The house given by Aurelia was unusually quiet for once, the buzz of festival chatter finally giving way to the hum of night insects outside the windows. Everyone had scattered into their own little corners, but in the living room, Beau, Leonel, Darenn, Irving, Elenea, and Aranea lingered.
The air still carried the faint aroma of dinner, and the crackling hearth cast the room in a comfortable glow.
Darenn was the first to break the silence. He leaned back in his chair, arms folded, eyes thoughtful. "Now that Aerin and Auron are here, we'll need to think about how the group dynamics are going to shift. Eight Familiars isn't something you stumble into every day."
Leonel snorted softly. "That's putting it lightly. It's unheard of." His gaze flicked briefly to Aranea, softer than his tone.
