niforms into the Assembly Hall, feeling like a thread sewn into the wrong tapestry. The ceilings stretched so high

w where to s

es, gathering into four main groups marked by banners

green stag on

and bronze, a sna

d indigo, with a

white and gold-c

plained this

one from the car-this one had messy curls, round glasses, and a cardigan wa

. It's a little like getting sorted into a house, excep

"That makes

ra. Third year. Chronic disappointment

ile, tension e

tly. "Wolfe's for legacies. Alder's for heirs. Roswen is basically roya

wept the

in theirt lives. His uniform fit like it had been tailored that morning. When he stepped onto the

tress nodde

began t

-

said, voice steady, clear, annoyingly perfect. "A place where excellence is demanded, and cha

ls sighed

rogress. Especially this year." His eyes scanned

away to

roft hold you," he said,

lowed. Polit

"That sounded noble, didn't it? A

s

The Aldens have been grooming him for Oxfo

s a stud

ks, Head Prefect, dating a Belgian duchess, heir to the Al

ed. "Th

rs and old bloodlines. They host secret parties and run half the sc

u beli

whatever he wants to be," Petra

-

mbly, clas

tning is brilliant-striking and dangerous. Everyone else moved like they alre

the w

follo

new

ric

lars

staring

stare

crawl into

least two unused staircases. It was in one of those-spiraling, a

o curious. They ea

urn

Mor

banister like he'd b

up again, a pencil tucked behind his ear. And in hi

to people much,

hat. "Not when

doing

an exc

my arms

I know what it's like to feel watched. Judged

h caught

pped c

k at people the way

d that a

eep say

thing. A sheet fr

adow. My hair a bit messy, eyes uncertain, head turn

dre

I don't under

on't under

t y

left without

-

one behind the bed. As I reached to pull it out, my fingers

the dust, and read the words c

st the ones

ssed against the wall, heart

to Rav