Evelyn Simmons expected severe tutors and old money when she journeyed to the Academy of Veyrhold, but she didn't expect the dark, black-bone road itself to have a pulse. Dropped off alone before towering iron gates shaped like broken crowns, Evelyn steps into a chilling world of elite privilege and ancient, breathing architecture. While her peers arrive in lacquered carriages escorted by liveried guards and announced by noble titles, Evelyn enters with nothing but a trunk and her mother's cryptic final warning: do not mistake beauty for welcome. Veyrhold is a magnificent, grim fortress veined with glowing moonstone, resembling a ruthless court more than a school. As family crests flash and wealthy heirs assert their dominance, Evelyn must navigate a treacherous new reality where she belongs to no known house. Welcome to Veyrhold-just don't question the stones before they know your name.