Chapter 2

Muse’s POV.

The car tires squeal over the asphalt as Anders, Newman’s guard and my torturer for the past one month, kills the engine. I exhale and look through the window at the impossible stone buildings that stretch as far as my eyes can see. My new school.

Blackridge Academy is located on Noskar Island in Northern Europe. I have heard about Noskar Island. It’s the cradle for NHL stars. The place where they’re groomed into giants that shake the hockey world.

The island was founded in the 1700s by three families– the Islanders, Ravenholms, and Liskaheights. They’re the overlords who govern the island and its people. Although their influence goes beyond the Island, Noskar remains their base. Their home.

They’ve joint ventures on the Island, such as the school, which has existed for centuries, as well as assets belonging to each family. Through my research, I understood that Norska Island is divided into three districts belonging to each of the families, just like they own hockey clubs popular in Blackridge Academy. Three rival clubs– the Black Titans, Talons, and Ravens.

Newman gave me little information about their rivalry or the mode of operation of things on the island. He’s only focused on teaching me not to disappoint him. I’d rather call it torture, although Newman will frown at that word.

In the one month I spent in his basement in Tulum, he made me understand that killing my family or me wouldn’t be difficult for him. In fact, he’ll enjoy it because he’s a sadist.

Anders’s grunt makes me look away from the school buildings and beautiful landscape to him. My brows curl when I see the big envelope he’s handing over to me.

“Take it.” He orders.

I reach a hand slowly and take it, wondering what’s inside.

“That contains all the documents you need for your dorm, courses, and new job. Remember, you’re just a normal student. Don’t forget to act like one.”

Of course, I understand. I’m not permitted to make my true nature as an assassin known. Here in Blackridge Academy, I’m just a transfer student who got in through a scholarship.

“Understood.”

Anders grunts. He opens the console and fishes out a small leather clutch. My hand trembles as he hands it to me.

“That’s your ticket to freeing your mother and sister. Don’t forget that.”

Dread knots in my chest as I inspect what’s inside the bag. Somehow, I’m expecting it to be a gun but it’s not a gun. It’s three vials of a nameless serum. I sniff the vial and notice the faint scent of VX3 compound.

So, this is poison then. Not just any poison but the kind that’ll make my victim’s death seem natural such that if they do an autopsy on him, they won’t find anything abnormal that led to his death.

“Put that in the bag, girl!” Anders snaps, jerking me out of my head. He curses in Nordic, bumping his fist over the steering wheel.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper with a shuddering breath.

“Just one mistake and your family will be dead.”

The reminder jars my nerves. I haven’t seen my mother and sister for a month now. I don’t even know how they’re faring, if they’re alive.

I just hope they are. So I won’t be committing this crime in vain.

Anders exhales a long breath and squeezes a tiny paper into my hand. I unfold it and see the name written in it.

Jules Islander, the captain of Black Titans. To every other person, he’s just a captain, but to Newman, he’s the beast on ice. The reason the Ravens lost their glory and reputation as the most revered club in Blackridge.

Newman never stopped ranting about how the boy made the Islanders become the wealthiest among the three families. He made the Liskaheights and Ravenholm lose their prestige.

Newman wants it back, the glory and power that was once the Ravenholms; unfortunately, the peace treaty has been hindering him from making his goals come through. That’s where I come into the picture. I’ll kill Jules Islander quietly so that the blame won’t be pinned on Newman and his family.

“That’s all.” Anders hisses. “Get to work, girl.”

I nod and open the car. I alight, clutching everything he’s given me tightly. Anders pops the trunk open, and I head over and carry my luggage.

He gives me one last scathing look before zooming off.

I take a moment to recount everything I’m sent here to do. The façade I’m asked to uphold.

My eyes take in the students returning to school. The new semester has started, and of course, new students are arriving. It’s a little chaotic seeing the hundreds of cars pulling in to drop the students.

“Okay, Muse, let’s get this over with,” I whisper to myself and stare at the name on the paper.

Jule Islander, the heir of the Islander family. My target.

Huffing, I square my shoulders and begin to haul my luggage to the dormitory. Newman has everything planned accordingly. He got me in a dorm and a job as the student assistant of the Black Titans’ equipment manager.

A man I’ll be meeting soon once I’m settled.

“Hey, get out of the way!” Someone shouts at me from behind. Before I can comply, the boy knocks into me.

“Ouch! Hey!” I grit out, falling haphazardly on the floor. A hiss tears from my lips when I see the documents Anders gave to me sprawling on the floor.

“Shit! Four eyes, watch where you’re going!” The blond-haired boy sneers down at me, scoffs, and walks away.

Asshole! I bark under my breath, rolling my eyes at him as I adjust my glasses. Just as I’m about to get my ass off the ground, another guy steps forward.

“Let me help.” He says, offering his hand to me.

I look from his hand to his angular face. He doesn’t look dangerous; hence, I take the hand he’s offering.

He pulls me to my feet and helps me gather the documents. A smile tickles his lips as he’s about to hand me the document.

“Muse, huh? Nice name.” He says.

I snatch the documents from him. Not too harshly, just enough force to make it known that I hate him snooping.

“You don’t snoop on a lady,” I bite out.

He chuckles. “My bad. I’m Scott.” He offers his hand for a shake. “It’s only fair you know my name too.”

Sighing, I take his hand. “Thanks.”

I try to carry my luggage again and move, but Scott stops me. “Let me help you.” He offers with a polite smile.

I want to protest, but the months of torture and half a plate of food a day rob me of the strength to haul the luggage. So I let him.

I don’t indulge Scott as he directs me to Feathers’ dorm. The dorm isn’t an ostentatious one. It looks rather simple, suitable for someone in my class and an undercover assassin.

“Here we are,” Scott announces as we stop before the desk. “I’ll leave it to you here.”

I force a smile and watch him leave quietly before facing the dorm mistress.

I give her my documents and name, and she confirms I have a room here. Then she hands me my keys.

“Thanks,” I whisper, taking the keys appreciatively.

I haul my bag up the stairs, coming across other students who are moving in for the first time or returning from their summer breaks.

I check for room 206 on the second floor, and when I find it, I let out a breath.

Thank goodness I didn’t faint before finding the room. With shaky hands, I insert the key into the knob and turn.

The door opens, and the first sound that hits me is a moan.

Am I in the wrong place? I wonder, checking the door again.

Well, I didn’t make any mistakes. So what the hell is happening?

Bewildered, I push the door further open and walk inside. Two female figures are lying on the bed close to the window, scissoring each other and kissing.

I gasp at the same time they do, rushing back into the hallway as heat flushes my cheeks.

Heck, what did I just walk into?

The girls’ voices rattle through the door, and while I’m contemplating hauling my luggage to flee, the door opens.

A blonde-haired girl with a towel wrapped around her chest steps out.

“Hi…”

“I’m so sorry; they didn’t tell me I have a roommate.” I prattle while she beams.

“Come in.” She urges me with a warm smile. “Muse, right? The dorm mistress told me about you earlier.” She says excitedly, dragging my luggage in before I can.

She should be embarrassed, but she’s not. If anything, I’m the one embarrassed for barging in on two people having sex.

I swallow the lump clogging my throat as the door falls shut behind me. I take in the slim, tall raven-haired girl watching us with a warm smile on her face. She runs her finger over her septum ring, licking her lips.

The blonde sets my luggage beside the empty bed opposite hers and faces me, clapping her hands excitedly.

“Welcome to Feathers!” She yips, blinking rapidly. “I’m Marina, your roommate, and this is my girlfriend, Thea.”

“Hi,” I wave at Thea, who tilts her head, assessing me. “I’m Muse.”

“I know.” Marina blurts. “You’re a pre-med, right?”

How did she know?

Anyway, I nod, confirming her words.

“I’m an art major and a puck bunny…”

“Ugh, not now, Rina.” Thea groans, flopping on the bed.

“Babe, come on, I told you I’m only fangirling for my brother, promise.”

“Nah, don’t get me started, Rina.” Thea mumbles, popping a bubblegum into her mouth.

Marina turns to me with her smile still on. She takes my hand and squeezes it. “My girlfriend is just jealous. She’s a figure skater and gets jealous when I fangirl over other people.”

I manage a laugh, settling on the bed. “It’s okay. I’ll just unpack.” I motion to my luggage.

“Oh, yeah, sure you can. Maybe when you finish, you’ll join us to watch tonight’s game, hm?”

I didn’t know they had a game tonight.

“Hockey?” I ask, just to be sure.

Marina nods. “Yeah, Black Titans vs Liskaheight a.k.a the Talons. It’s going to be so hot.”

Omigod, that means my mission starts tonight. Shit, I have to unpack fast so I can head to the rink. I need to see Mr. Gus, the Black Titans’ equipment manager. Once he confirms my identity, I’ll definitely gain entrance into their locker room and see what I can do before the game.

I don’t have much time to waste. I need to execute my assignment and save my family.