"Can we sit here?" I asked Neliel as we approached her table, gesturing to the empty chairs across from her.
Neliel raised her gaze from her plate slowly, her gold eyes taking in both Alicia and myself with what appeared to be mild resignation rather than any particular enthusiasm. The silence stretched for several heartbeats, during which I could practically feel Alicia's nervousness radiating off her in waves.
Finally, Neliel offered a small shrug of her shoulders. "Yeah, if you want." Her tone was neither welcoming nor dismissive—simply neutral, as if our presence was a matter of complete indifference to her.
"T…thank you," Alicia stammered as we settled into our seats across from her.
It was only after I'd made myself comfortable that I realized my oversight. "Oh, I forgot to get my meal," I said, running a hand through my hair in mild annoyance. The confrontation with Borin had driven all thoughts of food from my mind.
