The enormous hound continued staring at me.

I stared right back.

It seemed like the only reasonable thing to do. I'd already drowned once today, so challenging an oversized dog to a staring contest hardly seemed like the worst decision I'd made.

Water dripped steadily from the ends of my hair, splashing into the fountain between us. My dress clung uncomfortably to my skin, and I was fairly certain I looked like something the river had coughed back up.

The hound's golden eyes narrowed. Not angrily.  It was more like he was judging me.

"You could at least pretend you're not disappointed," I muttered. The words felt ridiculous the moment they left my mouth. I was talking to a dog. Granted, it was a very large dog that somehow managed to look profoundly unimpressed, but that only made the situation stranger.

One black ear flicked towards me before the hound slowly turned its head. Without another glance in my direction, the hound let out a low, impatient growl and padded away from the fountain, looking like it had the confidence that I would follow.

"You want me to come with you?"

The hound didn't stop.

It didn't even acknowledge the question.

I pushed myself upright, nearly slipping as my trembling legs protested beneath me. Every muscle in my body ached. My throat still burned from swallowing half the river, and each breath scraped painfully through my lungs. Remaining beside the fountain didn't seem like much of a plan, though. As far as I could tell, my options consisted of sitting waist-deep in freezing water until something else decided to drown me... or following an enormous black dog into whatever waited beyond the fountain.

Somehow, the dog felt like the safer choice.

With a long sigh, I hurried after it.

A freezing wind swept across the courtyard, whipping wet strands of silver hair across my face and cutting straight through the thin excuse for a dress clinging to my skin. I wrapped my arms tightly around myself, trying to trap what little warmth remained while my teeth chattered uncontrollably. Stone paths wound through carefully tended gardens filled with silver-barked trees whose crimson and violet leaves shimmered against the deep red sky. Dark statues circled the fountain I'd just crawled out of, their stone faces facing towards its crystal-clear waters as though guarding whoever emerged from the fountain.

That was when I finally looked beyond the courtyard.

My foot caught on the edge of the path, and I nearly face-planted into the stone.

"What the hell..." The words escaped on nothing more than a rushed breath.

Beyond the gardens rose a structure so enormous my mind refused to call it a building. A sprawling fortress of polished black stone stretched across the landscape, its countless wings linked by soaring bridges and endless rows of gothic windows glowing faintly with crimson light. Tower after tower clawed towards the blood-red sky, each crowned with impossibly sharp spires that disappeared into the crimson clouds overhead. Gargoyles watched from rooftops and towering buttresses, while crimson banners embroidered with strange silver symbols hung motionless from the walls despite the wind sweeping through the courtyard. Massive iron gates stood behind me, sitting slightly open as if welcoming visitors into a place that looked less like a castle and more like a kingdom built for monsters.

The air smelled nothing like the ship. The stench of rot, sulphur and blood had vanished, replaced by the damp tang of salt carried on a cool breeze. Beneath it lingered the sweet, almost spicy fragrance of unfamiliar blossoms, clean enough that I found myself taking another cautious breath just to make sure I wasn't imagining it.

Trying to distract myself from the impossible building looming overhead, I turned towards the hound. "So... what's your name?" I asked, immediately feeling ridiculous for trying to make conversation with a dog. "Mine's Ashleigh... I think."

The hound spared me a brief sideways glance. If a dog could roll its eyes, I was almost certain it just had. Rather than dignifying my attempt with a response, it simply lengthened its stride. Its broad paws landed silently against the black stone path, each step smooth and deliberate, forcing me into an awkward jog just to keep pace.

My legs threatened mutiny, and I slowed to a stop. Following an enormous black hound into an unfamiliar fortress after being thrown from a ship full of dead people suddenly seemed like a spectacularly poor decision. Then again, I wasn't exactly spoilt for alternatives. The hound never even looked back. With a resigned sigh, I hurried after it once more. "Right... not the conversational type."

As we reached the towering entrance, two strange little creatures stepped forward from either side of the doors. They barely reached my hips, their twisted grey bodies wrapped in pitch-black uniforms. Small horns curled from their foreheads, their black eyes reflecting the crimson light without a hint of white, while long fingers ended in polished black claws. They bowed deeply before silently pulling open the enormous iron doors. I couldn't stop staring. The hound didn't so much as acknowledge them, so I reluctantly decided this was apparently normal around here. Without really thinking about it, I drifted a little closer to the hound and gathered a cautious handful of its thick black fur in one hand.

The hound shot me an irritated look over its shoulder, but it made no attempt to pull away. I decided that counted as permission and kept hold as we crossed the threshold.

The entrance hall stole the words from my mouth. I'd expected darkness, cobwebs and damp stone that smelled as old as the Ferryman's ship. Instead, warm crystal lanterns bathed the enormous chamber in soft golden light that reflected from polished black brick walls and soaring vaulted ceilings. Rich crimson carpets stretched across the floor between clusters of elegant sofas and polished tables. Towering banners embroidered with silver crests hung between enormous paintings whose gilded frames depicted stern-looking men and women watching over the hall with unsettlingly lifelike eyes. The same cool scent of salt lingered in the air, woven together with the sweet, spicy fragrance of unfamiliar flowers until the whole room felt strangely welcoming despite its gothic grandeur. Corridors disappeared in every direction beneath sweeping archways, while a broad staircase curved gracefully towards the upper floors, making the entire place feel less like a fortress and more like the entrance to a city hidden inside a single building. At the far end of the hall sat a long black desk behind which a young woman with lavender skin and deep violet hair watched a thin pane of glowing glass suspended upright in the air. Strange symbols drifted silently across its surface like ink moving beneath clear water, shifting and rearranging themselves whenever her fingers brushed through the light.

The woman looked up and smiled politely at the hound. Her gaze shifted towards me, and for the briefest instant something hard flashed across her crimson eye before the smile returned as though it had never left. "Headmaster Xael is waiting for you."

The hound dipped its head once before padding past the desk without hesitation, leaving me to hurry after it.

"So... where exactly are we going?" I tried again, mostly because listening to my own voice was preferable to thinking about how completely out of my depth I was.

The hound didn't look back, though one ear flicked in my direction.

Progress.

"You're not planning to eat me, are you?"

The hound made a strange rumbling sound that I realised, after a moment, was suspiciously close to a laugh.

"Well," I muttered, "that's rude."

"Well, if it isn't the Guard Dog." An unfamiliar voice echoed through the hall.

I turned and nearly forgot how to breathe.

A young man leaned lazily against one of the black stone columns as though he'd been waiting for us. He was unnaturally handsome in the sort of way that immediately felt dangerous. His skin was so pale it resembled polished marble beneath the lantern light, while perfectly kept black hair framed sharp features that looked as though they'd been carved with painstaking precision. A fitted black uniform traced with silver embroidery rested effortlessly across his broad shoulders, an unfamiliar crest stitched neatly above his chest. His crimson eyes, however, held none of the warmth his appearance promised. They watched the hound with open amusement, like someone entertaining themselves by poking at an animal they already knew couldn't bite.

The hound stopped.

A low growl rolled from somewhere deep inside its chest, quiet enough that only those closest could hear it.

The young man's smile widened before his attention drifted to me. "So you're the new demon Xael found."

Demon?

The word caught me so completely off guard that I forgot to answer. Before I could even open my mouth, the hound stepped smoothly sideways until its broad body blocked the stranger's view of me.

"Ooh..." The young man chuckled. "Did I touch a nerve?" His crimson eyes slid around the hound to meet mine again. "You know... you're exactly my type."

The growl deepened.

It vibrated through the stone beneath my feet.

"Relax, Guard Dog." The stranger pushed himself away from the pillar with an easy smile. "I wouldn't dream of stealing Xael's newest pet." He stopped a few steps away and offered a shallow, almost mocking bow. "Dmitri Paimon."

His eyes settled expectantly on me.

"Now, I believe it's your turn."

I parted my lips, but before I could say anything, the hound barked sharply and my mouth snapped shut before I even realised I'd obeyed.

Dmitri sighed dramatically.

"Fine." His hands slipped casually into his pockets. "I'll learn it soon enough." He turned to leave before pausing halfway through his first step. Looking back over one shoulder, the smile returned. "I think this year's going to be... interesting."

Then he disappeared down one of the corridors without another glance.

I watched him until he vanished from sight before looking back at the hound. It stood perfectly still, though the muscles beneath its thick black coat trembled ever so slightly. After a long moment, it exhaled slowly through its nose before giving a low rumbling growl that sounded suspiciously like 'come on'.

"So..." I said carefully. "Are you ever going to explain what that was?"

The hound swung its head towards me and bared every tooth in its mouth.

Right.

Never bringing that up again seemed like the safest option.  Without another word, it continued deeper into the fortress.

The hound led me deeper into the fortress until the bright entrance hall gradually gave way to quieter corridors. Eventually, it stopped before a narrow stone staircase that spiralled upwards around the inside of a tower. The warm glow of the academy faded with every step. There were no windows, only iron lanterns mounted at intervals along the walls, their soft crimson flames barely pushing back the shadows. My footsteps echoed endlessly against the black stone as the staircase climbed higher and higher, each turn revealing yet another flight disappearing overhead. By the time I finally reached the top, my legs were beginning to protest all over again. The hound stood waiting beside an enormous oak door reinforced with black iron bands, regarding me with the same unmistakably judgemental expression I'd become far too familiar with. Two of the small grey doorkeepers stood guard on either side. The moment we approached, they bowed deeply before silently pulling the heavy doors open. Without the slightest hesitation, the hound walked straight inside.

Every instinct I possessed screamed at me to turn around. I still had no idea where I was, why I'd been dragged here or whether following a giant black dog into a mysterious tower was about to become the final terrible decision of my very confusing day. Then again, running away seemed difficult when I had absolutely nowhere to run to.

"You may enter," a warm voice called from somewhere inside, making the decision for me.

I drew a slow breath and clenched a fistful of my dress. The fabric had begun drying into stiff, uncomfortable folds where the strange sludge from the river still clung to it. I glanced one last time towards the spiralling staircase before forcing myself across the threshold.

The room beyond was nothing like I'd expected. Instead of cold stone and rows of dusty furniture, the room felt warm enough to make me instantly aware of just how frozen I'd become. Towering bookshelves climbed almost to the vaulted ceiling, every shelf packed so tightly with books that they looked moments away from spilling onto the floor. A broad crimson rug softened the black stone beneath my feet, while a fire crackled inside an enormous carved fireplace, filling the room with gentle warmth and the comforting scent of burning cedar beneath the academy's ever-present floral perfume. Potted plants crowded windowsills and shelves wherever there was room, bringing unexpected splashes of green amongst the dark stone. Sunlight filtered through a tall stained-glass window overlooking the academy, scattering deep reds, purples and golds across the room like coloured pools of water. Near the fire sat a pair of elegant sofas arranged around a low table covered in neatly stacked books and half-finished cups of tea, making the office feel less like an office and more like a library, greenhouse and sitting room all combined.

Two people occupied the sofas. A young man lounged comfortably in one corner, dressed in an impeccably tailored dark violet suit. Platinum-blond hair brushed his shoulders, framing a handsome face made almost ethereal by striking amethyst eyes that regarded me with quiet curiosity rather than suspicion. Beside him sat a woman whose pale blonde hair tumbled in loose waves across one shoulder. Brilliant turquoise eyes lit up the moment they met mine, and the smile spreading across her face was so warm and genuinely delighted that it caught me completely off guard. We had never met, yet she looked as though she'd been waiting for me to arrive. She wore a crimson sik shirt and crisp black pants with a pair of boots with a heel that would cause anyone to develop a fear of heights.

My gaze drifted further across the room. At the far end stood an enormous desk buried beneath neat stacks of books and loose parchment. Behind it, a man sat writing with effortless concentration, honey-blond hair falling untidily across his forehead as though brushing it had simply never occurred to him. It wasn't him that drew my attention, though. Standing behind the desk was another boy, perhaps a little older than me, pulling a black shirt over his head. For one embarrassingly long moment, I froze. Defined muscles crossed his bare torso, while messy black hair fell untidily into unmistakable golden eyes. Eyes I'd already seen glaring at me with profound disappointment from the face of a very large black hound.

He tugged the shirt into place before meeting my gaze directly. "Have you finished staring?"

Heat rushed straight to my face. "I—sorry."

A burst of laughter echoed through the room.

The man behind the desk finally set down his pen and folded his hands together, a broad smile already spreading across his face.

"Kian," he said brightly, "don't bully our new student."

Student?

At this point I wasn't sure which conversation I'd accidentally wandered into.

The man looked directly at me, his warm amber eyes crinkling with genuine kindness. "I'd like to welcome you, Ashe."

"It's... Ashleigh," I corrected automatically.

The room became very still. The smile didn't disappear completely. It simply... became dangerous. For the briefest heartbeat, something threatening settled behind the man's eyes. "No," he said gently. "For now... it's Ashe."

Something about the way he said it left no room for argument.

I swallowed and gave a small nod.

His smile immediately brightened again, as though the moment had never happened. "Excellent." He leaned back comfortably in his chair. "Then, Ashe..." He spread one hand towards the room around us. "...welcome to Crowley Academy."