"Finally, we're back! That orientation was exhausting," Ronnie groaned, stretching his legs until his joints popped.
"I can finally rest," Luke said lazily, dropping onto the couch like a ragdoll.
"Same here. That was way too much for few hours." Ronnie groaned again, struggling to stretch his stiff shoulders.
"You're so stiff, Rockstar!" Luke cackled, lifting his head just to smirk at him.
"Oh yeah, Magical?" Ronnie shot back with a snort.
The two of them tittered, clearly enjoying their new titles, tossing them at each other like children with toys.
I can't stand these idiots, Chast thought, rolling his eyes. He tried to drown in his own thoughts, but their laughter kept slicing through.
"Look at our dear Enigmatic, just sitting pretty," Luke teased, throwing Chast a wink.
"We've got an elite in this room!" Ronnie exclaimed, laughing.
"Shut up, lowly creatures," Chast muttered, rising to his feet. He was about to walk out when a loud knock rattled the door.
The three of them froze, exchanging looks.
"Are we expecting someone?" Chast asked. Ronnie shrugged. Luke shook his head.
"Go get the door, Rockstar," Chast commanded, his tone sharp, almost imperial.
Ronnie walked reluctantly to the door, his hand on the knob—then he froze. Wait a second, did I just follow his order? He turned, barking, "Hey, I'm not your slave!"
Chast sneered, his voice like steel. "Stop talking. Just open the damn door."
Ronnie rolled his eyes but obeyed, swinging the door open. What greeted him made him stumble back.
A small creature stood there, barely waist-high with long rabbit-like ears, a crooked nose, and eyes like black marbles glinting in the dim light.
"Uh..." Ronnie swallowed hard. "Uh, guys?" He motioned for Luke and Chast.
They joined him at the door, peering at the creature.
"Wow," Chast breathed, his eyes shimmering with amusement. He crouched down until he was face-to-face with the visitor. "Hey, elf," he said softly, reaching to touch its ear. "Rough... like bark."
The creature snarled, lips peeling back to reveal sharp little teeth. Before Chast could react, it pressed a palm to his chest and in the blink of an eye, Chast was hurled backward, colliding hard with the bookshelf.
"Ugh!" Chast groaned, clutching his back. Luke and Ronnie rushed to his side, helping him up as he winced with every movement.
"Lottie hates touching!" the creature shrilled, its voice surprisingly high and sweet. "No touching!"
The three boys clamped their mouths shut, backing away as the elf strutted into the room. Lottie pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and waved it at the counter. With a soft pop, containers of food appeared, steaming and fragrant.
"Dinner... dinner! Ba-bye." Lottie chirped, hopping cheerfully out the door.
The three boys stood dumbfounded, staring after him. When the door shut, they all sprang apart, as though being too close together was suddenly offensive.
Chast tried to take a step, but a sharp pain lanced through his leg. He winced, stumbling. Luke noticed and quickly looped an arm under him, supporting his weight as they shuffled toward the couch.
"Thanks, man," Chast murmured, his voice softer than usual, sincere in a way that caught Luke off guard. His eyes softened for a fleeting moment—before his usual sharpness threatened to return.
"You're welcome, Mister Enigmatic!" Luke winked with exaggerated seduction.
Chast felt his stomach churn. He instantly regretted ever thanking him. "Ugh—disgusting! Yuck!"
Luke cackled at his reaction. "Relax, I was joking!" He smacked Chast's shoulder—right on the sore spot.
Chast whimpered, clutching his shoulder. "Ow! Do you have to aim for the injury?"
"Being a walking disaster is really embedded in your name," Ronnie howled, nearly doubling over.
Luke collapsed onto the couch, laughing so hard he held his stomach, tears pricking at his eyes.
Chast hissed under his breath, glaring at the two of them. My roommates have gone insane. Keep laughing till you choke to death, idiots.
For a few seconds, he sat in silence. Maybe bad luck really is my middle name. His thoughts drifted, circling back to something that had nagged him since orientation.
"Do you guys know about Professor Valkiery?" Chast asked suddenly.
Luke and Ronnie both turned to look at him.
"Professor Valkiery?" Luke chuckled. "She your type? She's mine too. Don't worry—you're not the only rival."
Luke was right. The professor was indeed a beauty. Chast shot him a glare sharp enough to cut glass. "It's not like that," he snapped.
"You guys are gross. She's married," Ronnie said flatly.
"I said it's not like that." Chast sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Never mind. Useless idiots."
"She's the prettiest in Labrynthia," Luke said happily, though his grin soon faded. His voice lowered. "The Valkiery family... one of them was a High Celestial."
"Was?" Chast frowned.
"Yeah. She vanished. No one knows if she's alive or dead." Luke's voice grew hushed, sorrow weighing it down like a stone.
Ronnie shifted closer and patted his back. Luke's bright face dimmed, tears welling in his eyes.
Chast narrowed his gaze. Why does this hit him so hard? Who were the Valkierys to him?
"And after a month... the twin sister was... was..." Luke stammered, trying to hold himself together, but his voice cracked and the words fell apart.
Chast kept quiet, guilt prickling in his chest. I shouldn't have asked.
"I'm hungry," he muttered finally, dodging the heavy air. "We should eat." Even though food was the last thing on his mind.
Chast's stomach gave a reluctant growl, betraying the lie he had just uttered. Luke's ears perked up immediately.
"Well, guess someone's appetite agrees with me," Luke teased, flashing his usual smug grin.
"Shut up," Chast muttered, his face heating as if his own body had betrayed him in front of these idiots.
Ronnie, already halfway to the counter, popped open one of the containers. Steam rolled out, carrying the rich scent of roasted herbs and something savory—meat, maybe rabbit or deer. His eyes widened like a starving wolf. "Oh, this smells amazing!" he exclaimed, grabbing the nearest fork without hesitation.
"Careful," Luke warned, leaning over his shoulder. "For all we know, it's poisoned."
Ronnie froze mid-bite, fork inches from his mouth. "You think Lottie would poison us?"
Chast folded his arms. "The little freak did hurl me across the room just for touching his ears. Seems violent enough to try."
Luke burst out laughing. "He's got a point. Maybe the ears are sacred or something. It was your fault tho."
Ronnie scowled but stuffed the forkful in his mouth anyway. He chewed, then his eyes widened again—this time with genuine bliss. "Holy stars, this is the best thing I've ever tasted!"
Luke, not to be outdone, snatched another container and dug in. His reaction was instant: a dramatic groan as if he'd just ascended to heaven. "Oh, by the Celestials! If this is poisoned, I'll die happy."
Chast rolled his eyes, but curiosity and hunger gnawed at him. He limped to the counter, peered inside a container, and took a cautious bite. The flavor burst across his tongue: tender meat laced with herbs he couldn't name, warmth spreading through his chest like fire. He tried, and failed, to keep his face neutral.
"See?" Ronnie crowed, pointing at him with his fork. "Even Mr. Enigmatic likes it!"
Chast scoffed, but another spoonful found its way to his mouth before he could stop it. "It's... edible," he said flatly, though the corner of his lips betrayed the faintest twitch upward.
Luke leaned back in his chair, smirking knowingly. "Careful, Chast. Keep eating like that, and you might actually look human for once."
Chast's glare snapped to him, icy enough to silence a lesser man. Luke only grinned wider, shoving another mouthful in without shame.
The three of them fell into a strange rhythm after that—Ronnie eating like he hadn't seen food in weeks, Luke teasing between bites, and Chast pretending to be annoyed while his plate emptied at the same pace as theirs.
For a brief moment, the dorm was quiet except for the clatter of spoons and the occasional muffled groan of satisfaction. The tension from earlier—the sneers, the mockery, even the heavy air after Luke's story seemed to melt away with every bite.
When the last container was scraped clean, Ronnie leaned back with a satisfied sigh. "If Lottie brings us food every night, I might actually survive this academy."
"Survive?" Luke snorted. "With you in training, I'll be surprised if you last a week."
"Shut it, Magical," Ronnie shot back, tossing his empty fork at him.
Luke dodged easily, laughing.
Chast sat back, arms crossed again, though his stomach was finally at ease. His thoughts, however, weren't. The food had filled him, but the name Valkiery still lingered like a shadow in the back of his mind.