The passageway outside the dormitory wing was wrapped in a fading hush, the final remnants of daylight slipping through tall windows and casting a soft, dim sheen across the floor, while the distant sounds of the academy blurred into a faint, indistinct murmur that never quite reached this corner.
"Damon Valecrest…" Serena said, her voice steady despite the weight behind the words, "…he asked me to help him deal with you."
Celdric's brows drew together slightly, the faint crease forming more out of curiosity than concern as he regarded her, his posture still relaxed though his attention had sharpened.
"What do you mean?" he asked, his tone even, though there was a subtle edge beneath it.
"Just what you heard," Serena replied without hesitation, her gaze fixed on him, unwavering.
Celdric tilted his head just a fraction, as though considering the statement from a different angle before he spoke again.
"And why would he want to deal with me?"
