Page 33 of Faerie Marked

Despite their similarities, it was easy to pick out my bunkmate from the rest of the pack, the obvious leader. Stronger, more charismatic. The others fell in behind her as she stepped forward to address me with a sneer.

“You think you can sneak in during the night and sleep the day away, newbie? Are you too good to meet with the rest of us?”

“I’m sorry,” I blurted out, shifting to take hold of the ladder, forcing my fingers to wake before the rest of me. “I didn’t mean to disturb you. I thought I was quiet.”

“If you think a rampaging bull is quiet,” the girl retorted.

“I didn’t think anyone would hear me coming in so early—”

She looked me over from head to toe and found me lacking. If the look on her face wasn’t obvious to this fact, she opened her mouth and said with a scoff, “Thisis how you plan to impress the professors?” she asked with a titter. “Seriously?”

I glanced down at my rumpled jeans and black t-shirt, glanced over to the worn sneakers I’d kicked aside before getting into bed. I hadn’t had time to shower and had simply left my hair in the braids from the day before.

In contrast, my bunkmate had styled her blond locks to perfection, not a hair out of place. When did she have the time? Here was the ethereal beauty the Fae were known for, evident in the uptilt of her sky-blue eyes and perfect pink lips. She wore a dress the color of spring crocuses designed to hug her eye-popping curves.

“Do you really think you belong here?” she asked.

I might have kept apologizing were it not for the snort of derisive laughter she gave me. Oh no. She’d taken things too far. I crossed my arms. “I belong here as well as anyone else.”

Who are you to say any different?

The girl seemed poised to spit on me, her sharp eyes narrowing. “You’ll never be one of us, new girl. No matter how hard you try.”

If she wanted me to have a new nickname, she might have at least come up with something a little more original.

“Why would I want to?” I said, trying to calm my racing heart. I navigated the ladder and finally stood facing her. Noting I had several inches of height on her. “Why would anyonewant to be part of your little group ofmeanions?”

The four of them shared a long look, my bunkmate barking out another laugh. “You don’t have what it takes to hack it at the academy.”

“You don’t even know me.”

“I don’t need to know you. I’ve seen your kind before.”

My blood went cold. “My kind?”

“Yes. Your kind,” she stated, pushing her hair over her shoulder, “where your human outweighs your Fae. You might as well give up now.”

I refused to let her get under my skin. I refused to give in to the taunts designed to knock me off my game. But as the four of them continued to scrutinize me, I shrank a little beneath their gazes and wondered. If the students here were like these girls, then I had a long road ahead of me.

And I wasn’t sure I could handle the pressure without shattering.

12

I’d let them get to me without making an effort to defend myself, and although I tried to remind myself their reactions had nothing to do with mepersonally, it still stung. I tried not to actually run away from the awful foursome, following the rest of the mass exodus out of the dormitory and toward the auditorium.

There were so many girls like me. There had to be at least twenty-five others in my dorm alone, not counting the number in the boys’ dorms. I’d have competition to stay here. More competition than I’d bargained for.

All part of the game, I reasoned, tugging my t-shirt lower. I was still wearing the same sweat-soaked clothing from my drive yesterday. At least I’d managed to put my shoes on. But I didn’t have time to waste on worry or self-consciousness. The assembly would start soon enough and orientation after.

Mike had said we didn’t have anything to do until after luncheon. But it seems he hadn’t gotten his times right. The introductory welcome was scheduled for nine.

I didn’t need my map to know where we were headed. The rest of the girls led the way, chatting easily with each other on the walk to the auditorium. We moved down a grand staircase toward the main floor of the castle and turned left. Soon the hallway widened, opening up into a large room with great acoustics. The seats were done in red velvet similar to what you might see in an old opera house. I noted some of the same details in the plaster designs covering the walls and ceiling.

Wow. I’d thought the place grand from the photos on the website but it was nothing compared to what I saw in person. Rubbing the rest of the sleep from my eyes, I took it all in.

So many students, all so different. All here for the same reason I was. Well, probably not theexactsame reason, but we had the same end goals in mind. To make it through to senior year and earn our place in Faerie.

I managed to find a seat in the assembly along with my dormmates, watching the rest of the students pour in before the welcome began.

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