Page 229 of The Academy of Blood & Shadow

Caelen pauses "...Fine."

Food appears. Drinks follow. Then more people. Soren joins us first. He looks considerably less formal without his Chief uniform. Still annoyingly composed. But human. Almost.

Dax arrives five minutes later and immediately steals something from Caelen's plate. Caelen slaps his hand. "Get your own." He groans.

"I did." Dax smiles.

"Then eat yours."

"Yours looked better." Dax shrugs.

"It's the same thing."

"Exactly."

I look at Nyra. She looks at me. Apparently Chief Wings Officers become children when unsupervised. Useful information. Maelis arrives carrying four drinks. "I hate all of you." She announces.

Soren accepts one. "Good evening."

"No."

Dax takes another. "You look happy."

"I spent twelve hours reorganizing training schedules because someone—" She looks directly at him. "—decided Stone Wing needs additional night exercises."

Dax shrugs. "They do."

Maelis smiles sweetly. "I hope your dragon eats you."

Dax looks offended. "I don't have a dragon." He answers the mouth half full.

"Exactly."

I laugh. It feels good to see them being just...People. Young ones. Friends. Soren has an unexpectedly terrible sense of humor. Maelis swears more than Rhyven. Dax apparently believes every statement is an invitation to argue.

And Caelen...Gods. Caelen looks happy. Not responsible. Not worried. Not watching every door I walk through. He's leaning back in his chair, laughing at something Dax said. For once my brother isn't protecting me. He's simply existing beside me. I hadn't realized how much I'd missed that.

"Move." Someone says beside me. I turn. A third-year human I vaguely recognize is carrying far too many glasses.