Page 12 of Crimson Shadows
His eyes truly captivate me. They are a shade of purple, with swirls of silver that seem to dance and shift as he moves. There’ssomething both seductive and menacing about him, an aura of power and danger that makes my heart race.
He glances around, his gaze sweeping over the campus with a look of casual ownership. For a moment, I think his stare is going to land on me, and I feel a jolt of anticipation and fear. But I’m left feeling both relieved and oddly disappointed when he doesn’t even notice me.
Without a word, he turns and strides away, his movements graceful and predatory. I watch him go, feeling flustered and off-balance. Is he some sort of supernatural royalty?
With a deep breath, I force myself to turn away from the retreating figure and continue on my way to the Housing office. The building Randall pointed out looms before me, its stone facade warm and inviting despite its imposing size.
As I approach the heavy wooden doors, they swing open of their own accord. I hesitate for a moment, then step inside, my eyes widening as I take in the interior.
The entrance hall is a stunning blend of old and new. Ancient tapestries hang on the walls alongside magickal displays that flicker with information. A massive chandelier hangs from the vaulted ceiling, its crystals seeming to float in midair, casting rainbows of light across the polished marble floor.
Behind a curved desk made of what looks like petrified wood, a female creature sits. Her skin has a faint blue tinge, and her hair moves as if it’s underwater. She looks up as I approach, her entirely deep blue eyes fixing on me with an intensity that makes me want to squirm.
“Name?” she asks, her voice melodious and slightly echo-y, as if she’s speaking from the bottom of a well.
“Adelaide Légère,” I stammer, suddenly acutely aware of how out of place I feel.
“Légère. Légère? Are you sure?”
I snort, despite the shot of fear that skitters through my veins. “Completely sure. It’s my mother’s name and mine since birth.”
“I don’t have a Légère.” She blinks at me. Her stare searches my face. “First name again?”
“Adelaide,” I whisper, hoping that this is some sort of misunderstanding, and she is spelling it wrong.
“Adelaide Black,” she states with pursed blue lips.
“Erm, no…”
“Yes,” she says, turning the screen around so I can see a picture of myself. “Is this you?”
“It looks like me,” I murmur.
“Then you are Adelaide Black.”
“Dammit, Randall,” I mutter as I realise he gave me his surname. Jackass.
The blue lady gives me a weird glare, but I smile and let her do her thing. I guess he needed me to have his surname to get into this institution. But a heads-up would’ve been nice. But then she gives me an amused and slightly pitying look. “You’re quite the rarity, you know. The staff has been abuzz about your arrival for weeks.”
Great. So much for flying under the radar.
“Right,” I say, trying to sound more confident than I feel. “So, where do I go?”
The woman waves her hand, and a small, glowing orb appears in the air before me. “This will guide you to your room.”
Please don’t let it be in the basement.“And where is that?”
“Follow the orb.” She waves a hand dismissively, and there is nothing else for me to do except move, as a queue is forming behind me.
I reach out hesitantly to touch the orb, half-expecting my hand to pass right through it. Instead, it feels solid and warm, like a smooth stone that’s been sitting in the sun.
“Thank you,” I say, not sure what else to add.
The woman nods, already turning her attention to the next student.
The orb starts to float away, and I hurry to follow it. As I exit the Housing office, I cast one last glance over my shoulder, half-hoping to catch another glimpse of the mysterious man from the Rolls Royce in the queue, but he is nowhere to be seen.
I’m really here, at a university for supernatural beings, a place where I might finally understand who and what I am. A place where, for the first time in my life, I might truly belong. As unbelievable as this is, I don’t regret getting in the car with Randall. The ground beneath me shimmers as I walk. It accepts me, this whole place doesn’t think I’m weird. In fact, as I see a woman with snakes for hair saunter past me with a man who has scales for skin, I’m not the wonkiest fruit on this tree. The sense of relief that comes with this knowledge is mind-blowing and makes me lightheaded.
