Back inside, the room was quiet except for the faint crackle of fire around Adrian's hand and the muffled voices outside.
James stood across from him while forcing his breathing to stay even.
Adrian noticed the fear in James's eyes before smiling because he remembered it from the old days when James used to flinch whenever he approached.
"You know me well enough to know I hate repeating myself," Adrian said while the fire around his hand intensified. "You should also know that if I came here personally, it means I've already done my findings. So I'll ask one more time." He paused while letting the silence stretch. "Where is Derek?"
James said, "I don't know where Derek is. Stop asking stupid questions."
The answer was dangerous, but James refused to lower his head like before when Adrian had made him apologize for existing.
Adrian's expression changed slightly because the old James would never have answered him like that or called anything Adrian did stupid.
