Evaline:
The hallway was quiet when I arrived outside Professor Kieran's office. Too quiet.
The lights overhead flickered once, casting long, strange shadows on the polished floor. I hesitated before raising my hand to knock, but I didn't need to. The door burst open before I could touch it.
Kieran stepped out. And for once, his usual composed gait was replaced by hurried strides. His expression was sharp and tense and it took me a second to register it.
Kieran Thorne, the man known for his stone-faced calm and unshakable authority, was actually looking… rattled.
That alone sent a spike of alarm through me.
"Professor?" I asked quickly, my instinct overriding hesitation. "What's going on?"
He didn't respond right away. His eyes flicked over me as if assessing something, and then, without a word, he turned sharply and started walking away.
I blinked. "Wait-what?"
"Follow me," he said abruptly, and his tone was more commanding than inviting. "Now."
