Ivy complained that we needed to keep the party going, but Chancey talked him out of it; we couldn’t let the Warden find out about The Devil’s Playground.We cleaned up quickly and headed back to our cellblocks, to the rousing chorus ofcongratulationsfrom our friends.
Wasthere something to celebrate? I wasn’t sure yet. Me not being deported, maybe. Wasn’t sure about the rest.
Ava held my hand to guide me down the hall, but she came to an abrupt halt near our dorms. Oberi ran straight into me.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Our dorms!” Ava cried, sounding distressed. “Our doors are wide open, and everything’s gone!”
The blood drained from my face. “Is the Warden screwing with us?”
“This isn’t the Warden’s doing.” Hemlock’s voice came from behind us. “It was mine.”
We turned, and Ava gasped. “Where’s all our stuff?”
“Consider it a wedding present,” Hemlock said. “Come with me. I have something to show you.”
I was really confused. How could stealing all our stuff be agoodthing? But I was curious, too, so I held Ava’s hand tightly as we followed Hemlock down the hall. She led us out of the Elementai cellblock and to a part of the prison I’d never been to before. A door creaked open.
“This is your new suite,” Hemlock announced.
“A suite?” Ava asked, sounding confused.
“This is the Marital Wing of the school,” Hemlock explained. “Married students are permitted to reside in the same dormitory. It’s a privilege of being married. Welcome home.”
I remembered hearing rumors about theConjugal Visit Winglocated in an older part of the school. It wasn’t a cellblock, per se, as there weren’t that many married students on campus. I’d thought it’d been a stupid joke, but apparently, this wing was real.
Ava gingerly stepped inside. “Oh, wow.”
Oberi shifted into husky form and pushed past me, nearly knocking me on my ass.This is great! No more switching rooms every night.
“Is it… good?” I asked Ava.
“Charlie, it’s twice the size of the other dorms. There are even two rooms!” Ava raved. “This one’s got a couch—”
Mine!Oberi called as he jumped onto the couch. It creaked beneath his weight.
“And the other has… one… bed…” Ava trailed off, and my gut sank. We were married, but neither of us had considered that we’d have to sleep in the samebed.
“Is that going to be a problem?” Hemlock asked, as if to test us. No one could know this marriage was a sham.
“No, of course not,” I said quickly— though ittotallywas.
“Very well,” Hemlock replied. “Good luck to you both.”
She left the room and shut the door behind her. Dread dropped in my stomach the moment she left.
“You’re worried,” Ava pointed out. She knew my discomfort immediately.
“They moved all my stuff,” I complained. “I need order, or I can’t find anything. I don’t know where anything is. I’m going to be so lost here. I’m—”
Ava squeezed my hand, cutting me off. “It’s okay, Charlie. You’ll learn.We’lllearn. Together.”
I drew a deep breath. I appreciated Ava was here for me… but I still didn’t like this.
Ava started moving around the room, and I heard furniture squeak. “What are you doing?” I asked.
“I’m checking to make sure it’s safe,” she said. “The Warden could’ve bugged the room before we arrived.”
