Starrella in Oxenford - Snippet from Book 3 for #WeWriWa #Superheroes #SciFi

Welcome to another Sunday with Weekend Writing Warriors . Here, writers in different genres showcase their stories with 8-10 sentences. Join the fun and read our snippets.
This week, I’ll begin posting snippets from Book 3 of Secret Supers. It’s still at the editing stage, so please let me know if you see any problems.
Draft BlurbDanger is the last thing on Estelle’s mind when she visits the University of Oxenford for a summer course. But, mysterious thefts and shadowy figures spur her into action. With Toby five thousand miles away and possibly out of her life forever, Estelle and her winged horse must hunt for the culprits alone. Soon they are embroiled in a mixed bag of aliens and ancient magic. Toby’s unexpected arrival throws her into turmoil and spurs events into a climax. 
Here are the opening lines with minor omissions and modifications to fit. Brakes squealing, the bus lurched to a halt by the high iron gates of St. Swithin’s College. Shouldering her heavy pack, Estelle Wright picked her way down the aisle to the exit. Her best friend, Diane Stewart, was right behind her as they joined the other passengers hurrying onto the street. Diane gushed, “Wow! I’m so thrilled to be in Oxenford.” Flinging back her long auburn hair, she rotated slowly on her toes to scan the old buildings along either side of the narrow cobbled street. She pointed to the church tower on the opposite side, “See the ugly stone faces on the tower, the grotesques? They’re really meant to be decorative rainspouts.” Since her five weeks of travel in Europe last year, Diane had become a self-proclaimed expert on medieval architecture. Estelle looked at the church. Stone gargoyles protruded from the corners of the square tower; caricatures of men and beasts with leering mouths and lolling tongues, their hollow eyes stared straight at her.
Okay, you can guess one source of conflict. And then there’s Toby’s dilemma, a hangover from Book 2. Any suggestions to improve my opening or blurb?
Buy Links for Book 1, Super Starrella US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C7WC8R6/International: http://authl.it/B01C7WC8R6?d

Buy Links for Starrella Falls, Book 2 of Secret Supers US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HT1W8AW/International: http://authl.it/B01HT1W8AW?d
As always, I’ll be happy to reply to your comments. Please return to www.wewriwa.com to sample the works of the other writers.