Zane materialized just outside the correct door this time, exhaling in relief. "That could've gone horribly wrong," he whispered, still shaken from the silver-haired girl's glare.
He pushed the door open just enough to peek in—no sign of Sera. The lights were on, faint steam curling from the bathroom door. The sound of humming reached his ears—definitely Sera. She was in the shower.
With a smirk, Zane stepped in and closed the door behind him. "If she can randomly break into my room every other night, I get one free pass."
His eyes scanned the room—elegant and cozy. Soft lighting, a floating bookshelf packed with spellbooks and wind-themed trinkets, and a bed that looked like it was forged from the dreams of royalty. Plush pillows, silky sheets, and a faint breeze that made the fabric flutter.
He walked over, pressed one hand into the mattress, and sank almost to his wrist.
"What the—this is unfair," he muttered, throwing himself onto the bed. "People talk about equality between male and female students, but my bed might as well be made from leftover dungeon bricks."
Nyx flickered into view beside him, flapping slowly. "Maybe it's because you keep shadow-stepping into people's rooms like a delinquent."
"It's research," Zane mumbled, rolling into the cloud-like pillow. "Important comfort-based research."
Nyx sighed and floated to the window sill, clearly too tired to argue. "I'm done with your shenanigans for today. Just don't get caught."
"I'm a ninja of darkness," Zane said dramatically, already half-asleep. "They'll never catch me."
The bathroom door creaked softly in the background as steam began to spill out...