Grev pushed the bucket into Ranvir’s arms. His friend look distinctly pale sitting with his back against the banister to the second floor stairs. About ten minutes ago the cheerful—and a little stupid—drunk had suddenly stilled, soon he’d gone entirely pale and refused to move from where he was standing. It had taken nearly a full minute of coaxing to just get him to sit down.

Grev stepped away as Ranvir wrapped his arms around the bucket grabbing it tight to his chest. Hopefully, he doesn’t actually throw up, Grev thought as he stepped away. Dovar and Yrsa stood at the foot of the stairs looking up, Dovar with a smidge of skepticism and Yrsa with veiled interest, though she tried to keep her face neutral.

Looking at the pair, Grevor would’ve never called Dovar as the one raised in a high-noble family with Yrsa coming from a lesser family. Of course, if Yrsa couldn’t act like she came from a higher family she never would’ve been engaged with Dovar to begin with.

Already, Grev had caught her a dozen times considering Dovar’s friends, assessing them for viability outside of the academy. Likely, she was already making plans for after Dovar’s release from service. The Sworden family didn’t work the same way as Bright-Stone. Where Grev had already had his contract bought out by his father before he’d even reached the academy, Sworden—who’d originally made a name for themselves on the front lines—followed through on their military service.

Grev stopped next to Sansir who was looking worried at Ranvir.

“Are you sure he’s going to be okay?” Sansir asked not looking away from his friend. “We’ve still got training tomorrow and he has to take care of Frija.”

Grev smiled to himself at his boyfriend’s concern. He reached over placing a gentle hand on Sansir’s stomach. Sansir wasn’t fond of too public displays of affection but if Grev was subtle and didn’t push his approach he could get away with more than Sansir ever realized.

“It’ll be fine,” Grev said stretching his lips into a smile. “Don’t worry about him. Every student drinks a little too much on their day off at least once. Let’s just be happy that he’s learning the lesson as a first-year rather than later.”

“I guess you’re right,” Sansir said glancing down at him.

Grev winked, his smile growing more genuine, “Of course, I am,” he scanned the stairs again pausing as a realization struck him, “Have you seen Es?”

Sansir perked up and turned around as he looked over the room as well. As he did, Grev stepped a little closer and letting his hand remain as Sansir turned around. The tall ice tethered didn’t noticed their growing closeness as he began looking for Esmund.

“I don’t see him…” Genuine worry was entering Sansir’s tone at this point.

Grev sighed closing his eyes, rolling them internally. Reluctantly, he stepped away, “I’ll go look for him with the others, can you stay here with Ranvir?”

Sansir worried at his lower lip as he looked from Ranvir—who still clutched his bucket—to the others, “Fine,” he nodded trying to convince himself more than Grev.

“Of course, it’ll be fine. There’s only so much trouble he can have gotten up to,” Grevor winked at him again before turning away and walking over to Dovar and Yrsa. “Any of you two love birds seen Esmund?”

Dovar started, turning around as if Es would be hiding right behind him, however, it was Yrsa’s reaction Grev found more interesting. She barely reacted to his words, except for the tightening of her fingers around Dovar’s arm, looking at him as her face morphed into one of worry. It was comforting in a way. With her types, it could be difficult to tell if they genuinely cared for their partner or if they were just in it for the status.

Those fingers grabbing onto Dovar’s arm, her slightly delayed reaction as she looked to him rather than make her own judgement. She cared for Dovar, though, she wasn’t entirely sure of his relationship to these friends from the academy. Grev doubted she was too worried about about Esmund disappearing.

Grev licked his lips as he stopped a few steps away from them, “I guess not then.”

“I swear he was right behind me,” Dovar said.

“We’ll have to look for him,” Yrsa said even as she waved over the servant waiting a few steps behind them. “Have you seen Esmund, the last guest? Short, with a military haircut.”

“Likely to get in trouble,” Grev added with a quick smile.

“I’m afraid not,” the servant bowed in apology, “However, I will alert the staff and have others sent out to look for him.”

“Do that,” Dovar said nodding to the older man, “And while you’re at it, have the carriage brought around. Once we find him, I think we’re going back to the academy.”

“Very well, sir,” the servant bowed one last time before striding away with hurried steps.

“Where are we going to start?” Grev asked.

Yrsa cocked her head, but once more waited for Dovar to respond. She was playing her hand safe, keeping her first impression close to her chest and waiting for Dovar’s.

“Start with the lounge?” Dovar asked looking down at Yrsa.

She licked her lips, taking a moment to think her answer through. The most common move for nobles would be to wait and have the servants find him, but this wasn’t that kind of group. Also, Grevor really didn’t want to agitate Sansir more than he already was. It was clear that he wasn’t comfortable with one of his friends going missing, especially not while drunk.

Grev couldn’t honestly say he was surprised that Es would run away, or just go exploring while drunk. He was the least likely to get into trouble he couldn’t make his way out of again and more than likely he’d just gone to sleep on a couch somewhere.

Minul adjusted the sleeve of her coat as she walked her private gardens. No one but her, her personal guards, and on occasion a few trusted servants and gardeners had access here, not even Saif. Not that it stopped him.

She rubbed her fingers together, feeling them buzzing slightly with the power she’d recently run through them. She could sense an echo of that power coming from the hilts of her guard’s swords. Each of them had a tiny glyph etched into the iron, it had made for an interesting challenge, getting a proper scabbard made for such a sword. They were bulkier than a normal sheath and required a trick to pull the blade out. To her, however, the investment was well worth it.

She paused in front one of the flowers blooming. It stood out as the only one yet blooming on this bed. The sunpetal changed color as the season went on. Going from a deep and rich scarlet then fading into a pale white before wilting and retracting.

“Your Majesty,” one of her guards called. She turned around finding Svadr, her lead servant, standing behind the two guardsmen.

“She may approach,” Minul said returning to examine the freshly bloomed sunpetal. The vivid crimson coloring stood out in the mostly green garden. Sunpetals usually didn’t bloom this early, usually first opening in early- to mid-summer, rather than late-spring.

“Majesty,” Svadr said stopping a few steps away and bowing. “I just wanted to update your on our progress.”

Minul turned to look at her servant, the red sunrise coming in from the east. It was still early, though, and it only scattered a little light into the garden as of yet.

“Master Hildrid’s invitation, the last one, went out yesterday evening,” Svadr continued noticing that she’d gained her Queen’s attention. “And the latest reports says that your summer mansion is being prepared swiftly. We should be ready well before the first guests arrive.”

Minul smiled, even as she felt her stomach drop. “Very good,” she managed to force the words out. “Thank you for your service, Svadr, and again, I’m sorry for the sudden request.”

“It’s not an issue, your Majesty,” the servant bowed again and Minul dismissed her.

“You’re free to go.”

As Svadr left, Minul turned to look at the sun colored red by the dawn. What would normally seem a beautiful sunrise to Minul suddenly seemed like the Goddess were painting the sky in scarlet blood. Swallowing, Minul realized she was crushing the sunpetal in her hand.

Looking down, her fingers were stained red with the remains of the flower. Shivering, she discarded the petals and strode away as she tried to rub off the color remaining on her fingers. But it wouldn’t come off that easy.