She kissed my shoulder before pulling away, and that simple gesture made lying to her feel even worse. She trusted me. She believed in my ability to navigate us through this mess. And I wasn't sure I could.
We got dressed in silence, pulling on the black and red academy uniforms that would define us for the next three years. The material was higher quality than anything I'd owned before—stiff, formal, and restrictive in a way that seemed appropriate for New Vein Academy's reputation. Natalia's uniform hugged her curves in a way that should have been illegal for a school outfit, the pleated skirt hitting mid-thigh and showing off legs that went on forever.
Natalia adjusted her collar in the mirror, then frowned at a spot on her neck that was definitely going to bruise. A dark purple mark was forming just above her collarbone, visible despite her attempts to adjust the uniform. She pulled her hair forward, trying to cover it, arranging the strands over her shoulders like a shield.
