******
"I need you to tell me what's going on with that girl."
Astrid didn't spare Magnus Thorn a glance. "There's nothing to tell," she said curtly. "Lorraine Anderson is just a student here. That's all there is to it."
With that, she turned and began walking down the hall, the steady thump of her boots echoing off the tiled floor.
But Magnus followed.
Out of the hospital they went, the night air colder now, sharp like tension pressed against tge skin. The moon hung overhead in a restless sky, casting pale silver light across the academy grounds.
"Astrid," Magnus called, his steps heavy behind her.
She didn't stop, until he grabbed her arm, halting her in the middle of the courtyard.
"There's something you're not telling me," he said firmly, staring her down. "What is it? What's going on here? You said Lorraine's just a student, but she's not. You know it. I am a fool Astrid, I've seen the signs. So if something's happening, I need to know."
