Xerin's POV

After parting ways with Nico, Caleb, Xenery, Set, Larimar, and Amber (thankfully Briar was conversing with someone named Gareth), I proceeded to follow a characteristically silent Lisse and a bouncy Illia to our room. Lisse paused in front of the door, waiting for Illia to find her key.
“I wonder what it’s going to look like…” she muttered. I blinked.
“What?” Illia echoed me. Lisse sighed in exasperation.
“The headmasters did warn us that they were… ehm, redecorating our rooms.” At the incomprehension on our faces, she made a noise that in a less frightening person might be classified as a huff. Refraining from further speech, she watched Illia fumble for her key and unlock the door. A suspicious breeze blew through from the room as she cracked the door, heavily scented with gardenia. I hesitantly stepped towards it, peering around the corner only to inhale sharply in surprise. Our room was quite different from the way we had left it- for instance, it was quite a bit larger, and perfectly circular. The walls, or rather wall, had changed to a very deep, midnight blue-violet velvet, artistically painted with glimmering swirls that could have been abstracted stars. Rather than lamps, large crystals embedded in the walls pulsed with a dull, silvery glow. Gauzy curtains fluttered over the numerous openings in the walls, that probably led to smaller rooms and closets, and in the center of the room was a large stone fountain, made of the same silvery stone as the floor, in which floated several gardenias. An enormous loft was located on the far side of the room, made accessible by a silver-gilded staircase. Beneath the loft was a carpeted area complete with bookshelves, a light crystal, a sturdy table, and a plethora of comfortable leather armchairs. The loft itself was made of a smooth, silvery wood and housed our beds, but they were quite different from the beds that had been in the room previously. They were obviously tailored to our individual tastes- mine was high, with a few steps leading to it, draped in a smoky lavender quilt edged in a silvery sage green and embroidered with the same color, and piled high with numerous teddy bears and other stuffed animals. Curtains of a light, sheer silvery fabric edged in beads fluttered around it, and a fluffy rug surrounded its base. Another bed, clearly Illia’s, was a dark green/brown color with bright slashes of yellow ripped almost violently across it. There were two pillows, one a soft green, and the other a vibrant yellow. The last was obviously Lisse’s- located in a shadowy corner, it was painted and sanded to a matte ebony finish and swathed in heavy black velvet. There was really no other way to describe it, and I wondered how she would avoid being suffocated in her sleep. From her expression, however, she was quite pleased. Or rather, as pleased as it was possible for Lisse to be. Illia also looked happy.
“The color scheme will probably change during the day, maybe to light blue and gold. It’s going to look pretty awesome!” Illia enthused. Lisse’s face dropped ever so slightly. I exchanged a glance with Illia, and smirked. My life would be perfect if I never had to see Briar again… of course, my thoughts were interrupted by frantic knocking at our door. Lisse glowered, and flung it open, the expression on her face guaranteed to frighten small children. Oh. Speak of the devil. Briar, Tyron and Caleb stood there, looking a little sheepish. Tyron spoke apologetically.
“There’s a huge padlocked chain over our door… “ Illia, Lisse and I exchanged identical expressions of horror before slowly turning around. There were three extra beds by the fountain. Looking back, I accidentally caught Briar’s gaze. He raised an eyebrow at me, and I closed my eyes, gritting my teeth. To phrase it crudely, I was so screwed.