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“Were?”

“Still are, I suppose.”

He set his glass down, his finger tapping on the table. He didn’t have bands on his wrists. The Sources had been allowed to take their assessments earlier in the day. Of course, they’d all passed and were free of the restraints. Only Tessa still had to wear them, which Jasper and Maxson had been sure to discuss loudly upon seeing her.

“Do you get to see him often?” Tessa asked.

Gatlan shrugged, shifting in his chair. “We saw each other every day before he was moved to the Celeste Estate,” he answered bitterly. “We both have other responsibilities now, and he has Lange.”

“Corbin isn’t the kind of person to toss aside a friend simply because he’s involved with someone romantically,” Tessa cut in.

Gatlan eyed her, his finger tapping again. “He said you were friends.”

“We are. One of the few I had at the Estate.”

His brow arched. “You only met him a short time ago.”

“Yes, well, this might come as a shock to you.” She leaned in as if she were going to tell him some great secret, lowering her voice, and Gatlan leaned closer too. “But I tend to be rather impulsive so people like Jasper have something to talk about.”

Gatlan snickered, swiping up his drink again. “Things are certainly more interesting when you’re around. I’ll give you that much. Being seated next to you at these events won’t be so bad, even if only for a time.”

Tessa frowned. That was a weird caveat, but before she could ask about it, servers appeared, removing plates and cleaning the table. Were they seriously not getting dessert?

She turned to Eviana to find the female already standing, her hands clasped loosely in front of her. How did she get her mask to stay in place? It hadn’t moved once, and Tessa was constantly readjusting hers. Or maybe that was just because she was constantly fiddling with the thing.

Tessa stood, standing beside her. “What are we doing?”

“They will move tables to make the space bigger for the Legacy and to set up an array of snacks for them to enjoy throughout the night,” Eviana explained, moving towards one side of the room.

“And what will we do?”

Eviana looked over at her, turquoise eyes emotionless as always. “We stay with the other Sources, within reach of our Masters.”

It was a pointed statement, and Tessa could hear the underlying warning. Eviana said nothing else as she veeredleft to where Hollis and the other Lords’ and Ladies’ Sources gathered. Which meant she was spending the evening with the heirs’ Sources.

Which was just fucking great.

With a harsh sigh, she made her way over to what was apparently her group of people. Her heels clicked with each step. She’d started counting the minutes until she could take them off the moment she’d slipped them on. Katya had helped her with her hair, the female wearing a dark orange dress and mask that were stunning against her complexion. Tessa could tell she’d felt flustered, the dress far more extravagant than anything she’d likely worn. But she hadn’t complained once, making quiet small talk as she’d helped Tessa curl and pin her hair.

It had been…nice.

Tessa slipped in between Sasha and Gatlan. Without a word, Gatlan offered her his drink again. It was nearly gone now, but Tessa didn’t care, taking the glass and swallowing the last of it.

“We were just talking about you,” Maxson said with a smirk.

She was going to need another drink for this.

“I know you have a little crush on me, Max, but you’re starting to sound a little desperate. It’s sad really,” she simpered, handing the empty glass off to a passing server.

Maxson scoffed, lifting a hand where a small funnel of wind swirled at his fingertips. “The only thing I’m desperate for when it comes to you is for them to figure out what to do with you. I’m sure yourMasteris eager for that too. Then he can Select a real Source and everyone can move on.”

Tessa nodded mockingly. “I know you were at that hearing, but I see Lealla didn’t explain it clearly enough for you to understand. I’ll see if I can simplify it.”

“We were not talking about Tessa,” Sasha cut in before things could escalate. “We were discussing the next Selection and how Axel will be the only one of age to Select a Source.”

“An Arius Heir. An Arius Source. Both from the same rejected kingdom, so semantics,” Maxson said with a shrug.

“It should be a less eventful Selection Year then,” Gatlan said.