Page 62 of Legacy Ascended

“With everyone?”

“Yes. Renzo will say something. There’s no avoiding it.”

Ander sighs. "Then I'll prepare myself."

He turns down the lamp and pulls me closer.

Chapter eleven

Jessica

Ander and I arrive back at my suite with the good coffee tucked under his arm. Breakfast has been happening here since I got back, mostly to save me the walk to the dining hall while my shoulder heals.

Declan takes the bag off him at the counter like a man receiving a hostage.

"This is the good stuff."

"It's the good one."

Declan looks inside, then at Ander. "You can have eggs."

Which from Declan is a commendation.

Sophia has her community rotation folder open on the table, which means somebody has strong views about tablecloths again. Freya's is next to it, and Freya isn't even in that rotation. She's reading ahead for one she hasn't got yet.

Ander sits beside me without asking whether the seat is free, and his knee finds mine under the table, and Sophia watches the whole maneuver over the top of her mug with an expression I intend to discuss with her later.

"So," she says.

"Sophia."

"I'm allowed one question, correct?"

"You're allowed one."

She looks at Ander. "Are you coming to breakfast now? As a thing?"

"If I'm permitted."

"You brought coffee. You're basically family now." She goes back to her toast. "That's it, that's my one."

Renzo, who has been visibly dying since we walked in, finally puts down his fork.

“I have so many questions.”

“No,” I say.

“I didn't ask one.”

“I'm proud of you.”

Across the table Torres is grinning into his plate.

"Ander keeps doing the thing," he says to me.

"Doing what?"

"That." He points his knife at Ander, who has just gone briefly somewhere else, eyes unfocused, in the middle of reaching for the butter. "That. I had that for days we bonded."