So far, nothing about the Academy has changed. The imposing wall was still there. The iron gate rolled up for us to enter. And yet somehow it all felt much more imposing this time around. It made me feel more confined, more like a prisoner than I felt when I first arrived. Everyone else in the car was smiling, happy to be back or, in Tristian’s case, happy to finally be here in the first place. Aaron, who was supposed to be my so-called guard, was even smiling. Was I the only one who felt the change in the air? Was I the only one to notice the small, barely there changes?
For example. The iron gate was never up, like ever. It was never rolled up until whomever sought entry identified themselves, and the guards cleared it with my uncle. No one was ever allowed in unless he cleared it. The
