Life changed the moment the Heavens granted Benedict his Regeneration Sphere. Stepping out of the abusive cycle he’d known all his life, he entered the Gilfle Academy. Getting help from his therapist, Agatha Carper, Benedict was ready to try his new lease on life. It wasn’t without its bumps and setbacks, but he wasn’t going to give up on this second chance.

Benedict’s first bump was his new roommate, Atropos Foxglove. The young woman had her own painful past that’d colored her view of life, especially when it came to men. The two stumbled and even argued, but eventually, found their footing to coexist. That coexistence even turned into a friendship that grew as the semester went on.

It was the second bump that almost ended Benedict’s new life prematurely. Ellen Rox had long hated Atropos, and she wasn’t above hurting others. Seeing Benedict with Atropos, Ellen chose to use him as her pawn and bring more grief into Atropos’ life. That all culminated in Benedict being accused of sexual assault, a fabrication put on by Ellen and her cronies.

The false charges were stopped only with some help, but they also led Atropos and Benedict to become closer. Friendship forged through adversity— including their own past traumas— made for a bedrock to build on.