Maxi furrowed her brow. She had been asking after his love life just a moment ago. How had she become the one under scrutiny?
Suspecting Riftan was artfully steering the conversation away, Maxi retorted, "I kept… mostly to myself. After coming of age, I spent most of my time in the annex… and on the rare occasions I was required to make an appearance… I would take my leave as quickly as possible. How could I have… taken a liking to anyone… w-when I never even had the chance to converse with a man my age?"
"One can fall in love without ever engaging in a proper conversation," Riftan shot back. He turned back to the brazier as he meticulously peeled the charred skin off another chestnut. "Sometimes a distant glance is all it takes to capture a heart."
Maxi shot daggers at the back of his head. "A-Are you… speaking from experience?"