{Elira}
~**^**~
Dinner at the cafeteria was buzzing even before we stepped in.
The scent of roasted garlic and spiced chicken drifted through the air, warm and inviting. I had barely picked up a tray when Nari groaned beside me.
"No wine tonight?" she sighed dramatically, scanning the drink section as if expecting it to materialize.
Juniper raised a brow. "You want wine every night now?"
"It's not my fault, ESA gave us a taste of the high life and then snatched it back," Nari replied, pouting. "How are we supposed to go back to boring juice after that?"
Cambria laughed softly as she scooped some quinoa salad onto her plate. "You will survive."
I didn't say anything because I was actually fine with anything. I just quietly added some grilled potatoes and chicken to my tray, then followed the others to our usual table near the window.
We had only just started eating when a sudden sound blared through the overhead speakers—clear, sharp, and commanding.
