Page 37 of Wicked Dove
I barely know my roommate, but one thing I’ve learned already is how curious she is. And that she’s a little blunt, butmostly happy enough to give me my space. It’s only been one night, but it was almost… nice.
With a shrug, I admit the truth. “Vultures, remember?”
“They'll only bite if you let them,” she insists, and I snicker, no humor to the jagged sound. Vultures are the whole reason I’m here, and it seems they’re set on tearing my life apart in every form. They may not be a motorcycle club, but they’re destructive all the same.
“Sometimes people take a bite without giving you a choice.”
She cocks a brow at me. “Are you sure you're new here? Because that's a great description of the Institutes,” she states, heading toward the closet door.
She hovers at the entryway for a moment, giving me a second. A deep breath does little to calm my racing heart, but it doesn’t help that I’m standing in a walk-in closet that’s bigger than my entire trailer back home.
Stepping back into our room, I cast my gaze over my side. It feels odd to look at the bed that I slept in last night, the sheets slightly crumpled despite me remaking them, but still not a touch of personality on the dreary side that’s mine.
The Institute's ten rules sit on my pillow on a piece of paper I’ve run my hands over again and again as I try to commit them to memory, but I think one more glance over them is needed for good measure.
Rule one: No tardiness.
Rule two: Beds must be made and rooms must be tidy at all times.
Rule three: Always be presentable.
Rule four: Take pride in your institute.
Rule five: Respect everyone in The Vale.
Rule six: Know your place in the hierarchy of the institutes.
Rule seven: Do not use your magical abilities on another student or staff, whether intended for harm or otherwise.
Rule eight: Strive to excel.
Rule nine: Do not steal.
Rule ten: Do not enter Institutes you are not assigned to.
I gulp at the last one. I've already committed that crime. I'd say I won't do it again, but if it means a chance of getting out of here, I'm not promising anything.
Regardless, I’ve got to suck it up, wear this gimmicky uniform, and get on with it. Unless I want more trouble at my door. I went to sleep last night thinking about my game plan, which is to fly under the radar as much as possible. I don't need to be causing a scene that'll add more eyes to my every move. If I keep my head down and appear to be adjusting, then I'll have a better chance of breaking free.
“I’m ready,” I announce, and Ocean smiles, reaching for the door.
She opens it, taking a step back to wave me through, and I roll my eyes at her as the sound of another latch unlocking comes from across the hall. I startle when a guy I’ve never seen before fills the doorway.
Loose, jet-black curls fall across his face, down over his ears, and somehow accentuate his rich, black eyes. He is a couple of feet taller than me, all majestic and mysterious, with his olive skin enhancing the beauty that haunts him.
His stare, though, leaves me breathless. It’s as if he's peering into my soul while I remain frozen in place.
“What's going—oh.” Ocean's voice cuts off as she peers over my shoulder, seeing the guy who has captured my attention. “Leave her alone, Thorne,” Ocean grumbles, and I shake my head.
“He didn't do anything,” I insist, daring to look away from him for a second as I peer at my friend, but my voice comes out raspy and shallow.
To my surprise, she ignores me as she continues to stare down the man across the hall. It’s a challenge between them, one I don’t know all the details of, but after a second, he looks away. In that exact moment, I exhale heavily, my breaths coming back in full swing as I gape in confusion at the guy she called Thorne.
Weariness clings to me as I glance at my roommate again, but she's too busy wagging a finger at the guy. He doesn’t utter a word as he stalks back inside, slamming the door behind him, leaving the two of us to stand in the silence that expands in the hallway.
“Ass,” she mutters under her breath before linking her arm through mine and tugging me toward the stairs. We’ve already taken two steps when the sound of our bedroom door slamming shut rings around us.
My jaw falls slack with panic at first, but as I turn to Ocean, I see the amusement in her eyes before she winks and wiggles her fingers.
