Avanya couldn't stop laughing. Her shoulders shook, her cheeks warmed, and her eyes brimmed with tears she didn't even bother to wipe away. She couldn't remember the last time she had laughed like this. What made it even better was Sumaya's face, calm, serious, almost too serious, as though none of what she had said had been meant as a joke. Do I even know her at all? Avanya thought, her laughter fading into a quiet hum of wonder. It was like discovering a whole new side of Sumaya, one she had never expected.
Eryx, however, wasn't ready to let the moment slip from his hands. Straightening, he swept back his hair with an air of theatrical flair. "Alright then, little Moon Child, allow me to impress you properly." His fingers twitched, icy blue eyes glowing faintly as he tried to summon a flourish of Fenlori energy. Nothing came. His brow furrowed. He tried again, pressing his palms together, whispering a word of power. Still nothing.
