They hadn't moved much.
The chained book sat on the wobbling table like a patient animal. The eight of them ringed it in various states of collapse. Afternoon had slipped toward copper; their little city of rescued books listed around them.
The doors banged open.
Kori swept in with wind on her jacket and a muffin in her mouth. She took in the scene - ring of students, ring of books, ring of silence - and grinned like she'd walked into a surprise party she threw for herself.
"Look at you," she said. "Not dead under a dictionary. I owe myself another pretzel!"
"Where were you?" Lynea asked, flat.
"Spreading mercy and confusion," Kori said. "Meetings. Are we opening the scary thing or camping around it?"
"Why this one," Lynea pressed. "Of all books, why did you want this?"
"Because it isn't for you, it's for me" Kori replies, airy. "I was curious and too lazy to fetch it. Delegation is leadership. Don't quote me."
"Not for us," Hikari echoed, frowning.
