Simply by the glint in Tybalt’s brown eyes as he suddenly became still, Bragi could tell that the pair of voices along the corridor were not simply to be shrugged off. If the lurking danger came in the form of prefects, they were younger than both offenders — but he and Tybalt were children again as they started, and the leader quickly voiced a plan. Bragi obeyed the instruction as bid, natural stealth and grace allowing him to make progress without detection — though he thought maybe the people would hear the hammering of his heart.

He slipped behind the long tapestry just in the nick of time. Had he not been so trusting, he might have feared his skull would encounter a hard brick wall. But luckily there was a dark, narrow passageway behind it, and Bragi leaned his back against one of the walls, breathing deeply, peeking out through the sliver of light to watch the threat grow nearer, nearer…