“I… don’t know what to say,” my voice comes out in a near whisper, breathless.
“You don’t have to say anything more,” he says in a low, even voice.
“I think you’re risking a lot more trusting me. An elf.”
He shrugs, letting silence fall between us again.
“So…” I say, then clear my voice. I’m still completely thrown off. “Rhydra?”
He pulls his lips tight, nodding and avoiding my eyes now. “Yeah… I’m assuming she comes along with him.”
“Probably,” I mutter. The liquid in my cup is suddenly incredibly interesting.
Daegan clears his throat, then rises from his seat. “Well, if there’s nothing else to discuss, I probably shouldn’t stay too long…”
I mirror him, and we stand facing each other across the short table, the silence heavy between us.
Then a knock cuts through the silence, making me jump. Even Daegan flinches. We both look toward the door.
I find a way to make my legs work, pulling it open slowly, expecting Meela, Raef, or both.
I don’t expect Adrian to be standing in my doorway.
“Adrian, what are you doing?”
“I heard you were at Meela’s little party,” he says. When he looks up to meet my gaze I realize he looks kind of hopeless, kind of lost. Did I do this to him? “But then I did a quick scan, and you were nowhere to be found.”
“Yeah… I left.”
“Can we talk?” he asks quietly, looking at me with pleading eyes. “I feel like you’ve been avoiding me for some reason.”
“Now isn’t a good time…”
The moment his eyes shift from soft to burning rage as he looks behind me feels like an eternity. It’s like a fire orb being lit from within.
“Are you serious?” He looks at me, and I see the hurt mixed with the rage.
“No. It’s not—” I stop myself. I don’t know what it’s not. Or what it is. Because if I’m honest with myself, I am feeling a lot of things for the person behind me that I shouldn’t.
He shakes his head at me, waiting for more, and when I don’t give it, he storms off down the hallway.
I don’t follow him. I shut my door gently, then I stand facing it with my back to Daegan for a moment, stalling. Unsure what to say.
When I finally turn around, Daegan is only a few steps in front of me. He studies me, unmoving.
“Sorry about that. He’s…” I shrug. “I don’t know.”
And then Daegan shocks me with his bluntness. “Is there something between you and him?”
I take a deep breath, then release it. “I don’t think so,” I answer honestly, avoiding his eyes.
“Well, I was about to leave before we were rudely interrupted…” Daegan says dryly.
I smirk and let out a small laugh, finally meeting his eyes again.
Big mistake. My heart skips, and I’m frozen in place.
“I’ll see you in the morning,” he says. Then he walks around me.
