Rowan
Each time I thought I had Soren figured out, something new came up to throw me off balance. His past was just a tangle of pain and while I admired how he'd clawed his way through it all, it was impossible not to feel frustrated at the world that had forced him to.
Right now, though, my anger wasn't directed at Soren. It burned for Ivan. He thought it was acceptable to manipulate a boy, a scared child for his games? To lure Soren into a trap using innocence as bait?
I stared at the floor, chewing over my thoughts, when a tap on my shoulder brought me back to reality. Soren stood beside me, his piercing gaze narrowing.
"Are you even listening to me?" he asked.
I nodded, forcing my emotions under control. "Yeah, I'm listening."
He sighed, "I had a talk with the boy. It looks like we'll let him go."
I couldn't suppress a flicker of satisfaction. "Good. I think letting him go was the right call."