Chapter Twenty Touched by Fire #3
She could feel the weight of the past few hours pressing down on her, the aftermath of her outburst, and the strange closeness that had developed between her and Nox.
It was more than just the fire—more than just the shared vulnerability.
There was something shifting, something that she didn't want to face.
"You're quiet today, Adan," Ren remarked softly, his voice warm, like he could see right through her guarded demeanour. His smile was easy, a comfort she hadn't known she needed, and yet, it made her stomach twist in discomfort.
"I'm just... tired," she lied, but the smile she gave him didn't quite reach her eyes. "I didn't sleep much."
Thammas, ever observant, glanced between her and Ren, his brow furrowed just enough to indicate that he knew there was more she wasn't saying. But he didn't press her. Instead, he nodded and took a seat beside Ren, starting onto his plate.
She dug into her breakfast as Thammas's gaze flicked to her now and then, but his thoughts remained unreadable. Adan shifted uncomfortably under his watchful eyes. The thought of shoving her blood sausage down his throat had her eyes gleaming, and a small smirk bloomed on her face.
Aster stumbled in, still bleary-eyed, his dark red hair a dishevelled mess. He acknowledged no one as he headed straight for the coffee on the counter.
"What do you all do when you're not guarding this safe house?" Adan asked, attempting to make polite conversation.
"What do you do when you're not killing at the king's behest?" Theo sneered. Adan white knuckled her fork and thought about sinking it into her eye.
"Gods, Theo, you can be such a bitch." Ren half-heartedly chided her, but there was mirth in his tone.
She only gave him a feral grin in response.
Ren slid his golden eyes back to Adan and clarified.
"You already know what Thammas does. Theo, Aster and I work for Lennox, in whatever capacity that means--whatever he needs."
"So basically, you're his goons that he bosses around?" Adan looked up from her plate as she shovelled eggs into her open mouth.
Aster, his voice like dark wind, "you make it sound like were nothing more than mindless brutes." He dropped to the spot beside Adan, his wide shoulders taking up most of the space between them.
"At least Lennox doesn't order us to go around mindlessly killing." Theo offered up. Her violet eyes glaring at Adan with ferocity.
Adan closed her eyes, searching for any remaining patience for the irritating incubus. Adan refused to apologize for the choices she made to keep herself alive. Even if those choices meant that plenty of people had to die so that she could sit here.
"Cut it out, Theo." Thammas interjected.
Adan was shocked at the oldest Harkness brother coming to her aid. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise as Thammas's words cut through the tension in the room. She hadn't expected him to step in, especially not when Theo was so clearly itching for a fight.
"Why do I have to edit myself?" Theodora's anger grew with the rising level of her voice. Adan wanted nothing more than to disappear, she made a living at falling into the shadows. The bright morning sun against the white clean kitchen made that impossible.
"You have two choices." Thammas waved his fork at the short white haired incubus. "One, you grow the fuck up. Or two, you leave." He stabbed his fork into his potatoes, and stuffed them into his mouth. "You should know that if you leave, then you'll be assigned to the Pits."
Adan had fought in the Pits before, but had never seen Theo there. Not as a guard or a fighter. Adan smirked faintly at the thought of the two of them, alone, in those concrete fighting holes.
"Nox wouldn't agree to it." Theo was standing now, her palms placed on the wooden table. Adan's eyes slid to Thammas's at the challenge in her voice, wisely staying quiet.
Let the two of them hash it out. This was their business--Shadow House business.
"I see you have chosen door number two, Theodora." Thammas did not even glance up from his plate. He waved a hand towards the exit. "I'll inform Whitaker of your imminent arrival." His voice, almost like a calm breeze brushing over heated air.
Aster and Ren watched the interaction between their cabal just as critically and silently as Adan.
Theo straightened at Thammas's words, she could not hide the shock from her face. Adan had expected Theo to dig in her heels, but he was their lords second, his word was as good as Nox's.
Adan felt the heat of Theo's glare, she locked eyes with her. There was an unspoken challenge in there, one that Adan could not—would never back down from. It was in her blood, her very being.
Adan raised one brow exceptionally slowly as the two of them were locked glaring at each other. Adan tilted her head slightly and let the sides of her mouth curl upwards.
Adan would eviscerate the tiny incubus off the map, and Theo had to know that.
"Theo!" Thammas left no room for arguing in his tone. She moved quickly after that, without hiding her displeasure as she stomped her feet and slammed the door. Once she was officially out of the safe house, Thammas sighed. "She has been looking for a fight, don't take it personally."