“That and one more thing,” Ada said with a nod.
“Which is?” Tegan asked impatiently.
“We do not know, but it will occur tonight.”
“And you can give us no clues?” Tegan pressed.
“There are no clues, there is only Prophecy,” Ada answered. “And we are not ready.”
“You look beautiful,” Cord said to Tegan as he came and stood beside her. Both of them were facing the room, their backs to the wall. “I don’t recall if I told you earlier.”
“Thank you,” Tegan murmured even though she refused to look at him.
“You’re still angry?” Cord guessed.
“They tell us nothing,” she ground out heatedly as she watched Leonid from across the room, talking quietly with Salem and Marcus. “And that does not look promising,” she added as Cord followed her stare.
“They have a long history,” he said as he sipped his wine. “You resolved your spat with Michael?”
“He is with Sloane.”
Cord looked at her out of the corner of his eye and took another drink, making sure his glass stayed at his lips. “Hasmybrother also upset you?”
“Michael didn’t upset me,” Tegan told him as she turned from the room. “He just does not understand.”
“Would I?” Cord asked cautiously.
Tegan looked at him and then huffed out a laugh. “Actually, you? You probably would.”
Cord nodded. “The gardens are well maintained in this compound. I need some jasmine, would you join me?”
Tegan cocked her head slightly as she looked at him. “You need no powders,” she said suspiciously.
“No, but I do like tea.”
Tegan smiled before she could stop it, and he gave her a wry smile. “Lead the way,” she said.
They walked the quiet corridor in silence. Tegan’s train made a soft rustling sound as they walked, and Cord looked back at it once or twice. “He gave you a literal barrier,” he commented as they walked.
“Salem knows I am not well disciplined in the art of conversation.”
“That was very elegantly put,” Cord jested lightly.
“Sloane said it to me when I was training the Sentinels at your House. I remembered.” A light shrug and she was quiet again.
“He was well when you visited?” Cord asked casually. He did not want to admit that his brother was avoiding him.
“He is focused.”
“On?”
“Defeating your common antagonist,” Tegan replied.
“You have learned tact,” Cord commented as he held the door open for her. “I didn’t think I had been gone that long.”
“I need to watch my words when I am in the presence of your mother,” Tegan said easily before she stopped and turned to look at him. “I may need to learn to do that for others,” she admitted bashfully.
Cord grunted in amusement. “Never curb your words for me.”