The odd thing about having grandparents that were immortal was that they rarely looked older than your parents, and Vendra was no exception. Though my mum had once confessed that her mother was over a thousand years old, she looked young enough to attend Vice herself. It was only her eyes and her bearing that gave her away. She walked with an elegance that wasn’t common to the modern world, and her stare – currently levelled at me – held the weight of all the centuries she’d seen.

  Behind her an unshown followed her quietly into the room, balancing a pile of boxes that almost reached her head.

  “This is her then?” Vendra circled me , like a predator considering her prey. “The malformed Succubus?”

  I bit my tongue at being called ‘malformed’, my lessons with Pruitt kicking in and keeping me silent. Even Professor Saxon was obeying the rules of etiquette, waiting to be addressed before speaking to someone older than her.

  “When the Prime informed me that I was her closest relative and responsible for her swearing in, I almost fainted,” she carried on. “But I suppose there’s strength in this one, at least. Aoife, you’ll bear witness. I want this over and done with.” She paused, stopping in front of me and I hastily got up, offering her the seat. “Gilly, I need the paperwork and the badge of office.”

  The Unshown placed her pile of boxes on the floor and then nearly knocked them over as she rushed to offer the top box to my grandmother.

  Vendra opened the flat box and pulled out a single document and a quill. She stabbed the quill into her wrist, drawing blood, and proceeded to sign the paper. “Read it and then sign,” she instructed me, handing over the blood-stained feather pen.

  I skimmed the document, hoping for some clue about what she was ranting on about.

  “It’s the official document that confirms you as the head of your house and a member of the High Chamber of the Assembly.” Daron’s helpful voice whispered down the bond. “I’ve got you on my cameras. Once you sign that document, you’re her equal and can talk to her freely, despite her age. As head of a high chamber family you’ll be equal to even the elders. The only people you’ll ever need to bow to are the Primes.”

  “You might as well be speaking a different language,” I complained, painfully aware of my own ignorance. “Primes? High Chamber? What does that even mean?”

  I tried to read the writing as Daron paused, probably thinking about his reply. “It’s complex. Demonic parliament is held in a secret location known as the Assembly. The Assembly is attended by the Heads of Houses, who are split between the High Chamber and the Low Chamber. The most powerful families are members of the High Chamber and the least powerful are members of the Low Chamber. The Prime is chosen by the High Chamber and then supposedly represents the will of all British and Irish Demons during meetings of the World Council of Primes. It sounds democratic on paper, but in reality…”

  “It’s demonic politics,” I finished for him. “Everyone is out for themselves and most only care about their own opinion, am I right?”

  “Yes,” he grudgingly admitted. “And that’s only one point of the triad. When the Elders, Judges and Primes are together things only ever seem to get more complex. All of them have their own armies, and there have been plenty of occasions where they’ve been set against one another.”

  I took up the quill as I poured over the paper, biting my lip as I reached the clause that detailed my required attend all four yearly Heads of House meetings at the Assembly. Vendra followed my gaze and rolled her eyes.

  “Allowances have been made for your youth. You will be permitted to leave Vice for the Assembly, I trust your Headmistress will make arrangements for you to attend.”

  I took a deep breath and dug the quill into my own wrist. Pain made me grimace as the nib pierced my skin. I signed my name cautiously above my grandmother’s, then had to return for more blood to write out the date.

  I handed the quill to Professor Saxon who did the same, digging it into her wrist without so much of a twitch in her expression before writing her name on the witness line.

  “It’s done,” Vendra sighed, tucking the paper back in the box and handing it to her Unshown. “Gilly, get me the Sigillary.” The Unshown wordlessly passed her another box from the top of the pile. “Your mother designed all of these for you,” she mused, waving her free hand at the remaining boxes. “She is still absolutely furious with you, but she refused to let anyone else design for her daughter. Your Assembly robes and solstice gown took her months of work, it would be… impolitic not to wear them.”

  I smiled grimly. “That sounds like her.”

  “You will be required to attend your first assembly on the first of August,” Vendra continued, opening the small box in her hands and handing it to me. Inside was a large, flat gold ring. It was too wide for a finger, but too small to be a bracelet. “This is your Sigillary, and it serves as a symbol of your station. You are required to wear it at all times in public as a symbol of your position. When you put it on it will react to your energy, mould to the shape of your crystal and form a design that will be unique to you. It is over ten thousand years old, so try not to lose it.”

  She plucked the ring out of the box and made a twirling motion with her hand. I hesitated, but did as she asked, giving her my back. My wings flapped nervously as I waited for her to do something and I had to force them into stillness.

  I felt the cool metal slide over the jagged heart shape of my crystal followed by a prick of pain that made me flinch, and then a flash of warmth across my body.

  Vendra tutted. “Interesting.” I twisted trying to see what shape it had taken, but she changed the subject, ensuring my attention was back on her. “As I was saying, Prime Craven has made allowances for your youth. When you are on the grounds of your college, you will not be required to wear your Sigillary nor will your teachers be required to address you formally. The only exception will be during the solstice ball.” She stood and strode toward the door, stopping before she reached it. “Oh, I almost forgot. Gilly, the list.”

  Gilly wordlessly pulled another box from the top of the pile and handed it to me.

  “What is this?” I asked, pulling it open to find a neat stack of manila files inside.

  “Applications to join your House. I had Gilly go through them and verify for legitimacy. You should have all their details in there. Some are very distant relations indeed, but their bloodlines have all been charted, all they’re waiting on now is your acceptance.”

  I nodded casually, pretending as though I had a clue what that meant.

  “I shall see you at the solstice ball. Farewell, Lady Carazor,” my grandmother called, already half-way out of the door.

  “And to you, Lady Braxion,” I replied, on autopilot.

  The wood slammed closed, and it was like the air returned to the room again. I slumped into the chair that Vendra had vacated, staring at the box of files.

  Professor Saxon watched me curiously for a few moments, and it occurred to me that perhaps I shouldn’t have shown so much weakness in front of someone who definitely didn’t have my best interests at heart. I started to pull myself up when she stopped staring and moved towards one of the huge, floor to ceiling bookshelves. She pulled out several large tomes and placed them on the desk in front of me.

  “I suggest you read all of these. Return them when you’re done.” She paused, surveying the pile of large garment boxes. “I’ll summon an unshown to take these to your room, and whilst you’re on work placement I’ll make sure Maddox allows you access to technology, so you can respond to those applications.” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, playing absently with a lock of her own hair. “We should probably discuss what happened in the hall, but I think that’s quite enough excitement for one day… We will be discussing it though.”

  “Yes, Headmistress,” I agreed, even as I silently vowed to delay that discussion as long as possible.

  I added the books to the top of the box I was already holding and fled her office.

  Chapter 38

  Two days later, I stared down at the letter that had been posted under my door, feeling a little bit numb. It looked much the same as every official letter I’d ever received from Vice did, except now, instead of ‘Miss Carazor’ it was addressed to ‘Lady Lilith, Head of House Carazor’. Seeing it in writing stunned me, and I barely paid attention to anything else on the acceptance letter that listed my modules for next year.

  There was a note pinned to the front from Professor Saxon, explaining she had excused me from taking Demonic Language and Citizenship next year, citing my timetable conflicts as the reason. I cursed out loud, frustrated with myself for forgetting all about it. Ever since I’d been released from the infirmary, I’d been too distracted by the incident in the great hall to think about college next year. I’d been planning on dropping the Advanced Theology module, but the decision was now out of my hands.

  I flicked to the second page, reading through the list of grades.

  I, the examinations officer, certify that Lilith Carazor, Second Year, has PASSED the year and achieved the following grades:

  Demonic Foundation Studies 2 – Grade 96/100 – A

  Demonic Language – Grade 83/100 – B

  Demonic Theology – Grade 100/100 – A

  Demonic Citizenship – Grade 84/100 – B

  Advanced Combat – Grade 90/100 – A

  Healing – Grade 91/100 – A

  Specialised Energy Manipulation – Grade 93/100 – A

  Caste Dissertation – Grade 100/100 – A

  Astor Vernix

  Examination Officiate, Vice College

  It would be lying to say that I wasn’t pleased, and more than a little surprised at how well I had done in Healing. It gave me some hope that maybe I’d be able to survive the next year, and I was still staring at that tiny optimistic ‘A’ when a knock resounded through my room.

  “Lilith?” Nelly’s voice called through my door. “Are you in there?”

  “Yeah, come in,” I yelled back, looking around the mess that was my bedroom.

  Both twins waltzed in, arm in arm and carrying their own grades.

  “How did you do?” I asked.

  “I got full marks in everything.” Lulu squealed, grinning from ear to ear as she flopped down onto my bed beside me, sending several of my files falling to the floor. “Professor Maddox approved my request to be scholar-in-residence as well so I’m staying nearby. My research focus is supposedly Lust Caste history, but I’m going to use the access to the restricted section of the library to try and find more information about the Syndicate. You said Professor Saxon was looking for a way to enter the shadow realm and harness its energies. If there’s a way, I want to find it first.”

  I beamed and hugged her. “I can’t believe it.” I was pretty sure she’d manage it too. People had a habit of underestimating Lulu, and that would probably be their downfall.

  “Nelly did well too,” Lulu shot a meaningful glance at her sister. “She has some news.”

  Nelly stood proudly in front of me, then thrust out her letter. “Apparently we’re thirtieth cousins, once removed.” She grinned like a lunatic. “When you said you were going to become the head of your house I did some research, and it just turned out that we’re related. And Vrosis suggested you might need an assistant…”

  “An assistant?” I repeated dumbly, looking at her grades. “You applied to be my assistant?”

  “The Elders approved it, so long as the new Lady Carazor accepts my application to join her house,” she teased. “I know I’m not as smart as Lulu…”

  I sprung up from the bed and hugged her fiercely. “I can’t believe you did that! Oh my god this is great!”

  Nelly beamed, “No getting rid of either of us now.” She paused and looked at the pile of garment boxes in the corner of my room. “Is that your dress for tonight?”

  Lulu jumped off the bed and headed over in a flash. “Seriously? You got a new dress and didn’t tell us? How?”

  “My mother made it for me.” I shrugged, because I’d kind of forgotten about it. “Since I became head of my house, she apparently felt that even though she can’t speak to me, she is the only one who can make my clothes.”

  Nelly rolled her eyes. “That woman is just…”

  “… a crazy bitch,” Lulu finished. “What are the other boxes?”

  “My assembly robes and sigillary.” I took the sigillary box from the top and pulled it out. The moment I’d taken it off, it had returned to it’s plain gold ring form, but I slipped it over my heart-shaped brimstone crystal once again and saw both twins’ eyes widen.

  “I’m no expert on… whatever that thing is,” Nelly began. “But is it supposed to do… that?”

  “My grandmother’s only frames her crystal,” I explained, stroking the gold bands that formed over my horns self-consciously as I caught my reflection in the mirror. “Mine is a little different.”

  Lulu was focused on the design on my back. “It’s the Strange God’s seven-pointed star, with wings and horns… but why does it spread over your horns and thumbs like that?”

  “Thumbs?” I asked, taken aback.

  “Didn’t you know? The hooks with talons on the top arches of your wings are called thumbs.” Lulu said, absently eyeing the thin gold bands that my Sigillary created around all four of my horns and the talon-like… thumbs of my wings.

  “I didn’t know,” I admitted. “But yes, I have to wear it tonight and… the Prime is coming.”

  “Prime Craven?” Nelly’s head snapped up.

  “Yes.” I bit my lip. “I feel like I’m in over my head and I’ve barely even breached the surface,” I admitted. “My grandmother… I’d never spoken to her before…”

  “What was she like?”

  “Formal.” I shrugged. “She had this presence that made it seem like all the air was sucked from the room. Nothing like my other grandmother was.” Grandma Frea had been a lively, bubbly woman, and I couldn’t imagine how two such different people had both been heads of their houses. “I can’t even imagine calling her ‘grandma’ to her face.”

  “You have your pathokinesis,” Nelly reminded me. “You should use it to scope her out. Braxion is a powerful family and she could be a good ally.”

  “She called me ‘the malformed Succubus’.”

  “I take it back, she clearly needs a punch to the face and a good blast of your odynokinesis,” Nelly muttered.

  “And perhaps some new glasses, you’re not malformed,” Lulu added, dropping the garment box on the bed and reaching over to squeeze me. “You’re gorgeous and you’re going to be even more so when your stylist gets you into this dress.”

  Momentarily distracted, I watched as she pulled out the top half of the dress out.

  “How is anyone supposed to figure out how to put that on?” I complained, eyeing the strange, twisting straps. The fabric was dark blue silk, covered with sparkling gems of deep violet and glittery lavender, but I couldn’t make sense of it.

  “I think you have to twist the two panels like this.” Lulu held the band under her breasts and then tried twisting the fabric behind her neck like a halter. “It looks like it’s designed to leave your back bare for your wings… I’m sure the stylist will know how it works. Did Kain hire the same woman as last time?”

  “I think so?” I’d never actually asked him. “Do you think we could ask her to get me ready in your room? It is your last ball, after all.”

  Both twins beamed, but their smiles didn’t quite hide the melancholy look that entered their eyes. Even though they were still going to be around, it didn’t change the fact that this was the last night they’d sleep in the room just below mine. My heart ached slightly as I tried and failed to imagine the Carnal Tower without them and Aeron in it.

  “That’s such a good idea.” Lulu gently placed the dress back in the box and lifted it into her arms just as Enzo popped into the room.

  “Pretty Darling, I brought you an early birthday present,” he announced.

  Nelly and Lulu rounded on me with identical incredulous expressions. “Birthday?” they screeched as one.

  I glowered at all of them. “I don’t have a birthday!” I growled.

  But neither of the twins were listening. “When is it?” Nelly demanded of Enzo who just smirked.