It was bitterly cold out on the platform.

  Perhaps it was because they were so high up, or because the heaviness of the clouds felt like being covered in a damp blanket, but all the warmth of the station seemed to evaporate the second they walked outdoors.

  The platform was not much like the ones for the trains in the rest of the station, there were no tracks leading up and past again. Instead there were heavy chains strung from, of all things, a tree. The rather puny sapling looked completely out of place in the paved industrial world, and like it should snap at the faintest breath of wind, let alone hold up the massive chains that stretched out into the fog.

  Or at least that was what she thought until they walked nearer it and Soleil could see the garnet-like veins of red that ran through the wood. It was not any ordinary wood after all, but Lifeblood Oak, the strongest wood in the world. So strong, in fact, that it was commonly planted and trained into shapes rather than cut.

  The station must have paid a very pretty penny to plant a Lifeblood Oak out here, she thought as she looked at it. A solid steel ring, about the width of a thigh, encircled the tree and the sapling had grown around it, holding it in place, while the chains for the air carriage locked onto the ring.

  A truly bone chilling gust of wind came across the platform then, from the side that was open to the Great Lost Sea, fog twirled on it like smoke from a candle and it seemed to creep along her skin.

  Soleil sank deeper into the thick quilted lining of her wool coat. Her aunt had insisted she dress like she was going on a winter siege, and she was immensely grateful that she had taken the advice. The cold bit at any skin left bare and she shivered. Perhaps the extra flannel petticoat should have come out of her luggage after all?

  Titania was hardly any better, though there were hints of a thick fur lining at her collar, the feathers on her hat couldn’t stand still with her shivers.

  The conductor spotted this, "The air carriages stay quite warm, the steam magic that powers the systems ensures it."

  "Thank you," Soleil said gratefully with a smile, before it slipped off her face at the memory of a neatly put together figure sitting by themselves in the waiting room, half turning back she said. "Oh, but there was another girl in the waiting room, should we ask her if she wishes to join us?"

  "No!" they both said.

  "If there is no one for her to perform to then she will only come out sooner," Titania said, "best we leave her some audience. And besides, I think the lady in the corner was reading and seemed quite absorbed, I do not think she would thank us for the distraction."

  The conductor had a differing point of view, though it came to the same resolution. "I am afraid I cannot allow a significant number of passengers to access the air carriage before the approved time time, Miss. I am sure the other lady will do well enough, my colleague will still be there to prevent any unpleasantness."

  They made good sense, and from the grip Titania had on Soleil’s arm she would have had to cause a scene to dislodge her. So Soleil allowed herself to be towed out to the edge of the platform and towards the strangely beautiful contraption that was the air carriage.

  Unlike the mostly cast iron steam train that had taken her to the station, the air carriage was a marvel of polished brass and crystal. Gone were the soot stains and black metal, instead the brass shone with a warmth, while the crystal, cut with hundreds of sparkling facets, glistened in the fog as beads of water ran off it. A large steaming bellows-like contraption sat at the join between the carriage and the thick chains, a large wheel was the only hint at how exactly they would be moving.

  Soleil was ensorcelled for a moment, staring at the strange and wonderful looking contraption. "Oh, it's magnificent!" She blurted out.

  "Thank you, Miss, we do our best to keep them looking smart," the conductor said. He pulled a key from a chain on his belt and unlocked the door. It was egg shaped and bowed in order to match the round walls of the carriage. "If you ladies will step inside I will begin the safety checks."

  Titania suddenly seemed to lose her nerve, standing stock still on the edge of the platform, Soleil looked at her and frowned. "Would you like me to go first?"

  "No, no, I should be able to do this," she said a faux brightness pinching her cheeks into a smile that was more like a grimace. She took a breath like she was about to jump into a river and -

  That was as far as she got.

  There was a heavy pause.

  Soleil bit her lip, perhaps a distraction would help. "Look, Titania, I think I can just about see the school through the fog." It was mostly true, there was the faintest hint of something that might be a distant tower on the horizon. Though it could have just as easily been a trick of the light.

  Titania's eyes briefly flickered in the direction of the Island (the direction was helpfully shown by the heavy chains which soared overhead and tunnelled into the depths of the fog) but her feet did not move an inch. Heat was starting to rise in her cheeks and her eyes were starting to look a little watery.

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  Worse, the conductor was starting to grow impatient. His moustache was a thinner creature than that of the monster on the guard's lip, but it was starting to bristle. Titania's eyes were flicking from the conductor to the door of the carriage and back again with spinning rapidity.

  Well this won't do, thought Soleil, I will just have to do something, I suppose. "Miss Appleby do I have your permission to do something a little shocking?"

  Titania looked confusedly at Soleil, "Yes?"

  "Very good," Soleil said with a smile. Then without any more hints to what she might do, she swooped in, picked Titania up around the waist and took three large steps onto the air carriage. The girl was quite light, at least compared to the luggage and wooden trunks that Soleil had been carting around the last few days, and the carriage was secured well enough to the platform that there was no sway under her feet as she stepped over the threshold.

  "Soleil!" Titania hissed, but she had no time to struggle as she was neatly deposited inside the doorway to the air carriage. Flustered Titania rounded on Soleil, "You cannot do that!"

  "Apologies, but I thought it best we move before anyone in the waiting room saw anything amiss," she said sheepishly. Also it was cold outside on the platform, Soleil could withstand most things better than a human, but that didn't mean she had to do so. She was quite happy to be spoiled.

  Titania gave half hearted glare, "Well thank you. Let us find a seat, shall we?"

  "Away from the windows?" Soleil asked.

  But Titania shook her head, "No best I get used to it, let's sit up front." Bracing her shoulders and resettling her hat more squarely on her head, she strode to the front of the carriage and to the first row of seats. "You're lucky that you surprised me, Soleil, I'm quite handy with a hat pin. I might have made you regret it!"

  Soleil could respect a hat pin, she had seen what they could do, to handsy young men on busses, but she was not afraid. Mortal metals could not pierce her skin, after all. It would have to be a hat pin blessed with holy magic and at least one step up from her own natural magical level. She was not powerful, and hadn't even properly claimed her domain yet, but holy magic was rare.

  Of course, there was also the option of Unholy magic, but that was basically unheard of in modern society.

  She simply decided to say, "I will bear that in mind for future events, Titania."

  "There had better not be any "future events" quite like this, Soleil!" Titania said hotly, before sweeping down the row of seats and picking out her spot. It was at the exact half way point between the aisle and the wall of the carriage. Taking her at her word that she wished to get used to the view, Soleil took the seat beside her on the aisle side. They were sitting at the front, though, so perhaps that was overkill. She was already face to face with a window.

  Seeing them safely settled, the conductor started to ready the air carriage. As far as Soleil could see, aside from checking the supplies of oil in the lamps, this was mostly limited to poking things and making sure that there was no wobbling.

  Bored of watching him, she turned instead to Titania, "We didn't have the chance to say in the waiting room, what are you studying? I'll be taking the basic Spell Caster course to begin with, but I'm hoping to make it onto the Geography courses later on."

  "Really, Spell Casting and Geography?" Titania looked surprised, "I thought you were surely to be taking a more active course, not many spell casters carry a sword."

  Entirely truthfully, she said, "I have a special interest in pocket dimensions, it's been a fascination of mine for as long as I can remember."

  "Oooh, that is an interesting area to research. I myself, am planning on taking an obnoxiously broad courseload. I want to learn everything that Glayth can teach me, and then work out how to wrap it up in a tidy dissertation at the end," she laughed a little self consciously. "I am ambitious, but not yet ready to be shepherded in any particular direction."

  "Probably a more sensible route to take than me," Soleil said with a shrug, "I'll probably find out that the Professors in my preferred subjects hate me or smell terrible or something."

  This surprised a laugh out of Titania, she leaned forward and said very seriously, "I shall pray your nose fares well."

  "Thank you," Soleil said equally gravely, before bursting into giggles.

  Titania matched her, then relaxed against the fabric back of the chair. "Oh it is good to laugh, I was so worried that I would get here and everyone would hate me."

  "I worried about that too, it didn't matter how many times my aunt told me that it was not possible. I am too well aware of her bias towards me," she shook her head. "I was certain that I would arrive and immediately say something terrible like," she waved her hands around as she thought back to her nightmarish visions, "Congratulating someone on their pregnancy when they are not pregnant."

  Titania winced, "Oh I hadn't even thought of that! My main concern was things breaking around me, chairs, tables, lamps. I was certain that I would not get a day into classes without the lectern bursting into flames and the blackboard shattering. I was certain my time at Glayth would end in disaster," Titania kept talking about the variety of ways she had dreamed of things going wrong, but Soleil attention was dislodged.

  Disaster. Disaster. Disaster.

  The word seemed to follow her.

  But not today.

  Forcefully, like catching a raging bull by the horns and changing where it stepped, Soleil drew her attention back to Titania.

  It wouldn't do to upset her new friend within the same half an hour of them meeting and blatantly ignoring someone was a fine way to begin.

  "Do you know where abouts you will be staying on the island?" Titania was asking now.

  Relief coursed through her veins, thank goodness, a question she could answer. "Yes, I'll be staying at the Mordaunt Building."

  "Oh," Titania seemed discomfited, "It's supposed to be rather basic, isn't it?"

  ""Stark" is the word I have heard used most, and it's apparently very popular with those who are of hermit-like religious bent, but I don't mind. I don't really intend to be there very much, and it is only for this year. I will be able to arrange more comfortable quarters next year," she shrugged, "It's all private which is what I wanted, I didn't like the idea of sharing."

  Titania nodded, "I will be staying at Distaff House. My mother knows the lady who runs it. So I expect I will never have a moment's peace. I might crave a hermit-like environment myself by the end of the year."

  Movement at the door to the station caught Soleil’s eye, "Oh I think they are bringing everyone else on now."

  Titania stiffened, "Ah well, peace was too much to ask for, I suppose."

  "What, do you think our fellow passengers will be raucous?" Soleil asked incredulously. Aside from the unfortunately dressed young woman, the other passenger hadn't lifted her head from her book the entire time they had spent in the waiting room.

  "No, no. But I suppose I was enjoying our chat," Titania grouched.

  Touched, Soleil smiled. "I was too, but it is not as if we must stop entirely. Tell me more about some of the courses you want to take."

  Titania's face shone, she nodded, and then she started in on a very detailed review of all the possible course options for first year students at the illustrious Glayth Skerry University.