“Welcome to Crowley Academy.”

The man behind the desk looked at me expectantly, as though those four words should have explained everything.

I stared at him for several long seconds before something inside me finally snapped.

“What the hell is Crowley Academy?” The questions burst out before I could stop them. “Where the hell am I? What was that ship? How did I end up in that fountain? What do you mean by—”

He calmly raised a single finger to his lips.

The rest of the sentence died in my throat. Not because I’d decided to stop talking but because I couldn’t. It was as though invisible fingers had wrapped themselves around my voice, locking every word inside my mouth.

“There we are,” the man said pleasantly. “I’m sure you have a great many questions, but to answer the first one… you were only half right.”

Half right?

I tried to demand what that meant, but no sound came out. My lips moved uselessly before I settled for glaring at him as hard as I could.

“Xael,” the boy with the golden eyes sighed, “humans aren’t going to understand vague riddles.” His gaze flicked towards me. “You have to explain things like they’re children.”

The man—Xael—laughed. “You’re right. My apologies.” He folded his hands together. “To humans, this place would probably be called Hell.”

My stomach lurched.

“But,” he continued, “its true name is Gehenna.”

My mouth opened again. Still nothing.

“Oh.” Xael blinked. “Right.” He chuckled sheepishly before raising two fingers to his lips and blowing softly across them.

The invisible pressure vanished instantly.

“What?” My voice came out hoarse, as though I’d been screaming for hours instead of being silenced. Before he could answer, another question escaped me. “Why am I here?”

“One thing at a time.” Xael smiled patiently. “Introductions first.”

He gestured towards me. "You’re Ashe." His eyes lingered on mine, silently daring me to argue.

I decided it was in my best interest not to.

“I,” he continued with another brilliant smile, “am Xael Paimon. You may call me Headmaster Xael.” He gestured towards the golden-eyed boy. “And this surly puppy is my younger brother, Kian.”

Xael reached out as though intending to pull Kian beside him.

Kian smoothly stepped out of reach.

Without taking his eyes off me, he folded his arms across his chest. “I still don’t understand why you’re going through all this trouble.” His voice remained perfectly calm. “Wouldn’t it be safer to throw her into the deepest dungeon and forget she exists?”

Every muscle in my body tightened.

The instinct to run tore through me.

Unfortunately, I was trapped at the top of a tower with only one exit and I doubted I'd even reach the stairs before the massive dog pounced on me.

The temperature plummeted and it wasn’t just from fear. One moment the room was comfortably warm. The next, frost prickled across my skin.

I turned instinctively towards the sofa.

The blonde woman was gone.

“Aerin.” Xael’s voice carried a warning. “That’s enough.”

I whipped my head back just in time to see the woman holding Kian several feet above the floor by his throat.

His bare feet barely brushed the carpet as his hands clawed uselessly at her wrist, his face already turning an alarming shade of blue.

“He didn’t mean it.” Xael moved. One heartbeat he stood behind his desk. The next he was beside them, his hand resting gently against the woman’s wrist. “He was only being stubborn,” he said softly. “You know Kian rarely means half the things that come out of his mouth.”

The woman continued glaring at Kian for another long moment before finally letting go.

He hit the carpet with a heavy thud and immediately doubled over, coughing violently.

She didn’t even spare him another glance.

Instead, she calmly walked back to the sofa, smoothed the front of her dress and sat down as though attempting to strangle someone had merely been a brief interruption to her afternoon.

Xael sighed."Sorry about my brother’s sense of humour.” He pointed towards the woman. “And that violent young lady is Prince Aerinix Gaap.”

Aerinix immediately adopted the most innocent expression I’d ever seen.

Prince?

I had no idea what that title meant.

Was I supposed to bow? Kneel? Pretend I hadn’t just watched her nearly kill someone?

“Oh, Xael.” She smiled sweetly. “Whatever could you possibly mean?”

Then she looked at me. The murderous expression vanished completely. Instead, her face lit up with the brightest smile I’d seen since arriving here.

“You can call me Aerinix.” 

She paused.

“Actually, call me Aerin.”

Another pause.

“No.” Her smile somehow grew even wider. “Call me Big Sis.”

I blinked. “…Big Sis?” My voice came out far quieter than I’d intended. “What exactly do you mean by that?”

“Well—”Xael never got the chance to answer.

Aerin vanished. One moment she was sitting comfortably on the sofa. The next she stood directly in front of me.

Before I could react, her arms wrapped tightly around me.

I squeakedbut she only squeezed harder. For a terrifying moment I became genuinely concerned my ribs were about to snap.

Strangely…

I didn’t entirely hate it.

Something about the embrace stirred an unfamiliar ache deep inside my chest, as though some forgotten part of me recognised the feeling.

“You’re my little sister from today onwards.” She squeezed me even tighter.

I was almost certain something cracked.

“Aerinix,” another voice said with a weary sigh, “I believe you’re suffocating the poor girl.”

“Oh!” 

She released me so suddenly I stumbled backwards.

“Sorry! Sorry!”

The platinum-haired man rose gracefully from the sofa before stepping towards me. He bowed with effortless elegance. “My name is Alanak Vassago,” he said. “And before anything else, I owe you an apology.” 

His amethyst eyes softened. “I should have reached you sooner.” A faint shadow crossed his face. “I’m truly sorry you had to endure what happened to you.”

I stared at him blankly.

Reach me?

Xael watched my expression for a moment before clapping his hands together once, the cheerful sound cutting through the heavy silence. He wandered back behind his desk as though nothing unusual had happened over the last few minutes.

“Now then,” he said brightly. “Introductions are out of the way, so we can move on to the important part.”

His smile slowly disappeared. The warmth left his face until only a calm, unreadable seriousness remained. "You must be wondering why you’re here.”

“Obviously,” I replied. “I’ve been asking that since the moment I woke up.”

“Quite right.” Xael folded his hands together. "Well…” He held my gaze. “The first thing you need to understand is that you’re dead.”

For a second, I thought I’d misheard him.

“What do you mean, I’m dead?” I demanded. “I’m standing here. I’m breathing.”

Xael sighed quietly. "You humans place far too much faith in what your eyes tell you.”

Every instinct told me to argue. Of course I believed what I could see. Wasn’t that what everyone did? But after having my voice stolen once already, I decided arguing with him probably wasn’t the smartest idea.

Instead, I stayed silent.

Xael seemed pleased. “Tell me, Ashe.” He tilted his head slightly. “Do you know what a soul is?”

I frowned.

After a long moment, I slowly shook my head.

“Of course she doesn’t,” Kian muttered.

Xael shot him a brief look.

Kian’s eyes immediately flicked towards Aerin.

She smiled pleasantly.

He lowered his gaze to the floor.

Apparently nearly being strangled once had been enough to teach him caution.

“A soul,” Xael continued, “is the essence of a living being once it no longer possesses a physical body. Memories, personality, emotions… all of that remains. To the soul itself, very little changes.”

He rested one elbow against the desk.

“That’s why so many newly deceased struggle to accept they’ve died. They still think, they still feel, and to them… they’re still alive.”

I clenched my fists.

No.

That couldn’t be right.

If I was dead…

Why did my heart still race? Why could I still feel the carpet beneath my feet? Why did everything feel so real?

Then I looked at him and said, "But I don't have memories."

“Unfortunately, there were complications with your retrieval. As for your next question…” Xael continued before I could interrupt. “Why are you here?”

His eyes briefly met Alanak’s before returning to me.

“A rather reckless human entered into a contract with something she never should have.”

“A contract?”

Xael nodded. “Yes.” He gestured towards my chest. “If you look closely, you’ll find the mark of whatever now holds claim over your soul.”

“I didn’t make a contract.” The words escaped before I could stop them.

Then doubt crept in.

I couldn’t remember yesterday.

I couldn’t remember my family.

I couldn’t even remember whether I’d had breakfast before dying.

How could I possibly know whether I’d made a contract?

Xael seemed to read the uncertainty on my face. "That mark doesn’t lie.” His voice remained gentle. “You were fortunate we reached you before your contractor could claim you.” His smile turned sheepish. “…Although we were admittedly a little inaccurate with where you were supposed to arrive.”

Alanak immediately bowed his head. “I sincerely apologise.” His voice was filled with genuine regret. “The error was mine.”

“So…” I looked down at the loose thread hanging from my dress, twisting it nervously between my fingers. “What exactly did I make a contract with?”

Xael’s smile faded. “I wish I knew.”

For the first time since entering the room, uncertainty crossed his face.

“It shouldn’t be possible for a contract like yours to exist.”

The words hung heavily in the air.

Then, almost deliberately, Xael smiled again. 

"But that’s a mystery for another day.” He clasped his hands together. "For now, all you need to know is that we’ve decided to offer you our protection.”

I blinked. “…Why?”

“You don’t need to know that.”

The answer came so quickly it was obvious he had no intention of discussing it.

“What you do need to know is that sheltering a human inside Gehenna presents… certain complications.” He leaned back slightly. “To everyone else, you must appear to be a demon.”

My stomach tightened.

“In order to make that believable, you’ve officially been adopted into one of the Seventy-Two Noble Houses.” He gestured towards Aerin. “House Gaap.”

“It’s a very exclusive family,” Aerin said proudly.

“The entire family,” Kian muttered, “consists of one extremely violent woman.”

“I heard that.” Aerin growled.

Kian wisely stopped talking.

Xael rubbed the bridge of his nose before continuing. “Prince Aerinix is the last surviving member of House Gaap, which also makes her its head.”

Aerin’s smile returned instantly. “That makes me your big sister.”

She looked entirely too pleased with herself.

I stared at her.

Then back at Xael.

“So…” I took a slow breath. “I’m a demon now?”

“No.”Xael’s answer came immediately. “You are pretending to be one.”

He folded his hands together again.

“If anyone discovers you’re human, they will almost certainly kill you before asking questions." He said it with exactly the same tone someone might use to comment that it looked like rain. “And,” he continued, “for the sake of everyone in this room, I’d rather they never have the opportunity.”

Silence settled over the office.

“So.” Xael’s eyes met mine. “Can we agree that, until we understand what has claimed your soul…” He paused while as he let his words hang.  "…you will do everything in your power to convince the rest of Gehenna that you’re a demon?”

The knot in my throat had become almost impossible to swallow.

I didn’t know these people.

I didn’t understand this place.

Five minutes ago I’d learned I was dead.

Now I was apparently expected to pretend to be something I didn’t even believe existed.

But looking around the room…

None of them looked like they were joking.

I swallowed hard.

Then gave a single, silent nod.

“I’m glad that’s settled,” Xael said, his bright smile returning as though the conversation about my possible execution had never happened. Honestly, the man’s moods changed so quickly they gave me whiplash. “Now, let’s get you settled into your room.”

“My room?” I echoed.

“Of course.” Xael turned towards Kian. “Kian, would you be a dear and show her to her new dorm?”

“Why me?” Kian growled.

“Because you’re my adorable little brother, and you love doing favours for your big brother.” Xael proudly thumped a fist against his chest.

“Half-brother,” Kian corrected flatly.

He stared at Xael for another long moment before letting out a defeated sigh through his nose.

“…Fine.” His golden eyes narrowed. “Which room?”

Xael rested a finger thoughtfully against his lips. "Ah… Lilith’s room has a vacancy.”

Kian’s expression somehow managed to become even less impressed. "Are you sure?”

Xael gave an unconcerned shrug. "Theran won’t be needing it anymore.”

The casualness with which he said it sent an uncomfortable chill through me.

“So there’s really no reason to leave the bed empty.”

Kian groaned. “If Lilith starts complaining, I’m blaming you.”

He turned and headed towards the door without waiting for an answer. Just before stepping through, he glanced back over one shoulder.

“Well?” His gaze settled on me. “Are you coming?”

I looked back at Xael one last time.

He simply smiled and gave me a small wave, as though we’d just finished an ordinary conversation instead of one that had completely overturned everything I thought I knew about the world.

Not that I knew much to begin with.

I hurried after Kian before he decided to leave without me.

Just as I reached the doorway, Aerin called after me. “Don’t overthink everything.”

I looked back.

She smiled warmly. “Just have fun.”

I managed a small smile in return, though I wasn’t entirely convinced my face knew how to make one anymore.

Then I followed Kian out into the corridor.

Right.

So all I had to do was pretend to be a demon in a world I’d only learned existed an hour ago, hide the fact that I was human from people who’d apparently kill me on sight, and somehow fit into a family I’d been adopted into five minutes earlier.

Easy.

Absolutely nothing about that sounded like it could go horribly wrong.