Hays

ered murmurs across the Great Hall, but the anci

h was sealed. A new disciple was required to kneel before their Dean, take their hand, and kiss the H

waving his staff. "Let the App

ore, stopping right besi

ht. With an expression of profound relucta

long, pale, and

s no sig

orting Ceremony without his House Signet Ring was a scandalous display of

t out another cold, sneering chuckle, making sure

y eye, looked down at his bare hand, and gave an unapologetic shrug. "Oh. The ring

shifted uncomfortably, several

y. He was showing me, and the entire assembly, exactly how little he cared. His posture screamed

his was the authentic Julian Beaumont-unshackled by vanity, completely ind

mil

red the hem of my robes and dropped gr

is skin was surprisingly cool and dry, his fingers long a

brief, formal kiss directly ag

icroscopic tremor run through his fingers. His

is startled mist-grey eyes. My voice rang

, I, Holly Hays, pledge my allegiance to you. You are my only De

I had bound myself to the man himself. It fulfilled the spiritual essence

flickered across Julian's face. His grey eyes widened slightly, a f

eral long heartbeats before

ded from his tone, replaced by an unfamil

small, unpolished silver pin, and tossed it into my lap. "Abyssal H

aped into the likeness of a slumbering aby

umont," I said softl

ually rubbing the back of his right hand against his sleeve, his gaze

nts of Pyrespire, Sylvan, and Aegis stared at me as if I were a lunatic who had voluntarily jumped o

them

stly empty, occupied by barely a dozen students who

ared a space beside him, offering an encouraging, if nervous, smile.

taking my seat and pinning

as a thundercloud, while Julian had already t

as perfect