Azalea rolled high twice in a row, earning the right to give drinks instead of taking them. She handed one each to Adam and Blake with an evil glint in her eye.
Adam took his like a man. Blake whimpered dramatically, clutching his chest. "This is bullying! I'll write a letter to the Emperor."
"Go ahead," Khione said dryly, finally joining in with a faint smile. "Maybe he'll laugh too."
That earned a ripple of laughter around the table.
But amid the chaos, Nero and Khione found themselves at the edge of the group, plates balanced on their laps. Their glasses touched once, twice, in quiet toasts no one else noticed.
"How is it?" Nero asked softly, nodding toward the food.
Khione tilted her head, strands of silver hair catching the firelight. "Better than I expected. Lux's cook has skill."
"You hardly ate at dinner," he observed.
She gave a small shrug. "Not hungry then. Tonight… I am."
