Page 91 of Guiding Reason

The butler bot blinked with discomfort, but no one noticed. Senlas had alreadyFloatedthe cake into a spot on the table, right in front of his Conduit.

Hyran glanced at Col, who smiled fondly at Orrey.

One day soon, I will give you what you love as well, Coldis. All of it.

To Hyran’s surprise, he ended up enjoying the celebratory dinner. Much of that had to do with Col enjoying it. Throughout most of the meal, Taros was by far too occupied with recounting time and again each garment he’d seen when Kashana had invited them to his studio than to continue his harassment of Hyran. As such, the other Guardian was almost pleasant.

After the food, they began moving to the couch with a selection of drinks to see how the ice sculpture contest had concluded. Before he could sit, Col grabbed Orrey, citing operative business, and pulled him along to his room.

Hyran’s skin tingled, but Orrey was imprinted upon, a Conduit, and very clearly very in love with Senlas.This shouldn’t worry me but—

“Kuvana shot?” Senlas sat next to Hyran, holding out a glass to him.

“Sure. To your third rank.”

Senlas grinned. “To him.”

They downed their drinks and focused on the screen for a while. The sculpture contest had turned into a ChannelPulse live documentary, and Shoda was doing the narrating.

“Right now, we’re done with the sculpture contest, but we’re not done with donations. We have a few pyromancers here as well, some champions, and we’re taking the slow route through the Grounds and to the Western Entrance, along Main Walk. If you want, come join us! The goal is going to be feeding the regulars still waiting at the Entrance as well as the protectors who have worked tirelessly to help with anything and everything we here in the Grounds needed help with.

“Fellow Guardians, donate your cooking skills, and your time. The pagomancers with me are going to take care of furniture, but we’ll need blankets. We need ingredients and cooking equipment. Join us!”

“Do you know Shoda?” Senlas asked.

“You mean, socially? Not really. We have met, as you do, but he’s a champion, and I work logistics outside the walls.”

Senlas nodded. “Worked, more like. But you’re keeping your Ferrean position to make this trip you’re going on with Col easier, right?”

Hyran nodded. “Yes. It makes sense. There might be runs I’m scheduled for, and if possible I’ll complete them, but I’m not sure. I haven’t been sent an updated schedule. Not since the Op-AI died.”

“Yeah. That will delay things. Before we leave, you’ll get Col a check-up at the clinic, right?”

Hyran sighed. “Something for tomorrow. He might not like it. He seemed in a hurry to leave.”

Senlas looked at Hyran for a long time, then said, “Col has always been very independent.”

“I could tell.”Are you blaming me for taking his independence? Or should I blame myself for that?Hyran looked at his empty glass. “I think I could do with another shot.”

Karmine whistled. “Did I hear shot? Lapatea, do you hear that? This is your moment.”

The Conduit chuckled. “I will try one. I have been to tastings, but those’re not for drinking, least of all for a guide.”

“Not a guide anymore,” Vin said. He had ended up with the layer cake on the couch table in front of him and was now precisely slicing it so they could continue eating it while they followed the live documentary.

“Oh, Guardian Vin, you’re always so…” Lapatea bit his bottom lip even as Karmine filled a glass for him.

“Lacking? Creepy? Armed?” Taros suggested. “Pour me one too. This is like the Guardian Games all over again.”

“You celebrate the Guardian Games by drinking?” Lapatea asked.

Senlas snorted. “More like, we hide and get drunk.”

Hyran cocked his head. “Awkward then for the Op-AI to have put you in the Tower.”

“Well…” Senlas didn’t finish, but it changed the mood to gloomy.

Lapatea stood. “To the Tower! The most comfortable place for teams to stay! Who will catch me if I get drunk and decide to faint, Guardians?”