Chapter 5: The Houses
1011 Words
“Now, before we move on to your house assignments, let me briefly explain the structure of Yankee Academy and the four houses that will define your journey here.”
Headmaster Winters’ voice echoed through the hall, low and deliberate.
The moment he spoke, the air itself seemed to tighten, as if the walls were listening along with us. The earlier murmurs faded into silence, replaced by an anxious stillness that pressed against my skin.
“Yankee Academy is divided into four distinct houses,” he continued. “Each house has its own specialty. Its own path to power. Where you are placed will determine not only your education. But also your future.”
I swallowed.
“This is not a casual assignment,” he said, his gaze sweeping over the sea of students. “Each house is more than a group. They are families. Rivalries. Alliances. And they are the dorms where you will live, train, and learn together for the duration of your time here.”
A faint shiver traveled down my spine.
Families.
I had lost one long ago. Now I was pretending to belong to another.
“The first house,” Headmaster Winters said, “is Coven House. Coven House is the house of Healers and Telepaths. Those gifted with the ability to mend flesh and spirit, and to repair wounds both visible and unseen.”
My chest tightened.
“This house carries the Russell family legacy,” he added. “Telepathic healing that hasn’t been seen in a century. Hopefully, we’ll find it very soon here. Well… you can say, Coven House is where the most powerful healers in our history have been trained.”
Kiera elbowed me sharply in the ribs.
I startled, then realized she was grinning at me.
She definitely meant me to feel proud.
The truth was. I wasn’t. Not even close.
If anything, shame crawled up my throat.
Headmaster Winters’ gaze drifted again, slower this time. His eyes landed on me and lingered longer than I expected. Long enough for my pulse to spike. Long enough for doubt to bloom like poison.
I straightened my back instinctively, forcing my shoulders into place, hiding the tremor in my hands by curling my fingers against my skirt.
I was Alina Russell now.
A name heavy with expectation. With history. With power I didn’t possess.
“The second house,” he went on, “is Nightshade House.”
A murmur rippled through the students, louder this time.
“Nightshade House specializes in combat magic and warrior training. Students with exceptional physical strength and aggressive magical affinity belong here. This is where you learn to fight, to defend, and to dominate.”
Predators.
My stomach twisted.
“The third house is Celestia House,” Headmaster Winters said. “The house of Magical Researchers and Scholars. These students seek knowledge above all else. Ancient texts, spell creation, magical evolution. Celestia students are inventors. Architects of magic itself.”
My eyes drifted instinctively to the group already standing with quiet confidence.
Their robes were pristine, marked with a softly glowing star. Their posture was precise, controlled.
Among them stood the girl with the high ponytail.
So that was where she belonged.
She carried herself differently here. Unquestioned, untouchable. The others subtly adjusted around her, gravitating toward her presence without even realizing it.
“That’s Vicky Jackson,” Kiera whispered beside me. “She’s the house leader.”
Understanding clicked into place.
“The Jacksons rule the houses,” Kiera added quietly. “Viper—the Nightshade—and her.” She nodded toward Vicky. “Celestia’s crown.”
Of course.
“And finally,” Headmaster Winters said, pausing until the silence became unbearable, “Eclipse House.”
My breath caught.
“Eclipse House is home to shapeshifters and elemental wielders. Those whose magic is tied directly to nature itself. Fire, water, earth, air. Shapeshifters who take animal forms. Elementals who bend raw forces.”
Unpredictable. Dangerous.
“This house values adaptability,” he finished. “Versatility. Raw, untamed power.”
I exhaled slowly, scanning the hall.
Some students whispered excitedly, already convinced of where they belonged. Others stood rigid, faces carefully blank. Some were just as lost as I was… only better at hiding it.
“Without further ado,” Headmaster Winters said, lifting a scroll, “let us begin the assignments.”
The moment stretched.
“Alina Russell.”
My heart slammed violently against my ribs.
For a split second, my mind went blank.
Then panic surged.
My feet moved before I could stop them, carrying me forward like a puppet pulled by invisible strings. I lifted my chin, squared my shoulders, and walked into the open space beneath the towering banners.
“Coven House.”
The words hit me harder than I expected.
A breath escaped my lungs, shaky and unsteady.
Of course.
The Russell legacy demanded nothing less.
As I joined the other Coven students, whispers followed me like shadows. Recognition. Curiosity. Awe.
And something else.
Hunger.
Their gazes were sharp, dissecting, searching for proof that I deserved to stand among them.
I didn’t.
Headmaster Winters continued calling names, one after another. Faces shifted. Houses filled.
Then—
“Viper Jackson.”
The name sliced through the hall.
Nightshade House.
A cold shiver traced my spine.
Its heir had been claimed.
I tried to focus on my own breathing, on the Coven banner above me. But my gaze betrayed me. It found him effortlessly.
I felt Viper before I truly saw him.
Not just his presence, but his power.
He stood like he owned the air around him. Calm. Controlled. Lethal.
His eyes lifted.
Locked onto mine.
The world blurred at the edges.
His gaze was sharp, invasive, as if he were weighing my worth.
And my lies.
I refused to look away.
Then he turned.
But the tension didn’t break.
It coiled tighter.
As he passed, his voice brushed my ear, low enough that only I could hear.
“Don’t bother being careful.”
I froze.
It wasn’t advice.
It was a warning.
- Writer
