The air still felt thick long after Darenn and Irving's footsteps faded down the path.
The four boys—Aleck, Beau, Zann, and Leonel—stood in the middle of the practice field, their baskets of beans forgotten.
No one moved. No one spoke. The echo of the older Familiars' words still rang in their heads, a reminder of duty, discipline, and the invisible line they weren't supposed to cross.
But that line… they had all felt it blur.
Zann kept his eyes on the ground, jaw tight. Leonel stared off into the distance, his arms crossed over his chest like a shield. Beau sat cross-legged on the grass, absentmindedly spinning a gold bean between his fingers.
Aleck shifted his weight from one foot to the other, glancing between them like he was waiting for someone to speak first.
Finally, Aleck exhaled sharply.
"Alright. I think we need to address the elephant in the room."
Zann's head tilted just enough to glance at him. "What elephant?"
Aleck gave him a flat look. "You and Leonel."
