Chapter 322

Chapter 2

** Harper’s POV **

I take one last look at my bedroom and then close the door on it. The next time I come back here, it will be Bella’s bedroom, which doesn't bother me, but I am a little sad to say goodbye to it.

I had brought Bella to my room last night to have a chat with her. I wanted her to know I was happy that she would take my room, and that I was pleased she was a part of our family. Especially because it meant I wasn’t leaving my mum alone to deal with a house fully of stinky boys.

Bella is a sweet kid and my parents were right to bring her into our home. She has been a great addition to our crazy family and Sammy and the twins adore her. I will be surprised if she doesn’t bond with one of them. I put my money on Sammy, but only time will tell.

“Ready to go, kiddo?” Luke asks as I reach the bottom of the stairs where the rest of my parents, except Deacon, wait.

“Yes,” I nod, resisting the urge to roll my eyes at him calling me kiddo.

I can sense how uneasy my parents are. The atmosphere around them feels thick with nervous tension.

We port to the administration office to drop off my belongings as planned, and then we head to the great hall for initiation. Parents aren’t supposed to accompany us to this, but because mine all have some kind of professional role within the academy, I’m unlucky enough to have mine attend.

I hesitate as we approach the door, and my parents stop, looking at me in question.

“Come on, there’s nothing to fear in here. This is the boring part,” Theo says.

“She’s not scared. She just doesn’t want to walk in with us,” my mum says, trying to usher my dads inside.

“Why not? We are cool,” Theo huffs.

My mum glances back over her shoulder and rolls her eyes, and I give her a grateful smile. I’m glad at least one of them understands me.

If I walked in there surrounded by my parents, my peers would instantly mark me as different. My goal is to fit in here. I don’t want to be known as the headmaster’s daughter, or daughter of the spark bonded group. I just want to be Harper, another regular student.

I hang around by the doorway, smiling at the students I already know from school as I wait for Archie. We had arranged to meet here so we can go in together.

I’m not left waiting too long before I recognise Archie’s mop of dark hair in the group of students heading my way. When I finally get a glimpse of his face and his eyes meet mine, it steals my breath.

Archie is so handsome, especially since he’s started bulking out. I thought he was attractive even when he was going through his tall and gangly stage, but now he’s filled some out and looks more like a man than a boy. He’s drop dead gorgeous.

“Hey, Cutie, are you ready to do this?” Arch asks with a smile that makes my heart skip a beat.

“I’m more than ready. I can’t wait to move in with you,” I beam at him.

“This is going to suck if you are wrong about us being bonds. I’ve been dreaming of this day for over a year,” Archie chuckles, but I can hear the nervousness in his tone.

“I’m not wrong. It’s clearer to me than ever now. I can see the link between us as clear as I can see my hand. We are bonds,” I nod confidently.

“Then let’s get this over with and meet the rest of our bond group,” he says, slipping his hand into mine so we can walk into the hall together.

The seats in the hall are filling up fast. Deacon said this year's group is the biggest intake they’ve had to date, and the academy has had extensive expansions in the last year to accommodate us all.

Most of the seats near the front are already taken, but Archie finds two together near the back. The hall hums with excited chatter as the students wait for our headmaster to begin initiation.

I spot all my parents to the left of the stage. They are talking with Sage, a powerful seer I’d met once. Seeing her has my nerves intensifying. What if I’m not a seer and I’m just imagining the link with Archie and Dillon?

I close my eyes and draw on the gift that I feel pulsing in my chest. When I open my eyes again, I see the shimmering tether that connects my soul with Archie’s. It’s so strong and sure, as if a part of our souls are reaching out to each other, desperately trying to merge.

There’s another tether reaching out from me. This one doesn’t shine as brightly as Archie’s and I can’t see where it leads, as it seems to penetrate the left wall of the hall. I assume that is the direction Dillon is in.

I blink the vision away, allowing my gift to sink back inside me and when my vision fully clears, I gasp. I am the focus of six pairs of eyes. My parents, and Sage, who look’s at me with a knowing smile. She gives me a small nod. Does she know what I was doing?

“Are you okay?” Archie whispers.

“Yes, I’m just eager to get this over with and see our new apartment,” I reassure.

The room lulls into silence and I look up to see my dad, Deacon, making his way to centre stage.

“Good afternoon, and welcome to Greys Academy. It’s wonderful to see so many of you here this year. I know you are probably all eager to explore the campus and settle into your new rooms, so I won’t keep you here too long. Because of the sheer number of students this year, we will do things a little differently than our usual protocol. Once I have given you the basics of academy life and gone over the rules, our seer will begin working immediately to identify bond groups. This will require complete silence as she focuses on finding bond links. The seer will work hard over the next few weeks to get through all of you. Please don’t be discouraged if she doesn’t identify any bonds for you; your bond might not have turned 18 yet.” Deacon explains.

He continues to talk about the academy, explaining the house system, amenities, classes and rules, but I tune most of it out. I have heard him plan this speech many times. My mind is stuck on what he said about the seer needing silence to identify bonds. I can see my bond tethers with no need for silence.