The gates of Snow Kingdom closed behind them with a deep, echoing groan.
Nicole barely felt the cold as she walked the familiar halls. Snow pressed against the stained-glass windows, muting the world beyond the manor, but inside her chest everything felt too loud—too tight. Jasper walked a half step behind her, silent, watchful. His presence was steady, but it carried weight now. Something darker clung to him, like smoke woven into his aura.
She did not turn to look at him.
She already knew his eyes would be violet—bright, dangerous, alive.
The stairwell leading down to the dungeon was narrow and spiraled deep into the earth. Each step echoed softly beneath Nicole's slippers. Torches lined the stone walls, their flames flickering as if disturbed by something unseen.
The air grew colder.Damp.Old.
