Five Star Reviews for Atlantis Academy:
"Omg this book was amazing I couldn't put it down or stop reading. I carried it with me open on my phone while I did everything just to keep reading. I need more of all of this. Epic story, epic content, epic...
What a jerk. I want to stick my tongue out at him and call him names back, but that obviously won't improve this situation.
I take a deep breath and resolve to ignore him as I study the elevator doors.
There's a small metal disc embedded in one of them, and it's engraved with the same hieroglyphic-looking eye FAE had, but this one's blinking red.
"FAE?" I ask quietly.
Nothing happens.
"Ugh," Elfhole says, reaffirming his opinion of me. "Come on."
My nostrils flare, but I don't spare him a look.
Why isn't he helping me?
Clearly he works here.
Clearly he knows where we're supposed to be going.
Isn't he, like, the bellhop elf?
The Belfhop?
Elfhole the Belfhop. Ha.
I fumble for my keycard in my pocket, smirking even though I feel like I want to cry, and hold it up to the disc. The hieroglyph shifts to bright green, and the elevator doors slide open.
Belfhop hurries into the elevator first, then stands in the corner with his arms crossed over his chest, looking like someone took a piss in his whole cookie stash.
I take another deep breath, glancing up at the treehouses again.
Oh God, am I really gonna do this?
Be scared, and do it anyway.
I force myself to step inside, and the doors slide shut behind me.
I'm gripping my suitcase tightly, waiting, because I don't see any buttons, when the elevator suddenly takes off, shooting up into the trees. I let out a scream as I grab the nearest railing.
Why'd I have to get a treehouse cabin when I'm terrified of heights?
"Why me?"
"Why me?" Belfhop echoes, as if I said it aloud.
Wait, did I say that out loud?
Oops.
I risk a glance at him as the elevator slows, but he's not looking at me anymore. There's a sheen of sweat on his brow, and he looks kind of... sick. I can empathize with that.
"Godsdamn headache... the pain... punishment." He's muttering under his breath. "Shit. Let someone else do it... waste of time..."
I edge away from him, willing the doors to hurry up and open.
Instead, the elevator takes off sideways, and I gasp, grabbing for the railing again.
But I don't fall over. Something—a magickal something—is keeping me upright as we hurtle sideways over the treehouses.
Unfortunately, I can see them all through the clear glass floor.
I'm panting and white-knuckling my suitcase and the railing when we finally glide to a stop.
Belfhop is holding onto his head and wincing. When his gaze lands on me, his expression shifts from open resentment to what seems to be... undisguised hatred.
Yikes. Get me off this ride!
The doors slide open, and I stumble out onto the circular wooden platform.
Belfhop doesn't try to follow me. He must be going back down to escort the next lucky student.
As soon as the doors close, the elevator takes off, heading back the way it came. There's now a railing and a solid bronze panel where the elevator doors once were. Weird.
I have no clue how I was able to step through that solid panel, because it was not there when I arrived.
Guess it's... magick.
I'm smiling again at the thought that magick is actually real, but my heart starts rocketing around in my chest again as I turn to take a look at my cabin.
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I'm so high up right now.
But... the cabin looks even cooler from up here! It's like a fairytale treehouse—crafted from curved planks and a thatched roof. A big window in front offers me a glimpse of an empty bedroom, and the rounded door has bronze letters that read "A-12."
On both sides of my cabin, there are scary-looking bridges made of rope and wooden planks. The one to my right leads to the next cabin over, and the bridge to my left leads to a spiral freakin' staircase that winds down a neighboring Redwood tree's trunk. It must lead all the way to the ground.
I wouldn't know, though, 'cause I ain't looking down. And I'm certainly never taking that staircase. I'll ride with Belfhop any day.
I let out a nervous laugh and take the few cautious, shuffling steps that are necessary to reach my cabin's door.
Instead of a doorknob, there's an engraved bronze disc with the same FAE eye I've seen everywhere else. I know the drill.
I get my keycard from my pocket, hold it up, and the disc blinks green.
As the door slides open, my smile slides off my face.
Apparently, I have a roommate.
And I already know we're not gonna be friends.
'Cause friends don't push friends down hundred-foot-high staircases.
