The strong wine bottle, once full, was more than halfway drained, and each of them had flushed cheeks and slightly glassy eyes. The earlier tension and caution between them had been washed away, replaced by the kind of reckless ease that only came from drink and familiarity.
Selene had been the loudest of them, laughing so hard at one of Lucas's sarcastic remarks that she nearly toppled sideways onto Lira, who quickly shoved her back upright with an exasperated huff. Nyx herself was chuckling freely, something rare for the usually composed princess, while Lucas had leaned back against the velvet-padded wall of the carriage, his own smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he enjoyed the sight of them so unrestrained.
