Kieran:
Her surprise hit me first.
It was subtle - the way her brows lifted, the faint widening of her eyes - but through the mate bond, it rang loud and clear. She stared at me as if a piece had finally fallen into place, one she hadn't even realized she'd been holding.
"You are here because of the record book that I wanted?" she asked slowly.
I hummed, confirming her doubt.
She shook her head, disbelief giving way to something softer. "I was just telling you yesterday how badly I wanted to read it completely," she murmured. "How I won't be able to finish it before my work here ends." Her voice dipped. "And now you are… here."
For a moment, she looked touched.
And then... there it was.
Her eyes narrowed, lips pressing into a thin line as she crossed her arms. "Wait. Did you seriously come to the headquarters and pull rank just to get that book for me?"
Ah.
I knew that look. Evaline didn't like favors that leaned too heavily on power. Especially when that power wasn't hers.
