Silas set down the paper towel on the chair and accepted Arael's hug. "It's okay," he said. He let go and gathered up the damp towels. The chairs would dry soon enough, and with so little water there was no risk of mold. It was good enough.

"There you are," came a voice from behind. After Silas dropped the wet paper into the waste bin he glanced toward it. It was Anders, half out of breath and still in his flight gear with his thin grey goggles resting atop a windy swoop of cyan hair. "You forgot to file a landing report so I thought you never made it back." He gave the older guardian a stern look while Silas flushed and looked away. Then Anders turned toward the younger guardian. "Arael―aren't you trainees supposed to be asleep by now? Silas I thought you were heading to sleep, too."

"I tried." Silas huffed. "I thought tea might help. Arael was awake too so I made him some." Silas turned toward Anders fully, one box of black tea leaves in his left hand and one box of green tea in his right. "Would you like any?" he offered.

In the instant that Anders saw Silas's tear-stained face in clearer light his sternness softened. "Ah, well," Anders stammered. He hoped to avoid further offense, though he would not stray from his intent on getting the guardians to sleep before the sun rose. Time was so short in Highrose and on no watch of his would he risk health over a cup of tea. "Perhaps we can re-schedule for tomorrow evening when the sun is still up? Arael would be welcome to join. I..." he trailed off before carefully, and slowly, un-scattering his thoughts. "Maybe you two spoke of this already, but.. Silas, if you'd like to talk then tomorrow during the day is better than this hour at night. Arael, if you have training tomorrow then I can re-schedule it for you. What do you say?"


Mars's expression darkened. "Silas," she murmured aloud. "Isn't that Cecil... No, Anders's pet? Or whatever they call each other. Siblings. Something. And you said he knew Jason's name and―" She caught her tongue. Could they be using our recruits like trojan horses? she wondered. It didn't seem plausible. "And he abandoned his policing partner?"

She rubbed her chin. It didn't make much sense, which scared her. Either things were beyond her control or completely random. It was bad enough to battle a better swordsman, but it was just as bad or worse to face a rogue or novice who could potentially outsmart her by pure chance. She shuddered, partly from the cool night and partly out of fear. "Wait, forget about the events..? Lea, why would you want to do that? What did that boy Silas do to you?! Hoh.." she spoke as her blood boiled at the thought. "I'll kill him and his buddies if so. And I don't care what Nevra says―"

Mars caught sight of Jason out of the corner of her eye. Maybe I should ask him about the guardian who said his name... she wondered for a moment. "Lea," she continued, her voice low and hushed once Jason had turned a corner into the bedroom. "How's he taking this? I can go and ask him but he doesn't talk to me like you do. And if he's changing I am definitely not going in there right now."