The Westbrook Deception
My grandmother's warning echoed in my head as I stared up at Westbrook University's imposing gates: "Find the artifact before they do. It's the key to everything." The iron-wrought 'W' loomed against the September sky, both welcome and warning. My fingers instinctively found the silver pendant at my throat, and its familiar warmth helped steady my racing heart.
Just another student moving into just another dorm, I reminded myself, adjusting the strap of my worn backpack. The pendant pulsed gently against my skin, responding to something in the air that most students wouldn't notice.
The campus sprawled before me, a masterpiece of architectural deception. To normal studentsâmundanes, as we called themâWestbrook appeared to be exactly what its brochures claimed: an elite private university with gorgeous Gothic architecture and ivy-covered walls. But I could see through the carefully maintained illusions. The gargoyles weren't just decorative; they were sentinels, their eyes tracking anyone with magical ability. The ivy concealed ancient runes that powered the barrier between mundane and magical worlds.
A group of clearly mundane freshmen walked past, chattering about their class schedules and meal plans. The protection spells woven into the very air made their eyes slide right past the shimmering doorway that had just appeared in what they saw as a solid wallâa magical shortcut to the underground training rooms. The Covenant had spent centuries perfecting these deceptions.
I spotted my first minor magical family right awayâa girl whose designer backpack couldn't quite hide the faint glow of basic protection charms. The middle tier of our world: families with enough magic to see through the Covenant's illusions but not enough power to really matter in the grand scheme of things.
Then I saw them. A sleek black car pulled up to the curb, and three figures emerged who radiated pure power. Nathaniel Ashford stepped out first, his offensive magic so strong that a mundane student walked straight into a pole because the protective spells automatically made her need to look away. Alexander Roth followed, his analytical magic already at workâI could practically see him cataloging every detail of his surroundings with strategic precision. Caleb Weston emerged last, his empathic powers likely already sensing the mix of emotions from the crowd around them. The infamous Triad, already in formation on day one. Great.
"You must be Eve!" A peppy voice broke through my thoughts. I turned to find a tall, willowy girl practically bouncing toward me, her straight blond hair gleaming like copper in the sunlight. "I'm Mia Sullivan, your roommate! I saw your photo in the housing portal and I've been so excited to meet you!"
Her enthusiasm seemed genuine, but I didn't miss how her eyes lingered for just a fraction too long on my pendant. Random housing assignments didn't exist at Westbrookânot for students the Covenant needed to watch.
"Nice to meet you," I managed, grateful for years of practice keeping my expression neutral. Mia linked her arm through mine as if we were already best friends, steering me toward our residence hall.
"We're in Thorne Hallâbest dorm on campus," she chatted as we walked. "The bathrooms were just renovated last summer, and we're right next to the dining hall. Plus..." She lowered her voice conspiratorially, "rumor has it the Triad lives in the connected wing."
My heart skipped at the casual mention of the three most powerful bloodlines currently at Westbrook.
"The Triad?" I asked carefully, matching her gossipy tone while monitoring her reaction. "Like, the student leaders?"
"More than that. They basically run everything here. Nate Ashford is all intensity and powerâyou can feel it whenever he walks into a room. Xander Roth is the strategic geniusânothing gets past him, and he always seems three steps ahead of everyone else. And Caleb Weston is the sensitive one who sees right through everyone's facades."
Yes, I know, and their families had been maintaining the boundary between magical and mundane worlds since before this country existed, I thought. Together they represented everything the Covenant stood for.
Thorne Hall loomed before us, its weathered stone walls practically vibrating with contained power. To mundane eyes, it probably looked like a typical Gothic dormitory. But I could see the protection runes carved into the cornices, the way the shadows moved unnaturally around certain windows, the faint shimmer of magical barriers.
My room was on the third floor, overlooking the central courtyard. As soon as I crossed the threshold, the pendant grew almost hot against my skin. I tried not to react as books on the shelf briefly rearranged themselves before settling back into placeâbasic enhancement spells to help with studying, available to any magical student who knew how to activate them.
"Pretty sweet setup, right?" Mia was already unpacking. "We even have a window seat!"
I moved to the window, ostensibly admiring the view while actually examining the protective wards I could feel humming in the glass. The courtyard below was filling with students hauling luggage and saying goodbye to parents. Nearby, a Covenant enforcer disguised as a campus security guard was subtly modifying a mundane parent's memory after they'd glimpsed something they shouldn't have.
I busied myself unpacking, carefully arranging my modest wardrobe. My mother's diary went under my mattress, along with me father's grimoire.
"Oh wow, that's gorgeous!" Mia exclaimed, as if she was noticing the pendant for the first time. "Family heirloom?"
"Something like that," I murmured, resisting the urge to hide it under my shirt. The silver pendant was both my greatest protection and my biggest risk of exposure.
As evening fell, I found myself alone in my new dorm room, Mia having left to get coffee with a friend. The weight of my mission settled heavily on my shoulders as the campus outside my window grew quiet, the ancient stones of Westbrook seeming to whisper secrets in the gathering dusk.
I sat on the edge of my bed, my fingers worrying the delicate chain of my pendant as I stared at the framed photo on my desk. The smiling faces of my parents stared back at me, frozen in a moment of happiness that seemed to belong to another lifetime.
If they knew who I really was, I'd be in danger, I thought, a chill running down my spine. The Covenant have eyes and ears everywhere, and it won't hesitate to silence anyone who threatens their secrets.
I thought of the TriadâNathaniel Ashford, Alexander Roth, and Caleb Weston. The golden boys of Westbrook, the scions of the families that had controlled this place for generations. They might look like nothing more than privileged, arrogant jocks, but I knew better than to underestimate them.
They had power here, the kind of power that came from centuries of wealth and influence. And they would use that power to crush anyone who got in their way... including me, if they ever discovered my true identity.
I can't let that happen, I vowed silently, my grip tightening on my pendant. I have to stay focused, stay under the radar. I can't afford to draw attention to myself, or let anyone get too close.
But even as I made that promise to myself, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was walking into a den of wolves. That every step I took on this campus was fraught with danger, every interaction a potential minefield.
I have to be careful, I reminded myself, taking a deep, steadying breath. I have to play the part of Evelyn Daniels, the unremarkable transfer student. I can't let anyone see the real me... not until I've found the answers I'm looking for.
With a final glance at my parents' photo, I tucked my pendant beneath my shirt and stood, squaring my shoulders. I had a long road ahead of me, and I couldn't afford to falter now.
I will find out what happened to you, I promised my parents silently. I will uncover the truth, no matter what it takes.
With that final, grim resolution, I turned off the light and climbed into bed, my mind already racing with plans and possibilities.
Tomorrow, the real work would begin. Tomorrow, I would start to unravel the secrets that had been buried for far too long. And heaven help anyone who tried to stand in my way.
