Evelina's POV
Idris didn't wait for anyone in that courtyard to say anything else.
"Ren." He crouched down slightly, catching the boy's attention before the silence could stretch any further. "You still want to meet those dogs?"
Ren's head came up fast. "Now?"
"Now."
That was all it took. Ren forgot the old woman, forgot the staring, forgot whatever had just happened entirely, and grabbed my hand to pull me forward like he was the one leading the tour now.
I let Idris walk us out of there without asking a single question about what had just been said.
I'd read rooms like that one for seven years, watched Alphas twice Malik's age try to hide what they actually wanted behind a calm face and a slow voice. Idris wasn't hiding what he wanted. He wanted us gone before anyone in that court
