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“Do we all have to memorize Rose House?” Hunter groaned.
“Only fools wouldn’t.” Dr. Ansi fixed him with a deadly stare before moving on.
Hunter squirmed in irritation. Being a nepotism baby wouldn’t help him in class.
“The university has decided to move recruitment season forward to better prepare you Houseless freshman for the demons crawling out of what is likely Reaper’s portal,” Dr. Ansi continued. Your first House quiz is in one month—come prepared. Grades are assessed by all houses when deciding on new candidates.”
She changed the PowerPoint slide to a student ID card of the recently deceased.
“We’re already down one student. This is not a game. Hunting demons is a matter of life or death. By the time you’ve graduated, you won’t have the shelter of this university to protect you. You should be able to fight them all alone, wherever you may be.”
She clapped her hands, and golden, high-pitched bells chimed from the ceiling.
“When it comes to the undead, you’re either the hunter or the prey.”
“CLASS DISMISSED!”
ChapterFive
THE ORACLE MUSINGS
It’s the most frightful time of the year for people-pleasers: Family weekend! Nothing discombobulates the new class more than the return of their own flesh and blood. Time to cut the umbilical cord, children: you’re in college now!
“Hey! Sundress!”A white-haired girl with pristine features and a beautiful smile chased after me. “You seemed like you knew every answer in class today. Even when you weren’t raising your hand, I saw you write it down before someone else responded.”
I let her catch up. She was shorter than me, so her strides weren’t as long. I always felt bad walking too fast for short people.
“Thanks,” she said, holding a manicured hand with pointed white nails out. “Aubrey.”
“Luna.” We walked back to the dorms together.
The freshman dorms were the furthest from campus, parallel to where the Houses sat, and made of the same worn brick material. Covered in leaves and ivy, they looked like they were about to be overtaken by the University Gardens just beyond.
“What did you use to study before class today?” she asked.
I felt a twinge of guilt. “My mom went here, so she filled me in on most of the introductory material.”
“Oh!” Her high-pitched voice dropped a little. “I don’t have parents, so I never know how to navigate new situations like Aether.”
When I glanced at her, she was wiping a tear from her cheek.
Pity bleated through me. Sometimes I forgot how lucky I was to have parents so invested in my future. I debated saying something but wasn’t sure what to say. This school frowned upon vulnerability, and comforting wasn’t much better.
We passed the Cornucopia, our dining hall, shaped in an elegant spiral upwards, with the mouth being the buffet. The sugary smell of pastries and the savory smell of bacon wafted out.
Feeling awkward, I suggested, “Do you want to grab breakfast together? I can show you my notes if you want to look at them?”
“No, thank you.” She shook her head. “I already ate recently. But I’d love to study with you again some other time?”
“Sure,” I said, exchanging numbers.
Relief washed through my chest. This was how I could help her.
“We are going to be best friends,” she promised, waving as she left for her next class.
Joy filled my chest. Maybe making friends here would be easy, after all. She didn’t even glance at my skin.
* * *
