Syryn and Salem were playing a complicated game of cards on the bed.
"You cheated," Salem declared with narrowed eyes. "I don't know how but you cheated."
"That's what all the sore losers say," Syryn replied with a smug grin on the face that Salem was tempted to squish between the pages of a thick open book.
"Lucien is very good at this game. If he weren't asleep, I'd call him over to trounce you," Salem said with folded arms.
"Oh, oh, Salem the genius, threatening to hide behind the skills of a little brat? You can do better than that, you know. Learn to cheat!" Syryn tossed the cards to the side of his bed and flopped down dramatically.
"Syryn, you might fall asleep if you get too comfortable," the alchemist warned him. "We don't know what powers this creature holds. It might just have a way to force you into a deep sleep."
