By the fourth day of travel, the novelty of the road had worn off.
Deren had complained about the weather.
Then the horses.
Then his saddle.
Then the lack of good food.
Then the existence of hills.
At some point, Maeve had threatened to leave him tied to a tree.
Rhess had offered to help.
Deren claimed he was surrounded by traitors.
Nobody disagreed.
The road climbed steadily through rolling countryside, eventually cresting a ridge that overlooked a large town nestled beside a river.
Stone walls encircled it.
Smoke rose from hundreds of chimneys.
The distant sound of bells carried on the wind.
Deren straightened in his saddle.
"Civilization."
Maeve rolled her eyes.
"We passed three villages yesterday."
"Villages don't count."
"Why?"
"Too many chickens."
Rhess frowned.
"That's your reason?"
"It's a very good reason."
"You make no sense."
"I've been told that before."
Seralyn glanced toward the town.
"We should stay there tonight."
"No arguments here," Deren said immediately.
Maeve looked suspicious.
"You just want a real bed."
"After sleeping near Rhess for two nights, yes."
Rhess looked genuinely confused.
"I don't snore."
"You sound like a dying bear."
"A healthy bear."
"There is no difference."
For once, even Kaelen laughed aloud.
Everyone stopped.
Maeve blinked.
Rhess looked over.
Seralyn raised an eyebrow.
Deren pointed dramatically.
"There!"
Kaelen immediately regretted it.
"What?"
"You laughed."
"So?"
"It was a real laugh."
Maeve nodded.
"I don't think I've ever heard one before."
"I laugh."
"No."
"I do."
"You smirk."
"That's different."
"It really isn't."
Kaelen sighed.
"I liked all of you better before we became friends."
"Lie," Maeve said.
"Complete lie," Deren agreed.
Rhess looked between them.
"You people argue a lot."
Maeve looked at him.
"You challenged Kaelen to three rematches before breakfast."
"That was different."
"How?"
"It was important."
Deren stared at him.
"You are going to fit in disturbingly well."
The town was called Greyhaven.
Unlike the villages they'd passed, Greyhaven was busy.
Merchants crowded the streets.
Children ran through market squares.
Blacksmiths worked beside open forges.
The smell of fresh bread drifted from bakeries.
After days on the road, the place felt alive.
Their horses barely made it through the gates before Deren spotted an inn.
"That one."
Maeve followed his gaze.
"You haven't even looked at the others."
"I don't need to."
"Why?"
"It has flowers."
Rhess frowned.
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"The nicer the flowers, the better the food."
Maeve blinked.
"...Is that actually true?"
"It has never failed me."
Seralyn looked toward the building.
There were indeed flowers hanging from every window.
A moment later she nodded.
"I hate that he might be right."
The inn proved surprisingly comfortable.
By evening they occupied a large table near the window overlooking the town square.
Rain had begun falling outside.
The common room buzzed with conversation.
For a while, nobody talked about anything important.
They discussed terrible instructors.
Embarrassing training accidents.
The time Deren somehow got lost inside the academy library.
Twice.
The second story had everyone laughing.
Even Seralyn.
Especially Seralyn.
"You walked into a room with one door."
"I took a wrong turn."
"There were no turns."
"There were spiritually confusing directions."
Maeve nearly choked on her drink.
Rhess was laughing so hard he had tears in his eyes.
"I can't tell if you're joking."
"Neither can I anymore."
Eventually the laughter faded.
The comfortable kind.
The kind that left people smiling afterward.
Outside, rain tapped against the windows.
Inside, firelight flickered across the wooden walls.
For the first time in days, nobody seemed eager to move.
Rhess leaned back in his chair.
"So."
Deren pointed a finger.
"Every time someone says 'so,' something serious follows."
"Maybe."
Maeve groaned.
"There it is."
Rhess ignored her.
"What happens after graduation?"
The table quieted.
Deren immediately looked away.
Maeve took a drink.
Seralyn stared into the fire.
Rhess frowned.
"What?"
Maeve shrugged.
"I don't know."
"You don't?"
She shook her head.
"I spent most of my childhood dreaming about joining the Order."
"And now?"
"Now I've actually done it."
Rhess nodded slowly.
"Fair."
She looked out the window.
"I think I want to travel."
"Travel?"
"I've spent my entire life hearing stories about distant places."
A small smile crossed her face.
"Deserts. Mountains. Ancient cities."
She looked back at the others.
"I'd like to see them myself."
Nobody laughed.
Nobody teased her.
The answer felt honest.
Rhess turned toward Seralyn.
"And you?"
Seralyn was quiet for a moment.
"I want command."
The answer surprised everyone except perhaps Kaelen.
Deren blinked.
"Really?"
She nodded.
"My father commanded soldiers."
The room grew a little quieter.
She rarely spoke about her family.
"He taught me that good leaders save lives."
Her gaze settled on the fire.
"There aren't enough of them."
Nobody interrupted.
Eventually Rhess nodded.
"That's a good goal."
For a moment Seralyn looked almost embarrassed by the compliment.
Then Rhess looked toward Deren.
"What about you?"
Deren immediately pointed at the ceiling.
"I'm glad you asked."
Maeve groaned.
"Here we go."
"I intend to become rich."
Rhess stared.
"Rich?"
"Very rich."
"How?"
"I have absolutely no idea."
Maeve laughed.
"At least he's honest."
Deren spread his arms dramatically.
"The first step toward success is confidence."
"The first step is having a plan."
"That sounds harder."
Rhess shook his head.
"You are unbelievable."
"I know."
Finally, Rhess turned toward Kaelen.
The table fell quiet.
Kaelen looked up from his drink.
"What?"
"What do you want?"
For once, nobody interrupted.
Nobody joked.
They were genuinely curious.
Kaelen opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
The silence stretched.
Maeve watched him carefully.
"You don't know."
It wasn't a question.
Kaelen looked down at the table.
"I used to."
The words came quietly.
The others waited.
"When I joined the Order..."
He paused.
"...I wanted strength."
Rhess nodded.
"To protect people?"
Kaelen considered the question.
Then slowly shook his head.
"No."
Nobody spoke.
Kaelen stared into the fire.
"I wanted to make sure I was never powerless again."
The rain continued tapping softly against the windows.
Outside, Greyhaven carried on as normal.
Inside, the table sat silent.
Not uncomfortable.
Just thoughtful.
Finally Deren spoke.
"You know..."
Everyone looked at him.
"That might be the most honest thing you've ever said."
Kaelen laughed quietly.
"Probably."
Rhess studied him for a long moment.
Then he smiled.
"Good."
Kaelen frowned.
"Good?"
"Means you've finished the first part."
"The first part of what?"
Rhess leaned back.
"The reason you started walking."
The fire crackled.
Rain fell.
Nobody spoke for a while.
Because for the first time since joining the Order, Kaelen found himself wondering something he had never considered before.
If strength was no longer the destination...
Then where exactly was the road leading?