Chapter 1
I stood at the wrought iron gates, clutching my worn duffel bag while luxury sedans glided past, depositing students with matching designer luggage sets.
Inside, marble floors amplified each hesitant step as I approached the reception desk.
"Morgan Miller?" The receptionist looked up from her computer, nostrils flaring slightly. "Our scholarship recipient."
She examined my documents.
"Thank you," I managed, taking the campus map she offered. "Could you point me toward Lyall Hall?"
"East wing, across the courtyard," she said.
I backed away, turning into hallways that seemed to stretch and curve beyond architectural logic. Students parted around me like water around a stone, their conversations dropping to whispers as I passed.
"Another potential," I heard someone murmur.
I quickened my pace, took a wrong turn, then another.
After my third wrong turn, I found myself in a dimly lit corridor. I was studying my useless map when footsteps approached from behind.
"Lost little mongrel?" A male voice sneered.
I turned to face three students—two boys and a girl—all wearing the same pristine uniform but somehow making it look like high fashion.
The taller boy deliberately bumped my shoulder, sending my map fluttering to the floor.
"You've wandered into the wrong territory, stray," the girl said, her golden hair catching the colored light. "Scholarship cases belong in the west wing."
I stammered, "I was just—"
"Just leaving," the second boy finished, stepping closer.
My back hit the wall.
"You seem to have forgotten Silvercrest's tradition of hospitality." The new voice cut through the tension like a knife—smooth, deep, and carrying undeniable authority.
The three students stiffened, immediately stepping back as a tall figure approached from the shadows.
The newcomer turned to me, his expression softening. Everything about him radiated control—from his perfectly tailored uniform to the way he stood, as if gravity itself made exceptions for him.
"Dominic Grayson," he said, extending a hand. "Student council president. You must be Morgan Miller."
His hand was unexpectedly warm against my cold fingers. Something electric passed between us at the contact, and I noticed his pupils dilate slightly.
"Welcome to Silvercrest." He released my hand but remained close. "These ancient halls have a way of confusing newcomers. Allow me to escort you to your dormitory."
The other students had already melted away, disappearing around corners with unusual speed.
"Thank you," I said, retrieving my fallen map. "I think I took a few wrong turns."
Dominic smiled. "Silvercrest was designed to confuse outsiders. A security feature from less... tolerant times."
As we walked, I felt other students watching us—their gazes a physical weight against my skin.
Dominic seemed oblivious or, more likely, accustomed to the attention.
"Your scholarship is quite remarkable," he said. "Full academic ride. Silvercrest rarely extends such offers."
"I got lucky," I answered.
"I don't believe in luck, Morgan." His voice caressed my name in a way that made my pulse quicken. "Only destiny and determination."
The dining hall was cavernous.
I found an empty table near the massive stone fireplace.
I was halfway through my meal when a coffee cup appeared in front of me, steaming and aromatic.
"You look like you could use this," said the blonde girl from the hallway incident, though her smile didn't match her cold eyes. "I'm Amber Summers. We got off on the wrong foot earlier."
Before I could respond, she "accidentally" bumped my arm, sending the coffee cascading across my uniform and notes.
"Oops," she said, not bothering to hide her smirk. "Clumsy me. You should know, mongrel, the main hall is traditionally for purebloods. The scholarship kennel is in the west wing."
Hot liquid soaked through my shirt as students at nearby tables snickered.
I gripped the edge of the table, knuckles whitening.
"That's enough, Amber." Dominic appeared beside us, his presence immediately changing the atmosphere. He handed me a silk handkerchief that smelled of pine and cedar.
Amber's smile faltered. "Dominic, you don't need to waste courtesy on every rogue that wanders in. She doesn't even know her own bloodline."
"On the contrary," Dominic replied, his voice soft but carrying an edge that made Amber step back. "I believe Ms. Miller's lineage may be more... pure than many here presume."
As Amber retreated, Dominic sat across from me, watching as I dabbed ineffectually at the coffee stains.
"You smell unique," he said quietly. "Like cedar in moonlight—clean and rare."
I blinked, unsure how to respond to such an odd comment. "Is that a compliment or a scientific observation?"
His laugh was genuine, surprising us both. "Perhaps both. Silvercrest values certain... qualities that aren't immediately visible. You possess them in abundance."
The equipment storage room was pitch black when the door slammed shut behind me. I heard the lock click, followed by Amber's mocking laughter fading down the hallway.
"Hello?" I called, fumbling against sports equipment and storage shelves. "Anyone there?"
Silence answered. A small window near the ceiling let in a sliver of twilight, barely enough to make out shapes. I stumbled toward what looked like a door, banging my shin against something metal and scraping my wrist on a protruding bolt.
The sting of the cut sent an unexpected wave of panic through me. My heart raced, palms sweating as the walls seemed to close in. Something about the darkness, the confinement, triggered a primal fear I couldn't explain.
My senses sharpened suddenly—I could smell dust and leather and, disturbingly, my own blood. The copper scent filled the small space, making me dizzy. I pressed against the door.
By the time Dominic found me an hour later, I was huddled in the corner, trembling. Light flooded in as he opened the door, his silhouette a sharp contrast against the hallway brightness.
"Morgan?" His voice was gentle as he knelt beside me. "Are you hurt?"
I held up my scratched wrist wordlessly. The cut wasn't deep.
"How did you find me?" I asked.
"I sensed your... distress." His eyes met mine, searching.
Dominic helped me to my feet, his hand still gentle around my injured wrist. "I think you'll need protection here."
I jerked awake at midnight, heart pounding from a dream of running through forests, silver eyes watching from the shadows.
Then I heard it—a long, mournful howl that raised goosebumps along my arms.
"Did you hear that?" I whispered to my roommate Caroline, whose bed was across the small room.
She lay still, back to me, but I could tell from her breathing she was awake. "It's just the wind," she said tightly. "If you want to survive here, Miller, learn what to see and what to pretend you didn't."
I headed to early classes. My mind replayed last night's strange sounds and sights, wondering if stress had finally cracked my sanity.
"You look troubled." Dominic emerged from the mist like an apparition, holding two steaming travel mugs. He offered one to me.
"Special blend," he said. "It helps calm inner turbulence. I thought you might need it after last night."
I accepted the cup, our fingers brushing. "How did you know I had a rough night?"
His smile was enigmatic. "Your eyes tell me everything, Morgan Miller."
"This weekend," Dominic said, "there's a welcome gathering for new students. I'd like to take you somewhere special afterward."
He reached for my bandaged wrist, his thumb pressing gently against my pulse. "Trust me, Morgan. At this school, you need a true guardian."