Chapter 1 – The Beginning of the End.

I never believed in fate.

Fate belonged to fairy tales and the desperate people who needed to believe the universe had a plan for them. I knew better. Nothing in my life had ever been handed to me, and if the universe did have a plan, it sure as hell didn't care if I survived it.

Yet, here I was.

The sleek black gates of Eldermire Boarding Academy loomed ahead, twisted iron vines curling around a crest I didn't recognize. The school was bigger than I'd imagined no, grander. Gothic stone towers stretched toward the sky, and the stained-glass windows reflected flashes of purple and silver under the heavy gray London clouds. It didn't feel like a school. It felt like a warning.

I shifted my duffel bag on my shoulder and tried not to look impressed. People like me didn't belong in places like this. Eldermire was a playground for the rich and powerful kids born with silver spoons in their mouths and last names that opened doors. The only reason I was here was because I had passed every impossible test they threw at me. Physically. Mentally. Emotionally. Even… something else.

Something I still couldn't explain.

I glanced down at the crumpled letter in my hand my acceptance into Eldermire's "Special Academic Advancement Program." A fancy way of saying, We let a few scholarship kids in to feel good about ourselves.

The breeze stirred against my cheek as I stepped through the gates, swallowing the knot in my throat. This was my chance. A full scholarship. A way out. All I had to do was survive the next three years, graduate, and never look back. Simple.

A black town car rolled past me, the polished exterior gleaming. I caught a glimpse of a girl laughing from the backseat flawless skin, hair that probably cost more than my entire wardrobe. The driver opened her door, and I tried not to roll my eyes. Nobility.

I kept walking.

The main courtyard spread out in front of me, sprawling gardens wrapping around marble fountains and stone benches. Students milled around in small groups, dressed in the school's immaculate uniforms. White, black, royal purple. They all looked like they had stepped out of a designer catalog. I tugged the hem of my blazer down, suddenly aware of how stiff and new it felt. The logo a silver serpent twisted around a sword was stitched over my heart.

Someone brushed past me, nearly knocking my bag off my shoulder. I caught myself and turned to see a tall girl with glossy black hair striding ahead like she owned the place. She probably did.

"Watch it," I muttered under my breath.

She didn't.

I clenched my teeth and kept moving. It didn't matter. I wasn't here to make friends. I was here to survive.

"Hey! You're new, right?"

The voice came from behind me bright, warm, and dangerously curious. I turned to see a girl about my age hurrying over. She was gorgeous in the kind of effortless way that made me want to hate her. Wavy chestnut hair framed her heart-shaped face, and she wore the school uniform like it was made for her perfectly tailored jacket, short checkered skirt, and thigh-high socks.

"I'm Sofia," she said, flashing a smile. "You're my new roommate."

I hesitated. Friendly types always made me suspicious. "Mirabel," I said finally. "But everyone calls me Mira."

"Well, Mira, welcome to Eldermire," she said, looping her arm through mine like we were old friends. "Let me guess....scholarship?"

I stiffened. "What gave it away?"

She laughed. "You're actually carrying your own bag. Come on, I'll show you the dorms before the Welcome Assembly."

I let her pull me toward a towering building on the west side of campus. It wasn't like I had a better plan, and if I got lost, no one would bother helping me.

As we passed the fountain, I felt it a strange chill brushing down my spine. I glanced around, but nothing seemed out of place. Just the usual rich kids, laughing too loud and pretending the world belonged to them.

And then… I saw them.

Four students stood near the entrance of the Great Hall. There was something different about them something sharper. More dangerous. Even from a distance, they stood out from the rest of the crowd. They didn't laugh. They didn't mingle. The air around them felt heavier.

"The Supreme Council," Sofia whispered, like she could read my mind. "The most powerful students at Eldermire. You don't mess with them unless you have a death wish."

I studied them, a knot forming in my stomach.

The first one was a boy with messy black curls and an easy, arrogant smirk—Azazel Morningstar. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and held himself like the world already belonged to him. His dark red eyes flicked lazily across the courtyard, and when he laughed, the sound made my skin prickle.

Next to him stood a girl—Hazel Brown. She was beautiful in a cold, polished way, with long black hair and an expression that said everyone around her was beneath her notice. Her eyes gleamed like polished steel.

Beside her was a boy who seemed less threatening—Daniel Malton. With sandy blond hair and sharp blue eyes behind thin-rimmed glasses, he looked more like a scholar than a fighter, but there was still a weight to his presence.

And then… there was him.

I felt his gaze before I even met his eyes. He stood slightly apart from the others, his white shoulder-length hair brushing against the stiff collar of his blazer. His face was cold too perfect, too still. But it was his eyes that caught me. Bright crimson. Unyielding. Empty.

"Raphael Ash," Sofia murmured. "Stay away from that one. He doesn't play nice."

I wasn't planning on getting close to any of them but as his gaze slid across the crowd and landed on me, something inside me twisted.

And for a brief, terrifying second… I swore his eyes glowed.

I held Raphael Ash's gaze for barely a second, but it was enough.

A strange pressure settled over my chest, like the air between us had thickened. His expression didn't change, noo curiosity, no recognition. Just an icy, unreadable stare. Like I was something insignificant.

Good. I planned to keep it that way.

I tore my eyes away first, forcing my feet to move. It didn't matter who he was. It didn't matter that the entire school whispered his name like he was something more than human. I had no intention of getting involved in whatever power games the Supreme Council played.

Sofia didn't say anything as she led me toward the dormitory, but I could feel her glancing at me. When we reached the stone steps leading to the entrance, she finally broke the silence.

"You're lucky," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

I frowned. "Lucky?"

"That he didn't look at you twice." She hesitated, then shrugged. "Raphael Ash isn't… normal."

I snorted. "Yeah, I gathered that."

"I mean it," she pressed. "Everyone at Eldermire has a reputation, but Raphael… he's different. Distant. Cold. I don't think I've ever seen him talk to anyone unless he absolutely has to."

I glanced back toward the Great Hall entrance, but Raphael and the rest of the Supreme Council were already gone. The weight of his stare still lingered against my skin, but I shoved the feeling aside.

"Don't worry," I said dryly. "I'm not in the habit of chasing emotionally unavailable guys."

Sofia grinned. "Good. Because Raphael doesn't just push people away. He destroys them."

I paused at that, but Sofia had already turned toward the entrance.

Destroy them?

I shook off the uneasy feeling creeping up my spine and followed her inside.

****

The girls' dormitory was just as massive as the rest of Eldermire Academy high ceilings, chandeliers, and long hallways lined with towering bookshelves. Too elegant. Too expensive. Even the air smelled rich, like vanilla and something faintly floral.

Sofia led me to our room on the third floor. "Here we are! Not bad, huh?"

I stepped inside, half expecting the usual cramped dorm setup but instead, I was met with a massive suite. Two canopy beds with deep purple drapes, matching desks, and a seating area near the window. A private bathroom.

My stomach twisted. This wasn't my world.

"You okay?" Sofia asked, watching me carefully.

I exhaled, shaking off the sudden wave of discomfort. "Yeah. Just… adjusting."

She smiled. "You'll get used to it."

Maybe.

I dropped my duffel bag near the empty bed and ran a hand over the silk comforter. It felt strange. Too soft. Too luxurious. I was used to stiff blankets and cheap mattresses things that didn't feel like they would swallow you whole.

Sofia flopped onto her bed, propping herself up on her elbows. "So, what's your deal?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"Come on," she said, smirking. "No one gets into Eldermire by accident. Especially not a scholarship student. You had to pass the same impossible tests I did."

I hesitated. The tests. The ones that had pushed me beyond anything I thought I could handle. The ones that had left me aching, bruised, and haunted.

I forced a casual shrug. "Guess I got lucky."

Sofia rolled her eyes. "Sure. And I'm actually nice."

I smirked. "You're not?"

"Oh, I am. But only to people I like." She grinned. "Consider yourself blessed."

I let out a small laugh despite myself. Sofia was a kind of girl who could destroy someone with a well-placed word but would also go to war for her friends.

A knock at the door cut through the moment.

Sofia groaned. "If that's another welcome committee, I swear"

She swung the door open. Then immediately straightened.

I didn't have to ask why.

Standing in the doorway was a boy a tall, elegant figure with sharp blue eyes and sandy blond hair, dressed in the school's pristine uniform. He looked like he had stepped out of a royal portrait.

Daniel Malton.

A member of the Supreme Council.

And he was looking directly at me.

Sofia tensed beside me, her usual easy confidence replaced by something sharper wariness.

Even if I hadn't just seen him standing with the Supreme Council, I would have known he wasn't like the other students. He carried himself differently calm, composed, calculating. His sharp blue eyes flickered over me with polite curiosity, but there was something behind them I couldn't place.

"Mirabel Rosan?" His voice was smooth, professional. Not unkind, but distant.

I kept my expression neutral. "That's me."

Daniel studied me for a second, then nodded. "The Headmaster would like to see you."

Sofia glanced at me. "Already?"

I frowned. Already? I had barely been here an hour. What could the Headmaster possibly want with me?

I crossed my arms. "Why?"

Daniel's lips twitched, like he wasn't used to being questioned. "I wasn't told. Just that it was important."

Sofia shot me a look that screamed don't argue, but I wasn't planning to. I didn't have a choice.

"Fine," I said, grabbing my blazer. "Lead the way."

****

The Headmaster's office was in the oldest part of the school a massive, cathedral-like structure with tall arched windows and dark wooden floors.

Daniel walked a few steps ahead of me, silent and unreadable.

"You're part of the Supreme Council," I said after a moment. It wasn't a question.

His expression didn't change. "Yes."

"What exactly does that mean?"

Daniel glanced at me, like he was debating whether to answer. "It means we maintain order."

I raised an eyebrow. "Order?"

"This school operates differently than others."

No kidding.

Before I could push further, Daniel stopped in front of a set of heavy double doors. The silver crest of Eldermire was engraved into the dark wood the same twisted serpent and sword emblem stitched into my uniform.

Daniel knocked once. A voice from the other side answered immediately. "Come in."

I hesitated, but Daniel pushed the doors open, gesturing for me to step inside.

The office was massive, dimly lit by flickering lanterns and the soft glow of a fireplace. The walls were lined with ancient books, maps, and old artifacts, giving it more of a museum feel than an office.

Behind a heavy desk sat Headmaster Darlin Kimper.

Cold. That was the first thing that came to mind when I looked at him.

He was a tall man, his presence severe and sharp-edged, with neatly combed silver hair and piercing gray eyes. His expression was unreadable, but something about him felt… off. Like he was watching everything at once.

"Mirabel Rosan." His voice was smooth, controlled. "Welcome to Eldermire."

I nodded stiffly. "Thank you."

He gestured to the chair across from him. "Sit."

I did, ignoring the way my pulse picked up.

Kimper studied me for a long moment, like he was assessing something I couldn't see.

"You were accepted under unusual circumstances," he said finally.

I frowned. "Unusual?"

His gaze didn't waver. "Do you know how many human students have been granted full scholarships to Eldermire in the last century?"

I hesitated. "No."

"One."

I stared at him.

"One, Miss Rosan," he repeated, leaning forward. "You."

A chill crawled down my spine. I wasn't stupid. I knew getting into Eldermire had been damn near impossible. But hearing it like that being told I was the only one felt different.

Wrong.

I kept my voice steady. "I passed the tests. That's why I'm here."

Kimper tilted his head slightly, his sharp gray eyes narrowing. "Yes. And that's what makes it unusual."

I didn't like where this was going.

His gaze flickered toward Daniel. "You may go."

Daniel nodded once and left the room without a word. The doors clicked shut behind him.

Kimper turned his attention back to me. "Tell me, Mirabel… have you ever experienced anything in your life that you couldn't explain?"

I froze.

The rogue demon in the alley. The way dark energy had exploded from me, killing it instantly. The strange whispers I sometimes heard in my dreams.

No.

No, I wasn't about to tell him that.

I forced my expression into something neutral. "No."

For a moment, Kimper just watched me. Then, slowly, he smiled.

It wasn't a comforting smile.

"Very well," he said, leaning back. "Enjoy your time at Eldermire, Miss Rosan. But I suggest you tread carefully. This school is not what it seems."

I stood, my pulse hammering. "I'll keep that in mind."

I turned and walked toward the door, gripping the handle.

The headmaster's office felt colder when I stepped out. The weight of his words still clung to me, like invisible threads wrapping around my wrists.

I didn't trust him.

Something about the way he spoke the way he studied me, measured me wasn't normal. And that question… Have you ever experienced anything you couldn't explain?

I didn't know what he was looking for. But I wasn't about to give him answers.

I let out a slow breath and started walking, the sound of my shoes echoing down the stone hallway. Eldermire was massive, and even though the dim lanterns cast a warm glow, there was something off about the place. The deeper I went, the heavier the air felt like the walls were watching.

I turned a corner and_

Slamming into something solid.

No someone.

A sharp breath left me as my shoulder caught against a firm chest, and I stumbled back, nearly losing my balance. Strong hands gripped my arms, steadying me before I could fall.

The scent of something dark and sharp hit me smoke, cedar, something faintly metallic.

I looked up.

And immediately wished I hadn't.

Raphael Ash.

Up close, he was even taller than I expected, broad-shouldered beneath the fitted school blazer. His white hair fell slightly over his blood-red eyes, which were narrowed, unreadable.

His hands were still gripping me, fingers firm against my skin. The second I looked at him, a strange heat curled in my stomach, tight and unfamiliar.

I snapped out of it and pulled away. "Watch where you're going," I muttered.

He didn't respond. He just stood there, staring at me with an intensity that made my skin prickle.

I lifted my chin. "What?"

Still, nothing.

I let out a sharp breath. "Right. Great talk." I stepped around him, brushing past without another word.

One step. Two.

Then.

"You're new."

His voice was deeper than I expected, quiet but edged with something I couldn't place. I paused, turning slightly.

"No kidding," I said flatly. "Figured that out all on your own?"

A flicker of something passed through his eyes amusement? Annoyance? I couldn't tell. His face was unreadable, like it had been carved from stone.

For a second, I thought he would ignore me. But then, his gaze lowered, trailing over me like he was seeing something I couldn't.

A slow tension wrapped around my chest.

Then.

"Hm."

That was it. Just a single, unreadable sound. Then he turned and walked past me like I didn't exist.

I stood there, watching his back disappear down the corridor, my pulse strangely uneven.

What the hell was that?

****

When I finally got back to my dorm, Sofia was waiting, sitting cross-legged on her bed with a magazine in hand. She looked up the second I stepped inside.

"Well?"

I frowned. "Well, what?"

She rolled her eyes. "The Headmaster. What did he want?"

I hesitated. "Nothing important."

She gave me a long look, but thankfully, she didn't push.

Instead, she sat up, flipping her hair over one shoulder. "Alright, so since you survived your first meeting with Kimper, let's talk about the important things."

I arched an eyebrow. "Like?"

"Like the fact that half the school saw Raphael Ash looking at you."

I blinked. "What?"

She grinned. "Oh, you heard me. And don't even try to pretend like you didn't notice. It was subtle, but trust me—people saw."

I stared at her, then let out a sharp laugh. "Right. Because that's so unbelievable. Raphael Ash, legendary ice king, staring at the new human scholarship student?" I scoffed. "Sounds real."

Sofia shrugged. "I'm just saying, people talk. And when someone like him does something even slightly unusual, it doesn't go unnoticed."

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, well, he didn't 'look' at me. He bumped into me. That's it."

Sofia paused. Then narrowed her eyes. "Wait. He actually spoke to you?"

I hesitated. "Kind of."

Her mouth fell open. "Holy sh*t."

"Relax." I grabbed my duffel bag and started unpacking. "He said like two words. That doesn't mean anything."

Sofia stared at me like I'd grown a second head.

I sighed. "Look, I'm not trying to be dramatic, but I don't get what the big deal is."

She groaned, falling back onto her bed. "Mira, you really don't know anything about this place, do you?"

"Nope."

"Well, let me give you a free lesson," she said, propping herself up on one elbow. "Raphael Ash doesn't talk to people. Not unless he has to. He doesn't look at them, doesn't acknowledge them, doesn't care. He's not like Azazel, who loves attention. He's not like Hazel, who plays power games. Raphael is just… cold."

She studied me. "And yet, he spoke to you. He looked at you."

A weird, uneasy feeling settled in my stomach.

Sofia smirked. "Congrats, Mira. You just became someone to watch."

"I thought you were like Stay Away He Is Dangerous." I said.

She grinned. "Oh he is...but don't worry, I'll protect you."

I sighed " Great."

Then I flopped onto my bed, rubbing my temples. I had only been here for a day, and somehow, I already felt like I had stepped into something bigger than myself.

I just didn't know what.

Yet.

****

The next morning, the school held its Welcome Assembly in the Great Hall.

Sofia and I arrived early, but the massive hall was already filling up. Stone pillars lined the walls, towering up to a vaulted ceiling, where a massive stained-glass window bathed the room in eerie purple light. Rows of students sat in long, polished benches, their uniforms crisp, their conversations hushed.

I kept my head down as I followed Sofia toward the middle rows. The last thing I wanted was to draw more attention. People were already whispering about me.

I felt their stares as I passed curious, skeptical, dismissive. I caught snatches of murmured conversations:

"That's the new human scholarship girl."

"How did she even get in?"

"She won't last long."

I clenched my jaw and ignored them. Let them talk.

Sofia nudged me as we slid into a seat. "Don't let them get to you," she whispered. "Half of them are just bitter their rich parents couldn't buy their way into the top ranks."

I smirked. "Good to know elitism is alive and well."

Before she could respond, the room fell silent.

A presence had entered the hall heavy, commanding.

I didn't have to look to know who it was.

The Supreme Council.

They moved through the rows like shadows cutting through the crowd. No words. No hesitation. Just absolute authority. The other students shifted, instinctively making space, lowering their gazes.

Sofia leaned closer. "And there's the royalty of Eldermire."

Azazel strolled ahead of the group, lazy confidence radiating from every step. He was smirking, his dark red eyes flicking across the room like he was cataloging potential prey. Hazel walked beside him, her expression unreadable, her long black hair swaying with every step.

Daniel followed, his usual calm, calculated aura making him seem untouchable.

And then…

Raphael.

I told myself I wasn't going to look at him. But somehow, I did.

He was different from the others. Where Azazel and Hazel commanded attention, Raphael drew it without trying. His white hair framed his sharp jaw, and his red eyes cold, empty, detached held no trace of interest in anything around him.

He didn't acknowledge the stares. He didn't smirk like Azazel or scan the room like Daniel. He just existed, and that was enough to make the air feel thicker.

The four of them moved to their seats at the front of the hall, separate from everyone else. Above everyone else.

Untouchable.

Sofia sighed. "I hate how unfairly hot they are."

I snorted. "You mean obnoxious?"

She grinned. "That too."

A sudden hush fell over the room as Headmaster Kimper stepped onto the raised platform at the front.

The Welcome Assembly had begun.

****

Kimper's speech was precise, sharp, and cold just like him.

"Welcome to another year at Eldermire," he said, his voice carrying effortlessly across the hall. "For those returning, you already understand the expectations placed upon you. For those who are new.."

His gray eyes flickered briefly toward me.

"...you will learn them."

I didn't move. Didn't react. But the weight of his gaze felt heavier than it should have.

Kimper continued, his words woven with a strange undertone of warning.

"Eldermire is not just an institution of learning. It is an institution of order. You have been given the privilege of being here. That privilege is not given lightly. It is earned. And if you are not strong enough to hold your place…"

A small, sharp smile.

"…you will lose it."

The words sent a ripple through the room. A silent message.

This school does not tolerate weakness.

Beside me, Sofia barely breathed. I understood why. This wasn't a welcome speech. This was a test.

Kimper clasped his hands behind his back. "Your year will be determined by your performance academic, physical, and personal. Your ranking is not permanent. It can be gained… or lost."

I could feel it. The unspoken rule beneath his words.

This school was not a school. It was a battlefield.

Kimper's sharp gaze swept over the hall one last time before he finished.

"Welcome to Eldermire Academy," he said smoothly. "And good luck."

The hall remained silent as he stepped back.

Then, in one swift motion, Raphael rose from his seat.

The entire room followed.

No words. No signals. Just instinct.

And in that moment, I realized something.

Raphael Ash was not just powerful.

He was the reason this school moved the way it did.

And I had no idea why.