VINCENZO

My eyes peeled open to meet the white ceiling. It took me a couple of blinks to finally sit up and get ready for class.

I threw on a light hoodie, jeans and baseball boots. Something not bulky but solid enough to shield me from the creeping autumn chill. Grabbing my satchel from my study chair, I left the room for the private lounge.

My breakfast was on the table and far across the lounge was the dumb maid. As I stared at her, memories of the previous afternoon flooded in. Memories of how she dared to flout my orders and talk to that Scaramouch. She was lucky she'd...