Chapter 5 #2
“I’m Devon Carter, student leader of House Fiama!”
The Solitude is forgotten in a chorus of cheers from Fiama’s side of the room, along with boos and hisses from the other Houses.
Devon gestures to his left, where a woman with a deep-brown complexion is holding another bullhorn.
Her platinum hair is streaked with plum and cut to her chin.
Her eyes are ringed thickly in black, and if her physique didn’t already suggest she’s a Storm Guard cadet, her fitted purple tank top would.
“I’m Stevie Daniels, student leader of House Aria!”
Aria begins to cheer, and it’s everyone else’s turn to heckle their leader while I watch on in silence. Aria tries to drown out the room as they slam their fists on the tables, practically vibrating the ground. The noise does nothing to calm the incessant prickle shifting under my skin.
The student leaders of Houses Asale and Tera, both wearing third-year red, are also introduced to a chorus of boos and chanting. Oscar Cabrera from Asale with his bronzed skin and tousled black hair. And finally, Bellamy Macy from Tera, with his copper complexion and rows of tightly knotted braids.
Stevie waits for the ruckus to settle with a ferocious grin before Devon retakes the floor. “Many of you are used to your cushy little lives,” Devon hollers. “Especially Aria, Asale, and Tera.”
He winks amid an assault of jeers from the other Houses. A bun smacks him in the chest with a gentle thump, and he narrows his eyes at the first-year who threw it, his expression suggesting he’s not about to forget this.
After clearing his throat, he addresses us again. “You’re here to prepare for your futures, and the most important part of that is officially pledging your House!”
Now everyone cheers, even if three-quarters of the room do so reluctantly.
Oscar takes over, holding the bullhorn to his mouth. “In the next few months, you will face a series of initiation trials. The first will be one of four choices based on the House you choose to pledge. To continue, you cannot fail your first test.
“After that, you will have two chances to secure your position. The second and third tests are specifically tailored to your skills . . . or, more importantly, your weaknesses. You can’t be asked to perform the same test more than once, but this is where we decide if your chosen House wants you.
The good news is you only have to pass two of the three trials for your desired House, so if you want to change your mind after the first test, because Asale is clearly the best House”—everyone either boos or cheers again—“you’ll have another chance.
” He presses a hand to his chest. “Consider it a generous gift from The Shield.”
We spend our lives preparing for these tests, undergoing various forms of training: mental, physical, and technical, depending on the mandates of our House.
The actual trials change from year to year to keep us on our toes, but the overall point is to push us to our limits.
The Shield urges us to carefully consider our pledges, and everyone is given the opportunity to choose the one that best suits their desires.
But House loyalty runs extremely deep, and switching means cutting ties with your existing family and friends in favor of your new life. Newcomers are often regarded with suspicion until they can prove themselves. Thus, most people tend to opt for the familiar and stick with their family’s legacy.
Bellamy picks up Oscar’s speech. “At the end, your results will determine if you’re worthy of joining Tera.” He raises a fist, and our side of the room erupts into screams.
“Or Ariiiiiia!” Stevie shouts into her bullhorn, eliciting even more noise.
Devon and Oscar follow suit until the sound reaches a thunderous volume.
Initiation and our final pledges determine the entire course of our lives. Failing to earn a place in Society is a virtual death sentence. A perennial shame heaped onto your family.
It’s common for those who fail the pledge to simply . . . disappear.
With New Manhattan’s population growing every year, The Shield provides for and protects those who earn it, and everyone is expected to prove their worth. Those who fail are considered failures of the system itself.
My gaze wanders to the back of the room where a group of cog hopefuls all sit, wearing cautious looks. I don’t know what happens if they fail. Do they simply go home? Or is their future just as uncertain?
Stevie is still shouting into her bullhorn about upholding the values of Aria and the challenges ahead, before the other three leaders do the same.
They introduce the group of people standing at the front as secondary school leaders who will help with the testing, including my cousin Anan Samra from my mother’s side, who cheers along with the rest.
He spots me and winks, and it helps settle some of the nervousness tingling in my fingertips. Surrounded by so much happiness and excitement, I feel like my father’s lecture this morning was a lifetime ago.
While everyone talks, I study the other sides of the room.
Despite The Shield’s mandate that we all cooperate, the Houses are extremely competitive and secretive with one another, constantly vying for position.
Fiama and Aria are the most powerful Houses and dominate the largest portions of the city.
They’re constantly battling each other for more territory within our tight borders, which is another reason my father hates Aria so much.
I suppose even when we’re provided with everything, there are natural leaders and followers, and our human natures can’t be suppressed.
Stevie lifts her bullhorn and shouts a few more insults about the others. I can’t help but admire her as the only female student leader. She seems so fearless. I know I’m not supposed to think that about a member of Fiama’s greatest rival, but her energy is infectious.
While the others speak, my attention wanders to the Solitude sitting in the corner. He’s leaning against the wall behind him, his arms folded as he ignores his food and watches everyone with a detached expression.
I’m surprised the dean allowed him to stay, but the fact that they’ve issued him a uniform suggests he’ll be allowed to pledge if he can pass initiation. Unless this is all a ruse and they’re planning to do away with him later?
As if feeling my gaze, his eyes cut to mine, his jaw hardening.
He’s so raw and wild and yet . . . magnetic. Not what Solitudes are supposed to look like.
I resist the urge to look away, instead meeting his glare with one of my own.
I think about Raine. About his mother, who he never got the chance to know.
Solitudes took them both from us.
He looks away, and I realize the itching in my hands has suddenly eased as I return my attention to Devon. The room is chanting, pounding their fists on the tables, the floor vibrating.
“Initiations begin this week!” Devon shouts into the bullhorn.
“Be prepared, my little pledglings, because your first test could come at any time, day or night.” He scans the faces in the room, the corner of his mouth lifting in an insolent smirk.
“And I’m sure I don’t have to remind any of you what happens if you fuck this up. ”