I nudged Seth when I spotted the figure descending the stairs on the left, but he had already seen her. With ginger hair that shone like copper in the chandelier’s light, the girl was hard not to notice.

“There you finally are!” she said as she reached the end of the stairs. “Mrs. Whitworth was already worried you’d gotten lost on the way.”

The way she carried herself, with an air of confidence and authority that was almost tangible, contradicted the look of her face, which, with soft features and a splatter of freckles, seemed no older than seventeen. Her gray eyes studied us appraisingly when she came to a stop in front of us.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” I said apologetically. “Are you supposed to give us the tour?”

“Yes, I am,” she said. “My name is Amelia Campbell, head of the student council, and captain of our cheerleading team. First of all: Welcome to Seven Hills International School for Boys and Girls. We are happy to welcome you to our community.”

She paused for a second as if waiting for an answer but continued before either of us could open our mouths. “Community is the most valued thing at this school, as you probably gathered from our website. You two are welcome, and even encouraged, to join one of our clubs or sports teams. It is important to get involved and contribute to our school’s success and reputation.”

Seth shot me a pained look that echoed his earlier statement about the dead funny private school students.

“With that said, let’s get into the rules.” Amelia flipped through the papers on her clipboard. “You are not allowed to leave school grounds without notifying a teacher. You must wear your school uniform and stick to the dress code. This is just another factor in establishing a community. Boys are not allowed to be in the girls’ wing and vice versa. Intimate relationships are not encouraged.”

“Bit heteronormative, isn’t it?” Seth said, quiet enough that only I could hear him.

Amelia continued without taking notice. “You need to attend every meal in the cafeteria. If you are ill, you must see the nurse and either go to classes or remain in bed according to her judgment. Bedtime is at ten o’clock to ensure peak performance.”

There was a meaningful pause. “Any breaches of these rules will be punished with community service at our school or, in the worst case, expulsion. Are there any questions?”

“What are we actually allowed to do?” Seth asked.

“You are allowed to study and serve the school’s community, as I previously stated. That is the sole purpose of Seven Hills, and hopefully the reason you are here.”

“Um . . . sure.”

“Fantastic,” Amelia replied and handed us a few papers. “Here is some information regarding the dress code and possible clubs or teams you might consider joining. Now, I will take you, Evelyn, to your room in the girls’ wing. Seth, you will wait here—