Neia stood a short distance away in silence, watching the scene before her with an expression that was difficult to read. Edward was sitting beside Alvara on one of the benches, looking far more comfortable than anyone else in the place had any right to be.
He lounged casually against the backrest with one arm draped behind Alvara, his body angled toward her while his legs were crossed in a manner that gave him the appearance of a man who owned the entire place rather than someone who had simply arrived as a guest.
There was hardly anyone in the world who would dare to behave so casually in Alvara's presence, let alone sit beside her with such shameless arrogance, but Edward had never seemed particularly concerned with the rules that governed everyone else. Even more surprising was the fact that Alvara did not appear bothered by it in the slightest. She sat beside him as though his arm resting behind her and his relaxed posture were the most natural things in the world.
