Page 130 of Rain of Shadows and Endings

“Perhaps,” he replied. “But we could talk. That’s what phones are for, you know.”

She laughed lightly. “This is rather embarrassing, but I just got a new phone and number, and I don’t have it memorized,” she admitted. “So you’ll have to give me yours, and I’ll text you from mine.”

“I feel like you’re giving me an excuse to not have to give me your number.”

“I swear I’m not,” she insisted, giving him a light shove in the shoulder. “I really don’t know the phone number. I could make one up if you prefer?”

He barked a laugh, producing a business card from somewhere and handing it to her.

She couldn’t read it in the dark, but she tucked it into the waistband of her leggings. They sat in silence for a few moments, then she asked, “What kind of business are you in Rockmoor for?”

“I’m on the board of a rather large company,” Tristyn answered, reaching for another lull-leaf smoke from his jacket she was still wearing.

“As a mortal?” Then she realized how rude that was and quickly added, “Not that— Sorry.”

“While admirable that you would apologize to a mortal, there is no need,” Tristyn replied, lighting the lull-leaf and extending it to her.

“Do you get to go home after you’re done in Rockmoor?” she asked, quickly changing the subject.

“I’ll be going to the Acropolis, actually.”

“No shit?” Tessa took a drag and exhaled. “I’ll be leaving for the Acropolis in a few days.”

“Really?” There was a heightened interest in his tone. He took the lull-leaf back. “How old are you anyway?”

A burst of laughter escaped her. “You’ve been drinking with me for the last hour. It’s a little late to be concerned with age issues, isn’t it?”

Tristyn chuckled under his breath. “I’m not worried about that at all.”

“I’m twenty-three years. I’ll be twenty-four after the spring equinox,” Tessa answered. “You? You seem young to be on the board of a big company.”

Not to mention he was mortal.

“When you are part of starting the company, they force you to be on the board,” Tristyn replied, glancing at her sidelong.

But before she could reply, she felt the bond jump in anticipation. She’d been ignoring the thing, aided by the agaveheart consumption and the effects of the lull-leaf, but that excitement could only mean one thing: Theon was close. She straightened a little, sucking down a drag from the lull-leaf Tristyn had handed back to her.

“You started the entire company? That’s impressive,” she said, trying to keep her tone casual. Her eyes darted to the hotel doors.

“Depends on who you’re asking,” Tristyn replied.

“I think that’s rather impressive no matter who you’re asking,” Tessa argued, bumping his leg with her own. “What kind of company is it?”

Tristyn was about to reply when he arrived.

She heard the lobby doors fly open.

She heard heavy footfalls on the steps.

She stared straight ahead, taking another toke of the lull-leaf.

He came to a stop a few feet away from her, directly in her line of sight.

It may have been night, but that was definitely darkness pooling around his feet and gathering around his arms. If she could see his eyes, she was certain they would be swirling with that darkness too.

She could feel Tristyn’s eyes on her as she met Theon’s gaze in the dark and puffed out the smoke she’d inhaled.

“What. The fuck. Are you doing?”

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