The First Day
The wind slithered through the half-lowered car window, sending icy chills crawling up Leah’s arms. She wrapped her coat tighter, but the chill seemed to settle deep into her bones. She wanted to ask the driver to roll the window up, but the words caught in her throat. Cars were unfamiliar to her, and making requests felt far too bold.
As the massive silhouette of the castle came into view, Leah’s heart hammered like a drumbeat in her chest. The sprawling grounds of the University of Lordes—UL, as everyone called it—were more intimidating than she had imagined.
The car came to a smooth halt at the grand gates of the university grounds. The driver turned to her briefly.
“You’ll be staying in the Cottage dorm, right? I’ll take your bags there. But you’d better hurry to the registration desk; they’ll be waiting for you,” he said before driving off.
Leah stood frozen for a moment, her eyes scanning the unfamiliar faces bustling around the campus. Students, grouped in clusters, moved with ease, their laughter and chatter echoing through the air. Despite knowing she wouldn’t find a familiar face here, Leah couldn’t help searching.
Anything, she prayed silently. Anything that feels like home.
She swallowed the lump in her throat and started toward the entrance. In the Kingdom of Everon, the University of Lordes was a name that carried weight, a place spoken of with awe and reverence. It was where the heirs of Everon’s most powerful clans came to study. The entry requirements alone made it nearly impossible for anyone outside the top three clans to even dream of attending.
But Leah wasn’t just anyone. She had earned the King’s Scholarship with her extraordinary grades, a feat that had stunned her family and everyone back in the Shadow Clan.
Everon’s clans were divided into two tiers: the top three—Ivory, Amber, and Jade—held wealth and political power, while the lower clans—Carob, Merlot, Azure, Amaranth, and her own Shadow clan—lived in the shadow of the top clans. Among the lower clans, Shadow Clan ranked the lowest.
The castle grounds were alive with activity. Everywhere she looked, students were gathered in tight-knit groups, their bonds already formed. Leah could feel the weight of her isolation pressing down on her.
“Lost?”
The voice was smooth and deep, startling her. She turned quickly to see a tall figure standing behind her. His smile was disarming, his blonde hair catching the sunlight in a golden halo.
“You’re new, aren’t you?” he asked, his green eyes gleaming with an unsettling brightness.
Leah nodded, swallowing nervously. She couldn’t help but stare at him. His blonde hair made it clear he was from the Ivory Clan, the most elite of the elites.
“I… I need to find the registration desk,” she finally managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper.
His smile widened. “Straight ahead, then take a left. You’ll see the sign.” He pointed toward the massive main gates.
“Thanks,” she mumbled, turning to walk away.
“Name’s Liam,” he called after her.
She glanced back hesitantly. “Leah,” she replied with a small, awkward smile.
As she walked away, she could feel his gaze lingering on her, and a faint buzz of whispers seemed to follow her. She noticed several students giving her strange looks, but she didn’t stop to decipher their expressions. Her mind lingered on Liam. His name tugged at her memory, though she couldn’t quite place why.
At last, she reached the registration desk, grateful to find it deserted except for a middle-aged woman sitting behind the counter.
“Hello, dear! I’m Sierra. How can I help you?” the woman greeted warmly, her smile lighting up her face.
Leah handed over her admission letter, and Sierra’s eyes widened with excitement.
“Oh, you’re the King’s Scholarship winner!” Sierra squealed, clapping her hands. “I’m so proud of you! Not many of us from the lower clans make it here. Your parents must be over the moon. Which clan are you from?”
“Shadow,” Leah answered softly.
Sierra’s smile faltered for the briefest moment before returning, though Leah caught the hesitation. “Well, Shadow or not, you’re here, and that’s what matters,” she said briskly, entering Leah’s details into her computer. “I’ve been waiting for you. Took you long enough to get here!”
“It’s so big… I got lost for a bit,” Leah admitted, feeling more at ease. “An Ivory helped me find my way.”
Sierra’s fingers froze over the keyboard. “An Ivory?” she repeated, her tone sharpening.
“Yes. Someone named Liam,” Leah said, almost casually.
Sierra’s eyes widened further, and she leaned in closer. “Prince Liam?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Leah blinked, confused. “Prince?”
And then it hit her. The name. The whispers. The looks. It was Prince Liam of the Ivory Clan. The son of the King.
Her stomach twisted as the realization settled over her.
