The two days at the health centre passed in a blur of long hours, endless patients, and stifling exhaustion. Elias could hardly believe he'd made it through without his heat flaring up again.
As the students piled onto the bus back to campus on the third day, their chatter was a mix of relief and fatigue; everyone was eager to return to the familiarity of their dorms or homes, hot showers, and uninterrupted sleep.
Elias, in particular, was itching to get home... not just to rest, but to see his sister.
The bus was getting crowded as Elias scanned the seats, hoping for a spot alone, but his eyes landed on Jace and Rowan, already settled in a row near the back. They'd left the middle seat open, clearly for him, their expressions expectant. Elias hesitated, his bag slung over his shoulder.
