The car pulled to a stop in front of the largest building.

Inara stepped out first, but I was quick to follow her.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the car door and was immediately shocked by the wave of cold that washed over my skin. I was still dressed in the sweats and a long-sleeve shirt from my local police station, but they did little to ward off the cold that leeched into my skin.

How in the world was it so cold here? Back home, it was the beginning of summer. Just two days ago I'd been lounging on the pier with Hanna.

"Hopefully, you have some warmer clothes packed away in that suitcase," Inara said lightly. I gave a glance toward the car, where my suitcase was, hoping my mother wasn't angry enough to only send my summer wardrobe.

When Inara saw my worried glance, she said, "But if you don't, we'll get you what you need."

That was both reassuring and embarrassing. I was grateful for potential help, but I didn't like the thought of a stranger having to make sure I had warm clothes to wear. My mother surely wouldn't be so angry that she would snub me like this, right? She would have had to have known how cold it would be here. Wherever here was.

"If you're worried about the weather, we also have a beautiful spring and summer," Inara said. "It won't be this cold forever."

I gave a slight frown, but Inara didn't seem to notice. She'd avoided my question, though I wasn't sure why. Had she misunderstood? Or did my mother tell her not to tell me so that I would feel trapped here?

"Let's get you out of this cold," Inara said, ushering me into the building behind her. A sign just to the right of the building read WHITETHORN HALL in block letters. The few stairs at the building's entrance were cobblestones that felt uneven under my feet.

My breath puffed into the air in front of me and I shivered. Inara stopped just in front of the double-doors, which were wooden and carved with intricate designs. On a wooden plaque above the door, a quote in a language I didn't understand sat.

When Inara noticed where I was looking, she said, "In absentia lucis, tenebrae vincunt. It means, In the absence of light, darkness prevails."

"What does that mean?" I asked. I'd never been one for poetry or pretty phrases.

"It can mean many things," Inara answered. "I prefer it to be a reminder to our students to be the light that shines in the darkness."

As I mulled over her words, Inara opened the doors to Whitethorn Hall. When i stepped inside, I sighed a breath of relief as warmth washed over me. On the inside, the building was more ornate than I'd thought it would be.

In my hometown, my school had been rundown. Paint had chipped off lockers and the cement floors were cracked. Neither the air conditioning nor the heat worked. But Whitethorn seemed to exude opulence and grandeur.

The floors were spotless and gleamed with fresh polishing. From the domed ceiling, a grand chandelier hung, casting millions of flecks of light in every direction. In the middle of the floor, a large crest of a sword flanked by a pair of wings sat, with that Latin phrase from the doorway curving around the entirety of it.

"That is our school crest," Inara said. "It is embroidered on all our school uniforms." As if to make her point, she smoothed down her suit jacket. For the first time, I noticed the same crest, minus the Latin, over her right breast.

"Uniforms?" I asked. "My mother didn't mention uniforms."

Inara waved her hand. "It's already been taken care of. Everything you need is waiting for you in your dorm."

Stairways and hallways branched off the entrance hall and my head spun. How would I keep track of everything here?

"This building holds most of the administrative offices, the dining hall, the infirmary, and the auditorium. My office is on the top floor."

I nodded, trying to tuck all that information away for later. At some point, I'd have to explore the school on my own and memorize where everything was. But for now, I hurried after Inara as she turned down one of the hallways.

There was little light at the moment, since most of the school was asleep, but there was enough light to see by. A large archway stood at the end of the hall and Inara led me into the room beyond. Tables were arranged neatly throughout the room and the smell of food lingered in the air.

"This is the dining hall. All your meals will be served here and they're included as part of your tuition. You will not be going hungry here, I assure you. We have some excellent chefs in our employ. You can find the menus and the hours of operation on your student dashboard. You can access it from your computer."

I immediately wanted to let her know that I didn't have a computer, but she was already turning to head back the way we'd come. It didn't matter though. I could figure it out on my own.

"If you're ready to head back out into the cold, I can show you to your dorm room now. I'm sure you're tired after your long trip here."

"I'm ready," I told her quickly. Exhaustion had been tugging at me for a long time, but I hadn't truly been able to sleep during any part of my trip here. The few memories I did have haunted me every time I closed my eyes. So I'd nod off here or there, but would wake, sweating, from the memories.

Back outside, the air was harsh and icy. Frost gleamed in the grass, the frozen blades sparkling in the light of the lamps that sat at intervals along the sidewalks.

"The winters here can be quite harsh, but the groundskeepers are always keeping up with the maintenance of the sidewalks and buildings."

That was definitely reassuring. All I needed was to slip and fall on an icy sidewalk. I already had enough memory loss. I didn't need more of it.

Inara pointed out various buildings as we walked. "Those are the male dorms, Beta Hall and the special accommodation dorms, Theta Hall. Omega Hall holds most of the core classes, while those in the Gifted program do specified studies in Alpha Hall."

"The Gifted program?"

Inara nodded eagerly. "Yes. Whitethorn Academy is home to quite a few Gifted students. Through our program, sponsored by many generous donors, these students can live and learn in an environment designed to help them thrive."

Not me, I thought bitterly. I wasn't sent here because I'm Gifted. I was sent here because I'm a disgrace.

I doubted there were special classes for delinquents at this fancy school. Inara was most likely unaware of the events that had led me to be here. I doubted I fit into the high standards of her other students.

We finally reached another building, with a sign that read GAMMA HALL. "These are the female dorms," Inara said as she pulled a key out of her pocket.

A wide set of stone stairs led to a porch lined with giant white pillars. Bushes, dead for winter, flanked the wide steps and the sidewalk. Inara led me up the stairs and to the wooden double doors. These were not as fancy as the ones in Whitethorn Hall. They were simple and wooden, each with a small window. But the windows were fogged, preventing me from seeing inside.

As Inara unlocked the door with her key, a noise had me turning my head. Across the porch, a tabby cat with green eyes sat, watching. A red collar was around it's neck. I tried to take a step towards the cat, but with a mew, it disappeared into the darkness.

"There are all sorts of animals on campus," Inara said. "Especially cats. They roam as they please. Some choose to stay with certain people. If a cat chooses you, you can let your dorm mother know and she'll get you some supplies.

Without replying, I followed Inara into Gamma Hall. The warmth was welcome after our short trip through the cold.

"Is this Selene?" A soft voice asked. I looked up and saw an older woman sitting at a plain, wooden desk. A book lay open in front of her. The woman reminded me of a grandmother, not that I'd ever had one. All my grandparents had died before I was born.

She had soft features, with wrinkles around her cheeks and eyes, and graying hair that fell around her shoulders. A warm smile graced her face. "I'm Ms. Rose, the dorm mother of Gamma Hall."

"She'll take care of anything you need here," Inara assured me. "She takes very good care of all the girls in Gamma Hall."

Ms. Rose gave another smile. The sight of it calmed my nerves, just a hair.

"I hope you enjoy your time here, Selene. I think you'll accomplish great things." And with that, Inara left, heading back out into the cold.

~

I sat in a leather chair, my arms crossed over my chest. The surrounding room was unfamiliar, yet ornate. A large, redwood desk was the main focus of the room, situated in front of a wall of windows. The gauzy curtains were open, but the night was too dark to make out anything.

Leaning against the glass, Inara stood with a glass full of amber liquid. Her hair, which had been pristine during my tour, now had a few fly-aways that had snuck out of her bun. She sipped out of her glass, her reflection showing the unease that lined her features.

"Do you think she's safe here?" I asked, but the voice was not my own. It was deeper. Male. I'd had vivid dreams before, but this one felt more intense. It almost felt real. I could feel the smoothness of the leather beneath my hands and the fabric of my school uniform as it moved against me when I shifted.

But the body I saw out of was not mine.

My eyes, the male's eyes, focused on Inara again. She still seemed troubled as she gazed out toward the campus. Raising her glass to her lips, she downed all of the amber liquid in a single gulp. Then she moved away from the window and seated herself at the redwood desk.

Papers were scattered in front of her, but she paid them no mind as she leaned into her hands and rubbed her temples. "I believe she will be safe here. Our wards are strong. And she'll have you to protect her."

I felt myself stiffen. "I don't think I'm the best choice."

Inara gave a frustrated look at me before refilling her glass with the decanter that perched on the edge of her desk. "I know you think yourself incapable of protecting her, after what's happened. But I know you will keep her safe."

"She almost died with me as her Guide. I left her there, alone, to die. I'm a coward." Emotions that weren't my own flooded through me. Anger. Resentment. Embarrassment. Self-loathing. I could feel them all as they raced under this borrowed skin, no different than if I'd felt them myself.

"You will not make that mistake again," Inara assured me. "I have faith in you. Keep watch. Keep her safe. No one can protect her like you can."

"Assign someone else. You may have faith in me, but I don't. She deserves the best chance."

Inara didn't look convinced as she took another drink. "I'll assign her extra protection. But you are the one who's best for her."

"She's better off without me." The bitterness that laced my tone was like shards of ice down my skin.

"Is that why I saw Loki lingering around this evening? Because she's better off without you?" A hint of amusement colored Inara's words.

I gave a shrug of my shoulders. "I cannot control what he chooses to do. He has a mind of his own and he often does what he pleases. She's better off without me."

"We shall see," Inara commented, though she didn't sound convinced. And I knew this wouldn't be the last time we had this discussion. "But for the moment, we should all be a little extra vigilant. Our enemies are more determined than ever."

I woke with a start, feeling ill at ease in my own skin.

The unfamiliar room around me was silent, save for the huffs of my breath as they heaved out of me. That dream had felt so real. Like I'd truly been in that room with Inara, having a conversation about things I didn't understand.

And who had been the male with her?

I sat up in the bed, shaking my head. It didn't matter. It was a strange dream and nothing more.