Page 7

I was startled awake when Eden’s bedroom door flew wide open. She came in with a smile on her face and a steaming mug in her hands.

“Morning!” She sang, waltzing towards the blinds. I winced as she pulled them open, and the early morning sun shone through the window. After the eventful party yesterday, I spent the night tossing and turning in bed. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw grey. Gun metal grey that pissed me off.

“I’ve spoken with Nadael,” Eden said, her tone chipper as she straightened the crooked frames on her wall. “She’ll be speaking to your dormmates today, making sure they’re accommodating.”

I stifled a laugh.

Right— accommodating . That’s what they were like yesterday when one of them decided walking around naked was a normal way to greet someone.

“Marnie has also told me she will meet you by the entrance and is incredibly excited to show you around.” Eden walked toward me and sat at the edge of the bed. Handing me the mug, she smiled as I thanked her despite the nausea and nerves I felt. “How was the outing last night?”

I blew the steam off my tea, contemplating whether I should tell her about Hunter or not.

She spoke so highly of him in Nadael’s office yesterday that she’d think I’m lying to cause a scene.

Again. “It was good,” I lied. “Thank you for letting me stay in your room, by the way. You didn’t have to do that. ”

She waved a hand and stood. “After the mix-up yesterday, I owed it to you.” She sighed as she glanced at her watch.

“I should let you get ready. It’s a bit of a walk from the Celestial quarters to the main building.

” As she went to turn and leave, she stopped.

“Oh, and um, I’m sure Joe would have told you this, but it’s been requested that you not go out into town when weekends come.

He thinks it will be safer if you stay here at all times. ”

I nodded, gripping the handle of the mug a little too tight. This was a prison but for me only.

Once Eden left, I stripped off the beige bed linen and hurried to get ready, not even bothering to tame my curls as I placed the tailored, deep midnight blue blazer over my white shirt.

I stared at the gold and silver embroidery along the lapels and cuffs before running my hands over Celestia’s crest, a winged emblem embroidered in silver thread.

I sighed, shook my head, and turned to the pleated blue skirt laid out on the bed. An hour later, I was heading out of the Celestial quarters and sending Joe messages about my first night here.

Joe: I hope you’ve been eating - Joe Martin

I hadn’t.

You: u know u don’t need to add ur name at the end of every text, right? I know it’s you

Joe: It is common courtesy – Joe Martin

You: ur not in the 1920s anymore, Joe. This isn’t a formal letter for ur strict old granny, lol

Joe: You still haven’t told me if you have been eating or not – Joe Martin

I rolled my eyes at his message and replied with a quick, I have , before slipping my phone into my blazer pocket.

It was still early September, so the chill in the air was mild.

The leaves on the trees lining the narrow pathway had just started to fall, and after about twenty minutes of walking, I emerged onto the main road where the grand entrance to Celestia stood.

Hundreds of Ascendants were streaming through the towering doors, most of them in the same attire as me, while others wore a form-fitting jacket in deep blue—like ones made for combat.

Silver angelic runes adorned the sides, and a stitched Roman numeral 1 stood out against their upper arm.

Another wave of nausea hit me, no doubt thanks to the sip I took from Eden’s mug earlier.

As I walked, I noticed some Ascendants turning their heads to stare, their eyes lingering a little too long.

They likely already knew who I was—my nerves were practically palpable, and I felt they could sense it from a mile away.

Last night, most of them barely acknowledged my presence, but as Marnie said, once Monday rolls around, it’s back to competing against each other.

I doubted they saw me as any real competition, but I could feel their judgment like a weight pressing down against my chest. My stomach churned with the uncomfortable awareness, and I dropped my head, hurrying past as many of them as possible.

I was avoiding eye contact as if my life depended on it.

Only when I reached the stairs did I dare to lift my chin, and there, barreling through the crowd, was Marnie.

“Move out of the way, Tom—” she huffed, pushing past a tall boy who barely moved in response. She reached me and gave me a once-over, her eyes sparkling with awe. “You look so—”

“Nope,” I interrupted, shaking my head before she could finish that sentence.

Marnie grinned. “Don’t you like it then?” she said, linking her arm with mine.

“I feel stupid.” For more than one reason. I was tugged across the foyer, and my eyes shot to the ceilings that soared high above, supported by grand marble columns. “I thought after I turned eighteen, I wouldn’t need to wear school uniforms anymore.”

“Everything in the Celestial world follows orders,” she chuckled. “Meaning uniforms are part of a structure that we should all follow.”

Children younger than me darted past Marnie and me, their innocent laughs echoing across the expansive hall.

My gaze drifted upwards, almost making me gasp.

Golden light cascaded through towering stained-glass windows, each pane depicting Celestial scenes—angels in battles, others healing.

On the left side, another window told the story of creation.

It wasn’t the story most of humanity believed.

The first angels or lifeforms were not crafted by an all-powerful god.

The origins of angels, demons, and even life stemmed from the Seraphim—the first Celestials.

They were beings born from the balance of light and darkness.

Joe used to tell me they were creators, not rulers. But Joe was the only person to view them as that.

When Marnie pulled me along the halls, I saw four banners hanging from the walls far ahead. Each banner detailed the sectors and what they stood for.

“And yet demons never follow orders,” I murmured, my voice seeming to be elsewhere while I stared at the first banner for the Warriors. Strength, Combat, Protection...

I remained fixated on it until Marnie abruptly pulled me away. My gaze fell to the number IV and the Healer’s emblem of a golden chalice above it stitched on her left breast pocket.

“Do you want to get us into trouble?” she whispered harshly.

“What? I—I didn’t think there was anything wrong with mentioning them.”

“It’s not, but in a place where everyone wants to become an angel, it’s hardly a topic they wish to hear. I’m surprised Joe has never spoken to you about this.”

He had... in his own cryptic way. He would tell me how the Angelic Council was private, and until now, demons haven’t been much of a threat other than to corrupt people into becoming one of them.

It’s the reason why Ascendants exist. They’re chosen so that when they do become an angel, they can protect others and help grow the angelic hierarchy.

“Anyway,” Marnie sighed. “I should probably take you to Nadael’s office. She said she wanted to see you first thing in the morning.”

I swallowed my nerves, not necessarily liking the idea that Nadael wanted to see me.

The sensation in my stomach was the same whenever I would wait to be seen by the headmistress in school.

What was worse this time around was that Nadael was an immortal angel.

Not a regular human trying to do their 9-to-5 job.

Marnie led me up the spiraling staircases adjacent to the ones on the right. We both kept quiet, our minds still on the subject of demons, before she dropped me off by Nadael’s office. Twice in a row, I was here, and it didn’t make me feel any better.

“Come in,” Nadael’s voice called out when Marnie knocked. We stepped inside, and Nadael glanced up from her desk, offering a polite smile. “Thank you, Marnie, for bringing her. You can report to the Healers Sector now—a Warrior’s already in bay one.”

Marnie gave a sharp nod, then flashed me a wide-eyed look, mouthing good luck before slipping out the door. The click of it closing behind her left the room in an awkward silence.

I shifted on my feet, but Nadael gestured toward the chair in front of her desk. I obliged, keeping my gaze low and my backpack squeezed tightly between my legs.

“How was your first night at Celestia?” she asked, her tone neutral but probing. “I wanted to apologize again for the... dorm situation.”

“It was fine,” I said quickly, though the lie sat sourly on my tongue. It wasn’t fine. I felt like an outsider here. I knew it. Everyone knew it. “ It’s definitely different from what I’m used to.”

Nadael didn’t laugh or offer a light-hearted comment, which only deepened the tension between us.

She folded her hands neatly on the desk and studied me briefly before continuing.

“Grace... I wanted to discuss your classes. The Celestials here are all aware of your unique situation and we’ve decided it would be best if you shadowed Marnie for the time being. ”

Disappointment sunk into my stomach like an anchor. It wasn’t that I didn’t like Marnie—she was kind, after all—but the look of pity in Nadael’s eyes made it clear she didn’t see me capable of much more.

“She’s a Healer, which involves treating injured Warriors and—”

“Can I not choose where to go?” I cut her off with a pensive frown.

She blinked at me and almost chuckled at the idiocy of my words. “Grace, this place revolves around an Ascendant’s specific ability. Everyone has a future to pick. A Warrior, once ascended, will become an Authority in the angelic hierarchy—”