The Inheritance Book 1

Ch 2 Looking Up: Averi Ann Matthews [Monday Morning, Week One]

As all the other kids got up, Averi stayed in her corner chair, biting her fingernails and pretending to read the rule packet. She would rather clean a gas station bathroom than mingle with this crowd of stuck-ups.

This whole experience was just going to end up being a lonely, depressing, embarrassing waste of time. Why had she agreed to come?

Unfortunately, she couldn't just turn around and go home. At the moment, there was no home to go back to. They had sold their condo in Florida and her parents were on their way to Michigan at this very moment to move in with friends while they looked for jobs and a place to live. So she was stuck here at Trecorin Manor for the duration.

The best she could hope for was that there would be a lot of free time to draw and read alone in her room. Why bother trying to get to know the other kids and make friends when she would probably never see them again? Oh, sure, they were all supposed to come back every summer until they graduated high school, but now that she had seen the other kids, she definitely wasn't planning on doing that. What would be the point? She wasn't going to win the competition or get picked as the heir.

Once everyone else had left the parlor, Averi finally went to get her bags. She hoped she would find her room without any difficulty. She slung the duffel strap over her head, extended the handle on her rolling suitcase, and started toward the staircase.

For the first time since she'd arrived, Averi looked up. There had been so much going on socially that she hadn't had a chance to really notice the details of the castle. She stood there, awestruck.

The ceiling, high above her head, was a magnificent work of art! Arched, intricately-carved white beams led to a huge jeweled medallion, from the very center of which hung a three-tiered crystal chandelier that sparkled like a royal crown. Between the ceiling beams, an artist had painted a beautiful blue sky with puffy white clouds. On the west side was a brilliant golden pink and purple sunset. Her eyes moved from the ceiling down to the elegant white marble double-staircase, accented with black wrought-iron railings. The effect was magical.

Averi stood for a long time taking it all in. If her bedroom was anything like this, she might be able to survive the summer here after all.