AllFreeNovel
Share Us
10
Harper
Divination,it turns out, is not an interesting class. Either that, or I’m far too preoccupied on what’s going to happen tonight to focus.
When the bell rings, I’m the first one out of my seat and out the door. I have to talk to Sadie before dinner. So far, she’s the only one I can risk trusting in this crazy place. I slip through the halls unnoticed this time, moving with the flow of other students as they make their way around the school.
As soon as I’m back in my dorm, I set the books from my classes down on the counter and walk over to the couch, where I collapse. I’m emotionally spent and all I really want to do is hide in my room the rest of the night. But I know I have to stand up to these people or they’ll keep pushing me.
I let out a long breath just as Sadie walks in through the door.
“That good?” she asks.
“Ever heard of a repression spell?” I ask.
She tosses her books on the counter and walks over to me. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Nope.”
Sadie plops down on the couch next to me. “That’s a hell of a first day hazing. What did
the teacher make you do?”
“Not the teacher,” I say. Quickly, I explain what happened in class. Sadie’s jaw drops open wider with each word.
“Oh, shit, Harper,” she says. “I’ve heard rumors of the parties the twins throw.”
“You ever been?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “I’m not invited to things like that. Only higher demons, usually.”
“Any way out of this?” I ask.
“Not that I know,” she says. “And honestly, I don’t think I would. You get out of it, they’re going to know they got to you. Remember what I said? Try not to stand out. You go along with it tonight and it probably won’t be pretty, but they’ll move on to someone new and forget about you.”
“What if they don’t?” I ask.
“Then you can start fighting back,” she says. “But I wouldn’t yet.”
Everything inside me wants to push back against them right now. But I’m still learning the politics of this place. It’s a long game. I have to figure it out enough so I can win that pass. I know I don’t belong here and I can’t stay. And I know my friends who didn’t get to fight would want me to fight. They’d want me to live. “You sure going along with it is best?”
She nods. “I’m telling you, be invisible. They’re going to come after you as it is if you start doing well enough to get close to that pass. You might as well buy yourself some time.”
I look away from her, thinking about her words. It doesn’t feel like I’m doing a very good job of blending in so far.
“Hey.” Sadie elbows me lightly. “We should grab some dinner. At least you’ll have some food in you for whatever is in store. Plus, I have to admit, I’m curious to hear what happens at these parties.”
“Come with me,” I blurt out.
Her eyes widen. “Me? Oh, no. I’m a sprite, remember?”
“They didn’t tell me I couldn’t bring a friend. And I have a feeling I’m going to need one.”
She chews on her lip as she considers my words. Finally, she nods. “Alright. Looks like we’re going to a party.”
I don’t bother changing out of the uniform before heading to dinner with Sadie. There are a million places I’d rather be right now than dinner at Brimstone Academy or a party in some dorm. Sadie changed into jeans and put on fresh makeup. I’m hoping my lack of effort comes across loud and clear to Damon and all the others.
Sadie leads us down a flight of stairs to a darker stone hallway. There are no windows down here but the stone walls are lined with flickering yellow balls of light. The lights float without anything to support them and cast yellow reflections across the polished floor. They’re beautiful in an ethereal, unnatural way. Another taste of the world I now exist in.
