Jace Strickland POV

  The tension in the safehouse is suffocating when we return. Tocci, Thriexa, and I are still carrying the weight of the interrogation, the words I said in that room lingering in the air between us. Even Henry had suggested we take the night to clear our heads, but the weight of it isn’t something that just disappears.

  Trenal notices immediately. He watches as I slump onto the couch, as Thriexa crosses her arms tightly over her chest, and as Tocci presses her fingertips to her temple, clearly overwhelmed by the storm of emotions still lingering in the room.

  “Alright,” Trenal announces, clapping his hands together. “This is depressing. And I refuse to spend the night trapped in a house full of brooding humans and an Aizih who looks ready to start a war with her own thoughts. We’re doing something about it.”

  Thriexa lifts a tired brow. “Doing what, exactly?”

  “Oh, don’t worry, Aizih.” He grins. “I’ve got just the thing.”

  Before any of us can argue, he heads to the kitchen, rummaging through the supplies he had brought in earlier. A moment later, he returns with a collection of glass bottles filled with something bright and suspiciously glowing. Sam steps into the room at the same time, stretching her arms after spending the day working with Trenal on coordinating Eova and human efforts.

  “What’s going on?” she asks, glancing between us.

  “An intervention,” Trenal declares. “Of the liquid variety.”

  I sigh, rubbing my forehead. “I’m not sure drinking is the answer.”

  “Oh, but it is,” Trenal insists, setting the bottles down on the coffee table. “It’s time for a proper Eova tradition. Trien Aizih.”

  Thriexa and Tocci groan in unison. “We haven’t played that since our first lifetime,” Tocci grumbles.

  Sam and I exchange confused looks. “And what exactly is Trien Aizih?” I ask.

  Trenal’s grin widens. “It’s an ’Trials of the Aizih, it’s an ancient rite of passage turned drinking game.”

  Thriexa sighs. “The game was meant to test an Eova’s adaptability, forcing them to mimic the abilities of other nations. Now, it’s more of a celebration game.”

  Trenal starts placing glowing stones in a circle around the room. “Here’s how it works. Each player places their hand on the Trial Orb—it assigns a challenge based on a different nation’s ability. You must complete the trial without using your own ability. Fail, and you drink. Succeed, and you pass the challenge to someone else. Five trials won means you are victorious. Three losses in a row means you take the Final Pulse—a last, punishing drink while dramatically declaring your shortcomings.”

  I hesitate. “I’m head of security. I shouldn’t be drinking like this.”

  Tocci raises a brow. “Didn’t you already pass off control for the night?”

  I open my mouth to argue, but she’s right. I sigh, rolling my shoulders. “Fine. But if this stuff kills me, I’m haunting Trenal.”

  Sam eyes the glowing liquid warily. “Uh, is this even safe for humans?”

  “Probably,” Trenal says with an infuriating grin, handing her a glass.

  “Probably?” I echo, raising a brow.

  Thriexa smirks, nudging me lightly. “Don’t worry, humans. I won’t let you die.”

  Tocci raises an eyebrow at Trenal, eyeing the bottles on the table. “What exactly is this drink?”

  Trenal grins as he swirls the glowing liquid in his glass. “Ah, these? Talgis gave them to me before I left. Figured they’d come in handy, it’s Nebri Juice.”

  Tocci’s expression changes instantly. “Talgis gave you Nebri Juice? Trenal, this is Bedzut liquor!”

  Sam pauses mid-sip. “And what does that mean for us?”

  Tocci sighs, shaking her head with a small smirk. “It means this stuff heightens emotions—especially the good ones. Joy, excitement, fun. If you weren’t already feeling it, you will be soon.”

  I blink, glancing down at my half-finished drink. “Wait. So you’re telling me this stuff is enhancing everything I’m feeling right now?”

  Trenal grins. “That’s right, human.”

  I exhale, rubbing a hand over my face. “Fantastic. So now I get to experience emotional overload while also trying not to embarrass myself in a ridiculous alien drinking game.”

  Sam snorts, tilting her glass toward me. “Welcome to the fun part, Jace. Embrace it.”

  Thriexa’s gaze flickers toward me, amusement dancing behind her eyes. “Don’t worry, Jace. If you start getting too emotional, I’ll make sure no one remembers in the morning.”

  I huff, shaking my head. “Great. Just what I need—alien liquor making me sentimental.”

  The first round begins. Tocci pulls the Bopro Trial—a logic puzzle. The effects of Nebri Juice slow her thinking, but she still manages to answer it, passing the next turn to me. I draw the Zetill Trial—the Telepathic Challenge.

  Trenal whistles. “Ooooh, bad luck, human. You have to telepathically contact someone not playing the game and hold a conversation while downing your entire drink. If you lose focus, you get another drink.”

  I raise an eyebrow. “That’s not possible. I don’t have telepathy.”

  “No, but I do,” Trenal says, tapping his temple. “I can link you to someone. You just have to decide who.”

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  I exhale. “Fine. Link me to Henry.”

  Tocci snickers. “Oh, this is going to be good.”

  Trenal closes his eyes, focusing, and then nods. “Alright, link’s open. Go on, talk to your partner.”

  I hesitate before mentally pushing my thoughts forward. Henry?

  There’s a long pause before Henry’s voice practically shouts back through the link. Jace? What the hell—how are you in my head?

  I wince, nearly spilling my drink. “Damn it, Trenal. This is weird.”

  “Keep talking!” Trenal urges, grinning. “Don’t lose focus.”

  Henry sighs in my head. Are you drunk?

  I clear my throat. Not yet.

  Henry groans. You’re playing an Eova drinking game, aren’t you?

  That depends on how mad you’re about to be, I mutter under my breath.

  Henry exhales sharply. You better not be jeopardizing anyone’s safety.

  Relax, Henry. I’m still professional, I insist, before immediately taking a large sip of my drink and losing focus.

  The telepathic link snaps, and Trenal bursts into laughter. “You lost it! Drink, Jace.”

  I grumble and down the rest of my glass as everyone cheers.

  The game escalates quickly. Sam gets stuck with the Borzork Trial, which involves heat endurance. Trenal, grinning mischievously, hands her a small heated stone. “Hold it as long as you can. If you drop it too soon, you drink.”

  Sam eyes the stone warily before picking it up. “This can’t be that bad.”

  The moment the warmth spreads through her fingers, she winces. “Okay—nope. This is hotter than I expected.”

  Trenal leans forward. “Hold steady, Strickland. Prove your strength.”

  Sam grits her teeth, determination flashing in her eyes. She lasts longer than expected, her fingers twitching slightly, but finally, she lets out a curse and drops the stone onto the table.

  “Damn it! That thing is ridiculous.”

  Trenal laughs and slides a drink toward her. “Rules are rules. Drink!”

  Sam groans, takes the drink, and downs it while the rest of us cheer.

  Trenal himself gets the Topzell Trial, forcing him to speak in a made-up language while Tocci translates. The results are absolute nonsense, and I nearly choke on my drink laughing.

  Somewhere between rounds, I notice it—Thriexa and I keep having accidental touches. Hands brushing when we reach for drinks. Knees knocking under the table. At first, we both retreat quickly, but as the drinks keep flowing, the hesitation fades. Her knee presses against mine and stays there. I feel her warmth beside me, and suddenly, I don’t mind.

  Meanwhile, Trenal turns his attention to Sam. “You know, Sam, I think you’d make an excellent Eova.”

  She arches a brow. “Oh yeah? And why’s that?”

  “You’re fearless, stubborn, and can hold your own against me in a drinking game,” he says, grinning. “Very few can claim that.”

  Sam shakes her head, laughing. “I think I’ll stick to being human, thanks.”

  “Shame. You’d look great in red,” Trenal teases, taking another sip of his drink.

  The night spirals into chaos—laughter, challenges, and progressively worse balance from all of us. I throw my head back, laughing freely, and for the first time in days, the weight lessens. The tension is gone. And for tonight, we’re just people having fun.

  Thriexa Aizih POV

  The energy in the room is electric, filled with laughter, warmth, and the occasional groan of defeat. The Nebri Juice has done its job, amplifying the joy between us, making the night feel lighter than any I’ve had in a long time. This is what I needed—what we all needed.

  I glance around at my companions, their faces flushed from drink and amusement, their walls lowered in a way that rarely happens. Even Jace has stopped resisting the fun, his smirk lingering a little longer each time he meets my gaze. It’s a rare sight, seeing him so unguarded.

  Trenal claps his hands together. “Alright, Aizih, your turn! Let’s see what fate has planned for our fearless leader.”

  I place my hand on the Trial Orb, and immediately, it flashes green.

  “Ooooh, a Bopro Trial!” Tocci announces, grinning. “Let’s see how well you can think while under the influence.”

  I exhale, already feeling the fog of the Nebri Juice slowing my usual sharp mind. “Let’s hear it.”

  The orb hums, then projects a smooth, ancient voice: “A traveler stands before the twin roots of the great Kaelon Tree, one leading to the sky, the other burrowing deep into the ground. One will bring them to safety; the other will consume them entirely. They must touch the roots and feel the pulse of energy within to determine the correct path. However, the roots are fickle, and if they grasp too hard, the energy will be lost. If they are too gentle, the roots will not awaken. How does the traveler find the right way?”

  I pause, the Nebri Juice making my mind feel slow and sluggish. I trace the words in my head, trying to piece them together.

  “They must… test the pulse carefully,” I murmur, thinking aloud. “They need to stroke the roots just right, applying enough pressure to awaken them, but not too much that they lose the energy.”

  The orb glows brightly. “Correct.”

  Silence.

  Then, sudden laughter from Jace and Sam.

  I frown. “What? What is so amusing?”

  Jace is practically choking on his drink, while Sam leans back, shaking her head. “You just—you just explained it in the worst possible way. That sounded so wrong, Thriexa.”

  Tocci tilts her head, genuinely confused. “How?”

  Jace wipes his face, still grinning. “‘You have to stroke it just right’? You don’t see how that could be taken a completely different way?”

  I cross my arms, still not understanding. “It is a simple instruction. Precision is important. The traveler must ensure the roots react properly.”

  Sam snorts. “You’re just making it worse.”

  Trenal chuckles. “I have no idea what they’re laughing about, but I enjoy the chaos. Drink, Aizih. For accidentally corrupting a sacred puzzle.”

  Jace and Sam exchange a knowing glance, their laughter subsiding to smoldering smiles. “It’s just an Earth innuendo,” Sam finally explains. “It sounds like you’re talking about something else entirely.”

  Tocci’s eyes widen, and she looks to Trenal for clarification. “What is this ‘innuendo’?”

  Trenal shrugs. “No idea. Not a word I’ve learned.”

  Jace leans back, running a hand down his face as if debating whether to explain. Finally, he sighs and looks at me. “Okay, so, ‘innuendo’ is when something sounds innocent but has a second meaning—usually something suggestive or inappropriate.”

  Sam, still laughing, gestures toward me. “And what you just said? About stroking the roots just right? That is the definition of innuendo.”

  I blink, tilting my head. “You humans assign far too many meanings to words. It was a simple puzzle.”

  Jace shakes his head. “Trust me, if you ever say that on live television, Earth is going to lose its mind.”

  Trenal chuckles, then his expression shifts slightly as realization dawns on him. “Oh. Ohhh—wait.”

  Tocci glances at him, seeing his reaction, and her eyes widen in understanding as well. “Oh… that’s… oh!”

  I look between them, still confused. “What? What did you just realize?”

  Trenal opens his mouth, then shakes his head. “Nope, I can’t say it. Jace, you handle this one.”

  Jace groans, rubbing a hand down his face. “I really don’t want to.”

  Tocci, still flustered, places a hand on my arm. Her energy shifts as she sends flashes of understanding through our connection—waves of amusement, embarrassment, and realization all at once. The emotions wash over me, and suddenly, I understand.

  My face flushes red, the warmth spreading from my neck to my ears. I freeze, my fingers tightening slightly around my drink as the implications hit me all at once. Slowly, I turn my gaze toward Jace, and as if my thoughts have summoned them, memories of our kiss flood back into my mind. The closeness, the heat, the way his hands had held me so securely—it all comes rushing back with an intensity that makes my heart pound.

  Jace notices my stare, his smirk faltering just slightly as he registers the sudden shift in my expression. His blue eyes flicker with curiosity, and perhaps a little amusement, but there’s something else there too—something unreadable, something I’m not sure I’m ready to acknowledge.

  I quickly drop my gaze, grabbing my drink and taking a long sip, hoping the Nebri Juice will dull the heat burning in my cheeks. But it doesn’t. It only makes me more aware of everything—of the way Jace is still watching me, of the laughter still bubbling from Sam and Trenal, of the way my heart is beating far too fast for a simple misunderstanding.

  Humans are truly bizarre.