The last of the overall Top 5 training drills had finally wrapped. Jade, Theo, and Reed filtered out slowly, some grumbling, others silent. Kain remained on the edge of the elevated ring, towel draped around his neck, eyes drifting over the schedule of auction events projected from his tablet.
Serena dropped down beside him, tossing her towel over one shoulder.
"You good?" she asked, wiping sweat from her brow. "You were zoning out hard during cooldown."
"Thinking," he said, not looking up. "About the auction."
"Of course you are." She leaned in, and a warm floral scent wrapped around him—soft, clean, and just a little too distracting. "So, what's the plan? Going to blow all your savings on a single sword?"
