Princess of Lunaris

Lyra's Point of view

If I'm being honest, I never wanted to come here.

Lunaris Academy wasn't even on the list of options I applied to. I mean, who picks a school in the middle of nowhere with a name that sounds like a potion ingredient? But when the acceptance letter came-with that thick parchment, that silver wax seal shaped like a crescent moon, and my name printed in swirling, inked calligraphy-it felt like the decision had already been made for me.

That was the first sign something was off.

The second sign was how fast the storm rolled in the moment I stepped off the train.

My boots squelched in the mud as I stared at the path leading through dense woods. Trees taller than city buildings loomed over the narrow trail, and a crow sat on a branch just watching me like I was a joke it wasn't laughing at yet. The air smelled like wet moss, pine needles, and something metallic I couldn't name.

I wasn't alone.

A small group of new students stood nearby, all quiet, all clutching the same welcome letters I had. One girl was tall and sharp-eyed, dressed like she belonged in a punk band. A guy beside her looked like he'd rather chew glass than talk to anyone. There was an eerie silence among us, like we all knew we weren't just walking into another school-we were stepping into something ancient.

Lunaris was hidden.

Literally.

It took two guides, an enchanted fog, and a bridge that didn't exist until we reached it for us to finally see the campus.

Stone towers reached into the sky like crooked fingers. Ivy clung to walls like it was trying to choke the place alive. Lanterns floated on their own, casting an odd silver glow over the stone paths. The main building was circular with huge arched windows, a dome in the center, and a carving of a full moon right above the gate.

"Welcome to Lunaris Academy," a voice said behind us.

I turned-and there she was. Headmistress Elara Vale.

She looked like a ghost dressed for a gala. Tall, pale, ageless, with silver streaks in her hair that shimmered even though there was no light hitting them. Her voice was like glass, polite but cold.

"You've been chosen," she said. "Not for your grades. Not for your charm. But because your blood remembers what your mind cannot. This is your home now. Until the full moon. After that, we'll see who survives."

Um. Sorry, what?

Everyone else just nodded like she hadn't basically threatened our lives. I forced a smile, then immediately regretted it.

Headmistress Vale turned, her robe swirling behind her like mist, and began walking toward the dorms.

A girl with braids and a nose ring leaned in close to me and whispered, "She says stuff like that to freak people out. Don't let her get in your head."

"Too late," I said.

"I'm Naomi."

"Lyra," I replied.

She gave me a look, then grinned. "You're not like the others, are you?"

I wasn't sure what that meant, but I just shrugged. "What gave it away?"

"You're scared."

Was it that obvious?

---

My dorm room was small but weirdly cozy. The bed was tucked beneath a round window shaped like a crescent. The wood walls were carved with moons, stars, and wolves-seriously, actual wolves. There was even an antique mirror in the corner, its frame made of silver and blackened wood.

It didn't feel like a student room.

It felt like a shrine.

I unpacked slowly, mostly out of nerves. Naomi was across the hall and kept poking her head in, throwing bits of chocolate at me and telling me about the school.

"There's a midnight curfew," she said. "Don't break it. Not even by accident."

"Why?"

"Because there are things in these woods that only come out when the moon's high."

I laughed a little. "You're joking, right?"

Her smile didn't reach her eyes. "You'll see."