KING OF IVORY AND BLOOD

THE FIRST MORNING

Seraphina Voss

I don't think I slept that night. Every time I closed my eyes, the words on the note came back to me.

If you truly loved your father... leave Aurelius University before it's too late.

I had read it so many times that I could see every letter without unfolding the paper.

Who had written it?

How did they know about my father?

And more importantly...Why did they want me to leave before I'd even attended my first lecture?

The questions circled endlessly in my mind until I finally slipped the note between the pages of my notebook and slid it into the drawer beside my bed.

If nothing else, I'd look at it again in the morning. Maybe daylight would make it seem less frightening.

"Seraphina."

A pillow landed squarely on my face.

I groaned.

"Five more minutes."

"No."

Cassia's cheerful voice carried far too much energy for someone who'd slept less than six hours.

"We're officially university students now. We have a reputation to build."

I pulled the pillow away and squinted at her.

"We've been here one day."

"Exactly."

She pointed dramatically toward the ceiling.

"First impressions matter."

"I thought we'd already made ours."

She blinked.

"When?"

"When I almost knocked you unconscious."

Cassia laughed so hard she nearly fell off her bed.

"You are never escaping that story."

"I noticed."

I sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. Golden morning light streamed through the window, filling the room with warmth.

Outside, the campus had already come alive. I could hear students talking in the courtyard below. Some laughed, someone somewhere was playing music loud enough to wake an entire hostel.

A whistle echoed from the sports field in the distance. Another day had begun, my first full day at Aurelius University and for a moment, I forgot about the note.

The bathroom queue reminded me that no amount of academic excellence could defeat hostel life. By the time I returned to our room, dressed and ready, Cassia was standing in front of the mirror trying to convince herself that her hair was cooperating.

"It isn't listening," she sighed.

"It's hair."

"It has opinions."

I smiled while packing my notebook into my backpack. As my fingers brushed the drawer, I remembered the folded note inside and without thinking, I pulled the drawer open. The notebook was still there.

I slipped the folded paper back between the pages, closed the notebook and zipped my bag. There would be time to think about it later and right now, I had a university to explore.

The hallway outside our room buzzed with life. Doors stood open, girls hurried from room to room borrowing perfume, hairbrushes, notebooks and, in one memorable case, a pair of shoes. Someone shouted that breakfast would finish in twenty minutes and that announcement emptied the corridor almost instantly.

Cassia grabbed my wrist. "Move."

"I'm moving."

"Not fast enough."

She practically dragged me down two flights of stairs before finally letting go once we reached the courtyard, fresh morning air greeted us.

Yesterday, everything had felt unfamiliar but today...It felt different. Not familiar exactly, more like the beginning of belonging.

Students crossed the courtyard wearing faculty T-shirts, laughing with people they'd met less than twenty-four hours earlier. A group of engineering students argued over directions, someone balanced three cups of tea in one hand while answering a phone call.

Near the entrance, a photographer called out to passing freshers. "First Day at Aurelius! Professional portraits! You'll thank yourself at graduation!"

Cassia immediately slowed.

"Should we?"

I looked toward the small queue already forming.

"Maybe another day."

She pretended to sigh dramatically.

"Fine. But we're definitely taking photos before this semester ends."

"Deal."

The central cafeteria was larger than I'd imagined. Rows of tables stretched across the hall, each occupied by students speaking a dozen different languages and accents. The aroma of fried plantain, tea, fresh bread and coffee drifted through the room. My stomach reminded me that I hadn't eaten since yesterday afternoon.

Cassia picked up a tray.

"I'm warning you now."

"About what?"

"I become irrational when I'm hungry."

"I'll keep a safe distance."

"You should."

We collected breakfast and found two empty seats near one of the large windows. Before we'd even started eating, another girl approached our table.

"Mind if I join you?"

Cassia smiled immediately. "Of course."

Within minutes we had learned that she was studying Architecture, came from the northern part of the country and had already gotten lost twice that morning. By the time she left, Cassia somehow knew her birthday, favourite colour and secondary school.

I shook my head in disbelief.

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Make friends with everyone."

She shrugged. "I ask questions."

"You ask a lot of questions."

"People like talking about themselves."

I considered that. Maybe she was right, maybe I simply preferred listening.

After breakfast, the orientation volunteers gathered every fresher near the Student Centre. One of them climbed onto a low platform and clapped loudly.

"Good morning, everyone!"

A chorus of greetings answered.

"Today we'll be taking you around Aurelius University so you know where everything is before lectures begin next week." Our group applauded.

The tour began with the Grand Library. Its glass walls reflected the morning sun, making the building shimmer like crystal. Inside, the air smelled faintly of paper and polished wood.

Rows upon rows of books stretched farther than I could see. It was quiet, orderly and beautiful.

"This," our guide announced proudly, "is one of the largest university libraries in the country."

I couldn't stop smiling. If there was anywhere on campus I knew I'd spend countless hours...It was here.

The library wasn't the only place that stole my attention. Every stop on the orientation tour seemed to reveal another side of Aurelius University.

The Innovation and Enterprise Centre looked nothing like the academic buildings we'd passed earlier. Its walls were almost entirely glass, reflecting the blue sky above. Inside, students worked in open spaces filled with computers, prototypes, whiteboards covered in equations, and ideas scribbled in every corner.

"This," our guide announced proudly, "is where many student businesses begin."

He smiled at us. "If you have an idea that can change the world, this building exists to help you build it."

Several students exchanged excited glances. Dad used to tell me that ideas were more valuable than money because money could disappear overnight, but a good idea could build an empire.

For the first time that morning, I wished he were standing beside me. He would have loved this place.

We gathered inside a small auditorium attached to the Innovation Centre. Rows of seats quickly filled as freshers settled down. A banner stretched across the stage.

WELCOME TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF INNOVATORS

The atmosphere buzzed with curiosity. A woman wearing a navy-blue suit stepped onto the stage.

"Good morning, everyone."

"Good morning," we replied.

"My name is Mrs. Beatrice Collins, Director of Student Enterprise. Every year, we invite successful alumni and student entrepreneurs to share experiences with our newest students."

She paused with a smile. "Our guest speaker today hardly needs an introduction."

Applause erupted before she even finished her sentence.

I frowned.

Who was everyone so excited about?

Then I heard the name.

"Please welcome..." "Mr. Kael D'Vante."

The applause doubled.

Students stood, some even pulled out their phones.

I glanced toward the stage just as the young man from yesterday walked into view. So this was Kael.

Up close, he looked even younger than I'd expected. There was nothing flashy about him. No expensive designer suits, no dramatic entrance. He simply walked to the podium, thanked the audience with a nod, and waited patiently until the applause faded.

His calmness was... unusual. Most people enjoyed being admired. He looked like he'd rather everyone sit down so he could begin.

"Thank you," he said.

His voice was steady and confident without sounding rehearsed.

"When people hear that I've built companies while studying here, they usually ask me one question."

He smiled faintly.

"'How do I become successful?'"

A few students laughed.

"My answer always disappoints them."

The room grew quiet.

"Because success isn't something you chase."

He rested both hands lightly on the podium.

"It's something you prepare yourself for."

Nobody interrupted, nobody even reached for their phones anymore.

"The greatest advantage you have isn't your family name."

"It isn't your bank account."

"It isn't your connection."

He looked slowly across the auditorium.

"It's time."

"Every person sitting here received exactly the same twenty-four hours today."

"The difference between five years from now and today..."

"...will be the decisions you make with those hours."

Silence.

The kind that only happens when people are listening instead of waiting to speak.

He continued.

"Don't spend your university years trying to impress strangers."

"Learn.", "Fail.", "Try again.", "Build something.", "Become someone your future self will thank."

The applause that followed wasn't loud because students had been told to clap, it was loud because they wanted to. I found myself joining them not because everyone else was but because I meant it.

His speech hadn't been about becoming rich, It hadn't been about fame, it had been about discipline, purpose, growth and somehow...It felt honest.

When the session ended, students rushed toward the stage. Questions flew from every direction.

"Can I get a picture?"

"How did you start your first company?"

"What's your biggest business advice?"

Within seconds, Kael disappeared behind a crowd.

Cassia looked at me.

"Aren't you going?"

I adjusted my backpack.

"No."

"Why not?"

"I've already heard what I needed to hear."

She raised an eyebrow.

"You're not curious?"

"I am."

"But I don't think I'll learn anything by standing in a queue with fifty other people."

Cassia laughed.

"You're different."

"So I've been told."

Instead of joining the crowd, I quietly walked outside.

"Skipping the fan club?"

The voice caught me off guard. I turned only to see Kael who stood a few metres away, hands tucked casually into his pockets. I simply stared.

Hadn't he been surrounded by students?

He smiled slightly. "They'll survive without me for thirty seconds."

Heat crept into my cheeks. "I wasn't avoiding you."

"I didn't say you were."

"I just..."

I hesitated.

"...don't really enjoy crowded places."

His smile widened. "I noticed."

There wasn't an ounce of arrogance in his tone.

If anything...He sounded amused.

"You were listening."

"I was."

"What did you think?"

The question surprised me. Was he actually asking for my opinion?

I considered my answer carefully.

"I liked that you didn't promise overnight success."

His eyebrows lifted. "Most speakers do."

"They also lie."

I laughed.

"That's a bold statement."

"It's usually true."

For a brief moment, neither of us spoke. The silence wasn't uncomfortable. It's simply... existed.

Comfortably, he extended his hand.

"I'm Kael."

I couldn't help smiling. "I know."

He chuckled. "I suppose introductions aren't really necessary."

I shook his hand. "I'm Seraphina."

"I know."

Now it was my turn to laugh. "So we're even."

Something about the exchange felt strangely natural, like speaking to someone I'd met before, even though I knew we hadn't.

Before either of us could say another word, someone called his name from inside the building.

"Kael!"

He glanced over his shoulder. "Duty calls."

I nodded.

"It was nice meeting you."

"You too."

Then, just before he walked away, he looked back. "I hope you enjoy your time at Aurelius."

There was something sincere about the way he said it. Not polite, not automatic but sincere. I watched him disappear back into the building before continuing toward the main walkway. For reasons I couldn't explain...I found myself smiling.

Then I immediately frowned. Why was I smiling?

I spoke to him for less than two minutes. "Get a grip, Seraphina," I muttered under my breath.

The university was already complicated enough. I didn't need handsome entrepreneurs, making it worse.

By the time Cassia caught up with me, she was carrying three brochures, two branded pens, and what looked suspiciously like free snacks she'd collected from every exhibition stand we'd passed.

She held up the snacks proudly. "University rule number one."

I looked at her.

"There are rules already?"

She nodded with complete seriousness. "If someone offers free food, you accept it."

I laughed. "I don't think that's an official rule."

"It should be." She tossed one of the snack bars toward me.

I caught it just before it hit the ground.

"There."

She smiled. "Your first reward for surviving orientation."

"I didn't know survival came with prizes."

"Everything comes with prizes if you know where to look."

I shook my head, smiling despite myself. Spending time with Cassia was effortless, she had a way of making ordinary moments feel lighter. Maybe that was her greatest talent.

Instead of returning directly to the hostel, we wandered through one of the quieter walkways leading toward the Faculty of Social Sciences.

"What's on your mind?"

Cassia's voice interrupted my thoughts.

I smiled.

"Nothing."

She folded her arms. "That's the face people make when they're definitely thinking about something."

"I was just..."

I searched for the right words.

"...trying to remember this moment."

She looked at me curiously.

"Why?"

"Because I don't want to forget how today feels."

She smiled. "I get that."

For a few seconds, we walked in comfortable silence.

Then she nudged me with her elbow.

"So..." I already knew that tone.

"So?"

"What did you think of Mr. Famous Entrepreneur?"

I rolled my eyes. "I knew this was coming."

"I'm waiting."

I pretended to think deeply.

"He seems..."

"Yes?"

"...normal."

Cassia stopped walking.

"Normal?"

"What?"

"That's your description?"

I shrugged.

"He doesn't act like someone everyone keeps talking about."

"Exactly!"

She pointed at me triumphantly. "That's why everyone talks about him."

I laughed.

"I meant he seems genuine."

"There you go." She grinned.

"I knew you'd admit it eventually."

"I admitted nothing."

"You smiled while talking to him."

"I smile at lots of people."

"You smiled differently."

Heat crept into my cheeks. "I did not."

"You absolutely did."

Before I could defend myself, my phone vibrated. A notification from the university portal appeared on the screen.

WELCOME TO AURELIUS UNIVERSITY

Your orientation timetable has been updated.

Saved by technology. I quickly opened the message, partly because I wanted to read it and partly because it ended Cassia's teasing.

She noticed anyway.

"Coward."

"I prefer 'strategic.'"

The walk back to the hostel felt shorter than before. Perhaps because the campus no longer seemed unfamiliar..

As we climbed the stairs to the second floor, Cassia stretched dramatically.

"I am officially exhausted."

"From walking?"

"Walking is difficult."

"You've complained about walking three times today."

"Four." She smiled.

"I'm counting this conversation too."

I unlocked our room. The familiar scent of freshly unpacked clothes greeted us as everything looked exactly as we'd left it.

Cassia dropped onto her bed with a satisfied sigh. "I'm not moving for at least ten minutes."

"I'll believe that when I see it."

I placed my backpack on the desk and reached for my notebook. Something tugged at the back of my mind.

The note.

I still hadn't looked at it again. Carefully, I unzipped my bag and removed the notebook. I opened it. The page where I'd hidden the folded paper stared back at me, it was empty. I frowned.

Maybe I'd tucked it somewhere else. I flipped through every page, still nothing. My movements became quicker. I checked the inside cover, the back pocket and between loose sheets. Still nothing.

A strange uneasiness settled in my stomach. "No..."

I emptied the entire contents of my backpack onto the desk. Pens, folders, my wallet, a packet of tissues and the photograph of my father. Everything, except the note.

My heartbeat quickened. I searched my suitcase, every compartment, every pocket then the drawer beside my bed. Still nothing.

Cassia looked up from where she was lying. "What are you looking for?"

I froze.

For a second, I considered telling her everything. The warning, the strange message, the fear that had followed me since last night but instead, I forced a small smile.

"I thought I misplaced something."

"What was it?"

"A piece of paper."

She shrugged sympathetically. "It'll probably turn up."

I wanted to believe her. I really did, but I knew it wouldn't because I remembered placing it inside my notebook. I remembered closing the drawer, I remembered it clearly. Someone hadn't simply found it, someone had taken it. A chill ran down my spine.

Without saying another word, I walked to the window and then...I noticed him.

Across the courtyard, beneath the broad branches of an old almond tree, stood a man wearing a dark hoodie. His face was hidden beneath the shadow of the hood. He wasn't talking, he wasn't using his phone, he wasn't waiting for anyone, he was simply standing there looking toward the hostel, toward my window. A cold knot tightened in my chest.

Almost instinctively, I stepped back from the glass. When I gathered the courage to look again… He was gone. No footsteps and no hurried movement. Just an empty stretch of pathway where he'd been standing seconds earlier.

I slowly closed the curtain. The room suddenly felt much smaller than it had a few minutes ago. Someone knew who I was, someone knew about my father and someone had entered my room... or found a way to remove the only evidence that proved I wasn't imagining any of it.

I had arrived at Aurelius University hoping to build a future but instead... It felt as though the past had been waiting for me all along