Page 35 of Elven Crown

“Come on,Kilda’ari,” he said through a laugh. “Don’t pretend you haven’t heard me calling for you this whole time.”

Actively keeping her hands open so she wouldn’t clench them into fists and punch the Blackmoon Elf in the face, Rebeccaturned around to face him, steeling her thoughts and emotions beneath a mask of apathetic superiority—the same way she’d been holding everyone else in her multitude of lives over the centuries at bay.

It was so much harder with Rowan.

She looked him up and down, blinked as if she still had no idea who he was, and tilted her head. “If you want to get someone’s attention, addressing them correctly is usually the best way to start.”

Rowan barked out a laugh, his grin growing while Maxwell’s returned glower centered exclusively on the elf man.

“All right, fine,” Rowan said, lifting both hands in concession without bothering to veil the mockery behind it. “Does Rebecca still work,? Or is there—”

“It’s Thon-Da’al to you,” Maxwell cut in, his warning growl laced through the undertone of his words.

Rowan’s hazel eyes flickered toward the shifter. “Wellthat’sdifferent…”

Rebecca didn’t have the energy or the patience to argue with or try to correct either of them. She could barely keep it together just standing here with both of them at the same time. One wrong move, though, and she might blow.

Still, she was more than willing to let Maxwell fulfill his role on her behalf. If her Head of Security could get rid of Rowan and keep him from constantly chasing her down, she wouldn’t be forced into a conversation she really didn’t want to confront.

“Congratulations, Blackmoon,” she said instead, the perfect way to both acknowledge his victory and dismiss him. “We’ll get you into your own living quarters later today. Maxwell will handle setting everything up.”

Before either of them could drag her or into any further conversation, she nodded at Maxwell one final time. “I’ll be in my office.”

He returned the nod and said nothing. Given the current circumstances, she appreciated it far more than usual.

Then she silently excused herself in as callous a way as possible without becoming overly suspicious. That was her only remaining move, for now.

Rowan had to know she was serious about her position in Shade, and Maxwell had to believe nothing more existed between her and Rowan than the fact that they were of the same race.

Letting either of them discuss those topics any further was an exercise in sticking her foot in her mouth. So Rebecca turned toward the branching hallway and took her leave.

Or tried to, anyway.

“Wait just a minute,” Rowan snapped, leaping after her and closing his hand around her upper arm. “You can’t leave yet,Kilda’ari. I still need—”

Maxwell’s furious snarl cut him off, and Rowan instantly released Rebecca’s arm.

When she turned around to let him have it for putting his hands on her, no matter where they were, Maxwell was already on it.

He loomed over Rowan, growling while his silver eyes strobed with warning light. “Not a smart move.”

Rebecca opened her mouth to tell them both they needed to get a hold of themselves but didn’t get the chance.

Maxwell had already stepped in front of her, placing himself between her and Rowan and further shielding her when he lifted an arm to stop her from moving forward again. As if he thought that would shield her from everything else he didn’t want to touch her.

Rowan scoffed. “What in the Blue Hells do you think you’re doing?”

“My job.” Maxwell didn’t approach any further for a standoff, but somehow, he managed an air of impending danger and threat without physically moving closer. They were around the same height anyway, which Rebecca only now noticed for the first time.

“Just because you made it through The Striving doesn’t give you access to whatever you want,” Maxwell snarled.

“You mean the accessyouseem to have?” Rowan quipped. “Let me tell you something, shifter. Whatever you think you have, I can promise you it’s not enough to fall back on.”

Those words tore Rebecca’s gaze away from the edge of Maxwell’s arm extended in front of her torso—presumably to keep her safely tucked behind it—because it sounded too much like Rowan was about to reveal more secrets during this pointless pissing contest.

Secrets that weren’t his to reveal.

“You keep your hands to yourself, elf,” Maxwell growled. “You get one warning before I start ripping them off.”

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