Rain of Shadows and Endings — Chapter no 28

28

THEON

T essa wouldn’t look at any of them, let alone speak to them. He tried to offer her food or water. So did the others. She just stared out the window. He could have entranced her, he supposed. He could have forced her to move closer to him, to rest against his own body rather than the godsdamn window. He could also feel remorse for what he’d done to her, but he didn’t. That information was necessary and remorse wouldn’t change anything anyway.

He’d needed to know who she’d called and why. And he certainly didn’t regret having her pinned beneath him. Just the thought of his magic raking along her body had him pressing against his jeans, and gods, he was so sick of fucking his own godsdamn hand. He’d told her he wouldn’t force her, but something was going to have to change and soon.

His magic was as drawn to her as he was. It constantly strained beneath his skin, curious tendrils of darkness trying to break through. Always trying to get to her. When it could mingle with her own power? It would call to her magic as the Source bond called to her soul, and he didn’t know what he was going to do if she still resisted.

He readjusted himself at the thought, glancing at her again. Her eyes were closed, and he couldn’t decide if she was truly sleeping. He had watched her sleep the rest of the night after she’d passed out in their bed. Sipping on a glass of whiskey, he’d pondered what he was going to do with her. This couldn’t keep happening. Maybe it’d get better when the other Marks were in place, but he couldn’t wait that long. This needed to be under control.

She needed to be under control.

At least in public.

She feared him to some extent. She knew he was dangerous, knew a monster lurked beneath his skin. He’d tried to keep it from her. He hadn’t wanted her to see it until she was irrevocably devoted to him and him alone. But she was always one extreme or the other.

She was either completely submissive or utterly uncontrollable. And while he knew there were other ways to instill obedience, he also refused to become the kind of monster his father was. Then again, maybe the monster he actually was wasn’t any better than his father in the end. He did know that while her wildness drove him mad, he also craved it in a way he couldn’t explain.

He stole another look at her and found the blanket had slipped down her arm.

Reaching over, he tugged it back up. She hadn’t so much as sighed in the last hour. She had to be asleep.

“What are you going to do now?” Axel asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Obviously what you are doing isn’t working,” he replied, twisting around to look at him.

“I’ve repeatedly told you it wouldn’t work,” Luka chimed in.

Theon pressed his tongue to his cheek, sitting back in his seat once more. “I have a plan.”

“Does it involve us getting blasted across a fucking parking lot again? Because if so, count me out,” Axel said.

“She was clearly in some sort of…distress to make her magic break through like that,”

Theon replied, running his hand through his hair. How had the assessment not produced anything, but him burning the alcohol from her body had? Surely the assessments were worse than that? She’d been bleeding from her nose and ears, for fuck’s sake.

“Right. And what’s your explanation for her eyes?” Axel asked dryly.

Theon had cut him off when he’d tried to bring it up earlier, not wanting Tessa to know

they had noticed.

But they had definitely noticed.

Axel had been reaching to help her up when Theon had come around the vehicle.

Theon could tell she was about to vomit as he’d crouched beside her. Her eyes had connected with his for the briefest of moments before her magic had sent him and Axel flying, highly suggesting the wind and air element as her prior assessments had always predicted.

But there had been flashes of violet in her eyes, much like darkness would swirl in his own. Except this was more like energy flickering. It was as if there was lightning being reflected in her stormy eyes when blasts of power had slammed into them. When Theon had made his way back to her, it had been gone, along with her fight. She was once more resigned and withdrawn.

“It’s not the first time I’ve seen it,” Theon admitted.

“Care to repeat that?” Luka said, casting a quick glare over his shoulder at him.

“It had never been that pronounced,” he said. “It had been quick glimpses in the past. I wasn’t even sure I’d seen it.”

“Seen what exactly,” Luka gritted out. Theon could see his fingers tightening on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white.

“When she’s feeling a lot of emotion, her eyes almost seem to glow a faint violet color.”

“This wasn’t some faint glow,” Axel cut in. “She blasted us clear off our godsdamn

feet, Theon.”

“I am aware.”

Axel turned to Luka. “What are you thinking?”

“That we need to talk to Cienna,” Luka answered grimly.

Axel was already fiddling with the small mirror, and he paused his movements to glance down at the reflective surface. “We can’t exactly summon her.”

“Which is annoying as fuck.”

“She’s in hiding because of you,” Axel retorted.

“There has got to be a better way to communicate than that fucking mirror.”

“This is the only way Father cannot track her down.”

Theon didn’t answer. They’d had this debate several times before. It was pointless to argue about it again. He was on Cienna’s shit list. So was Luka. And that was not a pleasant place to be. She would only communicate with Axel, so he was forced to let his brother handle all correspondence with her. Which is why he was spending more and more time in the Underground lately. There likely was an easier way to communicate with her, but this

was the only option she provided.

“What do we do until then?” Axel asked.

“I’m working on a plan,” Theon said, his focus wandering back to Tessa. “I’m still figuring out the final pieces,” Theon muttered.

“And we will get to know this plan when?” Luka asked flatly.

“When we get home,” he answered, tipping his head back against the seat and closing his eyes.

This would work.

It had to.

When they pulled up at Arius House, he tugged the blanket from Tessa’s body, his fingers grazing her arm.

“Tessa?” he murmured softly, trying to keep his distance. “Tessa, we’re home.”

Her eyes slowly fluttered open and met his briefly before she came fully awake and broke his stare. She sat up, grabbed the door handle, and climbed out without a word. Not even waiting for them to grab the bags, she began walking up the drive to the east wing entrance.

“Go. I’ve got them,” Axel said, watching her go. If their father saw her walking away from them like that, he’d be livid. Theon knew there would be no saving her from that wrath.

He jogged after her, slowing when he fell into step beside her. “You can’t just take off like that, Tessa.”

She said nothing, her eyes resolutely focused on the path ahead of her.

“You can’t stop talking to me either.”

Still nothing.

They continued in silence, but when they reached the door and she brought her hand up to pull it open, Theon leaned casually against it. She slowly slid those stormy eyes to his,

leveling him with an unimpressed stare.

“I have a proposition for you.”

Tessa blinked once, the only sign of acknowledgment she gave.

“I will tell you what it is after you’ve showered,” he continued, and her lips pursed slightly. Her hand still rested on the door handle. Luka and Axel were almost upon them now too.

“We also need to eat,” he said nonchalantly. “Tell me what you’d like, and I’ll order it up so it’ll be waiting for you when you get out of the shower.” She arched her brows as if to say ‘Really?,’ and the accompanying lip curl told him how unlikely she found this to be.

“Anything you want, beautiful,” he coaxed, trying to get her to say one godsdamn word to

him.

Still nothing.

“Tessa,” he growled, unable to keep his frustration buried any longer. Darkness floated from his fingertips, reaching towards her, and she glanced down at it, stepping back from him. He forced himself to breathe deep. In an hour, this would be taken care of. In an hour, she’ll have heard his proposal, and everything will be fine.

He hooked his phone from his jeans pocket, pulling up the text thread with the kitchens. “Cheeseburger and fries it is then,” he said calmly. “Anything I should leave off or add to your burger?”

He saw her press her tongue to her cheek. It wasn’t a word, but at least it was a reaction other than nerves or anger.

“Last chance,” he prompted, his thumb hovering over the send button.

“Bacon on the burger,” she blurted before crossing her arms with a huff.

His lips curled in a half grin. “Will do, little storm,” he said, reaching for the door and pulling it open for her. She didn’t look at him when she strode past and began the trek to their rooms.

He let her walk ahead of him, giving her space as he hung back to walk with Luka and Axel.

“Food?” Axel said doubtfully. “That’s your big plan?”

“No, that’s not the plan,” Theon retorted. “I just wanted her to say something.”

“Because…?” Luka asked.

“Because we have a meeting with my father this afternoon, and I can’t have him picking up on tension between us.”

“Right. That’s why,” Luka said knowingly.

Theon didn’t say anything else. When they reached their rooms, Tessa had stopped outside, waiting for one of them to unlock the wards for her. Ironic, since she could easily pass right through them. She pushed by them all and went straight into the bedroom. Theon followed and heard the shower turn on before he even entered the room. He pushed out a long breath before going through the dressing room to pull out clothing for her. He pulled his shirt off, tossing it into the laundry bin. Then he slipped his shoes off and waited barefoot in the closet for her.

He heard the water shut off some time later, and she paused when she entered the dressing room, a towel wrapped tightly around her. He swallowed thickly, pushing the memories of his mouth on her skin away so he could focus.

“We have a meeting with my father later this afternoon, but I thought you’d want more comfortable clothing for now,” he said with a nod to the jeans and shirt he’d set out for her.

“We?” she asked, tilting her head to the side.

“Yes. We,” he confirmed. “You will be required to attend such meetings with me from here on out.”

“Who else will be there?” she asked, moving towards the clothing.

“Luka. Axel. Some associates.” When she cast him a dry look, he sighed. “Pavil and Metias.”

Her eyes widened, and he took a step towards her. “I will be there the entire time.”

“That is somehow not comforting in the slightest,” she muttered, expertly sliding undergarments on while managing to keep her towel in place.

“I will always keep you safe, Tessa.”

“Forgive me for calling bullshit on that statement based on my experiences these last weeks.”

“Food should be here,” he ground out, pushing down the retort on the tip of his tongue.

He needed her open to hearing him out. He couldn’t afford for her to go back to not speaking to him right now. “Come out to eat after you’ve gotten dressed. And make sure you have pants on.”

Tessa smirked at him as he left the room. Luka and Axel hadn’t changed yet and were sprawled across the sofa. A few minutes later, Tessa emerged and made her way to the table.

They joined her, and Theon let her take a few bites before he cleared his throat. She glanced up at him. “As I said, I have a proposition for you.”

Tessa carefully set her cheeseburger down, wiping her fingers on her napkin before leaning back in her chair, looking at him expectantly.

“I know you do not want this bond. You’ve made it more than clear you will not give into it anytime soon,” he said, and her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “The problem is you’ve already been Selected. There is no undoing that.”

Theon glanced at Axel and Luka across the table. They were watching them closely, obviously curious to hear what he had to say as well. He’d purposely kept them in the dark on this. They were going to be pissed.

“So here is my proposition to you: when we are with others, outside of the people in this room, pretend you have accepted and embraced the bond.”

“Pretend,” she repeated dryly.

“Yes, pretend. When it is just us, when you are alone with me or Luka or Axel, I will require nothing of you,” he continued. “You will be free to do what you wish. Ignore us.

Speak to us. Don’t speak to us. Whatever you like.”

“Let me get this straight,” she replied, pushing her plate back and planting her palms facedown on the table before her. “You want me to pretend that I have become enamored with you. That my world revolves around you. You want me to dote on you, call you Master and pretend I want this so it makes your life easier, and I— What, Theon? I get what from this arrangement?”

“Before I answer that question, I need to clarify something,” Theon answered. “I do not want you to pretend to be enamored with me, Tessa.” Her brows knitted together in confusion, and he pressed on. “I want you to pretend to have accepted this fate. Embraced it. I want you to pretend that we are so in tune with each other that others take notice. I want others to fear what we are, Tessa. I want others to fear you, to fear what they think we will become when the final Mark is bestowed.”

“When you can siphon power off me at will,” she sneered.

“No, beautiful,” he countered, leaning in towards her. “This is what you get out of it. If you pretend, if you are convincing enough, then when I run this kingdom, when my father no longer rules, you will be given an entire wing of this house. You will be protected and cared for, and you will get to decide if and when I get to draw from you.”

“Theon—” Axel started, but Theon held up his hand to silence him.

He knew what this sounded like, but he had thought about this for hours. By the time she got the final Marks, it wouldn’t matter. She’d want this as much as he did.

“If you never want to see my face again when my father is gone, I won’t enter your wing of the house. You will be as free as possible,” he finished.

She was staring at him, and for the millionth time, Theon found himself wishing he could read her emotions.

“Why?” she finally asked. “Why don’t you just force me to submit?”

“Because constantly trying to control you is exhausting, and it obviously isn’t working,” he replied, sitting back in his chair and taking a drink of his water. He picked up a fry, dragging it through some sauce before popping it into his mouth. “But that outcome for you is likely some years away, so allow me to make it worth your while now,” he continued, and Tessa’s eyes widened. “Prove to me you can do this. Prove to me you can be

convincing at this meeting with my father in a few hours, and I will let you call your beloved Dex and speak with him.”

“You’re going to reward me like a hound?” she challenged, her lip curling in disgust.

“No,” he countered, shaking his head. “Be convincing, and we can discuss how things will go from here on out. Give me a little, and I’ll give back.”

“Give and take,” she clarified.

“Exactly,” he confirmed, swiping up another fry and swallowing it down before he leaned towards her. He gripped her chin between his thumb and forefinger. “Let me be very clear, Tessa. I do not want an Eviana. I do not want a pet who follows me around and caters to my every whim. I want someone people fear as much as they fear me. Do we have a bargain?”

Her eyes widened at the formal words. If she agreed to the bargain, they would both bear Bargain Marks. If either of them broke the deal without the other releasing them, there would be unspeakable consequences, some type of curse.

“Theon!” Luka barked, but before he could say another word, Tessa cut him off.

“It’s a bargain,” she said quickly, and he felt a prickling along his torso. He looked down to find a sun and stars along one side of his ribs. He glanced over to find Tessa had her shirt raised with a similar Mark along her torso. She met his gaze once more and swallowed thickly.

He nodded towards her plate. “Finish eating, then you need to get ready.”

She held his gaze a moment longer, suspicion still shining in her stormy eyes, before she pulled her plate back to her and took another bite of her burger. Luka and Axel were staring at him from across the table. Axel looked shocked, and Luka’s shoulders were rigid, his mouth a thin line.

No one spoke for the rest of the meal, and when he’d finished his own burger, Theon pushed back from the table to go shower. He let the hot water run over his body, bracing his hands against the tiled shower wall. This was going to work. It had to. This wasn’t him forcing her into submission. This was her choosing it when it mattered most. This was her meeting him halfway, and in the process, she’d unwittingly feed the bond, little by little until she’d given into it without even realizing it. She’d never want him gone. She’d crave him the way he craved her.

And gods, did he crave her. He couldn’t understand how she was resisting any of this.

Every minute of every day was an exercise in control, and every time he slipped up, it only made him want her more.

When he truly kissed her for the first time atop the dining table.

When he had her beneath him, arguing about running.

When he’d helped her wash after the gardens.

His hand was already wrapped around his length, a groan of frustration slipping from his lips as it grew impossibly harder in his hand with each image.

Holding her in nothing but a robe.

No undergarments under that godsdamn dress.

Caressing her thighs while she stood between his legs in nothing but his shirt.

The tendons in his forearm flexed as he pumped, gripping himself harder. Tighter. The ache in his balls was nothing compared to the agony of not being able to claim her in every possible way day after day.

She had been so fucking mouthy last night, and he hadn’t been lying when he’d told her he wanted his cock down her throat to silence her. Her hand. Her tongue. Her cunt.

He’d settle for anything she’d give him at this point. Anything to not be coming in the godsdamn shower yet again.

His cock throbbed in his hand, precum leaking from the tip and mixing with the water dripping down his flesh. There was no rhythm to his movements anymore, each stroke of his hand harder and more frantic than the last.

Water cascading down her body when she stood from the tub.

Sitting in the middle of the bed this morning, his shirt bunched around her thighs, glaring at him.

The feel of her grinding herself against his thigh.

The moans of need as she gripped his hair.

The feel of his power running over her, searching for her magic, feeling it just out of reach.

But none of that was what had his balls drawing up even tighter, his breathing so fast he was practically gasping.

That was her willingly curling into him, her fingers brushing along his skin.

That was the quiet mornings when she slept on his chest, seeking him out in her sleep.

That was when she said she’d needed him. Because whether or not she wanted to admit it, that hadn’t been a lie.

He slapped his other hand against the tiled wall, water spraying into his face, and a low moan rumbled from deep in his chest as he came, his entire body seizing with release. His cock pulsed in his hand, his abdomen caving in, and he wrung the last of his orgasm from his shaft, squeezing.

“Godsdamnit,” he growled, his brow dropping against the wall as he tried to catch his breath.

So godsdamn tired of fucking his own hand, but the mere thought of finding another female to sate the need made something in his heaving chest twist.

The sound of movement made him straighten, and he found Tessa sitting at the vanity, digging through various drawers for whatever she needed. How long had she been sitting there? Had she watched that entire thing? That thought was enough to make his spent cock

twitch.

Gods-fucking-damnit.

He finished showering quickly, and when he shut the water off, she waited until he had a towel wrapped around his waist before meeting his eyes in the vanity mirror. If she’d witnessed anything, she didn’t let on.

“I feel like there’s a catch,” she said.

“No catch,” he replied, coming up behind her. “This makes sure of that.” He ran his thumb along the sun on her skin, once again unable to resist touching her. When she didn’t reply, he started moving to the dressing room. “I’ll set a dress out for you.”

“Can I pick it out?” she asked in a rush. He paused, looking over his shoulder at her.

“Let me pick it out. If you don’t like it, I’ll change,” she pushed.

“All right,” he conceded. “You have an hour.”

He left her to it and got dressed in black pants and a black button-down shirt. He was rolling the sleeves back as he wandered back to the main room. The staff had come by and

already cleared the lunch dishes. He pulled his laptop from his bag, standing at the kitchen island going through correspondence. There were several from other heirs, and he clicked open one from Tana Aithne, the Anala Heir. He was reading through the email when Luka and Axel returned, the door clicking shut behind them.

“What the fuck were you thinking?” Axel demanded after doing a quick scan of the room and finding Tessa not present.

Theon glanced up from his computer. “I was thinking I need submission and forcing it wasn’t working.”

“You don’t think you should have run this by us first?” Axel asked, making his way over to where Theon stood.

“I wasn’t aware I needed to,” Theon replied slowly, his tone holding a warning.

“Besides, you’re the one who said you wanted it to go back to how it was. This way that can happen.”

Axel turned to Luka. “What do you think of this?”

Luka rubbed the back of his neck. “Actually, I think it’s a good idea.”

Axel was about to argue when the bedroom door opened. They all turned to face it and found Tessa standing there looking like a dark goddess. She wore a long, black lace dress that hugged her hips and had a deep slit up the front of the right thigh. The front dipped low between her breasts and tight sleeves ran the length of her arms. She had blood red rubies around her neck and hanging from her ears, and her golden hair was curled and pinned over one shoulder. Black heels made her a couple inches taller, and when she slowly turned, the open back of the dress made Theon grip the edge of the counter. It stopped just above the swell of her ass, and his fingers itched to run her spine. That would definitely be happening at some point this evening. His release in the shower was, once again, utterly pointless.

She glanced back at him over her shoulder. “Is this sufficient?”

He met her gaze and found her cosmetics as dark as her dress. She had dark color on her eyes and thick liner around them. Her lips matched the rubies at her throat.

“Tessa, you look like darkness itself,” he managed to get out, his voice thick and gravelly.

“How fitting that I am the Source of the Arius Heir then,” she replied, slowly coming towards them. She stopped beside him and reached up to brush a lock of his hair back.

Luka cleared his throat. “We should get going.”

“You know what is required of you to have that phone call?” Theon asked, his eyes roving down the front of her dress again. Always somewhere to be when she was like this.

“I know exactly what I need to do, Theon,” she replied, her hand sliding down the front of his shirt, her fingers brushing along his belt.

And fuck. The way she said his name with that sensual lilt had his hand shooting out when she made to turn away from him. His fingers closed around her wrist, and he tugged her back to him. She peered up at him from beneath long lashes, a slight pout on her full lips.

“I am glad to hear that, beautiful,” he said softly into her ear, and she shivered against him. His lips lifted into a satisfied smile. “But I will be expected to treat you a certain way.”

“You said you didn’t want me to be like Eviana,” she protested.

“I did, but my father will still find a need to punish you if you are too…disobedient,” he continued. “I need you to be careful. Be smart about this and know that how I speak of

you to him is not how I feel about you. Understand that any actions I take are to protect you, not punish you.” She nodded, but doubt flickered in her grey eyes. “Keep your eyes on me. I will warn you if things are going in a direction we do not want to travel.”

“The last time you told me to keep my eyes on you, I ended up kneeling at your feet,” she retorted, and he tugged her into him further, pressing his front to hers.

His tone dropped an octave as he whispered into her ear, “Would it make you feel better to keep your eyes on me while I kneel at your feet later tonight?” She sucked in a sharp breath and tried to move back from him, but he held firm. “Our agreement allows you freedom in the privacy of my company or that of Luka or Axel, but in front of others, appropriate behavior is still required.”

“So that’s the catch?” she breathed.

“No, beautiful, that is just the bargain we agreed to,” he replied. He stepped back from her as he said, “Shall we?”

She stared at him for a moment longer before turning away without a word and making her way over to Axel by the door.

This was already working out better than he’d hoped.

They quickly made their way to one of the lounges in the house, his father’s study too small for the number of people that would be present this afternoon. As they approached, voices carrying from the room indicated Pavil and Metias had already arrived. He felt Tessa stiffen behind him where she was walking with Axel, and he quickly turned to her. He beckoned her forward with two fingers, and she narrowed her eyes but obediently came to him. His hands settling on her hips, he pressed her back against the wall, hearing her breath hitch again at the closeness.

“Keep your eyes on me, and no one else. Do you understand?” She tipped her head back against the wall, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. “They will not touch you.”

She nodded, her eyes still shut tight. “I’m going to need verbal confirmation here, Tessa.

There is no room for error with my father. Can you do this or not?”

She took another deep breath before she opened her eyes and met his own. “Eyes on you,” she whispered.

“Good girl,” he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek before tucking her hand into his and leading her into the meeting room.

All chatter ceased when they entered. Eviana was nestled into a chair near the window, and she sat up straighter, eyeing them curiously. His father’s lip curled up when he saw him holding her hand, and Pavil and Metias smirked, their eyes roaming over her appreciatively.

She stepped closer to him, her other hand coming up and gripping his forearm. He looked down to find her eyes fixed firmly on him, and he smiled darkly at her. “Get me a drink, beautiful,” he said, tracing a finger lightly along her jaw. “You know what I need.”

He saw the shift in her eyes, a dark, cold indifference, as she stepped away from him, her fingers dragging down his forearm. While everyone in the room watched as she made her way to the alcohol cart, he walked to a nearby armchair and sat across from his father.

Tessa poured him a measure of liquor before coming back to him. She perched herself on the arm of his chair before leaning over and lifting the glass to his lips. Unsure of where she was going with this, he met her stormy eyes and held them as he took a swallow.

Then she brought the glass to her own lips and downed the rest before giving him a grin that told the rest of the world to fuck off.

His father cleared his throat. “You let her drink your own whiskey. Does she not yet know her place?” he asked, clearly disgusted by the display.

“Father, I assure you, drinks are not the only thing we share,” he replied, his gaze still fixed on hers. “She knows her place is beneath me, right where she belongs.”

Her eyes flared with a flash of ire, but it was gone just as quickly. “Refill?” she purred softly.

“In a bit,” he answered, and she held the empty glass out to the staff. The Fae glanced around the room, clearly unsure what he should do, before he stepped forward and took it from her.

“The two of you are not alone in this room, Theon,” his father ground out from between his teeth.

“I am well aware,” Theon replied. “If we were, she would certainly not be silent right now.”

She brought her hand to his chest where her finger traced along the collar of his shirt, dragging her nail sharply along his collarbone. Theon smirked at her before finally breaking eye contact to look back at his father. “Let’s get on with this.”

“Tessalyn, I don’t know that you have been introduced to Pavil and Metias,” his father said smoothly, lifting a glass of liquor to his lips.

“Actually, we’ve met briefly,” she replied, glancing dismissively at the two males seated to the right of his father before bringing her eyes back to Theon. “They found me in the gardens when I was walking with one of my Master’s hounds. Unfortunately for them, his wolves are as protective of me as he is.”

The corner of Theon’s lips tilted as the males scowled and shifted in their seats. He chuckled softly under his breath. “Kacela, along with all my hounds, has been trained extensively to protect what is mine.” He reached up and began twirling one of her curls around his finger.

Pavil cleared his throat. “Yes, well, that was all just a misunderstanding. We simply wanted to get to know your Source since we will be working together at the Acropolis.”

“By lying to me about her being summoned?” Axel cut in, his tone low and dark as a Fae handed him a glass of whiskey. He was leaning against the wall near the window, Luka nearby doing the same.

Pavil and Metias shifted again, glancing at his father. Theon pretended not to notice as he gave a sharp tug on the hair wrapped around his finger. Tessa had stiffened slightly when Pavil had spoken about getting to know her better, and she was starting to wring her fingers in her lap. His father would notice that tell in a heartbeat. At the pull of her hair, her eyes snapped back to him.

“It was all a misunderstanding,” his father repeated, his tone making it clear this subject was to be dropped. “There was no harm done. We can move on.”

“Actually, that’s not entirely the case,” Theon replied, snapping his fingers at one of the Fae along the wall. “They stalked my Source through the gardens. They attempted to see her without me present, and they tried to make her believe I had instructed such a thing be done. In turn, she was forced to question my ability to keep her safe, which has caused a trust issue with our bond.”

As he finished speaking, a drink was passed to him by the Fae he’d snapped at, and he smoothly passed it over to Tessa, meeting her stare. “Now I find myself forced to prove to

her I can indeed care for her as she deserves to be cared for.” He brought a single finger up and trailed it down her jaw. “Tell me, beautiful, what will be proof enough for you?”

He lifted his other hand, and a whip of darkness exploded from his palm. It coiled tightly around Metias’s throat. The male’s hands flew to his neck, but there was no way to grab purchase on shadows. Pavil tried to lurch to his feet, but Axel flicked his fingers almost lazily, and darkness of his own had Pavil pinned to his seat.

“Enough of this, Theon,” his father growled, slowly rising from his seat. Eviana was by his side in a matter of seconds, waiting for her next order.

“You wish for me not to defend what is mine?” Theon demanded, pushing to his own feet. “These two touched what belongs to the Arius Kingdom. You expect me not to punish crimes against me? Against us?”

“We were acting on orders,” Pavil cried out in dismay.

A cruel smirk filled Theon’s face as he dragged his eyes back to Pavil. “I do not give a fuck,” he replied, his voice dark and low. He took a step towards him, actively ignoring the blue shade Metias was turning. “I do not care if Arius himself appeared to you and told you to come for her. The moment you laid a fucking finger on her, the second you looked at her without my permission, your life was put in jeopardy.”

“Do it, Eviana,” his father ordered, but before Eviana could lift a hand to cast any type of magic, Luka strolled casually between her and Theon. His pupils had shifted to vertical slits, his sapphire eyes glowing brightly. Smoke flowed from his nose as he exhaled deeply.

Valter’s features contorted with fury. “Stop this, Theon. You have made your point.”

“Have I?” Theon asked as Metias slid from his seat to the floor, his eyes beginning to roll back in his head. He could not kill a Legacy by mere strangulation, but his darkness was doing far more than cutting off air supply as it sank in deep to the male’s soul.

Torturing. Burning. Making him wish for death.

He looked back at Tessa, who, to his absolute delight, was still casually sitting on the arm of his chair, sipping on the whiskey he’d given her. She looked bored out of her godsdamn mind, her eyes fixed on him.

“What do you think, beautiful? Do you think I have made it clear what will happen should anyone other than me touch you again?”

Tessa shrugged her shoulders dismissively, cocking her head to the side. “That one certainly seems to have gotten the message,” she answered, her eyes darting to Metias, who was now still on the floor.

Theon smirked at her, finally releasing his magic from the male’s throat, and turning back to Pavil. Another whip of darkness shot from his hand, wrapping around Pavil’s wrist and snapping it back before anyone could blink.

“In case the message is not clear enough,” Theon said nonchalantly over Pavil’s cry of pain, “if you, or anyone else, ever interferes with the relationship I have with my Source again, your life will instantly be forfeit. If it weren’t for my father, you would be dead. Next time, not even he will be able to save you.”

“Un-understood, m-my Lord,” Pavil stuttered, grasping his broken wrist to his chest.

“I trust you will relay the message when he comes to,” Theon said with a sneer towards Metias’s still form on the ground, veins of black running across his flesh. There would be no healing that.

He turned his back on them, strolling back to where Tessa sat. He leaned in close, his breath dancing over her lips when he spoke so softly, he knew only she could hear him.

“Have I made it clear what will happen to anyone who touches you without my permission?”

The storm in her eyes flashed with defiance before she quickly schooled her features.

“I think your message is crystal clear,” she said with a tight smile.

“And you?” Theon asked, pulling back a fraction. “Do you find your faith in me renewed?”

Her smile turned coy. “I trust you as much as I ever have, Master.”

His eyes narrowed, but he took his seat, taking the drink from Tessa’s hand.

“Now that that’s settled,” his Father bit out, “can we get on with our business? Some of us do not have all day.”

“Of course, Father,” Theon replied, taking a sip of liquor.

“The three of you leave for the Acropolis tomorrow. We will all join you in a week for the Emerging Ceremony,” Valter said. “I expect this week with the other heirs to be fruitful.

I want new alliances in the making.”

Theon listened to his father go over the details they’d discussed numerous times, again wondering why they were even having this meeting. After an hour, he dismissed Metias and Pavil, but when Theon made to stand, he halted him.

When the door had shut behind their supposed allies, Valter said, “I have not received the report from the assessment yet.”

“Her testing did not yield completely accurate results, but they were in line with air and wind tendencies,” Theon said darkly, images of being thrown across the parking lot this morning flashing through his mind.

“How is that possible?” his father demanded. “How could they not be completely accurate? Was the proper testing done?”

“Yes,” Theon answered, reaching up and bringing his hand to Tessa’s nape. She had tensed beside him, her breathing shifting. He began making slow circles with his thumb, feeling her relax some beneath his touch. “I observed the entire thing. The most advanced assessments were done.”

“And her power level estimates?” his father pressed.

Luka came forward, handing Valter a folder that contained the false report. His father flipped the pages, his face impassive as he skimmed the documents inside.

Tessa was still tense, and Theon dropped his arm to her waist, tugging her off the arm of the chair and pulling her into his lap. She came easily, leaning back into him. His hand skimmed up her exposed spine, and she arched subtly.

“This says she will be quite powerful,” his father said, snapping the folder closed.

“It does,” Theon agreed. “She tested on the higher end of the power scale.”

Tessa’s head tilted at the information, and he felt her eyes back on him. He didn’t look at her, but he could feel the anger simmering under her skin as he ran his hand up her spine again.

“It will be an exciting Emergence then,” his father was saying, passing the folder back to Luka.

“That it will,” Theon said, locking eyes with Axel across the room. “Is there anything else? Or can we head down to dinner? I would hate to keep Mother waiting.”

“She will likely draw out this dinner the way it is,” his father grumbled. “She has been in tears all godsdamn day about you leaving tomorrow.”

When he urged Tessa to stand, he finally met her gaze, her eyes still fixed on him.

And the storm of emotions that stared back at him told him it was going to be a long night.