Chapter 4: Test The Water
1363 Words
“Excuse me? Have we met before?” I asked, trying to keep my voice neutral.
“I’m Kiera Fontaine,” she said, stepping closer, studying me with sharp eyes. “We met on registration day. Don’t you remember?”
I swallowed, my thoughts racing.
Registration day? That was… weeks ago.
The moment I’d shown up as Alina, with no memory of her life to speak of, everything had blurred together.
“Oh. Did we?” I said, my voice wavering for the briefest moment.
Kiera studied me longer, her eyes narrowing slightly, like she was trying to piece together a puzzle. Before she could probe further, one of the other girls, her blonde hair pulled into a tight braid, chimed in with a laugh.
“Come on, Kiera. She’s famous. How could she remember everyone? She must’ve met hundreds of people already.”
Relief surged through me. My muscles relaxed just a little, and I managed a small chuckle. “I’m not that famous,” I said, trying to make light of the situation.
“Well, we’ll let you off the hook this time,” Kiera said, her smile returning. “But we’ll get to know you better soon, Alina. You’re bound to become a household name around here.”
I smiled again, careful this time, making sure it was genuine. Stay calm. Stay in control. I had to.
And just like that, the circle of students around me started to ease. The pressure wasn’t gone entirely, but it had lessened.
They seemed to warm up to me, their earlier curiosity melting into eager camaraderie.
“You’ll get used to it,” a boy said with a grin. He had sandy hair and an easygoing smile that was contagious. “People stare a lot here. Especially when someone important shows up.”
“I’ll try not to trip over my own feet, then,” I said with a smile.
That earned a ripple of laughter, the sound light and easy.
“You’re cuter than I expected,” one of the girls said casually. “I thought you’d be… scarier.”
“Scarier?”
“You know, cold, untouchable, too perfect,” she shrugged, as if it were the most casual thing in the world. “Most prodigies are.”
I chuckled softly. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Kiera nodded approvingly. “Good. Because we were worried you’d be impossible to talk to.”
“Well, I’m relieved to disappoint you,” I replied, and the group laughed again.
“Have you seen your schedule yet?” another student asked. “First years usually get lost on day one.”
“I was just about to look at it,” I admitted, still trying to adjust to the rhythm of the conversations around me.
“Perfect,” Kiera said. “We’re heading to the east wing, healing studies. You can walk with us.”
I felt a flicker of gratitude. The tension in my chest eased slightly, and for the first time since arriving at Yankee Academy, I felt like maybe—just maybe—I could fit in.
“Thank you,” I said. “I’d appreciate that.”
As we started walking, I adjusted my steps to match theirs.
I was still uneasy, still trying to play the part of Alina. But the more I walked, the more I realized that being around Kiera and the others wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be.
Their friendly banter, their easy confidence. It felt almost like being part of something.
Still, despite the warmth around me, I couldn’t escape the nagging feeling at the back of my mind.
I was here under false pretenses.
No matter how well I blended in, it was only a matter of time before my disguise would be exposed.
***
“All students must proceed to the main hall immediately!”
The loudspeaker blared the announcement, and the surrounding students started moving in a single direction toward the main hall, murmuring among themselves.
The group of girls I had just met began to follow the crowd, and I instinctively fell into line with them, trying to keep my steps even, to appear as composed as possible.
I didn’t realize how tightly I’d been holding my breath until the surrounding air shifted, as if a weight had been lifted. My disguise—Alina Russell—still felt foreign on my skin, like a cloak that didn’t quite fit.
Kiera’s gaze flickered to me once more. There was something in her eyes now, a small flicker of suspicion, but it wasn’t strong enough to raise an alarm. Yet.
“So, Alina, what do you think of this place so far? I mean, the academy, not just the walls and stone. I assume you're used to the luxury, right? The Russell family legacy is basically famous around here,” she asked.
Her words hung in the air for a moment, her eyes assessing me, testing for something. There was no malice in her tone, but the scrutiny behind it wasn’t something I could ignore.
“It’s… overwhelming, but I’ll get used to it. I’ve never been to a place like this.”
Kiera’s gaze softened, and she chuckled lightly. “That’s true for a lot of us. But trust me, you’ll fit in perfectly. You’re from the Russell family. You’re destined for this kind of life, aren’t you?”
My stomach tightened again, but I kept my face neutral. “I guess so.”
Kiera’s words felt like an invisible weight pressing down on me. But I needed to keep it light.
Or maybe I was trying to convince myself.
As we reached the hall, the stone structure towering before us, I couldn’t help but feel like I was walking into a trap.
The gleaming etched marble steps led us into the grand entrance, where the students gathered in neat rows. The walls inside the hall were adorned with banners representing the four houses.
“I wonder where we would have been.”
“Sorry?”
“The four divisions. We will get the best pick.”
“Ah! I didn’t know that.”
“You’ll know it soon.”
I was barely able to absorb Kiera’s words when the voice of Headmaster Galen Winters cut through the air like a thunderclap, silencing the murmurs of the crowd.
“Everyone, gather round!”
I turned as he stood at the far end of the hall, his tall frame dominating the space. His black robes flowed with eerie grace, blending with the shadows cast by the towering, ancient windows.
“You are here for a reason,” Headmaster Winters began. “You are the future of the supernatural world. This academy was built to forge power, to hone your gifts, and to give you the skills necessary to rise among your kind.”
He paused, allowing his words to sink in.
“You are not just students here. You are competitors. This is not a place where you simply learn. This is a place where you prove yourself. You will rise, or you will fall. Only the strongest, the most capable, will survive.”
I felt the weight of his words, the intensity of the challenge stirring something deep inside me. Fear and excitement intertwined.
“This institution has produced many great individuals, and one day, you will become one of them. So prepare yourselves and earn your golden star at the end of each semester.”
“Wait. What did he say?” I turned to Kiera.
She furrowed her eyebrows. “What?”
“The golden star thingy.”
“Ah. Didn’t you read the booklet? Or didn’t your family tell you?” Kiera asked, suspicion edging her voice.
“Sorry. I was kind of distracted earlier. Maybe I missed that part.”
“The golden star means you passed their assessment,” she explained. “Fail three times and you’re out.”
“What? I… I didn’t know that!”
The hall suddenly felt much smaller.
“So… this is why Alina didn’t show up herself and let me test the water?
Damn.”
- Writer
