April—our overly chipper tour guide and Viv’s new roommate—led us down the hall toward the exit. We stepped outside, in the direction of the dorms. Far back by the trees, I could make out an enormous, glistening pond. Its size could easily classify it as a small lake. I scanned the map and saw the body of water was named Crystal Lake.How pretty.
April had wanted to give a grand tour, but I couldn’t take more of her squealing laughs after the first three in less than five minutes. I asked her to show me where Viv’s room would be and then mine. She could show Viv—who couldn’t hide her own excitement—the rest of the academy. Viv could handle herself, but I had a feeling it was going to be hard for her to be discreet.
“Why aren’t there hallways to the dorms? What if it’s snowing or raining?” Viv walked ahead of us on the path.
April gave her a quick, curious glance, as if Viv’s question was odd, before she neutralized her expression.
“It’s typically seventy-two and clear skies—well, inside the dome.” She pointed toward the invisible dome in the sky, her flower crown staying in her short, curly red hair as she lookedup. “If it’s cloudy outside the dome, we have cloudy days but aren’t affected by the temperature. It’s mostly sunny in this part of Alaska anyway, just frigid. But the short days that lack sun don’t last too long! We have scheduled days when it will rain and snow. Right now, the leaves are mostly green with some red until they fall during our snow period. The flora is natural and has adjusted to our weather. Amazing, right? The rainy and snowy days will be on the calendar in our room. You’ll also find rain and winter attire in your closets. We don’t have school uniforms, but the academy provides casual slacks and shirts, which are strongly suggested but not mandated as long as the dress code is followed. The majority of the students choose their own clothing or match the school colors, black and gold.”
I eyed April’s floral maxi skirt and white blouse—most likelynotthe clothing provided by the academy—and quietly sighed in relief at the mention of no uniforms. The paperwork we had just filled out asked for clothing and shoe size. I had been dreading the thought of wearing some preppy pleated skirt and stiff-collared dress shirt with long socks as a finishing touch.
“The teachers and guards have a separate dorm area with apartments closer to the front of the academy,” April continued and waved toward the side of the academy. “The garage is also that way.”
“The leaves are changing, and it’s always seventy-two degrees out,” I dryly commented. That was not a thing, but I guess it was inside the prison of Fives Academy.
“Yes!” April perked up. “We still have seasons, but the temperature is a little different and …”
The words kept flowing from April’s mouth, but I tuned them out. I hadn’t meant to comment out loud. Magic didn’t need an explanation.
A smaller building—but still massive with two wings—sat off to the side behind the main building and rose three storieshigh with a parapet and four towers, one in each corner. Pillars surrounded the front and between the two buildings, creating a terrace. The student dorms.They went all-out.
“The east wing houses freshmen and sophomores, while the west houses juniors and seniors. We’re sophomores, Viv, so we’ll be in East.” April waved a hand over her hair, and her flower crown grew a small vine, snagging a straggler that blew in the wind.Earth mage. “The third floor is for seniors and is coed. The first floor is for boys and the second is for girls. The east wing also has boys on the first and girls on the second—the third depends on how many are enrolled. But don’t worry; there are floor monitors to keep things in check.”
Let me guess: she was one of thesemonitors.
When we finally arrived at my room, I was relieved to see my pack next to what appeared to be a welcome basket on one of the beds and to find the room empty. Dark wood floors and even darker vaulted wood ceilings made the room look more spacious than it was. A circular chandelier and two large sliding windows provided plenty of light, and the white walls contrasted with the dark floor and ceiling. There was an open door off to the side, and I was pleased to see there was a private bathroom.
“Oh, and Selene?” April asked.
“Sal.”
“Sal.” April nodded. “You might find your roommate gone at night sometimes, but I assure you she is cool and one of the nicest people.”
Odd. But … whatever. I gave April a short nod. I’d be perfectly fine if my roommate was never around. Viv and I shared a room, but that was different.
Before they left, I shot a warning glance at Viv, a look she knew well.
Be careful.
Chapter Four
Selene
“Yoursister’scomingtonight,right?” April’s green eyes gleamed with hope as she looked at me, then back at Viv. “It’s Friday night.”
“She sure is.” Viv grinned at me with a mouth full of burger.
“She’sright here,” I said, not hiding the displeasure in my voice that they were talking about me as if I wasn’t sitting next to them.
“You are going? It’s going to be great!” The blue eyes of my roommate, Sydney, gleamed with joy, but I suppressed a glare. Sydney happened to be a part of April’s friend group, and I wasn’t looking forward to frequently seeing her both in our room and outside the dorms.
I narrowed my eyes at Viv. Since our arrival four days ago, she begged me daily to eat dinner with her, which dreadfully involved sitting with her new roommate and her roommate’s friends. Dinner was the only time I had stayed in public andnear people. I had spent my time inside my room, avoiding conversation with Sydney, running in the evening, and doing recon of the academy at night. If we needed to escape or hide, I needed to know where we were and where to go.
“Parties aren’t my thing.” I plopped a French fry in my mouth, not giving in to Sydney’s hopeful stare. She was kind, like April had said, but she was also around more often than I thought she’d be.
“It’s Halloween weekend. The entire academy will be there.” April smiled.
“Do you think Ender will go this time?” one of April’s friends asked, her eyebrows waggling like little caterpillars.
