Chapter 70: Lunchtime
Alex’s hand clasped Bastian’s, his grip steady but his mind spinning, caught in the whirlwind of the boy’s rapid-fire words.
Bastian’s piercing blue eyes gleamed with a mischievous spark, his messily ruffled brown hair flopping as he flashed a lopsided grin, brimming with an amusement that felt like he was always one step ahead, holding the punchline to a joke only he understood.
Alex squinted tried to keep up with Bastian’s quicksilver chatter, his confidence teetering under the boy’s relentless, playful energy.
"Okay, hold up, lost boy," Bastian said, his voice a smooth drawl, dripping with mock concern that danced on the edge of a taunt, completely unaware of Alex’s overwhelm.
He leaned back, one boot propped against the wall, his charcoal tunic wrinkled in a way that screamed he didn’t care and knew he could pull it off. "Which class you stumbling toward now?"
His blue eyes flicked over Alex, sharp and teasing, his grin widening like he was already plotting how to make this more entertaining than it needed to be.
"Astronomy," Alex replied, his tone finding its footing, his smirk twitching as he met Bastian’s gaze, anchoring himself in the boy’s easy vibe.
The word felt odd, another fragment of this elven world he was still navigating, but Bastian’s grin was a lifeline, a stark contrast to Vaelen’s venomous glare from the assembly.
Bastian let out a dramatic whistle, pushing off the wall with a flourish, his ruffled hair bouncing as he pointed to a spiraling staircase nearby, its steps gleaming with inlaid crystals that caught the morning light.