Ava: Steve (II)
Steve taps her pen against her lips as the kid from the reception desk leans in to whisper something in her ear. I can't make out the words, but whatever he says makes Steve's eyebrows shoot up.
She nods slowly, her gaze flicking back to me with renewed intensity.
Shifting uncomfortably in my chair, I glance at Kellan. What I want is reassurance, but instead I notice the tense set of his jaw, the new wrinkles around the corners of his eyes, and a slight tic in his cheek.
It's a subtle tell, but one I recognize. He's on edge.
And that's when it hits me. Kellan may be willing to work with these people, but that doesn't mean he trusts them. It doesn't mean they're on our side.
Who are these strange, unsettling children?
I swallow hard, my mouth gone dry. Kellan's tension is contagious, seeping into my own muscles, coiling them tight.
What's going on, Ava?