The cafeteria had mostly returned to its normal noise after Paigos left, though the tension lingered in the air like smoke. Cain sat back down at the table, observing Zara. She had collapsed into her chair, trembling slightly as if she had run a marathon rather than simply confronting a bully.
Cain's gaze moved to Jayden. She had not said a single word since the confrontation. Her expression was unreadable, though the faint furrow of her brows suggested she was thinking deeply about something.
"You are awfully quiet," Cain said, leaning slightly forward.
Jayden's fingers brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. She looked toward him for a moment, then down at the table again. Her voice was barely above a whisper. "The thing you gave me last night… I sensed something similar on Paigos."
Cain's eyes narrowed. He knew immediately what she meant. The Fragmented Skill of Pride he had entrusted to her.
