Valerian turned a page in his book, pretending not to notice the way Evelyn was still watching him. But the weight of her gaze was impossible to ignore.
"Why so secretive, Cross?" she finally asked, her voice lilting with amusement. "We're partners now. Isn't it only right that we get to know each other?"
He didn't even look up. "I don't trust you enough to tell you anything." His voice was curt, detached. "You're still a witch."
Evelyn chuckled, the sound smooth and knowing. "Really? And here I thought I was the most reliable creature you had right now." She rested her chin in her palm, a grin playing on her lips. "Say what you will about witches, but we don't betray like you humans do."
That made him pause.
His grip on the book tightened slightly as his brow furrowed. There was something in the way she said it—something heavier, laced with an unspoken meaning.