Chapter 79: Sticks and stones

The celebratory dinner was a small affair, but not any less joyous because of that. Xia and Victor outdid themselves with the amount and quality of food prepared. Celina, who heard about Hailett's actions and their results, surprised everyone with a bottle of moonshine bought on her way home.

By the time the food was finished, Eve's stomach was so full she was afraid to move from her spot. The amount of alcohol Celina brought wasn't enough to make anyone drunk—not with the nanites that helped their livers to deal with toxins—but it was enough to force Eve's mind to relax, if temporarily. Her thoughts turned soft and smudged, like watercolours under a rain.

Celina laughed in her seat. She drank the most, but showed only a blush for it. "A single shot and you are ready to fall face-first in your salad, Eve."

"There's no salad… I ate it," Eve said, forcing her eyelids to stay open. "It was… delicious."