The carriage ride dragged on in heavy, freezing silence until the sky outside the frosted glass finally bruised into deep purples and dark oranges.
By the time the towering, imposing stone spires of the Royal Academy came into view, the sun had fully set, replaced by the soft, humming glow of lamps lining the streets.
The carriage rolled to a smooth stop inside the grand courtyard of the campus.
I pushed the door open and stepped down onto the immaculate cobblestone, the crisp evening air a welcome relief after hours trapped in Cassandra's chilling aura.
She descended gracefully right after me, her pristine uniform completely unwrinkled.
Before turning to leave, she paused. The ethereal light of the campus lamps caught her silver hair as she leveled one last, piercing look at me.
Her eyes dropped pointedly to the ring on my left hand.
"Remember what I told you," Cassandra said, her voice a cool, authoritative whisper.
