“Genes [i]do[/i] tend to distribute rather unevenly, my dear.” Thayva turned her smile to him, then drank from her cup, making a mental note to draw more water before the storm hit that evening, just in case.
	“Oh, that would be [i]wonderful.[/i]” She placed a hand on her lower back and stretched in emphasis. “And perhaps I could return the favor.” Thayva returned to Serapis and gave his muscular shoulder a squeeze, before rubbing between his shoulder blades with her free hand. “You’ve been rather tense yourself lately.” She stopped rubbing, letting her hand rest gently on his back as they waited for the meat to cook.

[center]*	*	*[/center]
	“Use your dirtiest shirt,” Nick suggested once the masseuse finished. “Not like it’s going to make it any worse.”
	Some boys from the next group had already begun to filter in, some sitting on the tables, others laying down, and some unknowingly mimicking Jorn with late stretches. 

[center]*	*	*[/center]
	Laya and Illyrana joined Kia and Laura just as the dwarf whispered to the youngest in the group.
	Kia rolled her eyes. “You and your [i]boys.[/i]” She grinned.
	“I know a good spot,” Laya put in quietly. “As long as you don’t mind heights too much. Change out, then follow me.”
	Kia quickly changed back into the standard daily dress, then waited with Laya for the other two. Once all four of them were there, Laya led the way.
	“I’ll meet you in the cafeteria later,” Illyrana said when they entered the hall outside the changing room. “I have some things I need to do beforehand.”
	With that, Illyrana headed in one direction while Laya led them the other.
	Two flights of stairs up and plenty of avoiding a couple staff roaming the halls, Laya opened the door to what looked like a classroom that was now used for storage. She crossed to a set of doors that led out onto a balcony overlooking the backyard. A ladder was attached to the wall, ivy clinging possessively to the bars.
	The ladder led to a part of the roof that, from where Laya stood, looked almost level. A perfect place to sit and talk.
	“We’ll be capable of keeping an eye on the time.” Laya nodded to a large sundial in the expanse of yard as she gripped a rung of the ladder.
	Having absorbed the light and energy from the sun while it was out, the roman numerals of the sundial glowed a faint golden color in the gloom cast by the ominous clouds hanging in the sky. The gnomon now moved along with the minutes, keeping track of the time despite the lack of light.
	“How’d you find this?” Kia asked, following Laya as soon as she had enough room.
	“Belle showed it to me.” She hurried up the ladder with Kia in her shadow.