By the time Xavier and his father got back to the village, the sun was low, bleeding into the rooftops, and the others were already awake. Lyra was chatting with some of the kids. Lilia leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching the crowd. Reva stood off to the side, hair catching the light, scanning for Xavier the second she noticed him.
As soon as he approached them, he didn't waste time.
"We should leave now," he said.
That earned him a collective groan from the villagers.
"You just got back—stay a few more days," one of the elders said. "We owe you that much."
"Everyone here has things to do," Xavier replied, voice even. "We can't waste more time."
They tried to argue, but he wasn't budging. Finally, someone suggested, "Then at least have dinner before you go."
Lyra's ears perked up instantly. "I'm voting we wait for dinner."
Xavier didn't answer. He just turned and walked toward his house.
A few minutes later, Reva and Angel followed him inside.
