Page 138 of Academy of the Wicked, Year One

"So cute," I whisper, trying to keep my voice down. I look at Mortimer with mock seriousness. "We have to talk quieter now."

Cassius shrugs when Mortimer glances his way.

"I can't control whether he appears or disappears apparently," he admits.

"Apparently as in you haven't had much control of him since the trial," Nikolai observes, his tone caught between amusement and curiosity.

The morning light catches on Mini Grim's sleeping form, making his pajamas sparkle faintly. The sight is so incongruous —— a being of death and shadow wearing star-patterned sleepwear —— that it perfectly encapsulates how strange my predicament continues to grow.

"Returning to the matter at hand," Mortimer says, adjusting his glasses, "the 'no' part of my earlier statement stems from the fact that most students are here because their families enlisted them."

I frown, my gaze darting between them as the implications sink in.

"Your families SENT you here to suffer?" The words come out sharper than intended, dripping with disbelief and something close to outrage.

Nikolai smirks at my obvious disgust, while Cassius remains characteristically calm.

"It's not necessarily to suffer," he says quietly, shadows writhing.

"Well, it sure looks that way!" I argue, trying to keep my voice down for Mini Grim's sake. "The whole place seems designed to make you either suffer or perish early. Why would any family send their offspring here?"

I pause, pointing at Cassius and Nikolai while being mindful of my sleeping shoulder companion.

"You two are royalty. Heirs, right?" When they both nod, I continue, my frustration building. "Then why would they possibly send the children who will one day take the throne toa place where time moves like molasses while the outside world races by? Not to mention the tiny detail that you can DIE! Did we just gloss over that part like it's not a life or death situation?"

Nikolai leans back in his chair, glancing at Cassius with amusement dancing in his golden eyes.

"She's kind of cute when she gets all annoyed about shit."

Cassius crosses his arms, nodding in agreement.

"Neither of you are taking me seriously!" I throw my hands up in exasperation, only to feel Mini Grim slip from his perch. "Oh no!"

My squeal of panic is cut short as Nikolai smoothly catches our tiny companion, gently returning him to my shoulder. Mini Grim doesn't even stir, his tiny scythe still clutched to his chest.

Relief floods through me as Mortimer clears his throat.

"Most parents are offered certain...benefits for sending their children here," he explains carefully. "For instance, families drowning in debt can receive a clean slate. Others, particularly royal families, view it as a proving ground for potential rulers." His expression darkens slightly. "And some simply want to rid themselves of unwanted offspring, hoping they might perish along the way."

I gawk at him, horror and fury warring in my chest.

"Then they're no better than parents who abandon their kids for having the wrong colored eyes!" The words burst from me, bitter and sharp. "That's utter bullshit!"

Nikolai sighs, his golden aura dimming slightly.

"It's very common among the Fae, actually," he says, his voice carrying centuries of resigned acceptance. "We exist in a culture obsessed with perfection. Looks, talent, skill, and the ability to rule. Without all of these, you're considered no better than an outcast."

The casual way he describes such cruelty makes my heart ache, especially given how easily he could have rejected me ——a hybrid of questionable lineage—— yet chose to accept our bond instead.

Some things, it seems, are universal; the capacity for both incredible cruelty and unexpected kindness.

"My family knows I'm heir by birthright," Nikolai continues, his tone deceptively light. "But I was sent here because I refused to submit to having a mate chosen to their liking."

I pause mid-retort, his words sinking in.

"Wait? They do arranged marriages? Fae?"

"All the time," Cassius answers, his voice carrying a weight of understanding. "What better way to continue the trend of perfection than by controlling who your offspring marry? They test DNA and genetics from youth, monitor vitamins to ensure no defects occur throughout development stages."

---