Revival: Of Cethore ✔

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen: A True Friend Helps a Friend In Need

"Looks like I might actually be able to go the festival for once," Zoran said, taking another bite of the salad.

Sam did not understand how he could eat that so casually. Not that she disliked leafy greens, but she felt uncomfortable trying to eat them whole and raw. Cooked into something else was much more preferable.

"What do you mean? You have been going the last few years," Brad commented.

Zoran poked at his food, now having the whole table's attention. "Yeah, I know that. I was just unsure of whether I could go this year because of work, but it all worked out."

"If it all worked out, then there's really no reason to tell us," Lori remarked.

"Well, excuse me for wanting to make sure you guys knew in case I told you otherwise," he said, "so you won't get the wrong impression when I leave tomorrow."

One thing Samari had noticed was how often exchanges like this occurred. Lori would say some snarky and somewhat mean thing, and usually everyone would just go with it like everything was fine. Very rarely did they take offense to her words.

Are you not letting her comments get to her, or do they really not care what she says? It is weird but nice watching them do it, she thought.

"Wait, tomorrow? I thought we...were leaving in four days," Samari observed out loud.

"We are--well, most of us are. A group goes earlier to set up the campsite before so we can get a good spot," Cyrus explained.

"Oh."

Samari hesitated, trying to pull her thoughts together of how she wanted to word her next question. She did not need to ask it, because Zoran said, "Do any of you want to go early with me?"

She smiled and nodded. "I will, if I can."

The look in his eyes made her wonder if he had asked for her sake, but she considered that she was just seeing magic where it was not. Either way, she was glad with the ease of the results.

"I'll go, too," Cy stated. "There's nothing to do here in preparation anyway."

Lorilie snickered. "I'll tag along to make sure y'all do the work rather than just play all day."

"Guess it's a group trip, then. I wonder how fast we'll be sick of each other," Brad cooed.

"What do you mean? I'm always sick of you!" Cyrus teased him.

Samari zoned out of the conversation as they began their usual squabble and insult-trade. Not really hungry anymore, she pushed her plate away. She rested her head on her arms in the open space she had made.

"What work did y-you have?" she asked Zoran as she stared at him sideways.

He propped his head in his hand as gazed down at her. "Uh, I've been hunting down a certain ticon relic that Nerok wants," he told her.

"Oh. Did...you find it?"

"No, but I have a friend coming to Xenzie who has been keeping an eye out for it, and it's in the city now," he shook his head. "I'm gonna meet up with them and see if I can get it before the festival actually starts."

A friend outside of the guild? Well, I suppose they did all have lives before they joined here. Plus, Zoran goes out all the time for trading. He must meet a lot of people in the merchant business, she reasoned with herself.

Still, she was quite curious, both about this relic he was supposed to get and about his friend. Other than our little group, it doesn't seem like Zoran has many close friends. I wonder what kind of people he likes to hang out with.