The stairwell felt too narrow for the weight of his eyes on me.
Carroway's laugh echoed off the ancient stone walls as they climbed toward Silver's residential college, the sound bouncing between Gothic archways and carved gargoyles that had watched countless Yale students make questionable decisions over the decades. His stride was easy and casual, like he owned not just this particular stairwell but the entire campus that stretched beyond the medieval-style windows, each step taken with the confidence of someone who'd never encountered a space where he wasn't welcome.
Silver matched his pace reluctantly, her boots finding uncertain purchase on the worn stone steps that had been polished smooth by generations of students climbing toward their rooms. The winter moisture had created a treacherous film of condensation on the surfaces, and she felt her foot slip once on a particularly slick step, her arms windmilling slightly as she fought to regain her balance.
