We were sleeping in the RV.
Not all of us. Supposedly, they drew straws to see who got to bunk with Justia and Aelin won. I had my doubts about the integrity of the game, but I had a feeling it fell under the purview of ‘finding them time alone’, so I didn’t feel like outing them.
Trent had some project he was working on, so those of us who were actually sleeping in the RV were just Ether, Rix, and myself. Rix took one of the upper bunks and Ether and I squeezed into the bottom one on the other side.
“Try not to be too loud." Rix grumbled as she tapped the ceiling and a screen closed over her bunk.
“These things have screens?” I looked at the ceiling and saw a little red button.
“Noise-canceling ones.” Ether squeezed in beside me and pressed the button. There was just enough room that we could lay shoulder to shoulder, though I knew that it wouldn’t be long before she was draped half over me.
“How do you think today went?” I ran my hand through her white hair.
“Hmm?” She touched the mark over my heart. "Does it hurt?”
“It’s fine.” I guided her head to lay on it. Pain shot over my body but ebbed quickly. I was glad she didn’t stir a lot in her sleep, because if she did, I wouldn’t be getting much.
“How was Justia?”
“She’s…” I tried to think of a good way to put it. "She says she’s fine, but being back here so soon has her feeling like she failed..?” I tried to think of a better word, but couldn’t. "To live up to expectations.”
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“Her father’s?”
“More her own.” I wondered how Ether would have talked to Justia, and honestly felt like she would have done a better job. "She wants to see this place thrive, not just survive.” I looked down. "Did you see the billboard across the street?”
“For Alard Clinic?”
“That’s the one.” I sighed. "They didn’t even try to hide the insult.”
“Rix is already thinking about how to vandalize it.” Ether chuckled. "So if anyone asks. She was with us.”
“With us?” I looked into her red eyes. "Or with us?”
A small shrug was the only answer I got.
“Do you know what we’re doing tomorrow?” I decided to try a more concrete question.
“We’re supposed to go buy Rix an actual weapon.” Ether began dancing her fingers on my chest. "Then head to the All-Temple to scout out the Dungeon.”
“You mean scout out the students.”
“Same thing.” She grinned. "Have you thought about maybe adding Paul’s daughter to the group?”
“Have you talked to Trent?”
“No?” She looked up at me. "Does he like the idea?”
“The opposite.” I brushed her bangs off of her cheek. "Do you know who Dacine’s grandmother worked for?”
“Who?”
“Slece.”
Ether winced. "How closely? Every month, year, maybe has never seen her?”
“Daily as an attendant.” I closed my eyes. "And it gets worse.”
“How worse?”
“Slece has used her influence to get a teacher removed from the Cathedral over Dacine.”
Ether swallowed. "That’s what the secondary warning was about.”
“Yep.”
“She’s a hard no, then.”
“Afraid so.” I shrugged. "But I’m sure it’ll work out.”
Ether kissed me. "I’ve got an idea for some other stuff we can work out too.”
I pulled her closer as I drank her in. I had a feeling we weren’t going to get much sleep tonight.