Chapter 17- Breakfast Podcast

Arien's POV

The next morning arrived with the kind of heaviness that sinks into your chest before your eyes are even open.

I lay still in bed for a moment, listening. Down the hall, drawers opened and closed. Zippers. Footsteps. Neris, obviously. Already up, already moving. I pushed the blanket off and sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

The curtains were already pulled open — sunlight poured in, obnoxiously bright and golden, like the sky was in an unusually enthusiastic mood. What an ironical day to look like paradise.

Today by noon, every Garrior had to be assembled at their designated Fraticle Circle locations — wherever they were currently based. From there, the Saurus ambassadors would collect them. These instructions had apparently been shared with Salva and Zia through some mysterious means. No one knew how.

 Salva and Zia must be buried in obligations by now. Public appearances, press questions, strange political diplomacy that none of us understood but everyone pretended to. If Neris was being hounded by neighbors and extended relatives just for being a chosen Garrior, then Salva and Zia must be practically glowing from the spotlight and must have it pretty worse.

And Neris… yeah, she had her hands full. From the moment word got out, people had started calling, dropping by, waving from windows like she was some kind of celebrity. She wasn't rude to them — Neris never is — but I could tell. It drained her. She hadn't had a moment to herself in days. And today wasn't going to be any different.

I got out of bed and slid into my slippers, yawning as I shuffled toward the hallway. Breakfast was already on the table when I walked into the kitchen. Mom was pouring tea, and it seemed like half the neighborhood had already arrived. The living room was packed with people — neighbors, relatives, distant family friends whose names I never quite remembered. I nodded to most of them. I wasn't exactly the talkative type, and luckily, most didn't bother trying to drag me into small talk… except for a few repeat offenders.

Our house was small — just two bedrooms, and even those weren't particularly spacious. But the yard? The yard was big. Big enough to host half the crowd that wouldn't fit inside. So most of them had spilled out into it, chatting animatedly under the morning sun.

Normally, the tiny tots in the family would barge into my room — which I shared with Neris — and gleefully jump on my bed to make sure I never slept in peace. But today? Today, they were too dazzled by my sister. Garrior Glow, I guess.

Oh well. It worked for me. I'd just pretend I didn't see my sister's pleading eyes from the center of that miniature monster horde gathering around her. I mean… how dangerous could children be?

I sat down at the table, hoping to enjoy a peaceful breakfast.

I should have known better.

"You know," Neris said sweetly — too sweetly, "you should ask Arien about all this. She has three friends — one from the Outer Circle and two from the Inner Circle. She can share so many stories with you."

I froze, mid-bite.

A moment later, I felt it. The weight of a dozen tiny, curious eyes swiveling toward me.

Traitor.

My spoon clinked quietly against the plate as I lowered it, very slowly, considering the only two options I had left: run or surrender.

I narrowed my eyes at Neris. She smirked at me innocently from the chaos, lifting her teacup like she had no idea what she'd just done.

"You are evil," I mouthed.

She winked.

At the exact moment the horde began their adorable but terrifying advance, my phone rang.

Salvation.

I grabbed my phone like a lifeline, stood up, and turned away from the children with the greatest performance of my life.

"Hello?" I said, lowering my voice into something urgent and professional. "Yes… now's fine. Important? Got it. You want the photo of that document? Sure, I'll go get it from the room right now."

I shot Neris a smug look as I marched toward the hallway, phone still pressed to my ear and breakfast still in hand. Her smile faltered.

"Who the hell cares about documents when that guy Favian is being clingy?" Tavira's voice exploded impatiently from the other end.

"Ah, that's easy. Don't shower today," I smirked.

Tavira groaned. "Gross, Arien! That's your grand master plan?"

I leaned against the wall, taking a bite of toast. "Well, it works. He'll run the other way if you start smelling like a tired raccoon."

"We're twins. He's immune to my stink."

"Then you're doomed."

Tavira snorted. "You're so helpful. Remind me why I called you again?"

"Because you love me."

"Debatable."

"Oh! Kael's calling. I'll merge him in — conference call mode," she said quickly.

A second later, Favian's voice hollered into my ear. "Yo! Arien, how are you?"

I shrugged, even though he couldn't see me. "Pretty much okay. Heard you're freaking Tavira out."

"Obviously. That way she won't come crying about wanting to come back home like a coward if things get rough. If I act clingy enough now, she'll be too disgusted to even think about returning," Favian whispered, like he was revealing national secrets.

Tavira let out a scandalized gasp. "I knew it! You're being insufferable on purpose!"

"Of course I am," Favian said proudly. "Psychological warfare. Twin edition."

"You're a menace," Tavira groaned.

"Genetic blessing," he corrected.

"Hey, Kael's still quiet," I pointed out. "You alive over there?"

There was a faint rustle, then Kael's voice came through — calm, lazy, and very much amused."Listening. This is peak sibling content. Calling Tavira was a solid choice for entertainment. I'm thinking of adding the others to the call. Then it'll really get interesting."

I could literally hear him munching on snacks in the background. I looked down at my toast.

"Ha ha ha! Very funny," Tavira said sarcastically. "And can you please stop munching your food near the phone? It's annoying."

"Oh, you mean this?" Kael asked — and then proceeded to make even louder, exaggerated crunching noises right next to the mic.

Tavira let out an exasperated groan. "I swear, if I ever see you again—"

"You will see me again," Kael said between bites, "and when you do, I'll bring extra chips. Just for you."

"Whatever," she huffed. "You're all the worst."

"And yet… you're still on the call," Favian teased.

"Don't remind me," Tavira muttered, but I could hear the grin behind her voice.

"Tavira, if things get tough, you can always come to my house. Since Favian clearly doesn't want you in his," I said sweetly.

Favian gasped dramatically. "Excuse you! I'm the one being tormented here! She keeps stealing my socks and hiding my charger!"

"That was once," Tavira fired back. "And your charger was on the floor. I just put it in the place where I thought it belonged. How was I supposed to know your charger's location depends on the day of the week?"

"Uh-oh. That sounds like difficult times," came Eron's voice unmistakably just woken up.

"I know, right?" Tavira huffed.

"Favian, you're just overestimating your sister's thinking capacity," Kael said, all smug.

"You called it rescuing a charger from the floor," Favian muttered. "Next you'll say you rescued my hoodie from my own closet."

"I did! It looked suffocated in there."

A soft ding echoed as someone else joined the call.

"Did I just walk into sibling court?" Libra asked dryly.

"I vote Tavira's innocent," Siara chimed in cheerfully. "She's chaotic, but well-meaning."

"Oh please," Favian groaned. "You're just spoiling her."

"Where were you three?" I asked, amused. "We're twenty minutes into nonsense."

"Oh, we mutually agreed it's better to enter with popcorn," Miran said, entirely unapologetic.

Tavira groaned. "Great. Now my humiliation has an audience."

"Your chaos is a public service," Kael declared.

"Exactly," Siara agreed. "It brings people together."

"And tears them apart," Eron added, still sounding half-asleep.

We all laughed and kept talking, sharing more of these ridiculous, comforting moments — not knowing when, or even if, we'd get to have them again. I really hoped the Saurus Headquarters had phones. Otherwise, the Garriors from Earth were going to lose their minds.