Chapter 10
Teddy
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Teddy distantly heard Trace’s heavy steps heading down the stairs to get it, relieving Teddy’s sense of duty.
He smiled at Wren and gestured to the towels. “You can take whatever you like.”
“Is that a swan?”
Teddy’s cheeks burned. “Sometimes I get bored on laundry duty.”
He definitely didn’t have an obsession with birds or anything.
Another set of knocks made Teddy frown, glancing over his shoulder. “Give me a sec.”
He padded over to his doorway, edging out into the hall and looking down over the banister at where Trace had stopped. “Trace, what—”
The words evaporated from his mouth when he caught sight of the familiar shadow through the frosted glass that Trace had yet to let in.
He stepped back on instinct, all the way to his bedroom door to close and lock it.
“Teddy?” Wren asked, tensing up as if tasting the fear in the air. “What’s wrong? Who’s knocking?”
“Kellan.”
“He’s still around you?” Wren gasped.
Teddy took Wren by the shoulders. “Wren, there isn’t time to explain. He can’t know. Last time he found us together you know what happened.”
“I’m here officially. What can he say about that?”
“He won’t care.”
Wren pursed his lips. “I’ll go out the way I came in.”
“What—”
Wren broke from his grip and let out a quick whistle, summoning Sable and Blu as he approached the window and threw it open.
Teddy followed. “It’s a steep drop.”
Wren raised a brow and smirked. “For me or you?”
Steps began to thunder up the stairs, Saint crying out loudly and dramatically. “Oh no, I tripped! What a tragedy. Give me TEN SECONDS to get up.”
Wren rolled his eyes, sending Sable out, then Blu, before climbing over himself. Teddy wanted to rush to the window, but in the next second there was pounding on his door.
Teddy walked back over, sweat already beading down his back as he unlocked and opened it, coming face-to-face with Kellan.
“Slept in?” he asked casually.
“It was a long night.”
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.
“Wujia,” Kellan greeted Wren, arching his head around Teddy’s body. “It’s been a while.”
Teddy felt Wren flinch at his back as the unfamiliar name passed Kellan’s lips.
Teddy had seen it in his file, but he had no idea what it meant.
He knew Wren had chosen his own name for himself, he had spent the time Teddy had known him at Nexus refusing to pick one and refusing to take any offered, so he knew Nexus had had no hand in it.
This one though… Nexus must have assigned one once he’d graduated without his consent.
Teddy set his jaw. “That’s not his name.”
“It’s written on his file.”
“I don’t want your name just like I didn’t want your number,” Wren growled, rounding Teddy’s side to stand shoulder to shoulder.
“The cursebreaker numbering system is only until you pick a name.” Kellan said reasonably. “It’s entirely your choice.”
“Sure it is. It’s not at all treating us like cattle.”
“So fiery still.” Kellan smirked. “I see your free spirit isn’t the least bit broken.”
The implication that he hoped it might be didn’t pass by Teddy.
“Let’s take this downstairs. I assume you’re not just here to confirm Wren arrived? I’m sure you have much more important things to be doing.”
He knew he was, but he wanted to needle Kellan into some form of professionalism, knowing Nexus’s approval was the only thing that really seemed to matter to him.
Kellan’s eye twitched. “This case. I want a debrief.”
Teddy hadn’t expected that.
Kellan walked out of the door. “Somewhere more comfortable, perhaps? Without the eavesdropping.”
Teddy heard footsteps hurrying away as Kellan rounded the corner without them.
“Are you okay?” Teddy whispered.
“Me? Why is he still around?” Wren demanded, blue eyes searching his.
“He’s assigned to the Arcstead area.”
Wren looked horrified. “So he’s been here with you all this time?”
Teddy nodded before glancing to the door. “We have to go. He doesn’t like to wait.”
Wren clenched his jaw, looking like he had a thousand more questions and complaints but nodded. They followed behind Kellan, seeing him propped up against the stair railing.
“Oh, I don’t know. I think I’m pretty patient,” Kellan drawled.
Teddy startled, then spotted the device attached to Kellan’s ear. It was old and brass looking, like an ancient listening device, but glowing with magical energy.
He had been listening in.
Teddy’s mind spiraled, running over every word they had spoken and trying to remember if any had been incriminating.
“Aren’t artifacts like that supposed to be archived?” Wren said.
“There are exceptions.” Kellan smiled, pocketing it. “Shall we? Teddy can lead the way.”
Teddy licked over his teeth before doing as told, knowing it would be worse if he kicked or screamed or challenged the beast.
Wren followed close on his heels, throwing suspicious glances over his shoulder and refusing to fully put his back to Kellan for fear he would strike.
There was a little used room that had been a dining room once upon a time and now held a multitude of hobbies and no table. There were also three large windows and two exit doors.
Kellan immediately took the only seat in the room. It was a huge, worn leather armchair that fit Trace’s bulk snugly, his box of yarn made out of an empty lemon crate propped next to it.
The chair didn’t swallow Kellan though; he had far too much presence for that. Instead he crossed his legs and sat upon it like a throne while his subjects stood before him.
“The case—” he began.
“Has nothing to do with you.” Wren cut him off.
Kellan gave a placid smile. “Everything a cursebreaker does is Nexus business. I thought you’d already learned that.”
Teddy swallowed past his dry mouth. “Why this case specifically? Why not wait for the report?”
“I have my reasons.”
“So we have to tell you everything and you tell us nothing. Sounds like Nexus,” Wren spat.
“Why aren’t you asking Saint if you want to know about the case?” Teddy said, trying to pull his focus. “It’s his, not mine.”
“Yet you’re involved. Why is that?” Kellan needled.
“I’m helping out in my free time. None of my cases or workflow have been affected.”
“How exemplary. You always were a good boy.”
Teddy flinched viscerally and Wren noticed.
Kellan pushed up from his chair in a graceful move. “The Worthinghams. You think they’re involved in this? Is that why you were visiting their country club the other day?”
“We’re considering all options. We have no concrete leads so far, just a lot of individual cases with only the drug connecting them,” Teddy said honestly.