Page 93 of The Powers of Nyx

As we stood to leave, Headmistress Sylvia spoke again. “Also, you have full ability to leave for the weekend. Just make sure you keep up with your work. You might be our future Queen, but I do expect all classes to be attended, and assignments submitted.”

With that, the doors shut behind us, and I was forced to release a heavy breath. “Great. No leeway for being the Daughter of Nyx. Good to know.”

“I thought you hated special treatment,” Elias groused, circling a strong arm around my waist.

“No PDA,” I whispered, smacking his chest. “Anyway, I don’t. But I also didn’t ask to be sent to anacademy.”

Rowan grabbed my other hand, planted a kiss on my knuckles, and gave me a wicked grin. “Speaking of the academy. You have an orientation to attend.”

My stomach tightened with anxiety. But I pressed my lips together and let Rowan take the lead as I was thrown into a whole different world.

34

IVY

PARTof me was glad we’d been given leeway about the uniforms for the orientation assembly. I couldn’t imagine standing around, waiting for sign-in packages, wearing the plaid skirt and blouse. But another part of me wished we were, because I suddenly felt extremely out of place.

It wasn’t that I was the only larger body here. Thankfully, other plus size people dotted the hall. But I was extremely underdressed.

Someone could have warned me it was Paris fashion week here.I sent that primarily to Maeve and Adrian, who were likely hanging around with my sisters, having a blast not being here.

I think you look beautiful,Adrian said,amused.

I frowned, blocking his side of the bond. Useless men. At least Maeve should have had my back. But no, she wouldn’t respond. I could tell she was focused on something, though what, I didn’t know.

Rowan clung to my side, while Elias went off to blend into the shadows. For now, Rowan was just helping a lost student.

“Come on, this way,” he murmured, resting a hand on my upper arm, guiding me to a row of students. It seemed like there were specific groups surrounding different tables. “Here, like other academies, we have a system. The witches and mages go to one line, Fae to another, demons the next, then shifters, and finally, vampires.”

He spoke quietly enough that no one seemed to notice, though a few people glanced at me with narrowed eyes as I passed. I felt vulnerable here. And I hated it.

Rowan forced me into the line for witches and mages, my new backstory since I only used Adrian’s magic. The people here were dressed like they’d walked off the set ofGossip Girl; their hair and make-up were perfectly done, and their clothing was artfully styled either to be messy or neat depending on their aesthetic. Some were in goth attire, others preppy, and that was just my line. Some of the Fae were basically naked, shifters were in what resembled gear, which I had to guess was so they could shift without tearing their clothes.

Meanwhile, I was in something less remarkable. It was comfortable, but gave away immediately that I didn’t belong.

I tugged nervously at my turtleneck and glanced over at Rowan. “You guys should have warned me.”

“Shh, we can’t know each other,” he replied, winking in my direction.

I couldn’t help but smile. It took us several long minutes to get to the front of the line, but the boy sitting at the desk glanced up, bored, and asked for my name.

“Ivy Wilson.” Shit. Was that still my name here? I spared Rowan a questioning look, but he had an air of boredom surrounding himself, too.

The mage in front of me glanced at Rowan and stilled, like he’d seen a ghost. Awestruck, maybe. But he quickly wiped his expression clean, rifled through the packages, and handed one to me before checking me off a list. “You can move into the auditorium now.”

I muttered a thanks before rounding the table, Rowan hot on my heels. Before I could go further, a girl appeared in front of me.

Well, woman. She was a couple of inches taller than me, though I supposed the heels helped with that. She had soft, pink hair that fell in waves to her shoulders, and vibrant blue eyes that seemed to get brighter the darker she flushed. She had a package under her arm, and a purse under the other.

“You’re Ivy, right?” she asked nervously.

I nodded. “Yep. You must be...” Double shit. I’d never gotten her name from Headmistress Sylvia.

“I’m Vanya Blackwood, your guide.” She held out her hand, offering me a smile. I took it tentatively, trying to wrack my brain as to where I’d heard the name before. “I’m glad I caught you. It would have been wild trying to find you in there.” She nodded to the flood of students going into where the orientation assembly was apparently happening. “How are you finding things? As a transfer, it must be a little confusing.”

She seemed so sweet that I hated the idea of lying to her, but apparently it had to be done. Rarely did Oberon take students found in the human world. So, to the rest of the people here, I was just a witch from one of the other academies. Not too far-fetched, but not exactly normal, either.

Nodding, I tightened my hold on my package. “Yeah. But I’m sure I’ll get used to it.”

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