The darkness was as near absolute as if Chandra tread within the core of a cavern in the center of the world. Frostwhite had gone out the window. She assumed that he understood where she was going and would come in through the dome in the courtyard. It was a clear night, so a few of the windows would be cranked open to let in the fresh air. Chandra had peeked in earlier to check how big the windows looked, and they had seemed at least as significant as the casement in her room. No sounds curled in the hallways and Chandra fought to keep it that way. Each foot arched under in a curl before round pad and toes touched down with a slowly following heel. Chandra knew her footsteps were soundless but wondered if the sound of her heart echoed in the hallway. She was afraid to take too deep of breath, but seemed only barely to remember to take any breath at all. Now and then, the hem of her trouser would brush against a tapestry as she kept her body angled near the walls. The sound, like someone whispering, set her hair on end, and a shiver of cold air ran down her back.
