"Now that that is out of the way," Ileus said, settling into the empty council chair. The wood creaked softly beneath his weight as he folded his hands together on the polished table. "We can proceed to more pressing matters. Miss Serena, welcome to Eldermere University."
He smiled at her—pleasant, practiced, and entirely unconvincing.
"Thank you very much, sir," Serena replied softly. She wasn't sure how else to address them. Sir seemed appropriate enough.
"I have only one question for you," Ileus continued, his fingers interlacing as he leaned back. "After which you will be free to proceed to the campus." His gaze sharpened slightly. "I believe I speak for the entire council when I ask—why did you choose to apply to Eldermere?"
Several heads inclined in agreement.
"Truly," Ileus went on, one eyebrow lifting, "for such an intelligent, beautiful young woman, you could have applied to other institutions—colleges far more lenient with their rules." A few murmurs of approval rippled around the table. "I also noted that you completed your first degree at Oxford. Why not simply continue your studies there? It would have been much easier, wouldn't you agree?"
He rested his head against his palm, appearing almost bored by his own curiosity.
Serena swallowed.
She glanced at the council—at the so‑called Elders—and wondered, not for the first time, why they were called that at all. None of them looked remotely old. If anything, they appeared to be in their forties, faces smooth, postures strong, eyes far too sharp. She had expected white hair, fragile bones, perhaps even walking sticks. Instead, she found herself standing before something far more unsettling.
She stepped forward.
"Good morning, Council," Serena said, her voice steady despite the frantic hammering of her heart. "My name is Serena Johnson."
Her palms were slick with sweat, but she kept her shoulders straight. Fear was not unfamiliar to her—it had lived with her for as long as she could remember, an ever‑present shadow. She briefly turned her head toward Missy.
Her aunt stood rigid, arms fixed at her sides like a soldier at attention, her face carved into something emotionless and distant. Not even a flicker of reassurance.
Facing the council again, Serena exhaled quietly.
"I applied to Eldermere for no particular reason," she said. The words tasted false even as she spoke them. "I've always admired the town, and I knew how difficult it was to gain admission into Eldermere University. It was… driven by a goal. A goal to push myself."
She forced a small, almost sheepish smile. "And I'm glad I made the cut."
It sounded hollow. She knew it. They knew it.
She wasn't here to challenge herself. Who did that, uprooting their life for the sake of difficulty? But she wasn't a good liar, and she certainly couldn't tell them the truth. Just like Missy had warned—trust no one.
Silence fell.
Then whispers began.
The elders leaned toward one another, voices low, eyes cutting back to Serena again and again with open suspicion. The sound crawled under her skin. She clasped her hands together to stop them from trembling.
Finally, Ileus cleared his throat. The murmuring ceased as he relaxed into his chair, fingers lacing together once more.
"Well," he said at last, "that is rather stupid—if you ask me—but not entirely unacceptable, Miss Serena." His gaze locked onto hers, piercing and cold. It was obvious he didn't believe her. "You have been granted permission to report to the school campus."
Relief washed through her so suddenly it almost made her dizzy.
"General Edmund will escort you," Ileus continued. "He will ensure that your needs are met and that any questions you may have are answered." His tone shifted, dropping lower. "The remainder of our inquiries will be directed toward your aunt, Missy."
His eyes slid toward Missy.
She didn't react.
Still unmoving. Still silent.
Ileus's attention returned to Serena. "You should hurry. You are required to report today. Failure to do so will result in a fine for disregarding the university's return schedule." His smile widened, something dark glinting beneath it. "And it is a very hefty fine."
Serena nodded quickly and bowed her head in respect before turning away.
"See you later, Aunt Missy," she said, forcing cheer into her voice as she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her. "I'll miss you."
Missy didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Didn't even look at her.
Serena pulled back slowly, disbelief tightening her chest. Missy had never treated her this way. Not once. Something was wrong—terribly wrong—and Serena felt it deep in her gut. Whatever it was, it had everything to do with the elders.
But what could she do?
"Come, Serena," Edmund said gently. "Let's get you to the campus."
He bowed to the council before turning and walking out.
Serena hesitated only a moment before following. She glanced back one last time, but Missy still stood there like a statue before the council table, swallowed by shadows.
"Oh—and Edmund," Ileus called after them, "do return once she is settled. There are matters we need to discuss."
The doors closed behind them.
The walk to the car passed in a blur. Serena's thoughts tangled into one overwhelming knot. Missy's coldness. The vivid, terrifying dreams. The constant, gnawing feeling that she had been here before—walked these paths, breathed this air, lived this life.
The ride to the campus was quiet. Not uncomfortable—just heavy. Serena didn't have the energy to ask questions, and Edmund didn't seem inclined to fill the silence.
Her mind drifted again to the creature from her dream. Every detail remained painfully clear—the voice, the presence, the fear—but the eyes… the eyes slipped away every time she tried to remember them.
As the car slowed, she realized they were approaching the campus gates.
"Nothing is going to happen to Aunt Missy, right?" Serena asked quietly, her gaze fixed on the passing scenery.
Edmund met her eyes in the rearview mirror, his own hidden beneath the brim of his cap. "Nothing at all, miss. She'll answer a few questions, sign some documents as your guardian, and be returned home."
Serena nodded, exhaling a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.
Moments later, the gates opened.
The university unfolded before her—and it was nothing like the town. Students moved freely across wide paths, laughter and conversation filling the air. Towering trees arched overhead, their leaves glowing in the sunlight, and flowers bloomed in careful abundance. The buildings looked like old, elegant mansions, steeped in history and quiet grandeur.
Eldermere University felt alive.
Edmund stopped in front of a building marked Admissions Office and stepped out to open her door. He escorted her inside, the scent of old paper and polished wood greeting them.
The office was calm, almost serene.
At the reception desk sat a large, grumpy‑looking woman, her thick fingers pounding impatiently at a keyboard.
Serena approached with a polite smile. "Hi, I'm Serena Johnson. I'm a candidate for the scholarship program. I'm reporting today."
The woman didn't look up. "Your file," she said flatly.
Serena handed it over at once.
After a long, deliberate pause spent scanning the documents, the woman sniffed. "You're late. I should fine you." She reached toward a paper at the corner of her desk.
"She will not be fined, Ms. Shauna," Edmund said calmly. "The elders required her presence."
The woman's head snapped up. Seeing Edmund, she immediately nodded, stamped the file, and slid a key and a book across the desk.
"This is your room key," she said, "and the book of rules. Read it."
Serena took them both, clutching them to her chest.