Violet shook her head at the scene, Lila can be quite childish. However, her steps faltered when she took in the dining hall in all its glory. And to be honest, Lila had not been lying by calling it the silvered court. It was almost as if loyalty was dining in these very halls.
The Lunaris Academy dining hall was nothing short of majestic, crafted with all the extravagance befitting the academy. It was vast, large enough to hold hundreds of students on the academy ground. But size wasn’t its most striking feature.
Golden sunlight poured through enormous arched windows, illuminating the hall’s classical design, dominated by cream and gold. The marble floor gleamed, reflecting the opulence of the entire space.
Massive chandeliers glittered overhead, casting a regal glow across the hall. However, that was where everything kind about it ended. Beneath this beauty lay the rigid social hierarchy that governed the academy.
At ground level, rows of polished mahogany tables were reserved for ordinary students-humans and lower-ranked werewolves who hadn’t carved a name for themselves.
Compared to her previous school, this was grand by ordinary standards, however their seating lacked the opulence reserved for the elite, and was adorned with simple silverware and functional, if plain, tableware.
This section was the loudest, bustling with conversation, offering little privacy as these students were constantly under the watchful eyes of staff and higher-ranked students.
Even here, a subtle division existed: humans and werewolves each had their own areas, though some mingled. But both groups remained equally subservient in the academy’s pecking order.
Hence despite the fine table settings and polished floors, it was unmistakable that this was the lowest rung. And it was also from here that one could look up and see where the real privilege lay.
An ornate staircase, with wrought-iron railings accented in gold, curved upward to an elevated platform: the elite section, exclusively for the academy’s top students.
These elite students enjoyed an entirely different atmosphere. Seated in plush, individual chairs around small, velvet-draped tables, they dined with the finest china and silver, symbols of both their status and refinement.
Here, they ate with an air of indifference or amusement, often casting glances down at the floor below, some smug, others disdainful. The noise below seemed irrelevant to them, secure as they were in their superiority.
At the very center of the elite floor, sat four, regal chairs set apart from the others and it “commanded” attention.
Unlike the other seats, these ones were larger and more ornate than the others, carved from dark ebony wood, with the Academy’s crest emblazoned in gold upon the back. Even without Lila saying a word, Violet knew whom those seats belonged to. It was the throne of the Cardinal Alphas.
No one, not even the top twenty, dared sit in this chair, an unspoken law of Lunaris. To approach it was to risk the wrath of not only the Cardinal Alphas but the entire structure of power.
The chairs were a symbol of absolute dominance in the academy’s ruthless hierarchy, and every glance in its direction was filled with a mixture of awe, fear, and reverence.
While Violet had been impressed at first, a frown now crossed her face. A place meant for nourishment had become a daily affirmation of hierarchy, with every upward or downward glance serving as a reminder of the power some held-and the power others could only aspire to.
This place was a death sentence.
While others thought she was lucky to have reached the top, seeing this now made Violet realize it was a curse. Absolute power corrupts, and Violet knew that if she continued down this path, it would only be a matter of time before she became just like every other member of Lunaris Academy.
Violet and Lila stood in the breakfast line, with Lila chattering on about something, completely unaware that Violet’s mind was somewhere else entirely.
From her place in the line, Violet could only get a partial view of the four thrones-as she called them-but she was hyper-aware of their presence and, to her immense relief, the fact that they were empty. After last night’s encounter with Asher, she wasn’t sure she could handle seeing any of the Cardinal Alphas, least of all Griffin.
Turns out, not only were the Cardinal Alphas psychopaths, but they were narcissists too. Who in their right mind kept thrones for themselves in a school cafeteria?
Well. Them.
Just to cement their authority, they had crowned themselves kings of Lunaris Academy. At least there wasn’t a self-proclaimed Queen, or Violet would have been completely done at this point. She could spot the elite students on the upper floor, mostly composed of girls, eating like the nobles they claimed to be.
While the rest of the students on the lower floor served themselves, Violet noticed a few students actually serving the elites. Her thoughts flashed back to Lila’s earlier claim about wanting to be her lackey. Was this what she meant? The gods help her, this school never failed to shock her.
“Earth to Violet,” Lila snapped her fingers in her face, snapping her out of her daze. “The line is moving.”
Violet noticed the space she had left between her and Lila from standing still, along with the grumbling impatience from those behind her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone trying to overtake her, but she quickly closed the gap, shooting a glare at the opportunist.
She heard the student mutter a curse under his breath but ignored it. She didn’t want any attention today. However, just then, Violet watched as a student brazenly cut past the entire line, casually stepping in front of those who had been waiting.
Without acknowledging anyone, the girl made her way to the front, grabbed a plate and utensils, and began piling her plate high from the lavish buffet.
Violet’s irritation grew as she watched, expecting an uproar, maybe some angry words from the other students. To her surprise, no one even blinked; their expressions stayed neutral, as though this scene was entirely normal. As if they were pretty used to it.
“Why aren’t they doing anything?” Violet couldn’t stop herself from asking.
“Shh, lower your voice,” Lila scolded her, eyes wide.
“Exactly, why?” Violet asked through gritted teeth, her voice still loud enough. “I linger for a moment, and these assholes behind-” she gestured to the students behind her, “-try to push me out of the line. But she comes out of nowhere, helps herself, and no one says a word?”
“That’s because it’s Grace!” Lila hissed, exasperation lacing her tone.
“So who the hell is Grace?!”
“Moon help us, Violet, keep your voice down, or you’re going to get us in trouble,” Lila said seriously, looking around nervously as though someone might be listening.
The seriousness of her tone made Violet calm down, though her curiosity still burned. “Fine. Tell me then, what am I missing this time?” she asked, keeping her voice low.
Lila shot her a scowl. “You didn’t bother researching the top twenty elite students, did you?”
“No, I didn’t. Why would I? It’s none of my business. Nor do I care who they are or what pathetic privileges they get from bullying everyone.” Besides, she’d been too busy dealing with Asher in her dream-or whatever that encounter had been.
Lila face-palmed, muttering something that sounded like, “Goddess, help me with this one.”
Violet almost felt bad for her, but Lila was the one obsessed with the hierarchy and school politics. If it had been anything worthwhile, she wouldn’t have had a headache about her.
Just then, Grace walked past them, her tray held confidently as she strode toward the staircase leading to the elite floor. Violet’s gaze narrowed as she noticed Grace’s skirt, which was noticeably shorter than the required length, her creamy thighs on full display. Violet wondered if Principal Jameson noticed that, or if her immunity covered dress code violations as well.
“What rank is she?” Violet asked out of curiosity.
“She’s not in the top twenty,” Lila replied.
Violet raised an eyebrow. “Then who is she and what is she doing up there?”
“She’s Elsie’s hand.”
“Elsie’s hand?”
“Lackey. Servant. Aide. Follower. Whatever you want to call it.”
“Who’s Elsie?”
“Number one.”
Violet’s interest was piqued. “You mean she’s the number one on the Lunaboard?”
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