He didn't say anything for a moment.
"Mr. Valez?" Her voice again. Still warm. Still controlled. Waiting with the patience of someone who understood that this call required a moment of adjustment.
"Mrs. Draxen," he said.
"Helena, please." A pause. "I know this is unexpected. I want you to know I'm not calling to cause difficulty. I'm calling because I read the statement and I have some things I'd like to say to you directly, and I thought it was better to do that before whatever happens tonight."
Seren looked at Juno.
Juno was reading his face with the focused attention of someone doing rapid threat assessment.
Seren held up one finger.
Juno sat back.
"How did you get this number," Seren said.
"Caelan." A slight pause. "He doesn't know I'm calling. I asked for your number last week and he gave it to me. He assumed I'd use it to introduce myself at some point and didn't specify when."
"He gave you my number without telling me."
