Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Hallows’ City was wide awake as always in the late midnight hour. Cars blared their horns on the roads below. Monsters hissed and roared and cackled with one another in the streets. Bats squealed and flapped their wings through the air. The metro chugged along the many tracks woven throughout the city like a spiderweb. Werewolves howled at the full moon, shining high above their heads like a silver coin in the night sky. But despite the sheer volume of everything going on outside, the rowdy ambience of the city was simply reduced to muffled background noise, drowned out by the much louder sounds of laughter and bloodshed in the living room of Sadie’s apartment.

Sadie cackled as the character on screen had their arm brutally ripped off by the slasher and proceeded to get strangled with that same arm . It was so gruesome that it was straight-up comical. She took a sip from her can of Dr. Pepper. “You can tell the director was trying hard to make these kills as edgy as possible.”

“I think they were trying to make this whole entire movie as edgy as possible,” Ember chuckled next to her, tossing more kernels of popcorn into her mouth.

“Seriously, who greenlit this fucking film?” Mona scoffed from Sadie’s other side, fiddling with the brim of her witch’s hat. “A group of teenagers gets randomly teleported into a world where everyone’s favorite characters from childhood are now bloodthirsty serial killers? How did they even come up with this?”

“I don’t know, but I’m so glad they did,” Billie giggled, pulling out another lollipop from her bag and tearing the wrapper open. Then she popped the candy inside her mouth, letting the stick hang out like a cigarette.

Suddenly, Ember briefly stopped chewing her popcorn to stare thoughtfully at the screen for a moment. And then, “Hear me out—”

“Hell no,” came Mona’s immediate response.

“You don’t even know what I was gonna say!” the demon snapped, whipping her head around to glare at Mona.

“Yes, I do,” the witch simply responded, raising an eyebrow. “You were going to start thirsting over one of the killers and saying some shit like ‘I’d let him strangle me with my own arm!’”

“She’s kinda real for that,” Billie chimed in.

“Shut up, Billie.”

“Thank you, Billie!” Ember exclaimed at the same time, sending her a grateful grin before turning to glare at Mona once more. “And for your information, Mona, I wasn’t gonna thirst over one of the killers.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Oh really?”

“Really,” Ember huffed, crossing her arms. But then a smirk started to spread across her lips. “I was gonna thirst over all of them—especially the women.”

“You know what? Now you’re real for that,” Mona giggled, holding her hand up for a high-five, one that Ember happily provided.

Sadie rolled her eyes, but her lips pulled up into an amused grin. “Freaks,” she snickered affectionately, taking another sip of Dr. Pepper.

“I know, right?” Roulette, Sadie’s pet cat, purred in agreement, curled up in the boogeyman’s lap and swishing her tail back and forth.

“But we’re your freaks,” Billie said with a singsong tone.

“Yeah, you guys still love us anyway,” Ember teased, leaning closer to Sadie and scratching the top of Roulette’s head.

“You kind of have to,” Mona smirked. “You’re stuck with us even after school starts next month.”

“More like you guys are stuck with me after school starts next month,” Sadie countered playfully.

“And me,” Roulette added, lifting her head from her paws.

“Then I guess we’re all stuck with each other for the whole school year,” Ember beamed.

“Again,” Mona added.

“I wouldn’t want it any other way!” Billie cheered.

Sadie smiled, warm and giddy. “Agreed,” she sighed, taking another sip of Dr. Pepper.

Just then, she heard the jingle of keys in a lock before the front door swung open, shortly followed by the sound of her mother’s voice calling out, “Sadie! I’m home!”

“Coming!” she immediately called back. Then she grabbed the TV remote that had fallen in between the cushions and paused the movie before scooping Roulette up into her arms. Then she turned to look at her friends. “Come on, let’s go.”

They all got up from the sofa, Ember taking the popcorn and Billie taking the lollipops, and headed into the kitchen where Sadie’s mom was already rummaging through the pantry for something to eat. When she glanced over her shoulder, she immediately smiled upon seeing her daughter. “Hey, hon. How was your night?”

“Good,” Sadie responded. Another sip of Dr. Pepper. “How was the casino?”

“Busy as always,” Ms. Arachned sighed, grabbing a few chips before exiting the pantry and shutting the door behind her. “Are you girls having fun?”

Ember nodded eagerly. “Lots of fun!”

“We were watching a really bad horror movie just now!” Billie elaborated.

Ms. Arachned raised an eyebrow. “Why was it ‘really bad?’”

“You don’t wanna know,” Mona sighed.

“Then why would you want to watch it in the first place?”

“It’s one of those ‘so bad, it’s good’ movies,” Sadie explained, before a teasing grin overtook her features. “Kinda like all those dramas you watch sometimes.”

Her mother rolled her eyes affectionately, biting into a chip. “They’re not that bad, you would know if you ever decided to watch them with me. But anyway, I’m glad to hear you guys are having a good time with each other! Oh, also”—she suddenly pointed at the island—“you got mail.”

Sadie lowered her gaze to the island, where two dark envelopes were sitting in the center of the smooth marble surface. Brows furrowing in curiosity, she gently let Roulette out of her arms and slowly approached the island, setting her can of soda down in front of her. Upon closer inspection, she noticed the envelopes were different shades—one of them was a dark, charcoal gray, while the other was as black as the midnight sky outside. Something uneasy began to stir in her gut, but she tried to push it down.

“I had a long day at the casino today, so I’m going to rest in my bedroom for a little while,” Ms. Arachned informed them, finishing the rest of the chips in her hand. “Do you girls need anything else before I go?”

They all shook their heads.

“Okay then.” She circled the kitchen island until she reached Sadie and leaned down to press a kiss to her stitched forehead. “Call me if you need anything.” Then she turned and walked out of the kitchen, leaving Sadie and the girls alone with the mysterious envelopes.

Behind her, Ember, Mona, and Billie all creeped closer to the island, peering over her shoulders to analyze the envelopes. She even felt the soft brush of Roulette’s fur against her sweatpants before the feline jumped onto the island, curiosity getting the best of her over the source of everyone’s anticipation—or, more accurately in this case, anxiety .

“Ugh,” Ember groaned, flames already starting to flicker in her citrine eyes, “don’t tell me it’s what I think it is…” She set her bowl of popcorn down on the island, seemingly having lost her appetite now.

Sadie slowly reached forward. Her heart began to pump faster by the minute as she grabbed the envelopes and turned them around. As soon as she saw the respective wax seals on both of them, her heart stopped pumping and fell all the way to her stomach, where a web of dread began to weave itself in the pit.

The jet black envelope in her right hand contained a wax seal of an equally black rose—an onyx rose, to be more specific. She was already familiar with this one: it was a letter from her school, Onyx Rose Institute.

But the moment her eyes landed on the charcoal gray envelope in her left hand, on the wax seal of a raven inside of a mirror, her lips curled into a scowl.

“No,” Mona gasped.

“Oh, come on!” Billie whined. The lollipop in between her lips threatened to fall out. “Say it’s fake. Please, someone, say it’s fake!”

Sadie desperately hoped it was. After all, there was absolutely no reason for her to receive an envelope from that school at all.

Unless…

She dropped the black envelope back onto the island, using her now free hand to mercilessly rip the gray one open. A small grin tugged at her lips as she tore the raven-and-mirror seal in half, but it didn’t last very long. Inside the envelope were two folded pieces of paper, both of them colored like pages of an old book. She carelessly yanked them out, letting the shredded envelope plop onto the marble surface below. She unfolded the first piece of paper to reveal a list of supplies she would need for this school year, all the various notebooks and textbooks she’d require for each class. Her scowl only deepened when she saw that same raven-and-mirror crest printed in the top-right corner of the paper.

“Oh god,” Mona groaned, her hands rising to cover her face in despair, “don’t tell me they chose you for this stupid program…”

“They better not have,” Roulette growled, baring her teeth fiercely. Her ears were pulled back, and her tail lashed side to side like a whip.

Sadie didn’t answer. She only let go of the supplies list, also letting it plop unceremoniously onto the island, before unfolding the second piece of paper. The one she was dreading to read. The one that would forever seal her fate for the whole school year and ruin the rest of her summer.

It was a letter.

From the fucking headmaster of Night Raven College .

As if her mood couldn’t grow any worse, she began to read the obnoxiously cursive words written on the paper:

Dear Ms. Arachned,

It is with the utmost honor that I congratulate you on earning the once-in-a-lifetime chance to attend Night Raven College for the upcoming school year! It seems as though the Great Seven themselves have decided to smile upon you and bless you with insurmountable fortune, as it is not every day that someone is given the opportunity to attend such a prestigious and respectable academy such as this one. Consider yourself truly lucky!

In case you do not already know, although I find that hard to believe, I am Dire Crowley, the humble headmaster of Night Raven College. As headmaster, the safety and wellbeing of my students are my number one priority. It is my sole duty to care for them and ensure they are all able to grow to their full potential, and that includes you as well this year. Therefore, as your new headmaster for the year, it is one of my topmost priorities to make sure your time at Night Raven College is one filled with success, knowledge, good fortune, and—most importantly—cherished memories with your peers that you wouldn’t trade for the world! Aren’t I such a thoughtful headmaster already?

In addition to this letter, I have taken the liberty of providing you with an extensive list of all the supplies you will require for your classes this year. I highly recommend that you purchase these supplies sooner rather than later. We wouldn’t want you to enter this upcoming school year unprepared, now would we? Ah, what a truly courteous headmaster I am! And in case you were wondering about your schedule, you shall receive it on Orientation night, right before the first day of classes, so there’s no need to worry about it just yet. Should you have any inquiries about your supplies or your new life at this school in general, please do not hesitate to send me a letter! I guarantee you will receive a very speedy response (within a month or two).

With that, I truly wish you nothing but the best this year at Night Raven College. Learn new things, make new friends, seize new opportunities, and experience the best of what the most prestigious school in all of Twisted Wonderland has to offer you! I promise you won’t be disappointed in the slightest.

With the kindest regards,

Headmaster Dire Crowley

(P.S. Don’t forget to tell your old schoolmates what a wonderful time you’re having at Night Raven College! I’m sure they’ll all be quite envious of your position.)

All the lights in the kitchen started to flicker. The shadows in every nook and cranny began to darken and twitch angrily. A low, rumbling growl sounded in the back of Sadie’s throat as she glared daggers at the letter in her hands. She was really fighting the urge to rip it to shreds right now.

“Are you okay, Sadie?” Mona asked, pulling her back to reality before her rage could spiral into destruction. She glanced up to see the three monsters and Roulette all staring at her with varying expressions of concern, anxiety, and anticipation. “What does the letter say?”

She slammed the letter down onto the cold marble surface. “It says I’m going to Night Raven College.” Her tone was flat, with traces of resentment and frustration shamelessly mixed in there.

There was a second of silence. Maybe half a second.

And then all hell broke loose.

“WHAT?” Roulette hissed, claws unsheathing like tiny knives and tail shooting up into the air.

“DAMN IT!” Ember screamed, flames igniting in her now red-hot irises. The temperature in the kitchen suddenly increased as if someone had started a fire, but it cooled back down a second later.

“NO!” Mona cried angrily. Her eyes flashed a vibrant, dangerous shade of indigo. There was a faint crackle in the air, as if she was conjuring enough magic energy to cast a curse on someone.

“BOOGIE MAN, WHY?” Billie shouted, shaking her fists in the air. Down in the streets below, the ground shook ever so slightly, like all the corpses in the world were rolling in their graves. “WHY WOULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN TO THE HOUSEWARDEN OF YOUR OWN DORM?”

Despite herself, Sadie let out a small huff of laughter. “Hey, don’t blame this on the Boogie Man,” she playfully chided. “Blame it on the ‘Great Seven’ for ‘blessing me with insurmountable fortune’ or whatever the fuck that headmaster said.”

Ember cringed. “Ew, is that actually what he wrote?”

Sadie nodded. “Literally in the first paragraph.”

“Ugh, he sounds even worse than the students,” Mona groaned.

“Well, they had to have learned it from somewhere, I guess,” Roulette scoffed, fur bristling on end.

“Hey, wait, what about the other envelope?” Billie suddenly asked, pointing at said envelope with her lollipop. “That one has to be from Headmistress Strife, right? Surely she has a good explanation for all this!”

“She better,” Sadie growled, picking up the black envelope and—with a lot more care than before—slowly peeled it open, making sure to preserve the rose seal as best as she could. Unlike the one from Night Raven College, this envelope only contained one folded piece of paper inside, crisp and white. She slowly pulled it out and set the envelope down, unfolding the piece of paper to reveal a letter written by Headmistress Strife herself, thankfully in much more legible handwriting:

Dear Sadie,

I’m sorry you had to find out like this, but as you may have already guessed, you were chosen as the “lucky student” to attend Night Raven College for a whole year. Again, I’m truly sorry.

I know you’re probably upset, although that’s putting it lightly, considering how most of you girls are when it comes to Night Raven College. Having to attend a school filled with aggressive, egotistical, temperamental teenage boys for nine months straight? That’s a fate not even I would wish on my worst enemy—because he’s already the headmaster of that godforsaken school, so what would be the point?

But all jokes aside, I know you’re probably still angry with me for even agreeing to this program in the first place, but I assure you it’s for good reason. You know as well as I do that Onyx Rose Institute deserves more recognition throughout the world. After all, the Superior Seven did not die all those years ago just for their school to be constantly overshadowed by that glorified academy founded by the “Great” Seven. This could finally be our chance to shed some much-needed light on our very own school for once—and maybe even steal some of that light from Night Raven College themselves.

Now, I know those boys are going to severely test your patience every day. Based on your first year at Onyx Rose (which was only just last year! Oh, how time flies), I know you have a tendency to… frighten people whenever they try to mess with you or even any of your dorm members. However, since you’ll be at an entirely different school this year, I’m afraid you’ll have to be on your—somewhat—best behavior at Night Raven College. You will essentially be representing Onyx Rose Institute, so try not to curse anyone with nightmares over there… Unless, of course, they try to provoke you first. Then in that case, you have every right to defend yourself however you see fit. And if that way is to curse them with nightmares, well then… who am I to stop you? ;)

Before I officially conclude this letter, there is one more thing I wanted to inform you: since you will be absent for the entirety of your second year here, and therefore unable to be present as Housewarden of Nocterror, your current Vice Housewarden will be made acting Housewarden in your absence. This arrangement is only temporary, as it is only for the year that you are gone. We can’t leave a whole dorm without anyone in charge, now can we? Again, I’m truly sorry about, well, all of this, but I promise it’ll all be worth it in the end. I’ll see you at Onyx Rose Institute next year.

Yours truly,

Headmistress Melora Strife

“What’d she say?” Ember asked, leaning against Sadie’s shoulder to peek at the letter.

“Uh, well for one,” she began, “you’re basically gonna be promoted to acting Housewarden while I’m gone.”

“Seriously?” The demon’s eyes grew wide. She stepped back, her gaze downcast at the floor. “Holy shit, this is a lot. I’m gonna have to appoint an acting Vice Housewarden in my place, then!”

“Dibs not it!” Billie immediately shouted, putting her finger on her nose.

“Girl, this will literally be your first year at Onyx Rose,” Mona pointed out. “You don’t have to worry about being put into any positions of authority anytime soon.”

“But that’s what happened to Sadie last year.”

“Because I’m just built different,” Sadie joked. She was met with a playful shove from Billie.

“So does that mean you’ll be my acting Vice, Mo-Mo?” Ember asked, turning toward Mona, her bright yellow eyes glimmering with hope.

Mona sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder. “If it’ll make you feel better, then of course. Just don’t call me that stupid fucking nickname again.”

“Deal!” Ember exclaimed, throwing her arms around the witch’s shoulders gratefully. Then she went back to leaning against Sadie. “What else did Headmistress Strife say?”

“Not much, really,” the boogeyman said, setting the letter down on the island. Then she grabbed her can of Dr. Pepper and took a sip to ease her troubles. “Just trying to reassure me why this program exists and why I have to be the one to go to this goddamn school.”

“Can I at least go with you?” Roulette asked, her voice soft and filled with anxiety.

“Of course, Rou-Rou,” Sadie immediately responded, tenderly scratching the underside of the feline’s chin in assurance. “I’m not leaving you behind, and I don’t give a shit if anyone says you’re not allowed there.”

Roulette purred gratefully and leaned into her touch. “Thank you, Sadie.”

Mona sighed and shook her head frustratedly. “Seriously, there were so many other ways she could’ve tried to put our school into the spotlight.”

“She doesn’t even like Night Raven College, either!” Billie pointed out indignantly.

“And yet she’s still going through with this stupid transfer program,” Ember scoffed bitterly.

Sadie groaned, taking another sip of her drink for comfort. Then she looked at her friends, at all the pain and grief in their eyes, and that’s when realization truly punched her in the gut. Once summer break ended, she would never get to see them again for nine whole months. Sure, she’d probably be able to return home and reunite with them for winter and spring break, but that wasn’t nearly enough time for her. She wanted to spend the whole school year with them! That’s how it’d always been since elementary school. Even last year, she’d gotten to start her first year at Onyx Rose Institute with Ember and Mona. Now Billie was going to start her first year, and Sadie wouldn’t even be there to witness it!

She turned her gaze to the shredded gray envelope on the island. Her eyes narrowed at the raven-and-mirror seal, torn in half but still taunting her regardless.

This was going to be the worst year ever.

Chapter Text

When Yuura woke up, her vision was still completely pitch black.

What the fuck?

Her confusion and drowsiness quickly gave way to shock when she tried to stretch her limbs and hit what felt like hard wood, and her shock quickly gave way to utter panic when she felt that hard wooden surface all around her.

Except for her backside, apparently, which was cushioned by a soft, plush surface. It was almost like she was leaning against a mattress, complete with a velvet pillow tucked right underneath her head and everything. But it felt nothing like the mattress of her bed back home. As the pieces began to click in place, dread started to sprout from the pit of her stomach like mangled vines, slithering all the way up to her chest and twisting around her heart. Slowly, she lifted her arms again to feel her surroundings more thoroughly this time: a smooth wooden wall just inches in front of her. A smooth wooden ceiling inches above her head that slanted downward at each end. Thin wooden walls on either side that slanted inward and tapered near the bottom—just like a coffin.

Oh my god. Her breath was trapped in her throat. Oh my god, oh my god, oh my GOD!

Her heart pounded, almost deafening in her ears. Her hands flew to clutch at her chest, and that’s when she noticed the entirely different set of clothes that now covered her body. Instead of her loose nightshirt and pajama shorts that she’d been previously wearing before, she was now clad in a fitted robe with long, flowy sleeves and a hood pulled over her head, sleek black leggings, and ankle boots with heels. It was a cute outfit, but the stylishness of these new clothes was pretty much the last thing on her mind right now. There were much more pressing issues at the moment here.

Yuura closed her eyes and tried to remember what she’d been doing before waking up in this coffin. The last thing she could remember was the inside of her friend Zainab’s house, but the memory was… fuzzy, almost like it was being played with a layer of static on top. She could vaguely recall the alabaster white walls of the house, the lamps that washed it in a warm honey glow, the plush carpet in Zainab’s room, and the polaroids of their friend group hanging above the bed. But she couldn’t exactly remember the reason why she was at Zainab’s place—not that it was important, really. She was probably just there to hang out with her for the night—they were close like that, after all.

But then another memory came to the surface, one that was frighteningly more vivid this time: two horses, dark as the midnight sky above, barreling toward her with seemingly no intention of stopping. A large, elaborate black carriage that was being drawn by the two midnight horses, with no visible coachman actually steering the damn thing. That, Yuura realized, had been the very last thing she saw before everything went dark. The only other thing she could remember about that particular moment was thinking of Zainab in her final moments—again, the details of why evaded her for some reason.

But in all honesty, none of that mattered right now. She had no fucking clue where she was. There were over a million graveyards in the world! There was no telling which one she was buried alive in… unless she wasn’t. Yeah, she was in a coffin, but that didn’t mean she was six feet under the ground, at least not yet. If she was still above ground, maybe she could scream for help. Someone would surely hear her eventually, unlock this door, and let her out of this stupid casket! She had to hope that was the case. What other options did she even have at this point?

Just as she opened her mouth, preparing to shout at the top of her lungs, she quickly clamped it shut when she heard a voice: “I better hurry up and find a uniform before someone spots me…”

Oh thank god, Yuura sighed in relief. Then she took a second to process the words she just heard. Wait, uniform? What the hell are they talking about?

Faint little footsteps scurried closer and closer to her coffin before she heard scraping against the other side of the lid. The voice groaned and spoke up again. "Urgggh… Why is this lid so heavy? Oh well, time to bring out the big guns!”

Yuura didn’t know if she liked the sound of that.

But before she could question it any further, she heard the voice outside take a deep breath in before…

The interior of the coffin was suddenly engulfed in bright blue flames.

A shrill scream tore from her throat.

“HELPPP!” she shrieked desperately. The heat clung to her skin, smothering her like a weighted blanket. “LET ME OUT OF HERE! LET ME OUT!”

Suddenly, the lid popped right open. With the only priority on her mind being escape, she immediately scrambled out and took a large breath, grateful for the clean air. But the moment she opened her eyes and took one look at her surroundings, she nearly choked on that air.

Coffins.

Floating coffins.

The room was filled with sleek black-and-gold coffins that hovered in the air all around her, including the one she just came out of. They floated near the edges of the spacious room, forming a giant semi-circle around a large, grand mirror in the center of the room. The mirror, just like the coffins, hovered in the air, right above a tiered fountain on the floor that spewed sage-green water… for some reason. A giant chandelier hung above the mirror, strung like a spiderweb of crystals and chains all across the ceiling. A large set of double-doors stood at the front of the room, closed and presumably locked so no one could get in—or get out. Yuura stared at all the decorations with furrowed brows, her breathing quick and erratic.

What kind of creepy ass cemetery is this?

“What the— You ain’t supposed to be awake!”

Her gaze flicked downward, and her eyes widened in pure disbelief. The source of that voice, and by proxy those burning blue flames, was an actual talking cat . A talking cat with stone-gray fur, big blue eyes and matching blue flames in his ears, a white underbelly, and a forked tail—was this some sort of demonic creature? That would certainly explain all the fire. He gazed up at her with a look of pure shock, as if she was the strange one here.

She barely even registered what the feline-demon creature had said. She just stared at him with an equally incredulous expression. “What the fuck is going on right now?”

“You tell me!” he scoffed angrily. “You’re not even supposed to be awake right now!”

“What does that mean?” she snapped. “And what even are you? Satan’s pet cat?”

“Satan’s pet cat? How DARE YOU!” Satan’s pet cat exclaimed. “I ain’t no cat, and I ain’t no Devil’s pet either! I am the Great Grim, sorcerer extraordinaire!” He pointed a paw at her. “Don’t you forget it!”

She raised an eyebrow. “Okay, I won’t.”

“Good!” He puffed his chest out, paws on his hips. “Now, human, gimme your uniform. And make it quick! Or else…”

Grim gave her a smug smirk, and the flames in his ears flared up ever so slightly—a clear warning of what he was going to do.

Yuura’s eyes grew wide again. Panic struck her like needles all over her skin. For a moment, she wondered if the little shit was secretly lying about not being Satan’s pet. Why else would he be so willing to literally burn her alive for some stupid—albeit fancy—clothes? They wouldn’t even fit him properly, but apparently he was too much of a pyromaniac to think about that right now. She had to find a way to avoid getting burnt to a crisp. Her eyes glanced toward the doors for a split second. Maybe she could run, but then she wouldn’t be able to keep her eye on the little pyromaniac and where he was spewing his fire. And considering the fact that she’d just been cramped inside of a coffin for god-knows-how-long, she didn’t exactly trust her legs to be in shape for a little sprint right now.

Her gaze returned to Grim before he could notice her sneak peek at the doors, an idea quickly coming together in her head. If she could keep him talking, distract him from wanting to set her on fire, maybe she could stall for long enough until someone— anyone —showed up, preferably someone who seemed a bit more sane and reasonable than this devilish furball. Maybe then, she could finally get some much-needed answers to all the questions swirling around her mind like a tornado without having to suffer first-degree burns! What a great plan.

“Why do you even want these clothes so badly?” she asked, tilting her head to the side to feign curiosity. “I mean, yeah, they look cute, but what’s so special about them?” She made a show of examining the long, flowy sleeves of her robe, slightly admiring how the gold accents caught in the light above them. “Are they part of a designer brand or something?”

“Pshh, even better than a designer brand!” Grim bragged, pointing at her outfit. “Those are the ceremonial robes of Night Raven College! They’re reserved for the greatest mages who were talented enough to be noticed by the Dark Mirror and attend this school. Wearing those robes is practically a symbol of all the glory and power that you’re destined for, which is why I gotta have ‘em on before someone comes in and sees me like this!”

“Night Raven College?” Yuura repeated, raising an eyebrow. “Is that where we are right now?”

“Duh! Isn’t that obvious enough?” Grim scoffed, rolling his big blue eyes. That little shit.

“Well excuse me if I seem a little clueless after waking up in a goddamn coffin!” she snapped. “Besides, what kind of fucked up school even does that to their students? Stuffing them into coffins on the first day? Sounds more like a cult.”

“How DARE you!” he gasped. He seemed genuinely offended at that statement for some reason. “Night Raven College ain’t a cult! It’s one of the greatest magic academies in the whole wide world! Like I said, only the most talented mages are allowed to attend and learn how to become even more powerful than they were before.”

“Oh, yeah? What else?”

“It’s ranked as the second most prestigious academy throughout the entire world, second only to its rival, Royal Sword Academy,” Grim explained eagerly, and thankfully the fire in his ears started to tame a little. As long as Yuura kept this up, she should be in the clear. “In fact, they’re both located on opposite ends of the same island! Isn’t that neat? Although, it does add more tension between the two schools…”

“More tension, huh?” she smirked, putting a hand on her hip. “Sounds like there’s already a lot of drama between them.”

“Oh, you betcha there is! The guys from both schools tend to get really competitive against each other during Spelldrive games, from what I’ve heard.”

“And what about the girls?”

Grim gave her an incredulous look. “Huh? What do ya mean?”

Yuura raised an eyebrow. “How do the girls from each school get along with each other? Well, at least compared to the guys.”

“What are ya talkin’ about?” he asked, putting his paws on his hips. His tone was a mixture of confusion and annoyance. “There ain’t no girls here.”

Yuura felt her heart stop. “What?”

“Night Raven College is an all-boys school.”

All-boys school.

Her eyes widened. One of them twitched. Her heart fell to her stomach. Time seemed to freeze in place.

All.

Boys.

School.

“Oh god no,” she murmured under her breath, her voice slowly growing louder and louder in volume. “No, no, no, no, no, no, absolutely FUCK NO! Are you kidding me right now? Out of all the godforsaken places in this world, I wake up at an all-boys school?” She grabbed at her jet-black curls, hidden beneath the hood, her hands closing into fists so tight her knuckles turned pale. “What kind of sick fucking joke is this? You’re telling me I’m the only girl in this whole building? In this whole world? Oh my god, I’m gonna kill myself—”

“What the— You’re a girl?” Grim asked, his eyes wide with pure shock. Of course that would be the only thing he picked up from her sudden outburst.

“Obviously, dumbass!” Yuura snapped, no longer caring about stalling him. How could she, when she would be surrounded by only men at this school for god-knows-how-long? When there would be no other woman here that she could interact with to keep her own sanity intact? Her mind was spiraling downward, thoughts filled with nothing but despair and rage. She couldn’t stay here. She wasn’t even supposed to be here, anyway! Why did she even end up here in the first place?

“HEY! I ain’t no dumbass!” Grim shouted, stamping one of his feet on the stone floor beneath them. The flames in his ears flared once again. “You better take that back right now!”

She flinched at the reminder of his strange-but-deadly fire powers and forced herself to take a deep breath. It barely did anything to calm her nerves, though. “Okay, fine, I’m sorry. I’m just panicking right now. It’s not every day that you wake up in a coffin, in completely different clothes, at an all-boys school when you’re not even a boy. Surely you can understand why I’d be a little upset in this situation, right?”

Thankfully, that seemed to knock some sense in the devil-like creature. “I mean…” He shrugged his shoulders. “When you put it like that, I guess it would suck to be in your shoes right now.”

“Thank you,” she huffed.

“But right now, I kinda need to be in your shoes. Literally.” Then he glanced at the door, his eyes twinkling with what looked like anxiety, before looking back at her with that same urgent expression. “Look, I don’t got much time. The headmaster and his students are gonna come through those doors any second now. So just gimme your robes, and I’ll take your place so you won’t have to be here any longer, got it? It’s a win-win situation!”

“Fine, if you insist,” she relented with a sigh. Whatever it took to get as far away from this damn school as possible, she supposed.

But just before she could unbuckle the robe’s belt fastened around her waist, the grand double-doors at the front of the room suddenly burst wide open.

Both Yuura and Grim whipped their heads toward the entrance, wide-eyed and frozen in place like deer in headlights. Standing in the doorway was a tall man in the weirdest —and frankly ugliest —costume Yuura had ever seen: he wore a medium-sized top hat on his head, black with a ribbon of royal blue silk wrapped around its base, with a small mirror charm attached to the ribbon and a black feather sticking out from the side. A large black overcoat hung off his shoulders and over his suit, with even more black feathers sprouting from the collar. There were golden claw rings around each of his gloved fingers. Several keys and small mirror charms like the one on his hat dangled from his hip. But the strangest part of his entire appearance was the black bird mask—a raven, she presumed—covering the top half of his pale face. It reminded Yuura of those masks that used to be worn by plague doctors back in the day.

Wow, I wonder what this guy’s favorite animal could be…

But she didn’t dwell on that thought for long. Her attention was immediately drawn to the rows of people standing behind the strange-bird man, all of them clad in the same exact robes she was currently wearing, the same exact robes Grim was dying to get his paws on—black with purple accents and golden key motifs scattered all throughout the fabric. As she stared at the army of identical, robe-covered figures, she felt chills creep along her spine like a river of ice-cold water down her back. Grim lied. This was a fucking cult. The floating coffins, the floating mirror, the strange plague doctor man, the hooded figures? Those couldn’t have been more obvious signs that Yuura had ended up in a cult of all places. An “all-boys” school? That was nothing but a bold-faced lie in hindsight!

But then again, this could still be an all-boys cult…

“Young man!” the plague doctor snapped at Yuura, quickly pulling her out of her spiraling thoughts. “What is the meaning of this? Why are you already out of your coffin?”

All eyes were on her, and for once it filled her with cold waves of anxiety rather than the warm currents of appreciation she was used to. Her brain was in overdrive. She had to think fast. Just like Grim, the plague doctor had mistaken her for a guy. Whether this place was a school or a cult, it was starting to become clear that there really were only men here. Seemingly no women around to save her. She decided then and there that she was not going to tell them she was actually a girl—who knew how they would react to that information? She’d probably end up as a sacrifice in the name of patriarchy!

So when she opened her mouth to answer the bird-man’s question, her voice came out much deeper than normal: “Yo, this crazy ass cat-devil is trying to burn me alive!”

She immediately pointed her finger at Grim, making sure there was a believable amount of fear in both her tone and eyes (which really wasn’t all that hard, considering her current situation). When her frightened gaze met Grim’s wide blue eyes, she allowed the slightest bit of derision to slip through. She wasn’t going to forget how he’d literally threatened to set her on fire just minutes ago, or how he almost did when she was trapped in that coffin. She seriously doubted he would help her find a way to leave this damn place anyway. If he was willing to burn her, he’d be more than willing to throw her under the bus.

That’s why she had to do it to him first.

“WHAT THE HELL?” he shouted, pure shock mixed with indignant rage in his high-pitched voice. “I thought we had an agreement!”

“What the hell are you talking about, bro?” she denied, still making sure to deepen her voice. “You literally set my coffin on fire and then threatened to roast me alive if I didn’t take off my clothes!”

That earned her a chorus of scandalized gasps and bewildered murmurs from the audience of cult members:

“Ayo?”

“What did he just say?”

“Nah, that’s crazy…”

“What a perverted demand.”

Okay, she did not mean to word it like that, but at least the cult members were starting to feel some sympathy for her. She pushed through the embarrassment that warmed her face and continued to present herself as terrified for her life.

“Oh dear! What a terrible little cat-devil!” the plague doctor gasped, shooting a scandalized look at the cat-devil in question.

“I’M NOT A DAMN CAT-DEVIL!” Grim screamed, teeth bared, fur bristling, and—like clockwork—flames roaring to life in his ears. “HOW MANY TIMES DO I GOTTA EXPLAIN? I AIN’T NO CAT, AND I AIN’T NO DEVIL! I’M GRIM, THE GREATEST MAGE THIS WHOLE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN!”

Oh good, he’s making himself look mentally insane on his own , Yuura thought. Looks like my job here is done.

“Alright, that’s enough out of you!” Suddenly, the bird-man reached behind his back and pulled out a long black whip.

WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?  Yuura’s eyes widened in alarm. Her arms raised to shield herself, but when she heard the sharp crack of the whip, she didn’t feel any searing wounds on her skin. Slowly, she lowered her arms and was genuinely shocked to see Grim wrapped up in the whip. The bird-man firmly held him in place, and Grim writhed angrily, struggling to escape both the whip’s restraints and the man’s grasp. His fur still bristled, but the flames had died back down.

“ME-YEOW! That hurt , you asshole!” he snapped ferociously.

“Consider it tough love,” the man quipped. “I’m afraid your temper tantrum and trespassing habits will not be tolerated at this academy. Under any other circumstances, I would kick you out immediately. However, since we have yet to begin the entrance ceremony, I shall wait until all the new freshmen have been sorted into their dorms before exiling you. Aren’t I so kind?”

“Headmaster,” one of the hooded cult members—students, Yuura corrected herself—spoke up, stepping forward to approach the bird-man, “I suggest we throw out this beast as soon as possible before the entrance ceremony. He has already shown himself to be aggressive and hostile. He could potentially cause harm to the other students and disrupt the ceremony if he is not immediately taken care of.”

“Hey! I’m right here, ya know!” Grim scowled. “Quit talkin’ about me like I’m some deranged animal!” The only response he got was a gloved hand covering his mouth, muffling anything else he had to say.

“I appreciate your concern, Mr. Rosehearts, but we must commence with the entrance ceremony first,” the headmaster said. “You of all people should know the importance of sticking to the schedule. I will simply keep this fiery little beast subdued for the time being, and once all the students have been sorted and returned to their dorms, then I shall banish him from the premises.”

“May I at least cast my Unique Magic on him so he won’t be able to—”

“Nonsense, my dear boy!” he laughed, waving a dismissive hand at the much shorter student beside him. “I am perfectly capable of handling this beast myself. You just focus on welcoming the new freshmen and teaching them everything they need to know before their first day of classes. I have everything under control.”

The student—Rosehearts, what an aesthetically pleasing name—let out a hesitant sigh, stepping back to join the crowd of other students. “If you insist, Headmaster.”

“Spectacular! Now that we’ve got all that sorted and out of the way…” The headmaster turned his golden-eyed gaze to Yuura. “Let us begin the ceremony.”

Chapter Text

Sadie hadn’t smiled once the entire day.

The closest she ever came to one was a slight tug at her lips—when she had woken up to the soft sound of Roulette’s purring beside her head, when she had cracked open her first Dr. Pepper of the day and felt the ice-cold rush of bubbles down her throat, when she had opened up the group chat to see her three friends fighting over the legality of murdering someone who wanted to be murdered, when she had gazed out her window and taken in the delightfully spooky environment of Hallows’ City—but no matter what, she just couldn’t muster a full, toothy grin onto her face. Not with the dark and heavy storm cloud looming over her head, flickering with lightning and rumbling with thunder every time she remembered what today was, what that meant for her.

And from the moment she and Roulette had stepped foot onto the campus of Night Raven College, through the metal gates at the entrance, past those wretched statues of the school’s founders that lined each side of Main Street, all the way until the giant castle loomed over her in a pathetic attempt to look grand and imposing, that little cloud morphed into a full-on thunderstorm.

The headmaster had only made it worse. From the moment he’d introduced himself, Crowley oozed with sheer narcissism and self-importance like it was his Unique Magic—Sadie wouldn’t have been surprised if it actually was . His voice was even more grating in person than in pen and paper, like children singing Christmas carols. And just like in his letter, almost every word out of his mouth only served to boost himself up as this oh-so “magnificent” and “charitable” mage with a heart bigger than his own ego:

“I’ve already gone ahead and provided you with your very own set of ceremonial robes for Orientation tonight. Aren’t I so generous?”

“I’ve taken the liberty of informing both the staff and the Housewardens about your situation so they can accommodate you accordingly. What a considerate headmaster I am!”

“As per your request, I’ll allow you to be sorted by the Dark Mirror after the entrance ceremony has concluded. Ah, truly my benevolence knows no bounds!”

“Normally, I don’t have my students bring their familiars with them onto campus, but since you are a… special case, I’ll make an exception for you and your pet, for I am an incredibly kind-hearted man.”

“Don’t you feel honored to be personally greeted by someone as gracious and hospitable as I?”

Sadie was feeling much more homicidal instead.

The rest of Crowley’s introduction had gone by in a blur. When it had become apparent that the man wouldn’t stop praising himself every five seconds, Sadie ended up tuning him out almost entirely, letting his ear-bleeding voice fade into muffled nonsense, and time flew by much faster that way. She had only tuned back in when she was handed her uniform for the entrance ceremony. The robes were made of smooth silk and light as a hollowed-out pumpkin when she’d put them on, which she had to admit (begrudgingly) felt nice. They were even large enough for her to hide Roulette inside of the outer robe—neither of them wanted to draw so much attention to themselves before classes had even started. After all, Sadie had promised Headmistress Strife that she wouldn’t stir any trouble here… until someone provoked her first.

Eventually, it was time to begin the entrance ceremony, which meant Sadie could no longer avoid the Night Raven students from here on out. For the next few hours—and the entire goddamn school year—she would have to be constantly surrounded by obnoxious, egotistical, volatile teenage boys twenty-four-seven. However, when they had arrived at the Mirror Chamber for the ceremony, their plans were briefly interrupted by a strange gray cat with fiery blue ears and a black forked tail—much like the infamous Devil that Justine loved to compare Sadie and her friends to. Apparently, the little cat-devil had been threatening to roast another student alive for the ceremonial robes on his body.

No, not his body.

Her body.

Underneath her hood, Sadie’s eyes had immediately widened at the student’s voice, deep to an exaggerated, almost comical degree. So deep it had to be fake. It was the kind of voice Sadie and her friends would use when they used to mock the annoying boys from their middle school. The kind of voice that one would use to impersonate a teenage boy in general. Hope had started to flicker in Sadie’s heart like a candle, refusing to be snuffed out by doubt or cynicism. Sure, the chances of there being another girl at Night Raven College were extremely slim, but Lady Luck always came around in the end. Deep down, Sadie desperately hoped this time would be no exception.

Eventually, Crowley had finally gained a brain cell and decided to apprehend the little gray furball threatening arson. He’d pulled out a long black whip from his backpocket—she really hoped he didn’t use that on the students—and used it to snatch up the fiery beast before he could set anything (or anyone) else on fire. One of the Housewardens had insisted on immediately throwing him out, but for some reason, Crowley refused and insisted he could handle it on his own.

Sadie had rolled her eyes. I bet five madol he’s not gonna handle it on his own.

After that, it was finally, finally time to get this stupid ceremony over with.

“Now, without further ado, it is time for the first years to wake up,” Crowley announced. He reached down and plucked a dangling key from his belt before approaching the nearest coffin. He slowly inserted the key into the lock and twisted it to the right. A loud click resonated throughout the room, sharp and crisp in the otherwise dead silence of the Mirror Chamber. As soon as Crowley took the key out, the coffin door began to swing open on its own to reveal the slumbering freshman inside, slowly stirring awake now that his coffin was opened.

The student let out a yawn and blinked the sleep out of his cherry eyes. Then he swept his gaze over the entire room, at all the other students and coffins, at Crowley and the Dark Mirror, and his eyes widened in amazement. “Woah.”

This school is not that impressive, dude, Sadie scoffed as the student slowly jumped down from his coffin, not once letting go of the awestruck expression on his face.

Crowley moved on to the next coffin, inserting the key and unlocking it to awaken the slumbering freshman inside. He had a similar expression of shock and amazement as he stepped out, like a vampire at a blood drive. Over and over, Crowley repeated this process with every single coffin in the chamber. Over and over, the freshmen were woken up and exited their coffins with varying reactions: most of them awestruck like the first two, some of them still groggy from having to sleep in a literal coffin for hours, and some of them feigning disinterest in an obvious attempt to look “cool” and “nonchalant.” A quiet yawn left Sadie’s lips, followed by an exasperated eye roll. Occasionally, she snuck a few glances down at Roulette, conveying her boredom and frustration to the feline curled up inside her robes. Roulette purred against her in response, giving the boogeyman ripples of some much-needed comfort.

Finally, once the last student was released from his coffin, Crowley returned his key to his belt and turned to address the crowd of freshmen that had gathered in the center of the room. With one arm still keeping a firm grip on the furry little pyromaniac, he held out his other arm in a dramatic flourish.

“Welcome, new students, to Night Raven College!” he greeted. “One of—if not the most—prestigious and esteemed academy in all of Twisted Wonderland! Congratulations on being chosen by the Dark Mirror to attend such a renowned school. I am your headmaster, Dire Crowley, the most magnanimous mage you will ever meet!”

Sadie could’ve sworn she heard a few of the second and third years groan under their breath.

Crowley, however, was oblivious. “Here at Night Raven College, you all will learn how to unlock your full potential as mages and become the greatest version of yourselves. You will be taught a variety of subjects from history to alchemy by some of our most experienced professors. And, most importantly, you will be sorted into one of seven dorms, founded by none other than the Great Seven themselves…

“Heartslabyul, founded on the severity of the Queen of Hearts. Savanaclaw, founded on the tenacity of the King of Beasts. Octavinelle, founded on the compassion of the Sea Witch. Scarabia, founded on the deliberation of the Sorcerer of the Sands. Pomefiore, founded on the persistence of the Fairest Queen. Ignihyde, founded on the diligence of the King of the Underworld. And—last but certainly not least—Diasomnia, founded on the elegance of the Thorn Fairy.” Sadie scowled when he started talking about the Great Seven. So they all came together to create a school for magic, big fucking deal! Anyone could do that! The founders of Onyx Rose Institute certainly did.

“One by one, you will be called up to be sorted by the Dark Mirror,” the headmaster continued. “When the Dark Mirror determines the nature of your soul, it will sort you into the befitting dorm. From there, you are to join your new dorm members and sit with them quietly and patiently until every first year has been sorted. Once the ceremony has concluded, you will follow your Housewardens back to your respective dorms, where your luggage will already be waiting for you.”

There was a palpable energy coming from the first years by now, filled with anticipation and excitement. Murmurs spread throughout the crowd like an incantation. Some of them bounced on their heels or vibrated in place. All of them clearly couldn’t wait to be sorted by the Dark Mirror.

All except one, Sadie noticed. The student who’d almost been burnt to a crisp by that cat-devil.

And possibly, hopefully, the only other girl at this school.

“If there are any questions or concerns, then please do not hesitate to share them,” Crowley said, pausing for a moment before adding, “with your Housewardens after the ceremony. Now, without further ado, let the sorting…” Another grand flourish of his free arm. “Begin!”

———

Somehow, the actual sorting was even more boring than Crowley’s speech.

It was a tedious process of Crowley calling up each student one by one, the Dark Mirror asking for his name, the student giving it his name, and after a few seconds of silent contemplation, the Dark Mirror would announce the dorm it had sorted the student into. The first student that had been called up to be sorted was the same one who had been freed from his coffin first.

“State thy name,” the Dark Mirror had commanded.

“Ace!” the student had answered. His tone oozed with way too much swagger for Sadie’s liking. “Ace Trappola!”

“Ace Trappola, the nature of thy soul belongs to… Heartslabyul!”

A couple of students had clapped for the guy, presumably from Heartslabyul.

And that was exactly how every other student was sorted into their respective dorm. Sadie felt herself yawning every five minutes. At one point, she glanced down to see Roulette dozing off to sleep, and she felt a little jealous. At another point, she even noticed two of the freshmen—Ace and some other guy whose name she couldn’t care to remember—sneak out of the Mirror Chamber when they thought no one was looking. A couple minutes later, she saw one of the Housewardens—the short one from Heartslabyul, she guessed—notice their absence and abruptly leave the chamber to hunt them down.

Damn, Sadie thought, a tiny smirk ghosting her lips, even the students here are already bored of this fucking ceremony.

Eventually, the two freshmen snuck back into the Mirror Chamber, shortly followed by the Heartslabyul Housewarden a few moments later. Then, after what felt like a hundred years of torture, the last two students were finally being sorted into their dorms.

“State thy name,” said the Dark Mirror.

“Sebek Zigvolt,” the second-to-last student responded. His voice was much firmer and louder than the others. Sadie almost winced at the volume.

“Sebek Zigvolt, the nature of thy soul belongs to… Diasomnia!”

“YES! THE SAME DORM AS YOUNG MASTER!”

This time, she actually winced at the sheer volume of his voice. Her lips twisted into a scowl. Can this guy not try to make me go deaf before classes even start? God, I fucking hate these guys…

“Who the fuck is screaming is so loud?” Roulette hissed, ears flattened in frustration from having been so rudely awoken from her nap. Sadie gently stroked her fur through the robe to console her.

However, Mr. No-Mute-Button paid no mind to the damage he just inflicted on everyone’s hearing. He simply marched to join the other Diasomnia students, chin held up high the entire way there. Bitch.

But her scowl quickly fell when she glanced back to the remaining freshmen to be sorted—or, well, remaining freshman. It was the mysterious student from earlier, the one who’d escaped from their coffin earlier than the rest and had been threatened by that fire-wielding feline. They were the last student to be called upon by Crowley and sorted into their dorm by the Dark Mirror. Sadie held her breath, eyes laser-focused on the student like she had spotted a can of Dr. Pepper. She was still holding out hope that this student was another girl. It was a long shot, yeah, but if she was right, then there was actually hope that this school year wouldn’t be a living hell after all. Maybe if she listened closer to the student’s voice this time…

“State thy name.”

When the student spoke, their voice was no longer deep and exaggerated like before, but instead higher-pitched and smooth like glass: “Yuura Nasir.”

Sadie’s breath caught in her throat. Please tell me…

“Yuura Nasir, the nature of thy soul…” The Dark Mirror suddenly fell silent, its face hard like stone. Silence filled the chamber for a few moments, all eyes fixed on the Dark Mirror, before it eventually opened its mouth and spoke with such a flat tone that it made its words all the more impactful: “…is unclear to me.”

In the blink of an eye, the silent tension in the Mirror Chamber burst into a crackling energy of bewilderment and confusion. Gasps and murmurs floated in the air like ghosts with unfinished business. Fingers pointed under sweeping sleeves and hands were put up as barriers for gossip about the student with a soul so murky that not even the Dark Mirror could decipher it. Even Sadie raised her eyebrows in shock. All throughout the ceremony, the Dark Mirror had been able to sort every first year into a dorm, no matter how different or complex their soul was. Even if it took a few seconds to think, it always came to a final decision in the end. Based on what she witnessed and how everyone else reacted, it was safe to assume that the Dark Mirror never hesitated like this.

Not until now, at least.

“Excuse me?” Crowley scoffed incredulously. “What did you just say?”

“I sense not a single ounce of magic from this one,” the Dark Mirror revealed. Another round of gasps. “Their soul… It’s soundless. Colorless. Shapeless. Utterly vacant. Therefore, no dorm would be suitable for this one.”

“Are you telling me that the ebony carriage retrieved a student who isn’t even capable of any magic whatsoever?” Crowley demanded, staring at the stoic face in the mirror with a purely dumbfounded expression. “But that’s impossible! It should be impossible! Not once has the student selection process ever made such an error all throughout this school’s century of existence!”

So I guess the Dark Mirror is just letting anyone into Night Raven College these days, Sadie snickered. “Prestigious academy” my ass.

“Mmmph! Nnnnrgh!” Suddenly, the little gray cat managed to yank himself free from Crowley’s grasp, taking advantage of the brief moment of distraction to try and stand his ground again. He landed on his hind paws and stood up, fur bristling and blue eyes burning with vengeance. He pointed an accusatory paw at the student, Yuura. “I’ll show ya why the Dark Mirror can’t sort this student!”

Yuura visibly tensed underneath the robe. “Don't you dare—”

Grim cut them off with a deep breath and a sudden blast of cerulean fire-breath aimed straight for their face.

Yuura let out a shrill scream and dodged the flames just in the nick of time. But the sudden flash of movement caused the hood of their robe to fall off their head and reveal—

Sadie’s eyes lit up like jack-o-lanterns. A grin spread across her lips. Relief and joy crashed into her like a tight embrace.

She fucking knew it!

“IS THAT A GIRL?”

And it all went downhill from there.

Chapter Text

If there was a god in this universe, Yuura desperately needed him to smite her on the spot.

Or smite that fire-breathing little shit instead. That could work for her, too.

“IS THAT A GIRL?”

Her heart dropped to her stomach when she heard those words. Dread froze her in place when she noticed, a little too late, the absence of fabric over her head. Every single pair of eyes was locked onto her, and for the second time that night, it filled her with panic instead of pride. Even underneath all the hoods, she could see the varying expressions of shock, confusion, outrage, and intrigue that were displayed on each student’s face. Even the headmaster, Crowley, was gawking at her. Gawking. As if this was his first time seeing a woman in real life.

But judging by the reactions of, well, every student in here, none of them had probably ever seen a woman in real life until now.

Their responses only proved her point:

“A girl? At Night Raven College?”

“I thought only guys were allowed here!”

“It’s an all-boys school, dumbass. Of course only guys are allowed here!”

“Not anymore.”

“Yo, she’s kinda fine, not gonna lie…”

“Simp.”

“Shut the fuck up, man!”

Yuura could feel her sanity fraying like a rope.

Her eyes snapped down to Grim, and this time she didn’t bother to conceal the fury that filled her gaze. This was all his fault. Sure, he was probably still upset that she’d immediately ratted him out when the headmaster and other students arrived, but it wasn’t like she had straight up lied about him! He had set her coffin on fire, almost burned her alive, and then threatened to burn her alive for real if she didn’t give him her ceremonial robes. Besides, she hadn’t exactly trusted him to not throw her under the bus the first chance he got.

And it turned out she was right all along.

“Not only is this ‘student’ completely magic-less, she’s not even a boy, either!” Grim taunted, puffing out his chest and grinning like he’d cracked the world’s most difficult case ever. When their eyes met, he flashed her a vindictive smile before returning his attention to Crowley. “So let ME have her spot instead! I’m a guy, and I’m actually capable of using magic!”

When it was clear the headmaster still wasn’t convinced, Grim scoffed. “Don’t believe me? Fine! Then I’ll show ya!” The flames in his ears started to brighten. “My spells are the cat’s meow!”

Yuura’s eyes widened. Oh god, not this again…

“EVERYONE, GET DOWN!” the small Housewarden from earlier—Rosehearts—shouted right as Grim released another gust of blue-hot flames.

Within a matter of seconds, the entire room was set ablaze just like her coffin. Heat permeated the air like an inferno. Smoke rose from the fire like phantoms. Screams tore through the air left and right. Apparently no one had taught these boys anything about fire safety, because the entire room was in a frenzy. The flames roared higher as if they actively fed off the students’ panic, flooding the room in electric blue light. There were flashes of movement everywhere, but from what Yuura could see, most of them—herself included—were able to dodge the fire just in time. Others, however…

“AHHH! HELP!” one of them screamed. “MY BUTT’S ON FIRE!”

Has no one ever taught him stop, drop, and roll before? she wondered in disbelief.

Suddenly, something prodded at her leg: a small, fuzzy paw.

I swear to god, I’m going to throttle this wretched cat-devil…

But when she looked down, her eyes widened in surprise. It wasn’t Grim. Instead, it was a small black cat standing at her feet. It stared up at her with bright orange eyes—so orange they reminded Yuura of pumpkins. Unlike Grim, this cat was much calmer and less prone to committing literal arson on a dime, so already Yuura was feeling much less hostile.

“Oh, hello,” Yuura greeted, softening her voice. She crouched down so it would hear her over the chaos. “Where’d you come from, sweetie?”

The cat only let out a single meow before turning around. It started to walk away, but a flick of its tail motioned for Yuura to follow along. She didn’t need to be told twice. Not wanting to be in the center of the chaos any longer, she quickly followed the little black cat to one of the shadowy crevices of the spacious room, somehow miraculously left untouched by Grim’s fire. Thankfully, all the other students were too caught up in their panic to notice her quietly weaving past them.

When she approached the shadowy corner, the black cat suddenly leapt up into the air. A pair of robed arms emerged from the shadows and caught the cat as if it was second nature. Then the owner of those arms stepped out from the darkness, and a gasp immediately left Yuura’s lips.

Another girl.

Even with the hood pulled up, Yuura could still see this student’s appearance clear as day, from her scattered stitches to her spidery eyelashes, from her sleek black eyeliner to her long dark hair with green tips at the end. The other girl stared at her with a grin, small but filled with such sincerity that Yuura felt all the tension leave her muscles. With one hand cradling her pet cat, she lifted her free hand and motioned for Yuura to stand next to her. Yuura smiled and immediately went to lean against the wall, hidden in the shadows and from the male students’ leering gazes.

She turned her head to face the other girl. “Thank you so much for helping me escape that shitshow.”

“You’re welcome,” she responded, her voice low and raspy. “Trust me, I don’t wanna be anywhere near those assholes, either.”

“So is this where you’ve been hiding this whole time?”

The girl shrugged. “Yeah, pretty much. I didn’t wanna risk any of these guys trying to talk to me during this stupid ceremony.” Then she looked at Yuura with a serious expression, mixed with a hint of sympathy. “Honestly, you’re way more patient than I am. If I was in your place when they started shouting all that stupid shit about you being a girl, I would’ve probably cursed them with nightmares for a whole month.”

“Ugh, you’re so real for that,” Yuura groaned, tossing her head back against the wall. “I swear, they acted like they’ve never seen a woman in their entire lives until now! I think I even heard one of them say I was kinda fine, and then another one called him a simp.”

“Yeah, they’ve definitely never talked to a woman outside of their family before,” the girl snickered. Even the black cat in her arms let out a purr of amusement.

Yuura giggled, feeling a soft warmth like morning sunlight spread throughout her chest. “I’m Yuura, by the way. But I think you already knew that from earlier.”

“Yeah, I kinda did,” the girl chuckled. “I’m Sadie. And this is Roulette.”

Roulette meowed at her once again, presumably in greeting this time.

“Roulette says hi,” Sadie confirmed.

“Nice to meet you two,” Yuura chuckled softly. “Thank god I’m not the only girl here anymore.”

“I know, right?” Sadie sighed. “I thought my sanity was gonna go to shit by the second semester. Not even by the end of this school year.”

“Because that would be too generous.”

“Exactly!”

The two girls laughed quietly with each other before fading into a comfortable silence, watching the chaos continue to unfold before them. Crowley was demanding for someone to stop Grim’s rampage—anyone except himself, apparently—and the Housewardens were arguing amongst themselves over who should just get it over with already.

“Ugh,” the one with lion ears—real, honest-to-god lion ears—groaned. He was tall and had a scar over his left eye, much like an infamous cartoon lion that Yuura had seen before. “Can I go now, or…”

“Oh? I thought you fancied yourself a hunter,” the Housewarden with unfairly luscious blond hair and stylish makeup taunted the lion-man. “Why don’t you go and help yourself to that plump little morsel?”

The lion-man rolled his eyes. “Too much effort. Do it yourself.”

“Those guys are almost grown-ass men with magic,” Yuura scoffed, shaking her head, “and they seriously can’t come up with a plan on how to capture one single animal?”

“More like they’re too fucking lazy to actually do so,” Sadie muttered, rolling her eyes. “Guess they learned that from their useless headmaster over there.” Her dark brown eyes glanced at Crowley for a split second, who was still doing literally anything but actually catching Grim.

Eventually, one of the Housewardens—the one with glasses—finally volunteered to apprehend the little beast. “Allow me to handle this, Headmaster Crowley.” Then he turned to his fellow Housewardens with an arrogant smirk. “If none of you are up to the simple task of catching a small animal, then I shall accept the responsibility.”

Sadie’s lips twisted into a snarl. “Ugh, he sounds like a prick. I wanna kill him already.”

Yuura giggled, “Damn, girl. You really hate these guys, huh?”

Sadie sighed, “Long story.”

“WTG, Azul,” responded a voice from a literal floating tablet—how the hell did Yuura not even notice that before? “Racking up those extra credit points as always.”

After some more bickering between the Housewardens and headmaster, Rosehearts—or Riddle, as she learned was his first name—eventually volunteered to help Azul catch Grim. Then they spent the next few minutes chasing the little arsonist around the chamber like something straight out of a cartoon. Yuura had to admit it was kind of entertaining to watch, especially from the sidelines where she didn’t have to endanger her life anymore than it already had.

Eventually, the two Housewardens managed to back Grim into a corner. He tried to stand his ground and act tough, but even from where she was standing, Yuura could see the slight tremor run through his gray fur. His forked tail lashed from side to side, further betraying his anxiety.

Yuura let out an exasperated sigh. Finally, they’re going to—

Suddenly Riddle screamed, “OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!”

WHAT THE—

Did she hear that correctly? Did he really just quote the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland like he meant every single word? Was he actually going to cut Grim’s head off?! Sure, Yuura was still pissed at being exposed as a girl in front of the all-male audience (except Sadie and Roulette, of course), but even she had to admit that literal beheading was way too far! Why was no one trying to stop this short little psycho?! (Not Grim.)

But, much to her surprise (and relief), Riddle didn’t actually behead Grim. Instead, he used his magic to summon a giant metal collar around Grim’s neck, heart-shaped and black-and-red with gold accents. As soon as the collar appeared, the bright blue flames that filled the room were extinguished all at once. Somehow, the room was still intact, barely anything was charred or completely burnt to a crisp. Maybe it was protected by some sort of fire-resistant magic, Yuura guessed.

“MYAH?” Grim exclaimed, his eyes wide with shock. He glared up at Riddle. “What the hell are you doing?!”

“Rule number 23 of the Queen of Hearts,” the short Housewarden suddenly began to recite, “‘One must never bring a cat to a formal affair.’ Your very presence here is a direct violation of this rule. As punishment, you will be removed from these premises immediately.”

Sadie immediately glanced down at Roulette, cozily curled up in her arms. Then she looked at Yuura, and a mischievous smirk crept onto her lips. “Oops.”

Yuura shook her head, but a sly grin made its way onto her own face as well. “Wow, Sadie. Classes haven’t even started yet, and you’re already breaking the rules.”

“Hey, at least I haven’t beaten anyone up. Yet.”

Yuura snickered and turned her attention back to the confrontation between Grim and the two Housewardens.

“But I already told ya! I ain’t a cat!” he protested. “Don’t ya dare try to collar me! I’ll just burn it right off!” To prove his point, he took another deep breath in and tried to summon another blast of flames… but the only thing that came out of his mouth was regular air. He blinked a few times in confusion. “Huh…? Hey, wh-what gives? Why isn’t my fire workin’?!”

“Because that collar around your neck is blocking you from using any of your magic,” Riddle explained authoritatively, reaching down and picking up Grim. “Until I decide to remove that collar, you won’t be using your fire for the time being. You’re nothing but a regular pet cat now.”

Grim’s fur bristled, and he started thrashing around in Riddle’s grip. “WHAT?!” he cried indignantly. “I ain’t NOBODY’S stupid pet, let alone a pet cat!”

“Oh, you have nothing to worry about,” Riddle scoffed, his voice dripping with pure condescension. “I certainly have no interest in keeping you as a pet. The collar will only disappear and grant your magic back once you’re removed from campus.”

Next to him, Azul clapped his hands together. “Ha-HA! Marvelous show as always, Riddle!” he complimented. Yuura could start to see why Sadie wanted to kill him so badly. “Your Unique Magic seals off any and all spells your opponent could use against you! It’s quite handy… I’ve just got to have it—” He suddenly cleared his throat and tried to cover up his not-so-subtle scheming, “Ah, I mean, I’ve just got to have respect for it!”

“Yeah, I’m definitely gonna kill him,” Sadie muttered. Roulette growled something in agreement.

“I promise I won’t tell the police anything if you do,” Yuura whispered.

“Thanks,” she chuckled.

“Thank you, Mr. Rosehearts and Mr. Ashengrotto, for catching this unruly creature!” Crowley beamed, throwing his arms out wide as if he’d actually done anything to help. “I am truly in your debt.”

“You certainly are,” Azul murmured, a devious glint in his eyes as he adjusted his glasses.

“Now then, time to expel this beast from campus!” Crowley reached forward and took Grim from Riddle’s hands, holding him up at an arm’s length. “I shall even spare it from becoming tonight’s dinner! Aren’t I so merciful?”

As Crowley began walking toward the double doors at the front of the room, Grim writhed and thrashed around, shouting at the top of his lungs: “NOOOO! LET ME GO! YOU JACKASSES BETTER REMEMBER ME! ‘CAUSE I’M GONNA GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS THE GREATEST MAGE THIS WORLD’S EVER SEEN! JUST YOU WAIT—”

The doors were slammed shut in his face before he could finish his monologue.

A twinge of sympathy pierced Yuura’s heart, causing her lips to tug into a frown. Shit, now I feel kind of bad for him…

“Well,” Crowley chuckled nervously, turning back toward the students, “that was quite the fiasco. I think now is a good time to officially conclude the entrance ceremony. Vice Housewardens, please escort your students back to the dorms. I need the Housewardens to remain here for a little while…” Suddenly, he trailed off and narrowed his eyes, scanning the room almost as if he was looking for something—or rather, someone. “Hm? Speaking of Housewardens, I don’t see the Housewarden of Diasomnia anywhere. Where is Mr. Draconia?”

“Are you really that surprised?” The lion-man scoffed, rolling his eyes. “The dude’s a total recluse.”

“Wait a sec,” the Housewarden whose butt had previously been on fire said, looking around the chamber with wide ruby eyes. “Did anyone even invite him?”

Judging by the silence that followed, they probably didn’t.

“If you’re that worried about his absence, perhaps you should’ve taken it upon yourself to invite him,” the unfairly gorgeous Housewarden scolded him.

“Maybe, but I don’t think I really know him that well…”

As everyone listened in on the Housewardens’ conversation, murmurs started to fill the air.

“Draconia… as in Malleus Draconia? That Draconia?”

“So he really does go to school here…”

“Yikes…”

“Malleus Draconia? Who’s that?” Yuura asked, leaning closer to Sadie. “And why does he have such a rich-sounding name?”

“He’s one of the most powerful mages in all of Twisted Wonderland,” Sadie answered, “Apparently he’s the heir prince of Briar Valley, so it kinda makes sense that he’s super powerful, you know?”

“He’s a prince? As in literal royalty?”

“Yep. And of all the schools he could’ve attended, he chooses to attend this shithole.”

Suddenly, the grand double-doors swung open to reveal another student, short and clad in the same black-and-purple robes as everyone else. His eyes were the color of red wine, and his short black hair was streaked with hot pink. However, when he spoke, his voice was deceptively deep.

“Ah, just as I’d expected,” he sighed exasperatedly, shaking his head. He entered the chamber, the heels of his boots clicking against the floor with every step. “I figured I would come down here to see whether or not Malleus had made an appearance, but once again, it seems he was not informed that his presence was required at tonight’s ceremony.”

Again? Yuura thought. You mean this isn’t the first time someone forgot to invite him to this stupid thing? Talk about disrespect…

“You have my sincerest apologies,” Azul chimed in, but his voice oozed with false sincerity. Even his expression didn’t really appear all that sympathetic if one looked closer. “I assure you, this oversight was in no way intended as a snub.”

Sadie rolled her eyes so hard, Yuura thought they’d fall out of their sockets.

“I mean, you have to admit he’s not the easiest person to strike a conversation with,” Riddle sighed, brows furrowing.

The short student with the deep voice waved his hand reassuringly. “Oh well, it’s no matter. All of you who were sorted into Diasomnia, follow me. I just hope Malleus isn’t too upset about this…”

“Actually, Lilia,” Crowley called out, “I need you to stay here for a bit with the other Housewardens.” He quickly walked over to the student—Lilia—and leaned down to whisper something in his ear.

Lilia glanced between Crowley and the other Diasomnia students before landing his gaze on the headmaster. “Well, since Malleus isn’t here, I need to lead all these new students to the dorm. If the transfer student gets sorted into Diasomnia as well, you can call me back here to meet with her.”

Crowley sighed, as if the shorter man had derailed all his plans for the evening. “Very well. I will let you know if she is.”

“Ugh, goddamnit,” Sadie groaned. “Now it’s my turn to be sorted.”

“Hey, at least the Dark Mirror won’t call you out for having no magic in front of everyone,” Yuura said, shooting a dirty look at the aforementioned mirror. Just because it was true didn’t mean it had to put her on the spot like that. She wished she could crack its stupid glass surface.

“Yeah, fair point.” Then Sadie adjusted her grip on Roulette, lifting the feline toward the opening of her outer robe. “Come on, Rou-Rou. We don’t want anyone to see you yet, especially not that short guy who collared the other cat.”

At the mention of Grim, Yuura found her eyes glancing toward the double-doors where he’d been thrown out without a second thought.

When she looked back, Roulette had disappeared into Sadie’s robes, curled up comfortably against her chest and hidden just enough so none of the Housewardens would notice her. 

Finally, the room began to clear out. Students exited through the double-doors in single file, separated by dorm, led by the Vice Housewardens just as Crowley had instructed. Almost every single student was whispering to each other about the events that had just taken place, from the “magic-less human girl” to the “crazy fire-breathing cat.” Thankfully, the murmurs faded out as they left the chamber, and as soon as the double-doors closed behind them, the room was silent once more. Now it was just the headmaster, the Housewardens, and the only two girls in this whole school—three, if you counted Roulette.

“Ooh!” the Housewarden with the large ruby eyes squealed, bouncing excitedly in his spot. “Is it time for the transfer student to be sorted?”

“Indeed it is, Mr. al-Asim!” Crowley answered. He clapped his hands once. “Now then! As promised, the entrance ceremony has officially concluded. Therefore, you may now approach the Dark Mirror to be sorted, Ms. Arachned—” But when he turned around, he blinked in confusion and looked around the room. “Ms. Arachned? Where did you go? Oh, don’t tell me she left the Mirror Chamber with all the other students before she could even be sorted…”

Sadie rolled her eyes before she stepped out of the shadows. Yuura stepped out with her, seeing no point in remaining hidden if Sadie couldn’t.

“Ah! There you are!” Crowley exclaimed when he spotted the stitched girl. Then his gaze landed on Yuura, and his cheerful expression faltered for a moment. “Oh, Ms. Nasir, I had no idea you were still here!”

Yuura narrowed her eyes at him. “I am. Is that a problem?”

“I’m afraid it is,” he answered, a little too quickly for her liking. “Since you possess absolutely no magic whatsoever, I am unable to allow you to attend Night Raven College. Surely you can understand, right?”

She could feel her blood start to boil now. Her jaw clenched at the utterly condescending tone Crowley’s voice had taken on, almost like he was talking to a toddler and not a teenage girl with an almost-fully developed brain. If this was how everyone at this school was going to treat her, then she couldn’t have been more glad to be leaving.

“But do not fret, my dear!” he continued, his voice suddenly resuming that overly cheerful tone of his. He gestured toward the mirror in the center of the room. “After Ms. Arachned has been sorted into her dorm, the Dark Mirror will be able to send you back home safe and sound! Ah, what a benevolent headmaster I am!”

Yuura and Sadie shared a look with each other before rolling their eyes.

Then Crowley returned his yellow-eyed gaze to the other girl. “Now, Ms. Arachned, please step up to the Dark Mirror and—”

“Actually,” she quickly interrupted, “Yuura can use the mirror first. I don’t mind waiting.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, tilting his head to the side. “The Dark Mirror shouldn’t take long in sorting you into the appropriate dorm.”

“I’m sure.”

Yuura sent her a cheeky little smirk. “Are you sure you’re not just trying to procrastinate on being sorted?”

“Shut up,” Sadie chuckled, playfully nudging her shoulder.

“Well, if you insist.” Crowley looked back at Yuura. “Ms. Nasir, please enter the gate and visualize the place you originally came from.”

Her brows furrowed in confusion. “Gate…?”

“I’m referring to these coffins here.”

“Oh. Right. Okay then.”

She quickly stepped up into the nearest floating coffin, not really caring whether or not it was the one she’d originally woken up in. Once she settled herself inside the cramped space, leaning against the cushiony backside, she closed her eyes and began to conjure a familiar image of her hometown: Philadelphia, from the sky-piercing towers and cacophony of car horns to the amber-leafed trees and cool, crisp breeze that drifted through the air every so often. Then she began to envision the quaint little townhouse neighborhood that she lived in, the same one that she’d been in when those nightmarish horses ran her over and kidnapped her to this psychotic school.

“Oh, Dark Mirror!” Crowley chanted, his voice booming throughout the whole chamber. “Return this lost soul to the place from whence she came!”

Yuura honestly didn’t know what to expect. Would there be a sudden flash of light and she’d be back in her bed? Would she be whisked away in a cyclone of magical glitter? Would her surroundings wash away like watercolor on a canvas? Would she simply just open her eyes and be back in Zainab’s house like nothing had ever happened?

Like the two of them had never even…

Never even…

Damn it, why couldn’t she remember what they’d been doing before she ended up here?

Whatever, the point was that Yuura didn’t know what to expect. But when she opened her eyes, she was pretty sure she wasn’t supposed to still be in the floating coffin, in this weird chamber, with the headmaster, the Housewardens, and Sadie all staring at her expectantly.

Dread began to creep back into her stomach like it had already made itself home there. Why am I still here?

Crowley nervously glanced between her and the Dark Mirror before clearing his throat. “L-Let us… try that again,” he stammered. “Oh, Dark Mirror! Return this lost soul—”

The Dark Mirror cut him off with the very last words Yuura ever wanted to hear in this situation: “There is no such place.”

Her heart dropped all the way to her feet.

No.

Please, god, no.

“What?” Crowley asked in disbelief, as if he was more affected by this than she was.

“There is no such place in this universe where this soul belongs.” The face in the mirror spoke with finality in its tone. “It does not exist.”

Chapter Text

For the second time that night, the Mirror Chamber erupted into chaos and confusion at the Dark Mirror’s words.

Wait, what the FUCK? Sadie’s eyes widened instantly. Her gaze snapped from Yuura to the giant, supposedly omnipotent mirror in front of her as if it had insulted everyone in the room and their families. Its elaborately decorated face remained stoic and unemotional as ever, lips cemented in a solid line, gaping eye-holes dark and narrowed. Did she hear that thing correctly? Did she need to get her ears checked or something?

She snuck a glance down her robes and locked eyes with Roulette’s pumpkin-eyed gaze.

“What’s going on?” the feline quietly asked, taking advantage of the chaos in the room to go unnoticed. “Why is everything going to shit again?”

“I’ll tell you later,” Sadie responded under her breath, stroking Roulette’s fur through the silk fabric barrier.

Meanwhile, the Housewardens were expressing their own bewilderment at the current situation.

“Excuse me?” Riddle exclaimed, furrowing his brows tightly. “Is there something wrong with the Dark Mirror? First it summons a student completely incapable of magic, and now it’s unable to send her back home?”

The lion beastman only tilted his head and lifted an eyebrow. “Great,” he sighed, clicking his tongue. “Just what this school needs: a stray herbivore stuck on campus.”

“The mirror said her homeland does not exist,” Azul noted. His eyes narrowed as he adjusted his glasses. “But that shouldn’t be possible. There should be a land or region in Twisted Wonderland from which she originates… unless she’s not even from Twisted Wonderland in the first place.”

Next to him, Mr. Ass-Fire gasped and widened his ruby eyes. “Wait, are you saying…”

“This girl is from an entirely different world than ours,” the blond Housewarden finished. He looked vaguely familiar, but Sadie couldn’t remember where she’d seen him from before—and she didn’t really care enough to keep thinking about it.

“So you’re saying she was basically isekai’d here?” asked the voice from the floating blue tablet. “Who knew we’d be living in a real-life anime right now…”

Sadie cast a sideways glance at the tablet.

“Never, not once, in all my years of service at this school,” Crowley started to rant, like one of those teachers when their class earned a bad note from the substitute, “have I ever experienced something as perplexing as this before! I must admit that I am truly at a loss here.” He turned to face Yuura, who was slowly stepping out of her coffin. “Tell me, Ms. Nasir, from what land do you hail?”

“I’m from Philadelphia,” she answered.

“I’m afraid I am not familiar with such a place,” Crowley said.

She raised an eyebrow. “It’s one of the most popular cities in Pennsylvania.”

Crowley tilted his head to the side. “Pennsylvania?”

“It’s one of the United States of America.”

“…What exactly is the United States of America?”

“Oh my god,” Yuura groaned, her face falling into her palms. Sadie stepped closer and placed a hand on her shoulder in a painfully awkward attempt at comfort. Thankfully, Yuura looked up from her hands to give Sadie a small-but-grateful smile.

“Nornally, I am intimately acquainted with the origins of every student who has ever attended this school,” Crowley tried to explain, “and yet… this mysterious ‘Philadelphia’ place truly eludes me. But not to worry, dear! Until we can find where it is located and how to send you home, I have just the place where you can temporarily reside for the time being. Truly, my grace is ever boundless!”

“Headmaster, what exactly is this place that you have in mind?” Riddle asked, his tone cautious and skeptical. “Don’t tell me it’s—”

“Why, it’s the vacant building on campus that used to be a dorm long ago!” the headmaster answered before Riddle could finish his sentence, throwing his arms out wide—for the thousandth time that night. Then he turned back to Yuura with a joyful grin. “I must admit, since it has been long abandoned, the building may be a little dusty and run-down.”

“That’s an understatement,” the lion beastman scoffed.

Crowley ignored him as if he’d never spoken. “But with a proper and thorough cleaning of the place, it should make for quite the cozy living space! How does that sound?”

Sadie narrowed her eyes at the bird-faced man. She hadn’t known him for very long—actually, scratch that, she’d known him for way longer than she would’ve liked—but she figured she knew enough to tell when he was majorly trying to sugarcoat things. Anyone with brain cells or common sense would be able to tell that he was trying to sugarcoat the true state of this “long abandoned” dorm. And judging by the Housewardens’ reactions, it was probably in much worse condition than Crowley was claiming it to be.

Ugh, not even Headmistress Strife would be that heartless.

But Yuura looked simply resigned when she accepted his offer. “Yeah, whatever, that sounds fine.” Then her tone sharpened, and her brows furrowed. “As long as you find a way to get me back home.”

“Of course I will!” Crowley assured her, waving a dismissive hand. “Once I’ve gotten you situated, I shall visit the library and begin my research there. But first”—he turned to face Sadie, and she immediately tensed up in dreadful anticipation—“without any further delay, it is time for you to be sorted, Ms. Arachned. Now, please step up to the Dark Mirror.”

She let out a defeated sigh. “Fine.”

Subtly adjusting her robes so Roulette wouldn’t fall out, she left her spot next to Yuura and slowly approached the Dark Mirror. At once, green flames sparked to life in the glass. A second later, its masked face appeared in the center with the same deadpan expression as before. She leveled it with a ferocious glare. This fucking mirror better not say anything out of pocket about me…

“State thy name,” it said.

“Sadie Arachned.”

“Sadie Arachned,” it repeated, and every word out of its mouth made her vicious expression start to falter, “the nature of thy soul belongs to…”

She screwed her eyes shut, as if that would do anything to stop the Dark Mirror from sealing her fate. It didn’t matter what dorm it sorted her into, she would still be surrounded by boys either way. She could feel the soft vibrations of Roulette’s purring against her chest, but even the feline’s attempt at comfort could only do so much against the dread that churned her stomach. This was it…

“Wait!”

Her eyes flew open.

Everyone in the Mirror Chamber, especially Sadie, turned to look at Yuura, but somehow, she didn’t falter under the weight of all their gazes. If anything, she seemed to become even more resolute as her gaze met Sadie’s. “Can she stay with me?”

Sadie’s breath caught in her throat. A shred of hope fluttered in her chest like bat wings.

Crowley raised an eyebrow. “Pardon?”

Yuura looked up at him, unwavering. “Can she stay with me at the building you mentioned? The one that used to be a dorm?”

Before the headmaster could even answer, Riddle quickly beat him to it: “Absolutely not. There are only seven official dorms at Night Raven College into which a student can be sorted, and only the Dark Mirror has the right to make that decision. Just what gives you the right to override its sacred sorting procedure?”

“And what gives you the right to butt in like anyone asked for your opinion?” Yuura snapped, sending a nasty look to the short Housewarden. Sadie let out a snicker, not even bothering to hide it behind her hand.

His face began to turn red like his crimson hair. “Excuse me?!”

But she didn’t dignify him with a response. Instead, she turned back to Crowley and urged him for an answer.

“Er, well,” he stammered, wringing his gloved hands together, “the Dark Mirror was just about to announce its dorm selection for Ms. Arachned. I’m sure she would much rather know which dorm she’s been placed into rather than—”

“No.”

Now everyone’s eyes were on Sadie, but unlike Yuura, she instinctively tensed up at all the undivided attention.

“Um, I mean, it’s fine,” she clarified, willing her tone to sound as nonchalant as possible. “It’s really not that big of a deal. I actually prefer to stay with her at the old dorm building much more than… the other option.”

“But Ms. Nasir isn’t even meant to be in this world,” Crowley argued, “and she certainly isn’t going to stay for very long. As soon as we find a way to send her home, you’ll be left all alone at the old dorm.”

“So you’re saying I’d have a whole entire dorm to myself afterward?” Sadie smirked.

“Well, I suppose if you put it that way…”

“Pardon me for interrupting,” Azul suddenly chimed in, his eyes fixed on Sadie as he stepped forward, “but wouldn’t you rather be sorted into one of the actual dorms here so you wouldn’t be isolated from the rest of the student population for majority of the school year?”

She shrugged. “Nah, not really.”

A look of pure disbelief crossed his face. “So you would rather stay in that decrepit— I mean, old-fashioned building all by yourself for the entire year than live in one of our far more pristine and hospitable dorms with everyone else?”

Sadie didn’t even need to take a moment to think about her answer.

She turned to look Azul dead in the eye, and a cruel smirk crept across her lips, revealing her razor-sharp teeth. “Yeah. Pretty much.”

The silence in the Mirror Chamber was palpable.

Then Azul narrowed his eyes, the blue of his irises turning ice-cold. “Oh. I see.” He stepped back and returned to his original spot among his schoolmates. “Have it your way, then.”

When she raked her eyes over the other Housewardens, it was clear that they’d also understood her message loud and clear. Her smirk widened at various looks they were all giving her—fury from Riddle, irritation from the lion beastman, sadness from Mr. Ass-Fire, and disdain from the blond one (she couldn’t see what kind of expression the one with the tablet was giving her, but she assumed it was also offended like the others). It wasn’t even the first day of school yet, and she was already knocking these assholes down a peg! Maybe this year wouldn’t be so bad after all…

“Well then!” Crowley clapped his hands, interrupting the tension in the room. “If you truly insist, Ms. Arachned, then you may live at the vacant dorm to keep Ms. Nasir company until she can be sent home. And after that, you may continue to live there and be its sole resident for the rest of the year if you so desire.”

For the first time since stepping foot onto this goddamn campus, happiness flooded her chest like moonlight in a dark room. A wide, giddy grin spread across her face. Her eyes glimmered with pure joy and relief. Lady Luck really did come around in the end. Sadie was almost tempted to pull Roulette from her robes and tell her the good news, but she reminded herself that the Housewardens were still in the Mirror Chamber with them.

Speaking of the Housewardens…

“Well,” the lion beastman drawled. Then a huge yawn left his lips before he continued the rest of his sentence. “That was a huge waste of time.”

“Oh come now, Mr. Kingscholar!” Crowley tried to assure him. “No need to be so harsh. This was just as important—if not even more—than the actual entrance ceremony! It’s not every day Night Raven College receives a transfer student.”

“As much as I hate to admit it, I have to agree with Leona,” the blond Housewarden chimed in, his tone laced with impatience and irritation. He put his hands on his hips. “There was almost no point in staying behind after the entrance ceremony had already concluded if this was how it was going to end.”

“Agreed,” Riddle spoke up, his voice taking on that strict tone again—not like he ever took it off in the first place. “I should be at Heartslabyul right now, making sure none of the new students are breaking any rules before classes have even begun.”

“And I should be back at Octavinelle to make sure the Mostro Lounge is ready for opening tomorrow,” Azul lamented, as if anyone fucking cared. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Floyd has used my absence as an excuse to slack off and neglect his duties.”

“Aw, don’t worry, Azul!” Mr. Ass-Fire consoled him, placing a friendly hand on his shoulder. “I’m sure his brother, Jade, is keeping him on task while you’re gone!”

“I can only hope so, Kalim,” Azul sighed, shaking his head exasperatedly.

“I could’ve been using this time to farm for gems or level up my cards,” the floating tablet muttered. “What a waste…”

Another smirk tugged at Sadie’s lips. She knew she had promised Headmistress Strife not to start any beef until provoked first, but she just couldn’t help it. First, she had singlehandedly insulted all of their dorms with just three words. Now, she’d ended up wasting their whole night by not going through with the Dark Mirror’s sorting. Damn. Call me dice, because I’m on a roll today.

“Well,” Crowley sighed, sounding more defeated now thanks to the Housewardens’ collective pessimism, “I suppose I shall not continue ‘wasting your time’ anymore. You may now return to your respective dorms and tend to whatever duties you have over there. I will take on the responsibility of showing these two young women to their own dorm. Truly, what a generous headmaster I am!”

None of the Housewardens dignified him with a response to that. Instead, they all filed out of the Mirror Chamber, all of them mumbling various complaints under their breath—well, all of them except Kalim, who was practically skipping out of the Mirror Chamber with a way-too-energetic smile on his face. When the doors shut behind them, Crowley turned back to face Sadie and Yuura.

“Now then, it’s time to visit your new dorm, ladies!” he announced, clapping his hands together with an eager, close-eyed grin. “I have a feeling you’re going to absolutely love it there!”