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"Then why him?"

Rowan shrugs. "He looks lucky."

"That is not a combat strategy."

"It is a betting strategy."

The wolf loses in under thirty seconds. Rowan stares. Aricia takes one of her remaining coins. "I'm protecting you from yourself."

Cassian is immediately pulled toward a group of sirens near the music platform. They greet him warmly. One of them touches his shoulder and asks whether he intends to fight tonight. Cassian looks toward the pit. Then toward his face reflected in a polished metal tray. "No."

The siren laughs. "Still too pretty to get punched?"

"Exactly." He says it without shame.

The group laughs. The first-year invitations matter less once we are inside. No one asks who invited whom. Upper-years pull chairs aside. Second-years explain drinking games. A Medusa fourth-year teaches Nyra how to throw carved bone pieces into a cup from across the table. Nyra misses every attempt. She continues trying with academic seriousness. Rowan loses another bet. Selena somehow ends up playing cards with three wolves and wins enough money to pay for all of us. Aricia disappears toward the stone-carving table.

For the first time since arriving at Varethia, no one seems worried about being assessed. No professor is observing. No bracelet records our choices. No family emblem tells anyone what to expect. We are simply young. The realization feels almost rebellious.

Caelen joins me near the bar. He looks tired. Not Trial tired. Officer tired. Dax hands him a drink. "You're late." He says.

"I have responsibilities."

Rhyven sits on the bar beside them. "Sounds terrible." He says without any visible expression.

"It is." Caelen answers.

"Quit."

Caelen nods. "I'll submit the request tomorrow." I grin.

"Good." Rhyven says before taking another sip.

"Then they'll give your half of the work to you."

Rhyven's expression flattens. "You're a selfish bastard."

Caelen takes a sip. "Leadership."

They look different here. All of them. Dax is still loud, but less performative. Soren listens as often as he speaks. Caelen allows someone else to carry the room. And Rhyven almost looks relaxed. His shoulders are loose. His expression less guarded.

He says something to Dax I cannot hear. Dax shoves him. Rhyven shoves back. Caelen tells both of them to stop acting twelve. Rhyven's mouth twitches. Quietly. Briefly.

The first chant begins near midnight. "Thorne!" One voice. Then another. "Thorne!"

Dax looks toward the pit. "No."

The chant grows. "THORNE! THORNE! THORNE!"

He finishes his drink. "Fine."

The crowd cheers as he jumps over the stone wall into the ring.He removes his shirt and tosses it toward Soren, who lets it fall directly onto the floor.

"Friendship," Dax says.

"Boundaries," Soren replies.

Dax stretches his shoulders. "Who am I fighting?"