"You just want food," Seraphina replied dryly, folding her arms.
"Yes. And?"
Liliana giggled, covering her mouth. "I think it sounds fun."
Nathan stretched with a grin. "I'm in. Merlin, you?"
Merlin raised a brow. "Do I even get a choice?"
"Nope!" Adrian declared. "You're coming whether you like it or not. Group outing!"
So they went.
The streets bustled with the late-morning rush. Vendors called out over the noise of carts and footsteps, colorful canopies shading tables stacked with fruit, trinkets, and glittering charms that pulsed faintly with mana.
The air smelled of spice and smoke, and somewhere down the way a bard plucked a cheerful tune on a lute.
Merlin kept pace with the others, hood tugged low more from habit than necessity.
Victoria had dragged him through these same streets the day before, but it felt different now, surrounded by his classmates. Louder. Messier. Livelier.
