Page 44 of Revenant

There’s a part of me that appreciates the distance. They all lied, knew who I was since day one, and they had the gall to infiltrate my life as if they didn’t have ulterior motives. On the other hand, they hold answers to questions I didn’t even know to ask. About my parents, my lineage…this supposed power coursing through my veins. I can’t deny that I’ve been curious.

A normal person would be terrified to know they’re walking amongst vampires, but they seem to need me. Which means, I have an immunity that the girl in the basement didn’t possess.

The walk back from developmental psychology is a fever dream; only once I’m back in my sanctuary can I relax. My foot slips on something, and I barely catch myself before face planting.

An envelope rests on the floor, where someone slipped it beneath the door. Hesitantly, I pick it up, opening it with shaky hands.

Miss Calder,

We apologize for the miscommunication amongst our staff. Below you will find an updated and accurate schedule as the changes have been made.

We apologize for any confusion or inconvenience this may have caused. If there are any other changes that need to be made, or questions, please direct them to the front office.

Veilcrest Conservatory Administration.

What the hell? I never requested a schedule change. Confusion pulls at my brow as I continue down the page, staring at the exact same schedule I’ve been following since my admission. Aside from an additional class that’s now been added to my workload.

Botanical Alchemy.

Whatever the hell that is.

A knock sounds at my door, and I jump, dropping my bag but gripping the letter like a lifeline. I don’t even bother asking who it is. These days there can only be one answer.

“Just the girl I was looking for,” Moriah muses, stepping inside without an invitation. Not that she needs one.

“I’ve told you countless times I’m not Reyna. I know it can be confusing; we do look alike after all,” I joke, sarcasm lacing my words. “I’m the more reasonable roommate.”

“Ha. Ha.” Moriah sits on my bed, her eyes immediately clocking the envelope in my hand. “What’s that?”

“Just something from the office. I guess my schedule changed,” I tell her, discarding the paper on my desk. I see the curiosity swimming in her eyes, and she takes it upon herself to check. “By all means, yes, have at it with my personal information.” I giggle, turning around to change into something more comfortable.

“Botanical Alchemy?” She sounds just as confused as I felt reading it. Glad to know we’re on the same page.

“My reaction exactly,” I tell her, pulling the drawstrings tight on my lounge pants. Gathering my hair up into a high ponytail, I snag a hair tie off my desk as she stares at me as if I have two heads.

I shrug my shoulders. “What’s one more class?”

“Alicent,” she deadpans, eyeing me up and down. “Is this class even part of your program?”

“No, but I’ll be fine. I can handle it.”

She rolls her eyes, releasing a heavy breath. “That’s not what I’m talking about.” She hops off my bed and saunters over to my wardrobe, the class already forgotten about.

At first I don’t pay her any mind, gathering my notebooks and pens to get started on my next assignment. But after a few moments pass and she still hasn’t reemerged, I can’t help but ask, “What are you doing?”

“We are going to eat. Real food. In the mess hall, getting out of this dungeon you’ve made yourself.” Moriah’s face is hidden behind my wardrobe door, fumbling inside looking for who knows what.

“I have food here,” I tell her, holding up a strawberry Pop-Tart. But even if she can’t see what I’m holding, she knows. It’s been my go-to snack for days.

“Nutrients, Calder. You can’t survive off processed crap from the kitchenette.”

“I don’t want to go there,” I mumble. Moriah hasn’t asked many questions about the guys’ sudden disappearance—or Pryce’s sudden distance. But I know she’s curious. The questions aren’t direct, just casually asking if I’m going to be seeing any of them from time to time. She doesn’t pry, taking my vague responses for what they are.

It’s been killing me keeping these secrets from her. She hasn’t even been bringing up Koen as much as before, and I’m not sure if the lust has finally dried out, or if she’s trying not to rub salt in the wound. But how am I supposed to explain something that I don’t understand myself?

Is it dangerous for her to know what kind of monsters are walking the halls? And after all the nonsense that went into this elusive secret society—The Hollowed—they won’t talk to me. Oh and how could I forget to mention that I fell asleep with one of the twins and ran into the other while I was sleepwalking in the west wing?

Because that doesn’t make me sound crazy at all.