A dark cloud hung over the academy in the days following the warden's inspection. Tension buzzed through the corridors, wrapping itself around each of the girls like an unseen force. Even the air felt heavy, as if the very walls were closing in. Moxie couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was about to happen, and her instincts rarely failed her.
Word of the inspection's outcome spread slowly, in hushed whispers and furtive glances. Some girls had been summoned by the warden, their fates sealed in the emperor's service. Others, like Moxie, had been left in limbo, waiting to learn what role they would play in this unfolding nightmare. But no one dared to speak openly of what the summons truly meant.
It was on the third day after the inspection that the call came. The bell's harsh clanging reverberated through the academy's stone halls, signaling an emergency assembly. Moxie's heart skipped a beat as she joined the stream of girls heading toward the main hall, her eyes flicking toward Lily, who walked beside her with a tense expression.
Inside the hall, the air was cold and stale, carrying an undercurrent of dread. The warden stood at the front, her gaze cold and calculating. But it wasn't just the warden that made the room feel so oppressively still. Standing beside her, draped in luxurious black robes, was the emperor's advisor—a thin, angular man with eyes that seemed to pierce through everything they beheld.
Moxie's heart quickened. The presence of the advisor meant only one thing: the emperor had issued a new decree.
"Quiet!" The warden's voice cut through the murmurs of the crowd, and silence fell like a heavy blanket. She took a step forward, her eyes sweeping over the assembled girls. "The emperor has made a demand," she announced, her tone icy. "All mature, full-grown girls are to be separated from the younger ones and taken for special training. This selection is non-negotiable and effective immediately."
Gasps and whispers broke out like a ripple across the hall. Moxie felt a jolt of panic surge through her. Special training? The words echoed ominously in her mind, and she could see the fear mirrored in the eyes of the girls around her.
"Silence!" the warden barked, her eyes flashing. "You will comply, or you will face the consequences."
Moxie bit down hard on the inside of her cheek, trying to suppress the wave of anger and fear threatening to overcome her. She glanced at Lily, whose face had gone pale. This was what they had feared all along—the emperor's iron grip tightening around them, dividing them to exert control.
The warden nodded to the advisor, who stepped forward, his voice a hissing whisper that filled the room despite its softness. "The emperor has been most displeased with the recent progress. He believes that stricter measures are necessary to weed out those who lack the qualities he seeks. The mature girls will undergo a more... rigorous training regimen to prepare them for their roles in his service."
Moxie felt her stomach twist. She could read between the lines. This was no mere training. It was an indoctrination, a way to break the strongest among them and mold them into tools of the emperor's will. The thought made her blood run cold, but she forced herself to remain outwardly calm. She needed to stay strong, for herself and for the others.
"Those selected will be escorted immediately," the warden continued. "The rest will return to their quarters and await further instructions."
The advisor turned to the warden, his thin lips curling into a semblance of a smile. "Proceed," he said, his voice dripping with a sinister satisfaction.
The warden nodded sharply and began calling names, each one like a hammer blow in the stillness of the hall. "Lillian... Seraphina... Moxie!"
Moxie felt her heart lurch, her mind racing as she stepped forward, her body moving on instinct. She had known this was coming, had prepared herself for it as best as she could. But nothing could truly steel her against the reality of standing there, singled out and exposed.
The selected girls formed a line, their expressions a mixture of fear and defiance. Moxie clenched her hands into fists, her nails digging into her palms. She glanced sideways at Lily, who was standing two girls down the line. Their eyes met, and a flicker of determination passed between them. They would get through this—somehow, someway.
"Escort them to the east wing," the warden commanded the guards. "They will begin their new training at once."
Moxie felt a rough hand clamp down on her shoulder, steering her toward the hall's exit. She swallowed the rising tide of panic, forcing herself to focus. The guards marched them through the dimly lit corridors, leading them deeper into the academy, past sections Moxie had never seen before. The air grew colder, and the walls seemed to close in around them as they moved.
Finally, they arrived at a large, iron-bound door. One of the guards unlocked it with a heavy key, and it swung open with a creaking groan. Beyond lay a dark, cavernous room lined with rows of high-backed chairs and long tables. The smell of damp stone and stale air filled Moxie's nostrils, making her stomach churn.
"Inside," a guard grunted, shoving the girls forward.
Moxie stumbled into the room, catching herself just before she fell. The others followed, their expressions ranging from fear to steely resolve. As the door slammed shut behind them, Moxie turned to take in their new surroundings. This room was different from any other in the academy—cold, foreboding, and designed for one purpose: to break the will of those who entered.
"Welcome to your new home," a voice drawled from the shadows. Moxie's head snapped toward the sound, and her eyes widened as a figure stepped into the dim light.
It was the warden, her lips twisted into a cruel smile. "Here, you will learn what it means to serve the emperor without question," she said, her eyes gleaming with a sinister light. "Your training will be harsh, but if you survive, you will have the honor of serving in his inner circle."
Moxie felt a chill run down her spine. This was worse than she had imagined. They were being groomed for something far darker than mere service. But she couldn't let fear paralyze her. She had to keep her wits about her, had to find a way to resist.
The warden's eyes flicked over the group, lingering on Moxie for a moment longer than the others. "Remember," she said, her voice dropping to a whisper. "You are nothing but tools for the emperor's will. Embrace it, or break."
With that, she turned and left the room, the door slamming shut behind her with an echoing finality.
Silence settled over the group as they stood in the center of the room, the reality of their situation sinking in. Moxie took a deep breath, steadying herself. She could feel the others looking at her, waiting for some sign of what to do.
"Whatever happens," she said quietly, her voice cutting through the oppressive silence, "we stick together. They want to break us, but we can't let them win."
Lily nodded, stepping forward. "Right. We'll get through this—together."
A murmur of agreement rippled through the group. It wasn't much, but it was a spark of hope in the darkness that surrounded them. And as long as that spark remained, they had a chance.
Moxie squared her shoulders, her resolve hardening. The emperor might have them trapped in his twisted game, but they weren't going to play by his rules. Not without a fight.
The training was about to begin, and Moxie knew it would test them in every way possible. But if they were going to survive—and escape—they would have to outthink the very system designed to destroy them.