The cafeteria was buzzing as Noah walked to the gold-tier section, the clatter of trays and hum of conversation bouncing off the high ceilings.
The smells of bread, eggs, and stewed meat hung thick in the air.
He took his tray from the line, piled high with toast, a bowl of broth, and a tall glass of water, and searched for an empty table away from the clusters of students that always seemed too loud for his liking.
Spotting one near the far wall, half-shadowed from the light streaming in through the long windows, Noah made his way over.
He set the tray down carefully, slid into his seat, and immediately dug in.
He didn’t care for the noise, and he didn’t care to watch the way people glanced at him out of the corners of their eyes.
He had bigger things on his mind to be so concerned with the stares and whispers of students.
He’d barely managed a few bites before the familiar scrape of another tray hitting the table across from him made him freeze.
Noah lifted his eyes, already knowing who it was before the voice even came.
"Morning," Arlo said, smirking like he owned the world.
Noah’s jaw clenched. "Fuck off."
"Now that’s no way to greet a friend." Arlo leaned back in his chair, his blindfold a fresh shade of dark green today, the fabric tied neatly behind his head.
He plucked a roll from his tray and tore into it, chewing noisily. "I saw you were sick yesterday, but it must’ve been serious if you skipped training."
Noah sipped his broth, staring down at the steam curling into the air. "I said fuck off. I’m not repeating myself."
Arlo chuckled. "Sick, huh? I don’t buy it. You? Sick for that long? Please. You’re tougher than that. So what were you really up to?"
Noah swallowed a mouthful of bread, his eyes narrowing slightly. He didn’t answer.
Arlo grinned wider. "See, that silence says everything. You’re hiding something. And knowing you, it’s not something small, either."
He leaned forward on his elbows. "Come on, Webb. Tell me. What’d you do yesterday? Went for a hunt in the woods? A hidden tryst with a new girlfriend?"
Noah’s spoon clattered into his bowl, his eyes flicking up. The look he gave Arlo would have frozen most people solid. Arlo, however, just smirked.
"I’m not in the mood for your shit." Noah’s voice was low.
Arlo raised his hands as if in surrender. "Relax. I’m just curious. You can’t blame me for that. You vanish for a whole day, show up here with that cold dead look in your eyes, and I’m supposed to just... ignore it?"
"Yes."
Arlo snorted, leaning back again. "You really hate company, don’t you?"
"I hate you."
"Ouch," Arlo pressed a hand to his chest in mock pain, though the smirk never left his lips. "Brutal as always. But I’m not leaving. You should know that by now."
Noah sighed through his nose, stabbing at his food with short movements. The sooner he finished, the sooner he could leave.
Arlo, of course, wouldn’t shut up. "You know, you’re terrible at lying. No matter how hard I try, I just can’t conjure any image of you spending an entire day curled up in bed."
He shook his head, chuckling to himself. "I’m quite sure you were out there doing something dangerous. Something stupid. Something very... Noah Webb."
"Eat your damn food and shut up," Noah muttered.
Arlo tilted his head. "You’re not denying it, though."
Noah slammed his cup back onto the tray harder than necessary, the sound drawing a few glances from nearby tables.
He ignored them, his voice dangerous. "If you keep pushing, Kael, I will make you regret it."
For a moment, silence hung between them. Arlo chewed thoughtfully on his bread, tilting his head as though weighing something.
Then he smirked again, as if Noah’s threat had only amused him.
"You’re fun when you’re angry."
Noah exhaled slowly through his nose, focusing on finishing his breakfast. Bite after bite, he forced himself to ignore the man across from him.
Arlo, of course, kept talking. Bantering about nothing. The food, the weather, the other students whispering around them.
He rambled on, spinning words like threads meant to tangle Noah further into a web of annoyance.
Noah barely heard him. He chewed methodically, drowning Arlo’s voice out until it was just a low hum in the background.
His patience was thin, but not gone. Not yet.
He was halfway through his broth when a new voice cut through the noise.
"There you are!"
Noah looked up from his tray, his expression flat as Princess Ines approached.
The air around their table shifted as students nearby caught sight of her golden eyes and the faint radiance that clung to her.
Without a word, she slid her tray down onto the table and sat gracefully across from Noah, beside Arlo.
Noah’s jaw tightened. "You’ve got to be kidding me."
Arlo leaned back in his chair, a grin spreading across his face. "Well, well, if it isn’t Her Highness. Where’s your shadow? Don’t tell me you finally ditched Frederick Ramsay."
Ines shot him a cool glance. "I know of you, Arlo Kael."
Arlo smirked wider. "Oh? Heard of my exploits then? Hero of the week, breaker of hearts, bane of professors, take your pick."
"I’ve heard of your... reputation," she said carefully, lifting her cup with a measured calm.
"Reputation. Ouch." Arlo clutched at his chest with mock pain, though his grin didn’t dim.
"Both of you," Noah cut in. "Find somewhere else to eat. Anywhere but here."
Neither moved. Instead, Ines turned to face him fully.
Her golden eyes locked onto his, her expression unreadable.
"Noah Webb," she said, her tone even. "I sent word to the palace yesterday. I requested every piece of information they had on you."
Noah paused, spoon halfway to his mouth.
"And the message that came back," Ines’ lips curved slightly, though it wasn’t quite a smile. "It was... interesting."