Chapter 25

• Bastian stood off to the side and waited for his Aunt Bella to finish gushing over the success of the first day of the banquets. Liri kept looking at him, her expression reflecting what he was feeling. He did love his aunt but remembered her being more fun before Liri was born. Having a female child bumped her social status and she went from fun aunt to socialite and hadn’t looked back since. This day had been mind-numbing and many hours too long.
• “Are you coming, Aliria?”
• Bastian blinked out of his vegetative state.