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Rhyven answers before Caelen can. "I'm unbelievably charming."

Dax almost inhales his coffee. I stare. "You've spoken maybe six words since I met you."

"I use them efficiently." He says.

"I don't think that's the word."

"No?" He asks.

"No." I answer.

"Hm." He takes another drink. "I'll look it up."

Breakfast finally begins winding down. Students collect books. Backpacks. Weapons. Apparently carrying a sword to breakfast is perfectly normal here. Good to know.

Caelen stands. "Come on." He says.

"Where?" I ask.

"Academy tour."

I sigh dramatically. "I was hoping we'd immediately start risking our lives."

"You'll have to wait until tomorrow." He says. "Disappointing."

Dax pushes away from the table. "I'm coming." He smiles.

"So am I." Soren says.

Lyss shrugs. "I've got nowhere better to be."

Maelis closes her book. "I suppose."

I blink. "You're all coming?" I ask.

Dax looks genuinely confused. "Yeah?"

"Why?" I ask again.

"Because Caelen's giving the tour." Soren grins. "And he always forgets half the interesting parts."

"I do not." Caelen argues.

"You absolutely do." Dax adds.

"You've skipped the kitchens three years in a row." Maelis says.

Caelen exhales. "They're kitchens."

"They're the best part."

"The library exists."

"The kitchens have pastries." Dax says.

"Fair."

As we leave the dining hall together, I find myself walking beside Soren. Ahead of us, Dax is somehow arguing with Lyss about whether dragons can recognize sarcasm.