Aven made it clear he already knew about Tess—more than she was comfortable with.
Though she would have preferred a warmer introduction, something less damning than The Doomed One.
Silence pressed between them like a weight.
Tess folded her arms, forcing herself not to fidget beneath his gaze. Finally, she broke it:
"And you are?"
The man inclined his head with a faint, almost mocking courtesy. "Beth-Aven, or just Aven is fine. I know you've probably heard a lot about me… There's not much for me to introduce, I suppose."
Tess blinked, trying to recall the name. Beth-Aven?? No way. She was sure she would have remembered a name like that. Something so strange and heavy-sounding couldn't have escaped her memory. Squinting at him, she asked, "Are you a Primus worker or something?"
Aven stopped walking. His eyes sharpened, locking on hers with unsettling intensity.
"They've never mentioned my name… not once?"
She shook her head. "…Who are they supposed to be?"
