All Chapters of Violet at Lunaris: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Violet had never truly considered Nancy’s trailer a home, and standing in this room made that painfully clear. She was left speechless by the sheer luxury surrounding her.The expansive space boasted polished dark wooden floors that gleamed under the soft lighting. Four towering four-poster canopy beds, each fit for a princess, draped in crisp white sheets with plush pillows. Matching wardrobes and executive desks accompanied each bed, adding an air of sophistication.Thankfully, the walls hadn’t been painted a garish Barbie pink, otherwise Violet would have thrown up on the spot. Instead, a dreamy blend of pastel pinks, blues, and purples washed over the room, evoking the whimsical sweetness of cotton candy.A cozy bookshelf stood by the far end, but the true crown jewel of the space was the flat-screen TV mounted on the wall. At the sight of it, Violet nearly forgot any trespasses this school had committed against her. This was fucking paradise.There was a door to the side, and Vio

Disgust twisted low in Violet’s belly, a sickening churn that made her want to throw up. She’d seen a lot in her old school, but this was on another level of twisted. Her anger zeroed in on one particular comment, the idiot who had moaned about not getting a peek under her clothes.Her skin crawled. She noted his username with icy precision, already plotting a way to track him down. When she did, he would regret the day his mother hadn’t used protection; his existence was a mistake she intended to fix.For a moment, Violet wondered if Mary had been right when she’d warned her to keep her head down and avoid drawing attention. Maybe this place wasn’t a real school after all, but some warped social experiment or a rehabilitation center for budding psychopaths, where scholarship kids were just thrown in as entertainment. The thought felt wild, but here… maybe it wasn’t so far-fetched.Regardless, there was no going back now. She’d have to ride out this storm that was Lunaris Academy.Wit

Morning came too soon, too bright, too normal.Violet woke with a jolt, like her body had forgotten how to ease into wakefulness. Sunlight stabbed through the curtains in harsh golden lines. Her roommates were already moving—Lila humming while braiding her hair, Daisy scrolling on her phone, Ivy slamming drawers like they owed her money.No one mentioned last night. No one asked why she'd stormed into the bathroom or why she'd come out half-dripping and defiant. Good. Violet wasn't in the mood to explain dreams that felt more real than breakfast.She dressed quickly: plain black leggings, oversized hoodie, hair yanked into a messy knot. Armor, basically. She kept her eyes down, avoiding mirrors. She didn't want to see if there were shadows under her eyes that hadn't been there yesterday. Or worse—if her reflection looked back with black-oil eyes instead of her own.Breakfast in the West House dining hall was chaos. Long tables packed with shifters laughing too loud, trays clattering,

Saturday dawned gray and heavy, the kind of morning where the sky looked like it was holding its breath.Violet skipped breakfast.She couldn't face the dining hall—not the stares, not the whispers that followed her like smoke after yesterday's win in the arena. Instead, she slipped out the side door of West House, hoodie up, hands shoved deep in her pockets. The device was there, cool against her fingertips. A small comfort. A small lie.She walked without direction. Past the training fields where early risers were already sparring. Past the old oak grove where couples sometimes hid to kiss or fight or both. Past the stone arch that marked the boundary between the academy proper and the wilder woods beyond.She didn't stop until she reached the small lake at the edge of the grounds.It was still. Mirror-flat. Reflecting clouds the color of bruised steel.Violet sat on a flat rock near the shore, knees drawn up. The water smelled faintly of iron and moss. She stared at her reflection—

Graduation night arrived like a held breath finally released.The academy grounds had been transformed: strings of silver lanterns floating without strings, bonfires that burned violet and gold, the air thick with the scent of night-blooming jasmine and smoke. Music pulsed low under everything—drums and strings and something almost like distant thunder.The Cardinal Alphas stood on the raised platform at the center of the great circle. Dressed in black ceremonial robes edged with their house colors: crimson for Griffin (East), emerald for Roman (South), midnight for Asher (West), silver-white for Alaric (North). They looked like gods carved from storm and shadow.The rest of the senior class formed a loose ring around them. Top twenty in front. Everyone else behind. Violet stood with the top twenty—not because she’d fought for it, but because she’d survived everything the academy had thrown at her.She wore the simple black dress Lila had forced on her earlier—sleeveless, fitted at th