The day of my departure for the Royal Assistance Academy has arrived. I glance around in my bedroom, the room I spent most of my time in. It feels emptier now with two of my bags packed and ready by the door: one filled with clothes and the other with my sketchbook, pens, makeup, and essential accessories like a hairbrush and a toothbrush. It's hard to believe I'm leaving this place.

With trembling hands, I swallow a pill to calm my nerves and toss the container into the second bag before zipping it shut. The house is eerily quiet as I carry the bags downstairs and pass the portraits that's always been haunting me, my footsteps echoing against the cold wooden floors. At the front gate, my mother's personal driver waits patiently to drive me to the Academy.

"Is this all you're taking." he asks, his voice a gentle rumble.

I manage a soft smile and nod. "This is all."

I take a final look back at the estate. The thought of it standing cold and empty for who knows how long sends a pang through my chest. I hope my mother will hire staff to keep it in order now that I'm away. This beautiful place deserves to be cared for, even if its occupants are absent.

I take a deep breath, the crisp air filling my lungs, and turn to the driver. "I'm ready," I say, though a part of me isn't sure if I ever will be for what's to come. I climb into the backseat, and the driver gently closes the door behind me.

As we drive through the city, I stare out of the car window. The blood moon casts a crimson glow, making the glass shimmer and obscuring the view. For the first time in my life I'm outside the estate. I see the city for the first time, taken back by how big it is. The streets made out of cobblestone are alive with activity, the lights from tall buildings with gloomy spires reaching for the dark sky, piercing the perpetual twilight of the vampire realm. It's always so dark, misty and death-like here. I often wonder what it would be like to feel the warmth of the sun on my skin, to see the world bathed in daylight. Wonder if it'll burn me and that if I'll end up hating the unfamiliar warmth.

After a few minutes, the large metal gates of the so called Royal Assistance Academy creaks open, revealing a grand building made of ancient stone. The Royal Crest - a coffin decorated with roses, meticulously carved into the center of the gate, standing as a testament to the academy's long history; ruled by the royals.

Thorn bushes line the pathway, their menacing spikes soften by the beauty of red and black roses. The sight is both intimidating and mesmerizing, a perfect reflection of the academy itself. I've always admired the beauty of roses, but I only admired them from afar. I could never pick them from our own garden because of their thorns and the fear of them poking me and making me bleed.

The driver stops the car and retrieves my bags from the trunk as I step out onto the rocky ground. The building looms before me, exuding an aura of danger and mystery.

"You must be Rosemary's second daughter," a voice interrupts my thoughts. I turn to see an elderly vampire woman, her white hair impeccably styled into a bun. She wears a long-sleeved black dress, high-collared and severe, speaks of old-world elegance and authority.

"Yes, that would be me," I reply, nodding feeling more anxious now that I'm truly here.

"Come. Follow me," she instructs, taking my bags from the driver and heading towards the imposing building.

"Thank you," I quickly whisper to the driver, quickening my pace to keep up with her. She glances back occasionally, ensuring I'm still following as we enter the building.

"I'm Lady Moore, the one in charge of the dormitory and all the students wellbeing." She introduces herself. I'm guessing she's the one in charge here.

"This is the dormitory for the students," she begins, her voice echoing slightly in the spacious corridor. "The Academy itself is at the front and is separate from the dormitory."

She gestures to our left. "To the left is the boys' wing, and here on the right is where you will be staying with the rest the girls." Her finger points to two distinct entrances.

Before we enter the girls' wing, I notice a group of students gathered near the middle stairs on the other side of the main entrance. Their eyes follow me, and I quickly look away, my fingers instinctively tightening around my necklace for comfort. Calm down, they're probably just curious because they can tell I'm new.

My heightened senses pick up on their conversation.

"She's stunning," one of the boy's whisper, followed by the sharp sound of a slap to the back of his head. "Keep your perverted thoughts to yourself," a girl admonishes him. My cheeks flush; it's not often I receive compliments, especially from a boy.

We enter the girl's wing. Lady Moore stops in front of a door and pulls out a huge set of keys from her pocket. She unlocks the door and hands me a key. "This is yours. Please don't lose it," she says firmly, walking in and placing my bags inside the room before switching on the light. I glance down at the key, puzzled. What's the point of a key when vampires could easily break down the door with their strength?

Sensing my confusion of the key, she explains, "The doors are reinforced with a special alloy that even vampires can't easily break and the walls inside your room is soundproof. This ensures students have their privacy."

"That makes sense," I nod, feeling slightly more at ease as she turns to leave.

"I'll send one of the girls to deliver your uniform and schedule. In the meantime, you can start unpacking," she says before closing the door behind her and leaving me alone in my new room.

I take a moment to absorb my surroundings. This room is way smaller than the one back at home but still spacious enough to be comfortable. An already neatly made double bed with pillows and blankets sits in one corner, a window above it letting in a red glow from the moonlight. A medium-sized closet and a small desk occupy the other corners.

I pick up my bags and lay them on the bed, to make unpacking easier for myself. As I put away my clothes in the closet, I notice that these rooms didn't have a personal bathroom; I'll be sharing one with the other girls.

Half an hour later, I'm done with unpacking and the room feels more like me. I store my sketchbook, pens and pencils on the desk. This sketchbook still new, its pages blank and waiting to be filled. Now that I'm out of the house, I'll have much more to explore and draw. Over the years I formed a drawing habit, mostly out of boredom. One day, I simply picked up a pencil and started sketching everything I found impactful and interesting.

Pulling open the desk drawer, I slide my mother's spell book in when a I hear a knock at the door. It must be the girl the Lady Moore mentioned. After opening the door, I'm greeted by a girl with two large hair buns and a wide smile. "You're Nadeline Thornhale?" she asks, pushing past me and into my room.

"Why is your room so... empty?" she frowns, turning around to look at me. I glance around, I had filled it with all my belongings. Does it really still look empty?

"Anyway," she begins, brushing off her initial observation. "I'm Sera, your new best friend, and this right here is your gorgeous uniform." She smiles, her fangs just visible beneath her lip.

I take the uniform from her and smile not knowing how to keep a conversation with a vampire that wasn't my mother or sister. "Thanks for bringing it."

"I'm glad I could help. I know coming to the Academy can be stressful. I'm new just like you and I've only been here for a week. But don't worry it's easy to settle in."

I lift my eyebrows, shocked by the fact that she's still new here. I couldn't even tell, she seems so comfortable and looks like she already knows everything of this place.

"You're not much of a talker, are you?" she asks, a hint of curiosity in her tone.

"No, not really," I admit, feeling a bit self-conscious. I still need to work on my social skills.

She rests her palm on my desk, her eyes scanning my room once again. "You don't look anything like your sister," she observes, quickly brushing it off my pulling out a piece of paper from her pocket.

I don't look like her because I'm half-vampire and we don't share the same father. But of course, I can't tell her that.

"These are some of the Academy's rules. And down here, you'll find your schedule for the week or year I suppose," she points to the paper.

"Thanks again," I say, grateful for her help.

"No problem." She says, holding the door open. "I'll see you at the party tonight?"

"There's a party?" I ask, surprised.

She opens her mouth, staring at me as like I've said something shocking. "Your sister didn't tell you?" she gasps.

"We...don't really talk." I admit. We haven't talked in years; she's been avoiding me like I'm some sort of disease, like she's embarrassed to be related to me.

"The princess likes to throw parties once in a while to motivate the students, and tonight is one of those nights. I'll meet you back here in four hours. Make sure to wear something nice and sexy. It's important that you leave a good impression on the royals. Since your future is almost entirely in their hands."