"Hah... hah... Phew..."
Elijah came to an abrupt stop, chest rising and falling in uneven breaths.
He had barely made it past one of the secluded corners of the Academy, a narrow pathway lined with towering stone walls.
His gaze darted left, then right.
No sign of Victoria.
He exhaled, pressing a hand to his knee.
Had he lost her?
He sure as hell hoped so. He hadn't expected her to actually mean it when she swore she'd kill him. Then again, Victoria never made empty threats.
Just as his pulse began to settle, something whizzed through the air.
Elijah's reflexes kicked in. His hand snapped up, catching the object mid-flight.
A ring.
A golden ring gleamed under the shadows, a delicate crown-like appearance in form of a small ring.
Then a voice spoke.
"You made me wait."
Elijah turned toward the stairway, where a figure sat at the edge of the steps, watching him.
It was Circe.