thorn answered for me, his hand finding mine and squeezing.
Another sympathetic smile was given to me as she handed me the tablet, and Thorn was given his. “I want to let you know now that this is more of a training center. You still have scheduled classes and dorm suites, but we’re all adults here. You will have your privacy. Fated Dormitory is set up as a suite with four rooms and two bathrooms in each suite. Each room has a door, and there is a shared living space with a small kitchen and living area.”
My brows raised. I wasn’t expecting it to sound more like an apartment, but I liked that.
“Your dorm assignments are programmed in. Just tap on the Fated Dormitory app to find the suite number you will be in and who your roommates are. The dorms are sealed by magic so your marks will let you into your designated suites,” one explained.
“Be aware that you will not be able to enter your roommates rooms unless the door is open or they unlock it,” the other added.
“You get five uniforms each. There’s an enchantment woven into the fabric that will allow the locks in the academy to recognize you without having to show your marks all the time. Just note that it only works when you are actively wearing the uniform, otherwise, you will have to show your mark.”
“How does the academy recognize our marks?” I asked.
She smiled. “Your marks have been given to you by our academy witch. She’s who has warded the academy to keep those who don’t belong out. Your mark is made of her magic so they recognize each other. Your mark acts as your student ID, so to speak.”
“The schedule app on your tablets has your class schedule and locations, and the app with the map has the campus map,” the other said as she held up a tablet and showed us the icons.
“Thank you,” Thorn told them as we were sent over to another table to receive our uniforms. The students who gave them to us mentioned the enchantment, but I paid little attention to that.
My head was fuzzy. Dread loomed over me at being addressed as the last of my kind.
Stepping out of Arcane Hall and into the fresh air was enough to snap me out of the daze.
“Fated Dormitory is co-ed.” Thorn pulled up the campus map from his tablet as we stepped to the side to let people pass. “Maybe we’ll be roomed together.”
Butterflies fluttered in my stomach, and I nodded. “That would make everything better.”
“I’m in room one-zero-three. What about you?”
I hesitated, clicking the side button on the tablet so the screen lit up. The village had limited technology, and the tablet they had was a lot older than this one.
I pressed the Fated Dormitory app, and a bunch of information popped up.
My lips curved into a frown. “One-zero-four.”
He let an irritated groan slip before shrugging. “Well, at least we’re right beside each other. Could be worse.”
Pouting my lip out, I exited the app and pulled up the campus map. “It’s too bad, though.”
Glancing up, Dragon’s Reach Library was right in front of us in a light tan stone, much different from Arcane Hall. The campus was laid out with a stone path lined with trees that connected all the buildings, circling a grassy area with a few spots labeled within. There was a glowing pool of water within the clearing that caught my eye.
“The campus is beautiful, isn’t it?” Thorn asked, and I turned my head back toward him with a sheepish smile.
“It really is.” We started walking past the library, and my curiosity was in overdrive as I took in all the surroundings.
Orange and red leaves littered the pathway, and the trees shook as the wind ruffled through.
Thorn huffed a sigh before pulling his hair up in a high ponytail, so it stopped whirling around his face. “The wind is crazy here.”
I giggled, letting the wind do as it saw fit with mine. “Can’t you control the wind?”
