As Ezekiel made his way back toward camp, he slowed when voices drifted through the trees. He angled toward the sound and spotted three familiar figures gathered near a small clearing—Whitney, Rex, and another classmate. They stood close together, heads bowed, speaking in low murmurs.
The corner of Ezekiel's mouth lifted. 'Well, this is convenient,' even if the exam was graded individually, there was nothing stopping them from watching each other's backs. If anything, this was a chance to tilt the odds in their favor.
"Hey, you three!" he called, raising a hand as he stepped into view. "Didn't expect to run into you out here."
The group got startled and turned toward him.
Whitney was the first to recover, her brows lifting in surprise as she stepped forward. "Ezekiel? What are you doing here?"
