Secret Heir (Dynasty #1)(18)
“It’s nothing,” I say finally. You’re right. I’ll be fine.”
Magnus regards me for another moment, suddenly looking uncertain.
“Are you sure it’s nothing?”
“Yeah, I’m sure. Don’t worry about it.”
“Good. Here, take this.” He hands me a cell phone and I don’t even know why I’m still surprised. I begin to ask how the hell they have cell phones here on Eden, but why wouldn’t there be? This place being a mirror of Earth and all.
“I’ll call to check up on you. But I’ve added my number on here, so call me if you need anything.”
It feels strange having someone care enough to actually check up on me or to have someone give a damn about me at all. I haven’t had that since I was seven and although it feels alien, I can’t deny that it chips away at my walls and I can feel some of the icy exterior that has built up around me throughout the years, thawing.
“Thank you,” I mumble. The words are barely audible, but Magnus hears it.
“You’re very welcome, Jazmine,” he replies with a wistful smile.
7
I’ve never set foot inside a boarding school before, but I’m pretty sure that Sovereign Hall is like no other student hall. The gold leaf double doors open out onto a cavernous, marble-floored reception room. A modern, all-white open plan kitchen and dining room flanks the reception on one side, and a living area with plush velvet couches and a large marble fireplace flanks the other. The far wall is lined entirely with glass and opens out onto what looks like an indoor swimming pool, with another wall of glass beyond that looking out onto the coastline below.
I crane my neck to look at the glass chandelier which hangs over the reception hall and the curved white marble staircase leading up to the rooms above. The ceiling is impossibly high and I wonder where it stops.
Upstairs, the first floor splits into two wings. I take the left wing and read the gold plaque on each set of double doors as I pass. Aldebran, Aspen, St. Tristan and finally Evenstar. I’m guessing the other heirs are rooming in the other wing. I’m less than thrilled to find that the St. Tristan suite is directly across from the Evenstar suite. In fact, the thought that I’m going to be living across the hall from the jackass that is Raphael St. Tristan for the entire year, makes me sick to my stomach.
I step into my quarters to find a large suite which is three times larger than any bedroom I’ve ever had in all ten of my previous foster homes. In fact, the room is probably larger than most apartments. A king size, four poster bed fills the middle of the room. A plush purple velvet chaise lounge sits between the large floor to ceiling mirror and marble top dresser. But the best feature has to be the black marble fireplace at the center of the living area, with the plush black faux fur rug sprawled in front of it.
I’m also pleased to find that in addition to stocking the closet, Magnus has also arranged for a full array of art supplies. A pile of blank sketch books perch next to a large wooden easel and there are shelves full of pastels, paints and blank canvases.
I drop down onto the enormous bed and for a moment, I can almost feel grateful. But there remains the fact that no matter how nice my surroundings, there is no changing the reality that I’ll be spending the entire year living with a bunch of spoiled pricks who hate my guts.
I hate the first day at a new school. I should be used to it by now, this being the eleventh one. But I’m not. In fact, this one is probably the worst one yet by far. I expect the curious glances, but what I don’t expect are the whispers and the open disapproval. I expected to just drift through this place in the usual way—keeping my head down and being as invisible as possible. But it becomes painfully clear, from the first moment, that it isn’t going to happen. Not here.
I’m puzzled, because no one here knows me or at least they shouldn’t. But I have a sinking feeling that the spoiled pricks who are now my new hall mates, have something to do with my notoriety. Thankfully, I haven’t seen any of them yet, and this place is big enough that I can hope that I can get through the year without crossing paths with any of them. All I have to do is sneak in and out of Sovereign Hall when they aren’t around. It was easy enough this morning, because the mansion was still empty when I left for class.
I let out a sigh as I pass through yet another hallway where the students literally step back as I walk past, as if I’m the carrier of some contagious disease. I school my expression into staying blank. But I can’t shake the feeling that I really don’t belong here.
Everything about this place screams wealth and privilege—from the marble floors and wood paneled halls, to the prissy uniforms. I’ve never worn a school uniform in my life, but here I am walking through these fancy halls wearing a crisp white shirt, black pleated skirt and dark grey blazer with a golden Regency Mount crest embroidered on the front pocket. It’s the same uniform as all the other students are wearing, and yet I still feel like a total outsider.
My first class is calculus, and I feel eyes on me as I walk through the room. I take my seat at the back, and I’m not surprised when the desks around me stay vacant.
“This seat taken?” a quiet voice startles me and I look up to see a brown-haired girl standing at the desk next to mine. Her dark brown eyes dart around nervously as she shifts from one foot to the other.