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I narrow my eyes. She smiles. Traitor.

Across the dining hall, Rhyven turns a page. That's it. No glance. No smirk. No acknowledgment. Nothing. I stab a piece of fruit harder than necessary.

Cassian watches. "Did the strawberry offend you?"

"Yes."

"Understandable." He returns to his breakfast.

Nyra doesn't. Nyra is still watching me. I ignore her. Poorly.

The Chiefs' table is covered in maps again. Western Marker Twelve. Aelindra. Patrol routes. Council reports. Any softness from last night has been completely buried beneath work. Rhyven is speaking quietly to Dax while Maelis marks something on a schedule. Caelen stands beside them. Soren and Lyss join. All business. Good. Fine. Excellent. This is better. Definitely. Then Rhyven looks up. Directly at me. Our eyes meet. For one second, nothing changes. Then his gaze drops. My mouth. Barely. Back to my eyes. There. Oh. I look away so quickly I nearly spill my coffee. Nyra says nothing. Which is significantly worse.

"Don't." I mutter.

"I haven't said anything."

"You are thinking loudly."

"I didn't know that was possible."

"It is when you look smug."

"I'm not smug."

"You are."

Cassian glances between us. "Did I miss something?"

"Yes." Nyra answers.

"No." I answer at the same time.

Cassian slowly lowers his spoon. "Interesting."

"No."

Nyra smiles into her tea. I decide breakfast has become hostile.

Professor Neris finds us ten minutes later. Not through a message. Personally. That immediately erases everything else.

"Eirea." Her expression is too serious. "Come with me." I stand. Nyra does too. Professor Neris looks toward her. "You as well."

Cassian points toward himself. "And me?"

"Yes."

He puts down his coffee. "That sounded ominous."

"It is." Wonderful.

Caelen meets us outside the dining hall. Rhyven is already with him. No one mentions last night.

No one even looks like last night happened. Except when Rhyven's eyes meet mine for half a second. Then away. Still there. Good. Or terrible. I haven't decided. Professor Neris leads us toward the lower Council wing. Not the evaluation chambers. Farther beneath. Past two guarded doors. Down a narrow staircase. The air becomes colder with every step.

Cassian looks around. "I didn't know this existed."

Professor Neris doesn't turn. "You're not supposed to."