Chapter 24: A Line Crossed
"I'll say it again—sorry about earlier," Noel muttered. "But it was necessary."
"Necessary in what way?" Elyra snapped. "You could've just told me on the way instead of dragging me into this place."
They stood in a narrow back alley behind the Class A dormitories, tucked between tall stone buildings whose mossy walls glistened faintly under weak mana-lamps. The ground was uneven, littered with puddles and the occasional crunch of gravel underfoot. The air smelled faintly of damp stone and something less pleasant—like discarded potions or neglected cleaning charms.
Elyra looked painfully out of place here.
She was still dressed from the party: a deep crimson jacket hung neatly over her shoulders, covering a slim-cut blouse of dark silk. Her trousers were tailored, noble-made, tucked into soft leather boots with silver trim. She wore a thin chain around her neck that glimmered faintly beneath the moonlight—simple, elegant, unmistakably expensive.
And now she was scowling at him like she wanted to knock his teeth out.
"That option wasn't possible," Noel said, steady. "Even if I would've preferred it."
"Alright, so what's this serious thing you needed to tell me?"
"I found something. Something important," he said. "It's about... you know, our situation."
Her expression immediately shifted—shoulders squaring, eyes sharp.
"Talk."