“Cinnamon toast?” Ketheron eyed me. “Can we have that, Cassius? I want to try it.”
I looked over at Lazriel whose smile had faded a little at that recollection of Sylas.
“Well, how about when Sylas wakes we have him over for breakfast to prepare his special brand of that toast for us all?” I told Lazriel, “Velra likes cinnamon too. When she was talking about heading toVantiqewith Kelsana, she mentioned desiring one of their apparently revered Cinnamon Cloud Muffins.”
“Cloud Muffins?” Ketheron exclaimed. “What is this place?”
“It’s a fusion bar,” Lazriel told him.
“Oh.” Ketheron’s face fell. “I am not permitted to go to bars.”
Lazriel cocked an eyebrow. “Because of the alcohol? If so, there is none at this place.”
“I cannot consume alcohol, but it’s not only that.”
Lazriel frowned at me. “You won’t let him go to a bar with non-alcoholic drinks? What’s up with that?”
“It’s the people,” Ketheron told him. “It’s not his fault. If I get excited I can… damage can occur. To structures and… umm… to people.”
“Accidental damage,” I reassured him. “We will go.”
Ketheron’s eyes lit up. “We will?”
“Yes. We’ll includeVantiqein our supernatural world exploration mission.”
“Exploration mission?” Lazriel queried.
Ketheron explained, “We’ve been visiting landmarks all over. I mean, when people aren’t crowding them. At night. Off seasons. But it’s been fun—and really informative. I lovegathering data and advancing my knowledge base, especially about this pretty world.”
“That’s really cool. Where have you been so far?”
“The Heelor Mountains. Wistering Waterfalls. We’d planned to go toKrestaznext. At first I thoughtSanctum SandsBeach, but I think the volcano will be best first—and the most magnificent.”
“I’ve heard that it’s striking. I’ve never been.Sanctum SandsBeachis a lot of fun, more of a relaxing and chill place than magnificence. Just an enjoyable place to spend the day.”
“You will come with us then,” Ketheron announced. He turned to me. “Yes?”
“If he wishes.”
“Sounds like fun,” Lazriel said.
“For now, though, you need to get to bed,” I told Ketheron. “It’s rather late.”
Although his body didn’t require nightly rest, his mind absolutely did.
I’d already noticed signs of him verging on that overtired, overtaxed, hyperactive state as it was.
He nodded, then popped the last marshmallow left on his plate into his mouth, managing not to get any goo on his fingers this time, and then he rose to his feet.
“Goodnight,” he said to me.
I smiled and gave him a nod.
He passed by Lazriel and patted his shoulder. “Sleep well, friend.”
“You too.”
As he headed off to his room, I pushed back my chair and stood up. “I’ll do the dishes. Get ready for bed. Your things from your dorm room are in my bedroom. Make yourself comfortable.”
