Rachel rolled her eyes. “That’s some ward you got up. Having some trouble?”
I crossed my arms over my chest and watched her. “I don’t know. Am I?”
I didn’t like the way she was looking at me. People who weren’t naturally friendly had trouble faking it. Rachel wassmiling at me, but she was using too many teeth, and the expression didn’t reach her eyes.
When she didn’t answer, I nodded. “Does Caelan know you’re here?”
“Why would he care if I was here? I’m new in town. Maybe I want a friend.”
“Do you always try to break the wards of your friends?”
She gasped. “I’m not trying to break your wards! I’ve never seen any quite like this, so I was curious about them. My father is always interested in ward work.”
I stayed silent and watchful. When I didn’t respond, Rachel sighed and leaned against the hood of her car. “You aren’t very nice, you know.”
“You don’t know me, and you haven’t been very nice to me. Now you’re on my property, and I caught you messing with my wards. Tell me what you want and leave.”
A sheen of color rolled over Rachel’s irises. “You’ve got a sharp tongue for someone who has no claws.”
I almost laughed. Claws were in plentiful supply on this property, but I wouldn’t show them unless she forced my hand. “Do I need claws this evening? If you’re here to make a friend, you’re doing a poor job at convincing me.”
“So suspicious.” Rachel rolled her eyes and pushed off her vehicle. She walked toward me stopping a couple of feet away. “I’m having a party at the Keep and wanted to invite you.”
“Caelan would have told me. There was no need for you to come by. A phone call would have sufficed if he didn’t have time to message me.”
Rachel smiled. “I’m afraid he is quite busy.”
The way she said it meant to wound, but I wasn’t in the mood for games. “Yes, he is,” I agreed. “Being a Shifter Lord requires devotion and time. He can’t afford distractions right now.”
“Very true,” Rachel agreed. “Which is the other reason I’m here.”
Oh, this should be good. “You’re leaving?” I asked. “Not surprising. Caelan has very little time for company these days.”
Her eyes flashed with fury. “I’m not going anywhere,” she seethed.
“I don’t think it’s up to you.”
A familiar ping on the ward announced Rowan’s presence at the back of my property. There was no use signaling for him to stay where he was. He would have heard our voices by now, and the man could rarely resist poking his nose into everyone’s business.
He came around the side of the house quiet as a cat. I kept my eyes on Rachel.
“Caelan rarely gets caught up with gutter trash like you, but every once in a while, he lets his guard slip. Not surprised someone like you took advantage of his vulnerability.”
A golden sheen rolled over Rowan’s eyes at the words. He crept closer and closer.
“Gutter trash?” I snorted. “That’s not even worth responding to. If you think Caelan is vulnerable, you haven’t learned a single thing during your time apart.”
I sighed and shoved my hands in my jacket pockets. “I don’t have time to fight with you. There is no fight. I don’t care if you like me or not. I don’t care if you want to rip my throat out. I don’t even care if you want Caelan for your own. I’m too tired to get down in the mud you’re rolling in, and I’m certainly not in the mood to get dirty.”
I opened myself to my power and felt the earth respond. Vines snaked from the ground and wrapped themself around my calves, twining up my thighs. A phantom wind blew my hair away from my face, and a crimson sheen rolled over my irises. “Leave now before I get annoyed.”
Rachel’s eyes widened. She took a step back and bumped right into Rowan’s broad chest. She squeaked and spun around, her eyes widening when she saw who stood behind her.
“Rachel, I presume.” Rowan tilted his head, his golden eyes casting a sheen over her pale skin. “Your Lord won’t take kindly to your behavior this evening.”
The shifter stood frozen, her mouth working as she scrambled to find some excuse for her behavior. An annoying thread of empathy filled me, but as I was about to say something, Rowan shot me an amused look as if he knew what I was about to do.
“If I were you, I’d listen to Evie’s warning. I’m not the one you should be afraid of.”
