Chapter 360: The Price of Becoming
The seven of them shifted subtly, boots pressing into snow-softened earth as they stared at Ethan in expectant silence, nervousness mixing with anticipation and dread.
For a moment, he seemed entirely unbothered by the weight of their attention. He cleared his throat, lifted his wineskin, and took a long pull. An appreciative sound escaped him before he could stop it.
He grimaced slightly. "Apologies," he said, lowering the wineskin. "I'm parched. And also, I need you all to settle down and stop behaving like this test is a life-or-death situation."
Uther snorted under his breath. "For some people, it might as well be."
Ethan's mouth curved into a faint smile. "Fair point."
Then his expression shifted. It sharpened suddenly, whatever levity had lingered draining away as he straightened.
"My task," Ethan said, "is simple in wording." He paused, taking a look around. "But perhaps not in execution."
