“Thanks,” I said, falling into step beside him.
I felt Eliza’s eyes boring into my back. The sensation lingered long after we’d left the Great Hall, following me into the misty darkness of Imperium’s grounds.
Phoenix walked beside me in comfortable silence as the others went off in other directions, waving us off through the dark.
“So,” I said as we crossed a moonlit courtyard, “is everyone at Imperium always this interested in new transfers, or am I a special case?”
Phoenix chuckled. “A bit of both. We don’t get many transfers, especially not mid-year. And you’re...” He paused, searching for the right word.
“The freaky new anomaly?” I supplied dryly.
“I was going to say ‘legendary,’ but I like yours better.” He shot me a wink. “The Ophis designation isn’t just rare. It’s incredibly sacred to many of the old families.”
I frowned. “That’s the second time today someone’s implied my designation means more than I’ve been told.”
“Imperium preserves the old knowledge.”
“Which is?”
He smiled down at me. “I’m afraid I’m going to need more than a walk to your tower’s worth of time to explain that. But you’ll learn, if you’re willing.”
We reached the base of Ophiuchus Tower, its dark stone gleaming with a light misting of raindrops in the moonlight. Phoenix stopped, looking up at the structure with something like reverence.
“This tower has stood empty for centuries. Waiting foryou. Nothing about you is coincidence, Jupiter Black. Remember that.”
Before I could demand he explain that cryptic statement, he stepped back with a small bow. “Six a.m. Combat hall. Don’t be late.”
I watched him walk away, soon swallowed by the mist. Only when he was completely out of sight did I turn to enter the tower, Noodle stirring against my wrist.
As I entered my quarters, the fire still burning low in the hearth, I moved to the window, looking out at the misty grounds of Imperium. In the distance, lights glowed from other towers, each housing students of different zodiac designations.
To the right of the school was a vast sea of gnarled oaken trees. It really was a gorgeous school, and I told myself that tomorrow, when I could find the time, I was going to explore every inch of it.
2
Jupiter
The bathroom attachedto my quarters was surprisingly modern despite the tower’s worn exterior, with gleaming black marble tiles, a rainfall shower, and heated floors that felt heavenly against my bare feet. I stood under the hot water way longer than necessary, letting it wash away the lingering exhaustion of travel and the persistent ache in my chest that I refused to acknowledge completely.
Last night had been yet another in a long string of sleepless nights, where the bond tugged at me, demanding my attention, demanding that I heal the fracture I’d created.
Only… I wasn’t the one who fractured it.Theywere.
After drying off and wrapping myself in a towel, I returned to the bedroom to unwrap the package that’d been delivered to my door earlier. I toweled my hair dry as I stared at the offending box. Uniforms. Of course this place would have uniforms. In America, unless you went to some fancy private school or religious institution, uniforms weren’t a thing. Dominion certainly hadn’t required them.
I opened the box reluctantly and pulled out the contents, laying each piece on my bed with increasing dismay.
‘You are displeased,’Noodle observed, slithering over to inspect the clothing.
“I don’t do uniforms,” I grumbled, holding up a black pleated skirt with thin gray lines forming a subtle plaid pattern. Next came a crisp black button-up shirt, a dark gray tie, and—I grimaced—sensible black leather shoes that looked like they’d been designed specifically to repel any hint of style or personality.
With a sigh, I moved to the wardrobe and threw it open, staring at the neatly hung items I’d unpacked yesterday. My familiar black jeans, leather jacket, and collection of t-shirts looked back at me longingly.
I glanced back at the uniform, then at my watch. I had exactly forty minutes before I needed to meet the Stardust Shield for training. Plenty of time to find Professor Winters and negotiate this ridiculous uniform situation.
But as I looked closer at the uniform pieces, I grudgingly had to admit that the colors, at least, weren’t terrible. Black and gray. At least I hadn’t been assigned something hideous like yellow or pink. Small mercies.
I picked up the black shirt again, running my fingers over the material. It was actually decent quality, not the scratchy polyester I’d expected. And the skirt, while definitely not my usual style, had enough pleats that I could probably move comfortably.
