I found myself in Professor Gravemore's dimly lit lab two weeks later, holding the final draft of my research paper like it was a time bomb. However, I wasn't alone. To my left, Cecilia Slatemark lounged in her chair with the confidence of someone who had already won, her crimson eyes glinting with amusement. On my right, Rose Springshaper sat with perfect posture, her calm demeanor betraying nothing but quiet determination.
Both of them, to my surprise, were also submitting research papers for the Tower of Magic.
"Why are you here, of all places?" I whispered to Cecilia, keeping one eye on Professor Gravemore, who was engrossed in a pile of documents on his desk.
She smirked, tilting her head in that infuriating way she did whenever she knew something I didn't. "Because it's fun. And I get to visit the Tower of Magic again."
