Persephone's Point of View
♕︎ ♕︎ ♕︎
I clicked my tongue sharply, the sound almost like a small crack in the air, cutting through the tension in the room. "Besides, I couldn't care less about how the likes of you see me," I muttered, my voice dripping with a cold edge. I didn't need to glance up at him to know what kind of look he was probably wearing—patronizing, self-assured, maybe even a little smug, like always. It wasn't the first time I'd said something like this, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.
He could never seem to get the message, but I wasn't about to stop delivering it. There was something strangely satisfying about reminding him—again and again—just how little his opinion mattered to me. If it was any consolation, it was mostly to remind myself more than him that I couldn't give less of a damn about what he thought of me.
With a quick flick of my gaze, I turned to check behind me, and that's when I saw it: everyone had already settled into their assigned seats. It didn't take long to register the sheer absurdity of what I was seeing. My eyes swept over the room and I immediately realized that this year was going to be one for the history books—a total mess, but also a strange kind of inevitability in its weirdness. Everyone had already paired up, sitting next to people they'd likely never have chosen for themselves under normal circumstances. And yet here they were, forced to settle in for the long haul, as if it was all part of some sick game designed to test our patience and sanity.
The more I looked, the more I began to question everything. If these were the pairings we were going to be working with—studying alongside, living with, spending an entire year in close quarters with—it was going to be a hell of a ride. A ride that would likely leave us all questioning whether we had even the slightest grip on reality.
What was meant to be a year of learning was quickly becoming a year of chaos, tangled alliances, and potentially explosive interactions. Honestly, I could already feel the tension building, like the calm before a storm that was destined to wreck everything in its path.
I turned my focus back to the headmasters at the front of the room, trying to mask my surprise with a flick of my hair as I casually asked, "When did they get sorted?" My tone was laced with both curiosity and a hint of incredulity. How had I missed this? Had I really been that lost in my own thoughts to not notice such a monumental detail?
Headmaster Diana, ever the mysterious figure, let out a soft, amused purr. It was a sound I had come to recognize as her version of a playful chuckle, though it always seemed to carry some deeper meaning that I couldn't quite grasp. "When you were talking and daydreaming," she replied, a knowing tone in her voice, clearly entertained by my lack of attention.
The fact that she found my distraction amusing only added to my irritation, but I wasn't about to admit that out loud. I had far more important things to focus on, like the very strange situation that had just unfolded.
Daydreaming, huh? Yeah, maybe I had been, but could anyone really blame me? With all the impending madness weighing down on us, it was hard not to drift off mentally. If I had to face what was coming with full attention, I'd probably end up cracking under the pressure. A little mental escape seemed like the only way to keep my sanity intact. But now? Now I was forced to deal with the fallout of whatever bizarre scenario this year had in store for us.
I scanned the room again, my eyes darting between students, trying to make sense of the pairings. Honestly, nothing about them felt right. Of the other four captains, Heimdall had paired up with Neo-Brynolf, which seemed like an odd mix of personalities. Heimdall, with his stoic, no-nonsense demeanor, and Neo-Brynolf, with his youthful energy and somewhat carefree attitude. They were like oil and water, and I couldn't shake the feeling that the friction between them would be unavoidable.
But it was Freya and Nora-Camilla Mateo that really caught my attention. Their pairing didn't surprise me much, but it still made my stomach turn. Both of them were independent and stubborn as hell, and I had a sinking feeling that they might just end up in a volatile relationship, one way or another.
Then there was the pairing of Primrose and Sirena—two strong personalities who shared an almost eerie, quiet intensity. They didn't need words to communicate; the look in their eyes said everything. That pair? Well, I couldn't help but feel like they were more than capable of holding their own, though I wouldn't be surprised if their bond turned out to be one that changed the dynamics of everything.
But the real kicker was Pride-Niklaus's group—the four remaining boys from his circle. Somehow, somehow, they had all ended up with my girls. Kai Nova had paired up with Adeline, Dominic Sutton with Emery, Nathaniel Roma with Makayla, and Micah Monroe with Æva. I didn't know whether to laugh or scream. Vampires and dragons, demons and archangels, thrown together into this chaotic blend. I could already feel the impending tension, the clashes that would inevitably happen.
Sure, they'd have to cooperate for the sake of their studies, but the deeper I looked, the more I realized just how dangerous this whole situation could get. The combination of those particular bloodlines, the historical animosities and unspoken grudges? It was like mixing oil with fire. Something was bound to explode.
A bitter chuckle slipped through my lips as I thought about the irony of it all. _Hah, which puts vampires and dragons with demons and archangels._ It was almost laughable if it weren't so dangerously real. I could already feel the impending disaster brewing.
The rest of the girls were no better off. Stella and Anna-Charlotte, at least, had ended up together, which was the one pairing I could somewhat tolerate. But the others? I couldn't help but feel a gnawing sense of dread as I saw the pairings unfold. Aaliyah and Nyssa, two of my most headstrong girls, had ended up with Apollo's boys—Eric Camden and Duke Forrest. Chen Liling and Solana had been paired with Atlas's boys—Pedro Santiago and Ali Jammal.
These pairings, unlike the others, didn't have the same sense of impending doom—but that didn't make them any less complicated. The thought of my girls—my girls—getting involved with these boys... well, it didn't sit well with me. At all.
I prayed to every god I could think of that nothing more than academic partnerships would come out of this. Because if these pairings crossed into anything more personal, anything remotely romantic, I knew I would lose my mind. The idea of my girls falling into relationships with any of those boys was nothing short of infuriating. If it came down to that, I was prepared to burn the entire school to the ground.
And then there was Freya's pairing. She had ended up with Nora-Camilla, and as much as I hated to admit it, that pairing didn't raise as many alarms in my mind. Freya, the Second Princess of Zephyr, was far too calculating to get involved with anyone who didn't serve her goals. And Nora-Camilla, the firstborn daughter of the strongest snake-shifter Grand Duke in the Lunar Kingdom, was someone Freya had been obsessed with for a while.
But it wasn't the kind of obsession that spoke of love or desire—it was more about power and strategy. Still, there was something about the way they gravitated toward each other that made me uneasy. The fact that Zephyr was allied with both the Lunar Kingdom and the Desmond Kingdom—where Lust-bloody-Rhae ruled—made the entire situation feel like it was ripe for political maneuvering rather than anything remotely genuine. And yet, I couldn't shake the thought that there might be more to it than just alliances and power plays. Maybe there was something more to their connection that I hadn't figured out yet.
But regardless of how it all played out, I wasn't sure if I could fully accept it. I couldn't completely trust Freya, especially not with someone as volatile as Nora-Camilla. The whole thing felt... off.
But the absolute worst scenario I could imagine? Pride-Niklaus's boys starting to get involved with my girls. The very thought of it made my blood boil. If it happened—if they actually became romantically entangled with any of them—there was only one place they'd be heading.
Tartarus.
And that was a fate I would not allow for them.
Because if they pushed it that far, I'd make sure they never saw the light of day again.
The very idea of having to go to Inferno to pull one of those idiots out, or worse, letting them come to Tartarus, made my stomach twist into tight, painful knots. I couldn't stomach it.
The very thought of it was enough to destroy my appetite. But honestly? It wasn't like I had much of an appetite to begin with anymore. Not after this mess.