By the time they got back the next day, no one joked about it.
Not out loud.
The hallway felt tighter, like the walls had shifted a little closer overnight. People still talked, still moved in groups, but the tone had changed. Less guessing, more quiet calculation. Nobody expected the next constraint to be fair.
Lucas pushed the door open and stepped into the hall.
He didn't slow this time.
He scanned.
Counted.
Watched.
Not the center. Not the edges.
Everything.
Tomas caught up beside him. "You already look tired."
"I'm thinking."
"That's worse."
Lucas smirked faintly. "Yeah."
Across the room, Dreyden was already standing in place again, hands in his pockets, expression unreadable. Raisel stood a few feet away, talking quietly with someone Lucas didn't recognize. Arden was moving through the room, not joining a group yet, just… observing.
Good.
That meant she didn't trust the first arrangement either.
Lucas rolled his shoulders once.
