Celeste was mostly quiet as the group settled in around the kitchen. She was in pain and<i>worn out.</i>The amount of energy she'd had to muster to hold that beast down...to shroud her group with the protection...<br/><br/><i>There is always a give and take. One cannot receive power without giving it energy.</i><br/><br/>The shot in front of her was gone in a second. When it was refilled, she took a moment longer to take it but then downed it like medicine. Her aching muscles cried out for the warm water of the hot tub, so when<span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(209, 72, 65)">Rhen</span>whispered about it in her ear, Celeste smiled. "Yes, I think that's a wonderful idea..."<br/><br/>Carefully, she got up and went outside to get it started. She took a moment to get changed into a swimsuit and with more skin showing than before, it was clear the bruises that formed over her body, but the way the veins in her arm darkened like ink was the only sign now of how she exhausted her powers.<br/><br/>Coming back into the room, she took a moment to look at her part.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(251, 160, 38)">Christopher</span>was...drinking? She tilted her head curiously but smiled at him for a moment. "I bet that'll help..." She nodded. "Go get in the hot tub. Trust me, it'll settle some of that ache..." She touched his shoulder lightly, squeezing it. Christopher was her mentee - she was responsible for teaching him and helping him. It had been her that made the decision to take him under her wing and she wasn't going to let him down.<br/><br/>Her eyes found<span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(32, 178, 170)">Rivers</span>and for a moment, she leaned against the counter to look at him. "I know this wasn't what you were expecting when you came here. I am glad that you decided to come to find me. If you hadn't...Well, I think it's possible that manticore was looking for you. I'm not sure why, but it's not unusual for our kind to be targeted. I'm just happy you were here with us for it. We're stronger in a group..." Celeste reached out and touched his wrist lightly, offering up a small smile. "I do hope you plan to stay..."<br/><br/>Celeste paused and looked over her shoulder to where Nadia and Rhen were huddled. Glancing back to the boys, Celeste offered one more smile. "Eat up...there's spare swim trunks in the mudroom there." She nodded to the door before she went over to stand beside Rhen's side. One look at Nadia told her something was up. "Come on you two...let's talk..."<br/><br/>She led them away from the kitchen and up the stairs. The boys would be ready and in the hot tub by the time they would finish their conversation, or so Celeste hoped. (She really didn't want to spend an hour talking anymore tonight, but it seemed important. "What's going on,<span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(136, 80, 213)">Nadia</span>?"