What if monsters don't have a face? In the bitter winter of 1888, Cassandra Thawne vanished from her families estate. To the world, she was a flighty girl escaping her father's doting care. But Elara finds a stolen correspondence between Cass (alias Castor) and a mysterious Pollux. The trail leads to the one place a lady can not go. Blackwater Academy. A brutal fortress of iron discipline, tradition, and duels concealing buried secrets Elara is there to unearth! The truth is the deadliest trap of all . . . Elara, now disguised as Ethan, is desperate for answers and will go about by any means to piece the puzzle together that is Julian. Despite shearing her hair and donning her brother's discarded uniform, it's like he sees through her act. Even when her brother Leo can't! Elara doesn't like the unexpected, but at least making friends with Silas and Laurie made her finally believe she could belong. "You're out late, Thawne," Julian whispers, his voice vibrating in the small space. He doesn't look at me yet, but his hand lingers on the shelf, effectively pinning me in. "Or should I say you're up to no good looking for something that doesn't want to be found?" he scoffs, staring down at me with a heated glare. "I'm exactly where I want to be, Mr. Nightshade," I retort, shoving the arm practically caging me into the bookcase away. He offers no resistance as I stalk off, and I'm thankful because that close proximity was giving me unnecessary tingles that I can't afford to dwell upon .

Thorn was born into an Irish traveller community in 1965, growing up in Blackburn until her mum decided to leave her and her dad. Her grandparents asked her to stay with them in Preston to attend St Mary's convent. What 17 year old in their right mind would turn down such a sweet offer? There, she met Rose. . the easygoing, best-looking though she hated to admit it and smartest student. Well this is the image Rose let everyone see, and now Thorn's curiosity had been piqued. There was no backing out of a mystery, especially one so endearing! Rose, born into a well-off family, had always felt she hadn't truly lived. But then her world turned upside down when Thorn sat next to her in class even after seeing her ugly tears in the swimming changing rooms . Two opposites attract is how Rose and Thorn's friendship took root, but perhaps it will grow into a love almost timeless. . .