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"Vaelith." I look back. "Thirty-eight seconds is terrible."

There it is. I grin. "I knew you'd ruin it."

"Twenty by next month."

"Twenty-five."

"Twenty."

"Twenty-three."

"Out." I laugh again and leave.

Nyra nearly crashes into me in the corridor.

"You were waiting." I say.

"No."

"You are physically standing outside the door."

"Coincidence." I stare at her. She smiles.

Cassian appears from behind a column. So does Caelen. Traitors. All of them.

"Well?" Caelen asks.

I look at my brother. At Nyra. Cassian. Three people who look almost more nervous than I felt walking in.

And suddenly I realize something. I don't want to minimize it. Don't want to shrug. Don't want to say fine. I smile."I was good."

Nyra's face lights up. "No."

I shake my head. "I was really good."

She throws her arms around me. I laugh into her shoulder. Cassian cheers loudly enough that someone down the corridor shushes him. He shouts, "SHE WAS EXCEPTIONAL!"

"You don't know that!" I protest.

Nyra pulls back. "Were you?"

I hesitate. "...Yes."

Cassian throws both hands into the air. "I KNEW IT."

Caelen doesn't shout. He simply looks at me. Pride written so openly across his face that my chest aches.

"I knew you would be."

I smile. "Apparently everyone did except me."

A voice behind us says, "Correct."

I turn. Rhyven stands at the end of the corridor. A cup in one hand. He walks toward us. Stops. Looks at my face. Not the evaluation door. Not Caelen. Me.

He doesn't ask how it went. He already knows. Maybe because I'm smiling. Maybe because everyone else is. Maybe because he always knows too much. He gives me one slow nod. Exactly like this morning. Then hands me the cup. Coffee.

I stare at it. "You already gave me coffee."