A Gilded Welcome to Ruby Dorm

"Miss Seraphina will show you to your quarters."

Mr. Vance's words were clipped and professional, the intimate moment that had passed between us seconds ago completely erased. I blinked, disoriented by the whiplash change in his demeanor as he gestured toward the door.

Standing in the doorway was quite possibly the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. Jet-black hair cascaded in glossy waves past her shoulders. Her flawless skin complemented piercing blue eyes that assessed me with cool detachment. She wore a skintight black dress that accentuated curves I would've killed for, topped with stiletto heels that made her tower over me.

Great. Just what my ego needed right now.

"This is our new student, Hazel Thorne," Mr. Vance explained. "Place her in Ruby dorm, please."

Seraphina's perfect lips curved into a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Of course, Kaelen."

Kaelen. The casual use of his first name sent a clear message. This wasn't just his assistant. They were clearly... involved. I felt foolish for even momentarily thinking there had been something in the way he looked at me.

"Come along," Seraphina said, turning on her heel without waiting to see if I followed.

I hesitated, glancing back at Mr. Vance. "What about my stuff? My phone? My mom?"

"Everything will be taken care of," he replied dismissively, already returning to paperwork on his desk. "We've collected your belongings from your dormitory, and arrangements will be made for regular updates about your mother."

"But—"

"Miss Thorne." His tone left no room for argument. "Go with Seraphina."

I clamped my mouth shut, swallowing down a retort. Fighting wasn't going to get me anywhere, and at least I'd be leaving this claustrophobic office. With a final glare that Mr. Vance didn't even bother to acknowledge, I followed Seraphina into the corridor.

The hallway outside was nothing like I expected. Instead of the sterile, institutional setting I'd anticipated, we walked through what looked like a high-end hotel. Marble flooring gleamed under soft lighting, and carved wooden panels adorned the walls. It was beautiful, intimidating, and utterly foreign.

"You'll adjust," Seraphina said, apparently noticing my wide-eyed stare. "Everyone does, eventually."

"Are you... like me?" I asked, struggling to keep pace with her brisk strides.

She laughed, the sound melodic but cold. "I'm a Grey, yes, but I'm nothing like you. I was born and raised in this realm, trained from childhood. You're..." She paused, giving me another assessing look. "Different."

I couldn't tell if that was an insult or not.

"So you and Mr. Vance are...?" I trailed off, immediately regretting the question.

Her smile turned smug. "Kaelen and I have a long history. He's very particular about who he allows close to him." The implication was clear: I wasn't on that list and never would be.

We passed large windows that revealed manicured gardens and students walking between buildings. Some wore uniforms in different colors—deep blue, emerald green, ruby red, and golden yellow.

"The Academy operates on a house system," Seraphina explained, following my gaze. "Four houses: Sapphire for academics, Emerald for healers, Ruby for warriors, and Amber for the artistic."

"And I'm in Ruby because...?"

"Your... incident with the hallway flying suggests combat aptitude," she replied. "Though house assignments can change if your other gifts emerge and prove stronger."

We turned down another corridor, this one decorated with large crystal formations that glowed with subtle red light.

"The Ruby crystal," Seraphina explained without my asking. "Each house has one. They help channel and focus our powers."

I reached out, tempted to touch it, but Seraphina clicked her tongue disapprovingly. "Not advised for beginners. You could drain yourself completely."

We passed an open courtyard where students were paired off in what looked like combat training. A boy no older than I was threw his partner ten feet through the air with apparent ease. My stomach clenched as I remembered doing the same thing to Bianca.

"Will I learn to control it?" I asked quietly. "What happened earlier—I didn't mean to hurt anyone."

For the first time, Seraphina's expression softened slightly. "That's why you're here, Hazel. Untrained Greys are dangerous. Especially ones who've lived among humans." She gestured to the fighting students. "This isn't violence for its own sake. It's discipline. Control."

We exited the main building into brilliant sunshine. The campus sprawled before us—a collection of elegant stone buildings surrounding a central quad. Students lounged on the grass or hurried between classes. If it weren't for the occasional flash of blue eyes or display of impossible strength, I might have mistaken it for any prestigious university.

"The female Ruby dormitory," Seraphina announced as we approached a red brick building with ivy climbing its walls. "Males and females are housed separately, though common areas are shared."

She led me through heavy wooden doors into a plushly carpeted lobby. A massive fireplace dominated one wall, surrounded by comfortable-looking couches where a few students were studying. They looked up as we entered, their curious gazes making my skin prickle.

"Your room is on the third floor," Seraphina said, leading me to an elevator. When the doors closed, she handed me a key with a ruby embedded in the handle. "Room 312. Your uniforms and basic necessities are already there."

"When can I call my friend Willow?" I asked. "She'll be worried."

"Cover stories have been arranged," Seraphina replied dismissively. "As far as your human connections know, you've transferred to a prestigious program overseas. It's standard protocol."

My stomach dropped. "So I just disappeared from their lives? Just like that?"

"It's cleaner this way," she said with a shrug as the elevator doors opened. "Down the hall, fifth door on the right."

We walked in silence, my mind reeling. Everything was happening too fast—one minute I was a regular college freshman, and now I was apparently some superhuman being in a hidden realm, cut off from everyone I knew.

When we reached room 312, Seraphina stopped abruptly.

"Someone will be along shortly to explain your class schedule and house rules," she said, pressing the key into my palm. "Try not to break anything or anyone in the meantime."

Before I could respond, she turned and walked away, her heels clicking on the polished floor. Just like that, I was alone—abandoned outside a door to a room in a world I didn't understand, with no idea what would happen next.

I stared at the ornate key in my hand, its ruby catching the light and seeming to pulse with inner fire. This was real. This was happening.

Taking a deep breath, I inserted the key into the lock, listening to the heavy tumblers click into place, and prepared to step into my new reality.