After a while, the trees become thinner, and the dirt road becomes a little less bumpy as the terrain opens up. The forest thins out as we get closer to the side of the mountain. The peak is covered in snow, reminding me I’m far away from home.
I know we must be close, but I don’t see the university nestled into the mountain as we approach. Instead, the first thing I see is a large gray wall. The road we are on leads us straight to it, and as far as I can see, there isn’t a way around it.
An enormous metal gate comes into view, and I can’t help but sigh in relief. We’re here, and once I’m out of this car, I never have to see this bastard again.
The tires have barely stopped rolling over the gravel, and he throws the Jeep into park. “Out,” he orders.
Baffled, I stare at him for a long second. “You’re supposed to take me to Corium. This is just…” I wave at the structure in front of us. “A gate.”
“This is as far as I go.” Impatience bleeds through his words. “Trunk is unlocked. Get your shit.”
I have half a mind to tell him to at least get my suitcases out since I gave him a free show earlier, but I bite my tongue, not wanting to poke the bear.
Getting out, I suck a huge breath of fresh air into my lungs. It seems to have dropped at least twenty degrees since we stopped earlier. My lungs prick as the icy air fills them, making my whole body shudder, the cold temperature seeping into my skin.
I work quickly to get both suitcases and my backpack from the trunk. Not even a second after I close the back does the Jeep take off, reversing down the mountainside before he whips it around and starts back down the mountain. The tires toss dirt up into the air and onto me. Fuck! I cough and bury my face into the crook of my elbow until the billowing cloud of dust settles. It’s like the world hates me and wants to see how much more I can take.
With my backpack slung over my shoulder, I pull my suitcases behind me and walk up to the gate. Only when I’m a foot away do I notice the school crest etched into the metal. The letters C and U for Corium University are on each side, with a skull and a dagger pierced through it. On the top is the word refugium, and below peccatorum.
Lifting my hand, I bring it to the ice-cold metal and run my fingertips over the words.
Refugium peccatorum—Refuge of sinners.
I don’t know who came up with the name, but I can’t think of a more appropriate denomination for this place. We are our parents’ children, after all.
“Name?” A booming voice comes out of nowhere, breaking through the silence forcefully. I’m so startled that I jump back. My heel catches on the bottom of my suitcase, and I go tumbling to the ground.
Dumbfounded, I sit on the freezing gravel and stare up at the gate.
“What’s your name, kid?” The same voice speaks again, and this time, I notice the slight distortion like it’s coming from a speaker. I follow the sound and pinpoint it’s coming from the top corner of the gate. Only then do I notice the small gray camera staring back at me.
“Aspen Mather,” I announce, dusting my hands off on my leggings.
The man on the other side doesn’t answer, but a moment later, a loud buzzing noise fills the space, and the gate slowly swings open.
I scramble to my feet and grab my suitcases. The gate inches open, revealing yet another road. And to make matters worse, it’s all uphill.
Ugh, is this day ever going to end?
Grinding my molars together, I start my hike up the mountain, dragging my heavy suitcases behind. My arms ache with the effort, but at least my butt isn’t sore anymore. After a while, the above-ground part of the university comes into view, which from the outside is nothing more than an old castle.
By the time I finally arrive at the entrance, the sun is setting, and my legs are on fire. I already know I’m going to be sore as hell tomorrow. I basically just ran a marathon, my chest is heaving, and a thin sheen of sweat covers my forehead even in these unruly temperatures. The only plus side is I’m not cold anymore.
The building in front of me has no windows, and there is only one large wooden door. I start looking for some kind of doorbell, but before I can find anything, the door opens on its own. I quickly realize that the wood was only a façade, and the actual door is made out of metal thick enough to stop a semi-truck.