You know that because you were following me.
“Must be why you’ve been ignoring my calls again,” he drawled, gaze going over his shoulder. “I also heard a little birdie landed yesterday.”
He pressed his palm to the door and Teddy felt the force through the action though it appeared for all appearances, casual.
Stepping back, he allowed it to swing open, catching a quick glimpse of a worried Trace and Saint at the end of the hall.
Kellan began stepping around the room, examining it for any hint of Wren while he talked. “I’m disappointed you didn’t call as soon as he arrived. Or that you took another visit over there even though you probably thought no one would find out. Nexus likes to know where its cursebreakers are, Damir. Did you clear the collaboration through proper channels?”
“There wasn’t time.” Teddy tried to sound confident. “We went through PUMA but the paperwork might not have been filed through Slatehollow yet. You can phone Cyrus. He’s head of things there.”
It was a half-truth mixed with a lie.
“How convenient.”
Teddy’s heart was in his throat as Kellan approached his desk, knowing there would be no hiding anything if he glanced inside a single one of his journals.
“Is there a reason why you’re in my room?” Teddy demanded.
“Call it sating curiosity,” Kellan said, stopping just short of the desk. “Where is the bird right now?”
“Probably in our guest room.”
Kellan narrowed his eyes. “Which was quite empty. It hardly looked like it had been touched at all actually, when I just passed.”
“Wren never liked being kept inside.”
“Yes…” Kellan said. “You would remember that, wouldn’t you?”
Teddy looked away, cheeks flushing as Kellan continued to touch this and that with no regard for personal property.
“I hope he’s not up to the same tricks. Flight-risk cursebreakers don’t do so well in the long run. Short shelf lives,” he mused as he ran his fingers across Teddy’s bookcase.
Teddy felt righteous anger immediately take over his body as he stepped forward. “He’s the best you have at his job! His stats speak for themselves.”
Kellan stopped with his finger on a spine of a book, tapping it once before looking back over his shoulder. He smiled. Pleasant. Unassuming. “And how would you know that? Did you look them up, by any chance?”
Teddy’s stomach plummeted. He’d given something away and now Kellan was biting down. Hard.
Kellan strode over to him with sure clicks of his loafers, one hand in his pocket. Teddy schooled his face not to show the fear as Kellan leaned in. “I think you’ve forgotten some of our lessons, Damir. Maybe a reminder is in order?”
“What the hell are you doing?!” Wren growled from the doorway.
Kellan’s victorious grin filled his vision and he leaned closer into Teddy’s ear. “Or shall I teach him, finally?”
Teddy’s whole body viscerally reacted, his own fear superseded by his need to protect Wren. Always. Forever.
“Don’t…” he whispered.
Kellan pulled back. “No?”
“Get away from him!” Wren yelled, storming into the room through the door.
Kellan glanced over and Teddy stepped between them instantly, his instincts unsticking him from the floor. He warded a hand behind his back as he locked eyes with Kellan. “No,” he said. Firmly.
Kellan seemed amused by his display of bravado. Or maybe he was still mocking him. He viewed Teddy’s soft heart as something fun to poke at. Something amusing to play with.
That hadn’t changed.
