جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 4

The copper smell of drying blood always clung to the stones long after the crowd went home.I kept my chin tucked down, the rough wool of my servant’s tunic chafing against the angry red line where my steel collar bit into my collarbone. Swipe. Rinse. Wring. The grey water sloshed over the rim of my rusted iron bucket, splashing against the worn leather of my boots.It was near midnight in the subterranean arena of Apex Academy, and while the high-born heirs of the Central Packs were back in their sprawling dormitories celebrating another brutal round of combat trials, I was down here on my knees, scrubbing their violence off the floor.Swipe. Rinse. Wring."Faster, useless brat. If the floor isn't polished to a mirror shine before the third bell, I’ll let Lady Morrigan know you were slacking off again."The harsh voice belonged to Master Grendel, the arena overseer, his thick wolf-tail swishing with irritation as he leaned against the heavy iron gate. A low-tier Enforcer who had long

The morning bell chimed six times across the cobblestone courtyards of Apex Academy, its deep brass tone rolling over the cold mountain air. By six-fifteen, I had already scrubbed the main foyer of the servants' quarters, fetched Lady Morrigan’s morning tea infused with rare mountain herbs, and starched three sets of her academic robes. My hands were red and raw from the harsh lye soap, and the line on my cheek where her ring had cut me yesterday throbbed with a dull, steady ache. Keep your head down. Keep moving. The grand central corridor connecting the student residential towers to the lecture halls was already packed with students. Young Alphas and Betas from the highest-ranking packs strutted in tight groups, their tailored black-and-gold academy uniforms pristine, their high-grade leather boots polished to a sharp sheen. They carried gilded leather satchels and spoke loudly of the upcoming Combat Trials, their laughter echoing off the high, vaulted ceilings. I walked along th