"So," Arlon said, trying to sound casual. "Can you tell me when I'll ascend?"
Agema laughed.
And then she laughed more.
Not the elegant kind of laugh she sometimes faked when she wanted to act composed—but a full, uninhibited one. It rang through the room like bells that didn't care how loud they were.
"So, you want to ascend now?" she said once she finally caught her breath. "I thought you didn't want to."
Arlon looked away. Quickly. Turning his head just slightly, as if pretending to study the far wall.
At the same time, he did what he'd gotten a bit better at—emptied his mind. As much as he could, anyway. Focused on stillness. On nothing. On silence.
It was hard not to think about something. Still, he needed to do his best.
But he was too late.
He hadn't even finished clearing the thought before she caught it. Or at least, before he knew she had caught it.
