Page 43 of Ever Dark Academy: Vol. 1

Normally, he would have resented such a thing. More than resented. But since he was intent on finding the Sect, too, this played into what he wanted as well.

“Gregory’s room is obviously your room now,” Julian explained. “We didn’t have much of a chance to personalize it for you.”

“A room’s a room. I’m sure it’ll be fine.” Grayson shrugged. It couldn’t be worse than the flophouses he’d crashed in or the boxes under the bridge he’d lived in for years. All of this was luxury beyond anything he had ever thought to experience. But it didn’t dazzle him, more like it made him uneasy because he felt so much more out of place.

“Did Gregory know who he was going to room with?” Grayson asked.

“Ah, you’re thinking that there might be another Sect member among the other roommates?” Julian asked and sent a look towards Christian as if he had expected Grayson to be thinking this way.

“Don’t know. Just curious to understand what he knew,” Grayson answered.

“Other than those few individuals we allowed to be interviewed, none of the students were to know who their fellows were until they got here,” Christian answered.

“Though it was the Sect that killed Gregory, there are people who want to come to the school for other reasons,” Julian said. “The students were always at risk so we kept their identities as secret as we could.”

“People talk,” Grayson said. “Even if they’re not supposed to. Especially if they aren’t. Getting accepted would be a big deal.”

“Yes, that’s true,” Christian agreed.

They had reached the fourth floor. Julian and Christian led him down the beautiful marble floored hallway to an elaborate carved wooden door. There was a symbol, not a room number, carved into the door. The symbol was a stylized wave pattern.

“Place your palm against the symbol,” Christian instructed.

Curious, Grayson did as he asked. The symbol lit up all gold and bright. Grayson snatched his hand back and saw the symbol reflected on his palm in that same golden light. It faded until his palm looked normal again. There was a click and a thunk before the door swung open of its own accord.

“Only you and your roommates can open this door. And only those you bid enter can come in,” Julian said. “A safety precaution.”

As the door fully opened, two faces inside peered out with interest. Grayson felt a wave of unreality hit him as he recognized two of his roommates. He’d just been watching their interviews that night before all hell had broken loose. Dr. Amara Biswas and Eiji Goda stared back at him.

CHANGES

Julian gestured for Grayson to step into the quad ahead of him and Christian. His two roommates--as this was a quad, there must be another PERSON who was not there yet--looked at him curiously. The bright, dark eyes of the elderly Eiji Goda were creased with a welcoming smile. Dr. Amara Biswas blinked rapidly as if trying to clear her vision because she wasn’t quite sure what she was seeing. Neither of them was wearing the school uniform he had on.

Going to kill Balthazar.

Grayson kept his expression studiously neutral, even though he felt the urge to retreat into some dark shadows until they forgot about him. But that was not to be. He was definitely in the spotlight. By having the Vampire Prince and his best friend escort him personally to his rooms had been a mistake. Or maybe not. People would want to know him, because they would think he was something special.

Special, not just different, he reminded himself.

He’d been different all of his life and not in a good way. It had cost him everything to be different. Hiding had been safety and security. Escaping notice had been necessary. So he knew he was ill-equipped for this kind of scrutiny.

The Sect knows who I am already, I bet, so notoriety will give me the opportunity to suss out everyone. I need to figure out who is in on this, otherwise I’ll never be safe, he thought.

“Hello.” Dr. Biswas extended a hand to Grayson. “I’m Amara and you are?”

He was somehow impressed that she hadn’t stated she was a doctor. He imagined that getting that title had been difficult and something one would be proud of and want to show off. But here she was yet another student who wished to be a Vampire. Her old life was the past and it didn’t matter here.

He clasped her hand lightly in his and shook it. “Grayson. Nice to meet you. I saw your interview. Both your interviews.”

Eiji Goda offered his hand as well. It was light and cool as paper as they shook. Eiji half bowed.

“Grayson, nice to meet. I am Eiji Goda,” the old Japanese man answered.

“Nice to meet you too,” Grayson said awkwardly and stepped back from them towards the corner so that he could see the whole of the shared space and where all the exits were.

The room was large and rectangular. Upon entering there was a cozy sitting area with a large overstuffed sofa with blankets thrown over the back of it. There was also a dining table that could seat six. And there was an open air kitchen with a large island made of stone and steel for more to sit. The far wall held a set of french doors that led out onto a generously-sized balcony which had a sleek gas flame fireplace and more comfortable seating to take in the stars. On either of the short ends of the rectangular room were hallways, which he guessed led to their bedrooms. The space engendered connection. It practically urged people to sit down with a glass of wine opposite someone new and get to know them better. But wasn’t that what the school was about?

Eiji’s dark eyes briefly narrowed as he saw how Grayson positioned himself so that there was as little open space behind his back as possible. He wondered if the man understood why. Eiji was old, not as old as the Vampires by any means, but older than most of the humans here. He could have lived quite a few lives in his over 80 years. Who knew what his past held?

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