Chapter One: New Fledgling
Aliya got out of the cab and shut the door. I looked at the big building that used to Cascia Hall, but was now, Tulsa's House of Night Private Boarding School. I was standing in front of my new home. let out a deep sigh and picked up my suitcase. My new life had started.
I jumped when I heard the High Priestess' voice. "Hello, you must be Aliya Thane. I am Zoey Redbird, High Priestess at the House of Night," the High Priestess said.
When I heard the woman's name, her eyes widened. The High Priestess at Tulsa's House of Night was the Zoey Redbird? That had to have meant that her mate, Stark, had to be around somewhere.
"Yes, I am Aliya. But my last name is not Thane. You are getting me mixed up with my aunt, Tara. My last name is Smith," I said, not sure why the High Priestess said my aunt's last name.
"Well, Aliya, one of the many perks of starting a new life is being able to change your name and make your own choices. Would you like to keep your last name, Smith, or change it to Thane?" The High Priestess asked me.
"I would love to change it to Thane, but can I also change my first name to Hadley. Maybe Hadley Devonne Thane?" I asked, looking at the High Priestess.
"Of course you may change your entire name. Welcome to your new life, Hadley Devonne Thane," she said, making me smile.
"This is the girls' dorm. Your room is room 25. Your roommate should be in there waiting for you. Dinner starts in 20 minutes. Get changed into the uniform, which is on your bed, and then go to the dining hall. See you in 20 minutes, Hadley," the High Priestess said.
"Thank you, High Priestess," I said.
"It's Zoey. Call me Zoey. And you're welcome," Zoey said, and then she turned and walked off.
I opened the dorm door and walked inside. I made my way up the stairs and started down the hall looking for my room. When I found my room, I opened the door and looked inside. There was no one in the room, from what I could see, so I walked inside, shutting the door behind me.
I looked around the room. There were two beds in the center of the room. One of the beds was made, the bed that was farthest from the window. The one that was closest to the window wasn't made, but had a couple of suitcases and about three bags on it. The bags and suitcases were mine, so I guessed the bed by the window was mine. I went over to my bed and grabbed the only two suitcases I had and set them down on the floor. I also grabbed my four duffle-bags that had the rest of my stuff in them and set them down next to my suitcases. I sat down on my bed and sighed.
I heard the bathroom door open and close, and then I heard footsteps come into the room.
"Hello, you must be Aliya Smith, my roommate. I'm Isla Juliani. Do not make fun of my name. I was named after my mother. She died when I five days old. So, my father decided to name me after her. So, I never changed my name when I got Marked. What about you?" the girl asked me, sitting down on her bed across from me.
The girl- Isla- had long black hair that fell in curls around her face and down to her mid back. She had bright blue eyes and full lips. She was wearing a black cascade cardigan, blue sequin tank top, black leggings, and brown knee-high boots. She looked like she might have been rich, unlike me.
I looked at her. "Yeah, I changed my name. It's not Aliya Smith anymore. It's Hadley Devonne Thane. I hated my name so much that I didn't want to keep it. It just reminds me of my life before I got Marked. When I was living with my mother and father." I said.
Isla nodded, and smiled. "Well, come on. We gotta get to dinner. And you gotta get your uniform top on," she said, tossing me a black sweater that had a silver embroidered spiral that rested over where my heart was.
I slid the sweater on over my black tank top, and pulled my hair out of the sweater.
"Okay, I'm ready to go eat," I said.
Isla looked at me, then got up, and walked over and opened the door. She looked back at me.
"Come on," she said. She left the room and I followed her, closing the door behind me.