Chapter 71: MASTERS

**|BLAKELY'S POV**

I was still halfway down the stairs along with the other students to when I noticed Evangeline standing at the end of the stairs, dressed in yet another beautiful Victorian gown, her corset pulled so tight it looked like she was barely breathing, her bosom pushed up and her pale shoulders on display. She was flanked by one of the teachers—Ms. Li—and some guy in a crisp suit holding a couple of boxes.

The second Xinmei hung up her call and stepped beside me, a hushed murmur spread through the students gathered around, everyone looking between each other with furrowed brows. Something was definitely going on.

Evangeline clasped her hands in front of her, the picture of poise. "Initially," she began in that soft, calm tone, "before the vice principal left, we agreed that students would be allowed to keep their phones. After all, I do understand that many of you wish to contact your families."

I feel like I know where this is going. I exhaled through my nose.

"But," Evangeline continued, sighing slightly, "despite being given one simple rule—not to trespass into the main castle—we caught a student attempting to do just that. And worse, they decided to live-stream it."

There were a few gasps, and mean grunts. Some students whispered to each other, and a few others snickered like they found the whole thing amusing. Like why is the main castle off limit, and something like that.

"The student has been sent home," she went on, "as Ms. Li has assured me that such an incident will not happen again."

I glanced at the teacher standing beside her. She nodded stiffly, her expression giving nothing away but support.

"Despite what you’ve heard about rules being meant to be broken," Evangeline added, "some things are better left unseen and unsaid. So—"

"Because the rumors are true?" someone shouted from the back of the group.

The entire hall seemed to hold its breath.

Evangeline, however, only chuckled. She was so graceful about it, like she was actually amused, like we’d all just made a joke and she was indulging us. "What rumors?" she asked softly, her calm smooth voice carrying effortlessly through the room. "The one about my masters being night creatures? Or perhaps shapeshifters?" She chuckled again, shaking her head. "Oh, the things humans say. They make me roll over."

That wording. The way she said humans like she wasn’t one.

I folded my arms, watching her carefully.

"My masters are not home," she continued, glancing around the group, "and will not be anytime soon, and just so you know, I agreed to this tour. Not them."

A guy standing a few feet from me raised his hand. "Why?"

Her lips twitched, almost like she was pleased by the question. "Because I was bored, and tired and lonely " she said simply. "I couldn’t possibly stand one more day in this place without something entertaining to do, so when your school reached out, I thought—why not? This place could use some young spirits"

She turned slightly, adjusting one of the lace gloves covering her hands. "Anyway, I assure you, my masters are none of the things you’ve heard in those ridiculous rumors."

My arms were still folded when I asked, "Why do you call them masters?"

It was the first time Evangeline actually hesitated before answering.

She turned her head towards me, her expression unreadable, and said with a small smile, "Because I belong to them Elizabeth, they own me."

A weird sort of silence filled the space.

I raised a brow, but before I could push further, she clapped her hands together. "Now, as a result of today’s little incident, we’ll be collecting your phones."

Cue the chaos.

"What!?!”

"No! No! Ms Li don't do this”

Students groaned, whined, and grumbled in protest, someone shouted, "This is so unfair!" A few others asked how they were supposed to call their parents, and some, like Frankie, were already pulling out their phones reluctantly, probably knowing it was a lost cause arguing.

I spare her a glance, we haven't really talked much since that morning.

Ms. Li stepped forward with a stern expression. "We believe this is the best course of action," she said, "and as you can see, I’ve also handed in mine. If anyone must make an urgent call, the castle’s telephone will be made available."

A blonde girl near the front groaned loudly. "What if there’s an emergency?"

Evangeline smiled at her. "Then you’ll simply have to tell me, darling."

The students weren’t happy, but one by one, people began turning off their phones and dropping them into the box. Some did it aggressively, like they were trying to prove a point. Others looked like they were about to cry, as if their very existence depended on their phones. Okay, mine kinda did, but what can I do?

Xinmei leaned close to me and muttered, "Are you actually okay with this?"

I shrugged, turning off my phone without hesitation. "I don’t have a choice, do I?"

She made a face but turned hers off too.

As I dropped my phone into the box, Evangeline continued, "Since some of you were responsible enough to bring your laptops, you may use them to contact your families. For those who don’t have one, you are free to use the shared computers in the library upstairs. However—" she gave a pointed look, "your laptops must remain in your rooms. Do not bring them out, and If I find them elsewhere, they will be confiscated until the end of your stay."

There were a few more groans, but overall, people seemed slightly less upset at the compromise, no one takes their laptops around making videos and vlogs anyway.

Evangeline then turned to the guy beside her and gestured towards the boxes. "Please escort Ms. Li to the study and ensure she places them safely inside, and doesn't get lost." She looked meek, with brown droopy eyes, yet the way she sternly talked to the guy showed just how much she was anything but meek.

The guy nodded, picking up the boxes as Ms. Li followed closely behind him.

I exhaled, watching my phone disappear with them. There was an unsettling feeling about it, like I was willingly handing over a lifeline.

Why do I feel like I'll regret this?