I stood in the grand marble foyer of Elysium Academy, my simple black dress suddenly feeling childish and inadequate against the opulent surroundings.At eighteen, I had thought I was prepared for an elite finishing school — etiquette, languages, perhaps advanced social graces. The scholarship letter had been vague but tempting: “For exceptional young women ready to master the art of influence.” I never imagined it would be this.The heavy oak doors had closed behind the new arrivals with a finality that made my stomach tighten. There were twelve of us, all eighteen or nineteen, standing in a perfect line as instructed. The air carried a faint scent of leather, sandalwood, and something darker — desire, perhaps.A tall man entered the room, his presence commanding immediate silence. He looked to be in his mid-thirties, with sharp features, silver-streaked dark hair, and cold gray eyes that seemed to strip away every defense. Professor Elias Voss. His tailored black suit fit him like a
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