[ Part of Vax feels like he should be receiving this news with more fanfare. But they're missing their friends. How does he celebrate this without them? Without even Trinket? Somewhere ahead of him lies this moment. Vax can hold onto it like a talisman while they exist in this strange place. Things will be difficult, but in the end they'll achieve this wonderful thing. ]

I might manage to surprise you someday.

[ But Vax doesn't have any real burning desire to lie to his sister. He might manage to deceive Percy, but there's no way he'd manage to get one over on Vex. That's been the truth of things since they were in the cradle together. He squeezes her knee, head tipped easily into the press of her fingers as he pushes to his feet, flashes a grin at her ]

If there's nothing else about the future you need to warn me about, you can let me finish your braids.