The tram glided through the grandiose gates of the academy, its silent movement a stark contrast to the towering spires and ancient stone walls that rose around them. The academy city fell away, replaced by the meticulously maintained grounds of the world's most prestigious institution. Students in uniforms walked along paths, some glancing at the passing tram with casual curiosity.
Inside, the three cadets sat in comfortable silence. Or rather, two of them sat in comfortable silence while the third studied.
Elreth's amber eyes fixed on Nero. She looked at him the way she might study a puzzle, tracing the lines of his profile, the set of his shoulders, the subtle energy that radiated from him. Something was different. Something had changed.
Khione noticed the stare. One elegant eyebrow rose slightly, a silent question.
Elreth caught the look and waved a hand dismissively. "Calm down. I just felt like he had become stronger than before. That's all."
