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“Mhmm,” Tessa murmured, sipping on her orange juice.

“Really?” Luka asked, his tone saying how unlikely he found that. “Because this,” he motioned between Theon and Tessa, “does not seem like something was agreed to and settled.” When Tessa didn’t respond, her eyes dropping to her plate, Luka shifted his gaze back to him. “Theon?”

“What do you want me to say, Luka?” he asked in exasperation, leaning back in his own chair. “She can’t try running again. You know this. We were lucky it wasn’t discovered this time. So yes, new rules and expectations were put into place after the events of yesterday.”

Luka looked back and forth between Theon and Tessa a few more times before picking up his fork and digging into his breakfast without another word. Axel began speaking of a few places he’d like to stop at in Castle Pines, trying to ease the tension as he always did.

Theon watched Tessa from the corner of his eye while conversation took place around her. She silently ate her meal and replied with short, but polite, one-word answers when Axel or Luka spoke to her. They were clearly upset by her sudden reclusiveness. Theon was more than curious as to not only how this day would play out, but also how long she would be able to control herself. His greatest fear was her losing that little thread of control she seemed to have again tonight, and he made a mental note to be sure they were home well before dinner.

When breakfast was done, Luka and Axel went to grab a few things from their rooms before they left for Castle Pines. Theon had been clearing dishes and moving them into the kitchen. Pen would come and see to them while they were away. Now he went to his desk, pulling a small box from the drawer. He returned to the table, sliding his coffee mug out of the way. Tessa was still seated, staring out the bay window across the room and clearly lost to her own thoughts. Her hands were wrapped loosely around her coffee mug, and Theon almost snapped a photo. Unable to help himself, he reached out and brushed his fingers along her arm, and she jolted at the touch.

Her eyes snapped to his in a panic as she blurted, “You startled me. That wasn’t me pulling away from you.”

He frowned. “I didn’t mean to startle you. I have something for you.”

Her shoulders relaxed some, and she glanced down at the table, her brows arching in surprise when she spotted the box. “A phone?”

He nodded, opening the box to take the phone from it. It was the latest phone on the market. He’d had Luka pick it up for him a few days ago, and he’d spent his morning setting it up after his discussion with her.

When he held it out to her, she looked at him in confusion. “I don’t understand.”

He tilted his head at the statement. “You don’t understand what?”

“Why you got me a phone.”

“We leave for the Acropolis in ten days. My responsibilities are about to increase tenfold. There will be rare times, like when you are in trainings for your element, for example, that we are separated. I need a way to contact you, at least until the rest of the Marks are in place,” Theon explained. He held it out for her again, and she tentatively reached for it, immediately setting it down on the table in front of her. “I got a case and screen protector for it,” he added, at her reluctance to hold it. She nodded in acknowledgement.

Theon rubbed at the back of his neck. Why did this feel so…awkward? Most Fae had phones once assigned to their kingdoms.

“Tessa, I’m not really sure why you’re so…” He couldn’t even think of the word to adequately describe how she was acting because he didn’t know. After nearly two weeks, he still could not read her even a little bit. He still knew nothing about her except that she hated socks and could find her way down from several floors above ground.

She didn’t answer him, just stared at the phone. He’d turned it on when he’d taken it from the box, having charged it all morning. He cleared his throat. “Right then. The passcode is your birthday. I figured that’d be the easiest to remember…” He trailed off when she looked up at him.

“It’s a four-digit passcode.”

“Yes. Day and month,” he replied, even more confused now.

Tessa glanced back down at the phone before clearing her own throat. “I do not know the day I was born. Only the month and year,” she stated. Theon sat in stunned silence. “We do not celebrate our individual birthdays at the Estates,” she went on. “All birthdays of a particular month are recognized as one on the first day of that month with cake. So I know my birthday is in the fifth month and what year I was born, but I do not know the day.”

He had to take a moment before he was able to say, “Your birthday is the fifteenth day of the fifth month, Tessa.”

She only nodded before returning her attention to the window.

Theon reached over and unlocked the phone, opening up her contact list. “I already programmed my number, Luka’s, and Axel’s numbers into the phone. We are the only people I want you contacting. There is an enchantment that will send me a message anytime you use it to communicate with anyone other than me or if someone else attempts to contact you. All content is blocked, other than the things I downloaded for you.” Tessa nodded again, not even glancing at the phone. Not knowing what else to do, Theon kept talking. “I expect you to have your phone whenever I am not with you and to answer any time I call or text.”

She nodded.

“I’m going to need verbal acknowledgement here, Tessa.” Mainly because he didn’t know what to do with her. Again.

“I understand the new expectations placed on me,” she said quietly, nudging the phone aside. “I need to use the restroom before we go.”

She looked at him expectantly.

“You do not need my permission to do so, Tessa. Certainly not in our own rooms.”

“Your rooms,” she corrected so quietly he almost didn’t hear her.

He reached over and gripped her chin, drawing her eyes back to his. “I don’t like this, Tessa. I don’t like…” He trailed off when she seemed to stare right through him. “Grab a sweater in case you get cold in town,” he finally said, releasing her chin.