But there was a dark allure about it as well.

How the tall skyscrapers blocked out the light. How the cover of trees in the park surrounded you in a cave-like canopy, turning the green grass nearly black. How the silent alleys were lost in the fog in the early mornings, leaving you to wonder what was in there, because you know you’d never be so brave as to see for yourself. I think the dark side of Meridian City was what I loved most when I’d visited as a kid.

My phone buzzed against my leg, and I reached into my satchel as I strolled down the sidewalk, picking out my cell phone.

Seeing a number I didn’t recognize, I inhaled a deep breath, guessing who it probably was.

Trevor wasn’t allowed a cell phone at the academy, so I guessed the strange number was from a calling card. I’d had plenty of experience during his Plebe summer training.

“Is that you, Midshipman?” I answered, trying to tease. I’d probably see Trevor here and there for the rest of my life—our families being so close—and I wanted to be on good terms with him.

“How’s your first day in the big city?” he asked, sounding a lot more relaxed than he was at the party.

“Great.” I tossed my coffee in the garbage can I passed and kept walking. “I was just at the bookstore getting the rest of my texts.”

“Good, and how’s your apartment?”

I breathed out a quiet laugh, shaking my head. “Big. As I’m sure you know. I love your mom, Trevor, but she could’ve left this one alone, you know?”

“What are you talking about?”

“The apartment in your family’s building…” I hinted.

He must’ve known about it, since he assumed I would see Michael.

“What do you mean, my family’s building?” His voice turned sharp.

“Delcour,” I told him. “I didn’t know it was a Crist building.”

“Fuck,” he growled. “You’re living at Delcour? Why didn’t you tell me that?”

I didn’t answer, confused as to why that was important to him in the first place. During the summer, I’d only mentioned finding an apartment but no details. And he hadn’t asked.

Was there something wrong with Delcour? Other than I’d gotten a little played in order to live there?

“Rika,” Trevor started, sounding rigid. “Find something else.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t want you there.”

“Why?” I pressed again.

His parents had tricked me into leasing the apartment, not telling me it was their building, and now Trever was ordering me out. I’d had enough of people telling me what to do.

“You really have to ask that?” he snapped. “Get your stuff and go to a hotel until you find another place. I mean it. You’re not living at Delcour.”

I stood there with my mouth slightly open, not understanding what the hell his problem was. Delcour belonged to his family. If anything, why wouldn’t he want me to stay there? And what did he think, ordering me around? He knew better.

“Look,” I said, keeping my voice calm, “I have no idea what’s going on, but it’s got great security, and even though it’s not what I had planned, school starts in two days. I don’t want to move while I’m in the middle of classes.”

Not if I didn’t have to, anyway.

“I don’t want you there,” he reiterated, barking his order. “Do you understand?”

I clenched my teeth. “No,” I gritted out. “I don’t understand, because you’re not explaining it to me. And the last time I checked, you’re not my father.”

I heard his bitter laugh on the other end. “You probably planned this, didn’t you? You knew exactly what you were doing.”

I shook my head, closing my eyes. I had no idea what he was talking about, but I no longer cared. “I’m not moving. I don’t want to.”

“No. I don’t suppose you do.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” I shot out.

But then my phone beeped again, and I pulled it away from my ear seeing Call Ended. I dropped my head back, exasperated. What the hell?

Why wouldn’t Trevor want me at Delcour? He hated Meridian City, but what did Delcour have to do with that?

And then I lifted my chin, closing my eyes as realization hit.

Michael. Trevor hated Michael, and Michael was at Delcour. He didn’t want him around me.

But if Michael didn’t give me the time of day at home, nothing would be any different here. Hell, I probably wouldn’t even know he lived at Delcour if I hadn’t run into him last night. I had no reason to think I’d see him on a regular basis.

I let out a sigh and ran my fingers across my forehead, wiping away the light layer of sweat. The argument had me heated now.

And with energy to spare.

I gripped the phone, feeling the hilt of a blade in my fist and the fire in my legs to move.

Bringing up my phone, I typed in a search for “fencing clubs.”

“HELLO.” I APPROACHED THE FRONT DESK of Hunter-Bailey, seeing the attendant’s head pop up. “I saw online that you have a fencing club, and I was wondering if you have open bouting nights.”

He pinched his eyebrows together, looking confused. “Excuse me?”

I shifted uncomfortably. Hunter-Bailey was reputed to have one of the most active fencing clubs in the state with private lessons and a large area for group workouts. It was also the only location in the city to offer fencing.