He whimpered again.
I shook my head lightly, hiding a faint smile. Riven's melodrama was strangely comforting, even if he was acting like we'd just survived a brush with death. Aria stretched lazily beside me, grinning triumphantly as we navigated the darkened corridors of the school, our footsteps hushed against the cool stone floors.
"We should sneak out more often," Aria whispered, eyes sparkling mischievously in the dim light. "It's exhilarating."
"You and I have very different definitions of exhilarating," Riven muttered, glancing nervously around every corner as though expecting the headmistress to leap from the shadows at any second.
Mara gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder. "Relax. We're perfectly safe now."
Elira hummed quietly. "You've just tempted fate. Thank you."
Mara shot her a mock glare, but before anyone could respond, the sharp clearing of a throat echoed through the hall, freezing us instantly in place.
