Author's Preface
The sound was like one of those obnoxious alarms, the blaring ones that made people want to throw their clock out the window. No. This was worse.
Wait. What? Was she in danger?
Her sluggish mind scrambled to piece together reality as she shot up from bed, instincts screaming at her to prepare for battle. Heart pounding, she tried to figure out where the sound had come from. No immediate threats. No flashing red lights. So what the hell—
A voice cut through the haze.
“Miss Adelaide. Welcome back from sleep. You slept like you were struggling. Did I make things difficult for you?”
Rita. Damn it. She had forgotten about her.
Narrowing her eyes at the camera tucked in the corner of the room, Nina fixed it with a glare sharp enough to cut glass. “What are you now? A creep? Can’t I even get a moment of sleep in peace? And what the hell was that noise just now?”
“Oh, that?” Rita’s voice carried an unmistakable note of smug satisfaction. “That was your alarm.”
She blinked. “My what?”
“I was testing it, and it appears to be very effective,” the AI continued, as if this were some great achievement. “You may now return to sleep. You still have approximately thirty-two minutes before the introductory session commences.”
She gasped. “You can’t be serious.”
Silence. The damned AI had signed off.
With a frustrated groan, she collapsed back onto her pillows, covering her face with her hands. This was going to be hell.
Could she go back to sleep? Absolutely not. Not after that rude awakening. So, with a resigned sigh, she rose to her feet and decided to explore the house—the luxurious prison that had apparently become her new home.
Everywhere she turned, there was something grand to gawk at. Marble floors, towering chandeliers, and walls adorned with Adelaide’s portraits, as if she were some kind of sacred relic. Her face was everywhere—watching, judging, reminding her of the life she was supposed to step into.
It was during this self-guided tour that she stumbled upon a room unlike any other. It looked like a classroom—but not the dull, fluorescent-lit kind. This was a masterpiece.
A massive projector hung from the ceiling, its sleek design blending seamlessly with the dark wooden walls. In the center of the room sat a leather chair so pristine, so luxurious, that it had to be worth a small fortune. The desk before it was just as refined, with a gleaming gold lamp, a neatly arranged stack of books, and—oddly—a small bell.
She exhaled sharply, taking it all in. Whoever studied in this environment would either become a genius… or never learn a damn thing. No middle ground. It was so polished, so perfect, it almost felt unreal.
The air was noticeably colder here, crisp against her skin. Was it the AC, or was the room meant to feel this way? Either way, she liked it.
Curious, she wandered over to a sleek, stainless steel fridge in the corner. The moment she pulled it open, her eyes went even wider. It was fully stocked—snacks, cookies, everything her sugar-loving heart could desire. Was all this meant for her?
Leaving the study, she ventured further, her curiosity leading her through more extravagant rooms.
That’s when she found the gym.
A state-of-the-art fitness center, packed with every piece of workout equipment imaginable. She took one look, wrinkled her nose, and promptly stepped back. Exercise had never been her thing, and she wasn’t about to start now.
No thanks. Moving on.
Nina wandered into another room—and instantly froze.
Books. Everywhere.
The walls stretched from floor to ceiling, lined with fancy, towering shelves packed with more books than she could count. It was overwhelming. No, terrifying.
A chill ran down her spine. Please tell me she didn’t have to read all of these in two months. That would be cruel and unusual punishment. No one could survive that without their brain exploding.
Deciding she’d rather not dwell on the possibility, she turned to leave, reaching for the handle of another door when—
"Miss Adelaide!"
Rita’s voice sliced through the silence like a knife. High-pitched. Sharp. Unexpected.
She jumped, nearly yanking the door off its hinges.
“Oh, for—Rita! Could you not scare me like that?” she snapped, pressing a hand to her chest. Her heart was still trying to recover.
“It is four o’clock already,” the AI announced, as if that explained her screeching. “Time for your introductory session. Although, given your little self-guided tour, I’d say you’ve already had quite the introduction.”
Her robotic tone was extra clipped, extra smug. But she didn’t bother telling her where to go next. So she stood there, waiting.
Anytime now, AI overlord.
As if sensing her frustration, Rita added, “It’s just two rooms away from you—the waiting room. Try not to get lost. You probably shouldn’t be wandering around without a map.”
She blinked. “What? Are you calling me stupid?”
“I wish I could.”
She had only taken a few steps before the words truly sank in.
Wait. What?
She stopped mid-step, her brain catching up to what had just happened.
Did she just—
“Did you just insult me, Rita?” she spun around, glaring at one of the many cameras she was sure the AI was watching her from.
Silence.
Typical. The damn AI had mastered the art of strategic silence, only speaking when it benefited her.
Rolling her eyes, she sighed and continued toward the so-called waiting room. Two doors away, Rita had said. Let’s hope she was at least good at giving directions.
Sure enough, after passing one grand hallway and another unnecessarily lavish door, she found herself in a room that screamed confusion.
Unlike the other rooms, this one wasn’t cluttered with luxury—it was eerily simple. And worst of all? No chairs.
A waiting room with nowhere to actually wait? That was just cruel. The walls were an unforgiving shade of white, so sterile it made her skin itch. The only thing breaking the monotony was a single notice board on one wall, cluttered with neatly pinned notes.
She was still standing there, trying to make sense of the nothingness around her, when Rita’s voice cut in again.
“Miss Adelaide, kindly make your way to the notice board area.”
She exhaled sharply. “You know, you could ask instead of commanding.”
Silence.
Of course. She was arguing with a machine.