Rain of Shadows and Endings

Rain of Shadows and Endings — Chapter no 30

TESSA

T essa had the earbuds in that Axel had given her, listening to a playlist he had set up. Her back was to the door against the window. She’d long since lost her socks and sneakers, and her bare feet were on the seat between her and Theon. The laptop Theon had purchased for her was propped against her bent knees, and she was playing around with the various features. Theon had shown her the basics of the tablet and computer. They’d had access to basic technology at the Estate, but, like her new phone, this was the best on the market.

Corbin would be beside himself. He was usually reserved and stoic, except when it came to technology.

They’d been traveling for a few hours when there was a lull between songs, and Tessa caught a few words of the conversation taking place around her.

“I don’t know how she can focus on the screen with it constantly bouncing like that,”

Axel was saying.

“She has become increasingly fidgety,” Theon replied.

“Probably because she hates confined spaces and has been trapped in a vehicle for hours,” Tessa muttered under her breath, instantly ceasing the tapping of her feet. She began drumming her fingers lightly on the laptop keys as the next song started up, staring at the screen. She hadn’t really been doing anything for the last hour. Nothing but trying to keep her mind busy so she could forget about being cooped up in a vehicle. They just kept moving her from one place to another, but that was to be her life now, she supposed. At least there’d be new scenery to stare at. See? She could find the silver lining or whatever it was the mortals said.

Fingers brushed along the top of her foot, and her stomach dipped. How could a single

touch do that to her?

This fucking bond.

So why didn’t she pull away from him? She could. She didn’t have to follow all his ridiculous commands anymore when it was just them. But gods, did that single touch calm her restlessness just enough to make it bearable.

He kept his hand there, making small circles with his thumb, and she leaned her head back against the window, closing her eyes. Moments later, she felt the vehicle slowing, and she twisted to look outside as Luka pulled to a stop in a small town.

“Why are we stopping?” Tessa asked, pulling the earbuds from her ears.

“I need to get a phone charger, baby doll,” Axel said before sliding out of the vehicle.

“You don’t have an extra charger?” she asked Theon.

“No, but while we’re here, do you want to get out and walk around?”

“It can’t take that long to buy a phone charger,” she said doubtfully.

“We’re not in a hurry. There are no required engagements until tomorrow,” Theon said, opening his door. “Come on.”

Her eyes narrowed, but she reached for her socks and sneakers, quickly lacing them up and sliding across the seat. She immediately tipped her face up to the sky, breathing in the fresh air. When she reopened her eyes, she found Theon leaning against the vehicle, his hands in his pockets, watching her.

“What?” she asked, suddenly self-conscious as she wrapped her arms around herself.

“Nothing,” he said, pushing off the vehicle. He held out a hand to her. “Shall we?”

Not letting herself think about it, she slid her hand into his and let him lead her down the sidewalk. They passed a few shops until they came to a small park, an empty Chaosphere field stretching out behind them. It wasn’t in the best shape. The grass was overgrown and the boundary lines were faded, but it was something she would expect of a small community, she supposed. Theon took a seat on a bench and looked at her

expectantly.

“I’m not sitting down.”

He arched a brow. “Why not?”

“I’ve been sitting in a vehicle for hours,” she replied, hopping from foot-to-foot. “And other than running with you, I’ve been cooped up in your rooms for weeks.”

“You forgot about your little rendezvous through the woods.”

She shot him a dry look.

A half-smile lifted on his lips. “Well, little storm, what would you like to do?”

She glanced behind her at the empty Chaosphere field. “Can we buy a ball?”

Both brows shot up at that. “You want to play Chaosphere?”

She shrugged. “You think you can score against me?”

“Doubtful,” came Axel’s voice behind them. “Theon never played Chaosphere. He was always too busy studying and researching.”

Tessa turned back to Theon. “You never played?”

“You did?”

“Of course I played. What child didn’t play Chaosphere? I mostly played by myself, but—” She cut herself off, then cleared her throat. “Yes. I would play. I took every opportunity to be outside.”

“I’ll go get a ball,” Axel said, dropping a bag near the bench.

Luka was standing nearby, an expression Tessa couldn’t read on his face as he looked between her and Theon. She kicked her foot back, grabbing her ankle and stretching.

“You’re really serious about this,” Theon observed, that small smile quirking on his lips again.

“I’m very competitive,” Tessa retorted, switching to the other leg.

“This is going to be very interesting,” Luka muttered, folding his arms across his

chest.

“Did you play?” Tessa asked him.

“Of course I played. I’m fairly certain everyone but Theon played Chaosphere as a child,” Luka answered, and Theon flipped him off.

A minute later, Axel showed up with a black ball, tossing it back and forth between his hands. “You ready for this, baby doll?”

“Does Theon even know how to play?” she teased, easily catching the ball when Axel sent it her way.

“I know the basics,” Theon said indignantly, swiping the ball from her as he strode past.

“You and me versus Theon and Luka?” Axel asked, coming up beside her.

“Deal,” Tessa replied, and something she hadn’t felt in weeks blossomed in her chest.

“What position are you best at?” Axel asked.

“Ground offense.”

“Really?”

“Mhmm,” she hummed, tilting her face back to the sky where the sun was trying its damnedest to peek out from the clouds.

“I feel like we should get some bonus points or something. I’m at a clear disadvantage with Theon,” Luka said from the center of the field.

“Fuck off,” Theon muttered. “It’s not that hard.”

Tessa and Axel exchanged grins before getting into position. The ball always started on the ground where it could only be moved with feet. Once it left the ground and was touched by someone’s hands, it couldn’t touch the ground again during that round.

“I’ll take Luka, and you’ll cover Theon?” Axel asked.

Tessa nodded as Theon placed the ball in the center of the field, and the four of them got ready. Axel counted down, and Tessa shot forward, kicking the ball to Axel before Theon had even moved. She wasn’t a fast runner, but she could handle a Chaosphere ball better than most. There wasn’t much for entertainment on the Estates, and most of the other children stopped wanting to be around her when she was constantly being reprimanded for something or other. Anyone with her was usually punished as well, and they learned quickly it was better to simply avoid her. She spent hours alone with a Chaosphere ball, usually off in a secluded area. The other children were always on the fields, so she would find her own space.

She ran down the field as Axel sent the ball her way again, and she laughed when Theon made the most pathetic attempt to steal the ball she had ever seen. She kicked the ball back into the air at Axel, who caught it with ease. He made it to the end of the field, dodging Luka and tossing the ball into the goal pit.

“You weren’t kidding about ground offense, baby doll. That was fancy footwork,”

Axel said, gripping her around the waist and spinning her in a circle. Another laugh bubbled up her throat. It felt weird. When was the last time she’d truly laughed?

“Yeah, yeah,” Luka grumbled, stalking back to the middle of the field with the ball. “I still think I should get a few bonus points for having Theon on my team.”

“I am not that bad,” Theon protested.

“You kind of are,” Tessa replied, getting into position for the next round.

Luka got the ball, kicking it up to Theon, who caught it. She raced down the field beside him, and he glanced at her side-long.

“You’re going to defend against me? I tower over you,” Theon said with a smirk. He wasn’t wrong. Defensive players were usually muscled, built for tackling whoever had the ball.

“I don’t need to defend against you,” she replied, keeping pace with him as he made his way down the field. “I just need to defend the goal pit.”

Theon tossed the ball over her head to Luka, who barely avoided Axel’s attempt at intercepting the ball. While Theon was focused on Luka and watching the ball, Tessa went for the goal, where she prepared for their attempt to score. Luka tossed the ball back to Theon, who tossed it towards the goal pit, and Tessa easily blocked the shot, catching the ball.

“You really are terrible at this,” she said with a laugh.

“I am not that bad,” Theon grumbled.

By their ninth round, Theon and Luka had managed to score one point, while she and Axel had scored the other seven. She was racing down the field, preparing to receive the

ball Axel had just kicked her way, when an arm looped around her waist, lifting her off the ground.

“Theon! You’re cheating!” she cried through a bark of laughter as he intercepted the ball and kicked it to Luka.

“I am,” he agreed, spinning her around and setting her back on her feet, blocking her path to go after the ball. “I’m becoming a touch insecure with myself after being out maneuvered every round, beautiful.”

“You almost scored a point that one time.”

“And now you are teasing me,” he admonished.

She bit her lip as she stared up at him.

“Let’s go, guys,” Axel hollered. “We have one round left!”

With a small smile at Theon, she turned and jogged to the center of the field for the

final round.

“We ready?” Luka asked her.

“Don’t look at me,” she said. “Theon’s the one who needs all the help he can get.”

Axel snickered as Luka set the ball in the center of the field. Axel managed to gain control of it, and Tessa whooped in triumph as she took off down the field. Luka leapt to tackle Axel, and he sent the ball in the air to Tessa, but as she jumped to catch it, darkness swarmed above her head. Shadows caught the ball as though they were hands, and Tessa landed on the ground, turning to face Theon with a disbelieving look on her face.

“That’s not fair!” she protested, her hands on her hips.

“It has already been established that I do not play fair,” he conceded, his shadows flinging the ball to Luka, who took off in the other direction, Axel chasing after him.

“You’re being a sore loser,” Tessa chided as Theon came to a stop in front of her.

“I am,” he agreed, grabbing her hand and tugging her into him. His other hand reached around and wrapped around her ponytail, pulling gently and tilting her head back. “You never cease to surprise me.”

“Because I can play Chaosphere?” she breathed, his heated eyes holding hers.

“Because you are…just not what I expected.”

“It’s not that hard to play Chaosphere, Theon.” When he just stared back at her, she asked hesitantly, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Because you are smiling, and I rarely see such a thing.”

Her breathing had been evening out after the exertion of the game, but now her breath hitched again. She didn’t know what to say to that, but as he continued to hold her gaze, the rest of the world slowly faded around her. She got lost in emerald irises and black hair that brushed his brow. In that dimple that appeared when a slow grin began to fill his face. At some point, she’d reached up and gently curled her fingers into his shirt. She had no idea when she’d done that.

“I am going to kiss you, Tessa,” Theon said, his voice low in a way that had heat

pooling low in her belly.

“Okay,” she whispered.

He wasted no time bringing his mouth to hers, as if he thought she would change her mind at any moment. But as soon as his lips touched hers, pulling away from him was the last thing she wanted, and in that moment, she wasn’t sure if it was all the bond.

Theon had kissed her plenty of times over the last few weeks. Heated kisses. Punishing ones. Desperate kisses and claiming ones, but none had been like this. This kiss was slow and languid, his tongue gently rolling against hers. His hand was still wrapped in her hair, but he used it to tip her head back a little more as he deepened the kiss. She found herself pushing up on her toes, trying to get closer to him as his other hand cupped her cheek.

She couldn’t decide if she was relieved or disappointed when he broke the kiss first, his breathing as ragged as her own. He rested his brow against hers, his eyes falling closed.

Is this what it would be like if she gave in? If she let herself find… Well, not happiness, but some type of contentment with them? With him?

“I am beginning to think you plan these things, little storm.”

“Plan what?” she asked, too distracted by the way his lashes fanned across his cheekbones with his eyes closed.

“You only let me get this close to you when we are in public or have some place to be,” he replied, his eyes opening and connecting with hers. His palm still held her cheek, and his thumb brushed along her bottom lip. “I would ask you to remember this moment, to remember how you are feeling right now so we can revisit it when we are at the townhouse, but I know that request would be futile…right?”

“Right,” she whispered, unable to break his stare.

“Can I ask something else of you then?”

“I think you ask enough of me the way it is.”

Her fingers were still clutching at his shirt, and she felt him tense beneath her hand.

He cleared his throat as he straightened, his hands slipping from her face and hair. “We should get going. Do you need anything else before we go back to the vehicle?”

Tessa shook her head, quickly uncurling her fingers from his shirt and taking a step back from him. She looked around the field, but Luka and Axel were nowhere to be found.

The lightness she’d been feeling was already lessening, and she wrapped her arms around herself as the sun slipped behind clouds once more.

Theon glanced up at the sky, then back at her, his brow furrowing as if he couldn’t

figure something out.

As if he couldn’t figure her out.

She fell into step beside him, and neither of them spoke as they made their way back down to the street. Theon did not reach for her hand, and for once, the cord that connected them did not seem to mind.

Axel and Luka were waiting for them at the vehicle, both of them looking from Theon to her and back again. She saw Theon shake his head the smallest amount when Axel opened his mouth to say something, and his brother quickly snapped it shut again.

“Are we ready?” Luka asked, keys in hand.

She didn’t answer, dread already filling her at having to go back into the vehicle. She was trying to soak up every bit of being outside.

It wasn’t until they were back on the road, her earbuds back in place as she scrolled through playlists that she realized Theon had not been holding her to him the entire time they’d kissed. There had been no arm looped around her waist. She could have stepped away at any time. In fact, she had been clinging to him.

Startled by the realization, she glanced up at him. He was looking at something on his phone, his features tight and mouth set in a thin line. There was space between them, and

he’d hardly spoken since they’d all climbed back into the vehicle. He’d hardly looked at her.

And as she returned her attention to the music on her phone, she wondered what he had wanted to ask of her.

“Can I ask you a question?” Tessa said, pulling an earbud from her ear.

The entire vehicle fell silent, all eyes settling on her. Axel reached over and turned down the music, and they all waited. It was rather unsettling.

When Theon nodded at her, she cleared her throat softly, pulling out her other earbud.

“What is a Guardian Mark?”

“What?” Theon said, obvious shock in his tone.

“I was looking through some things on the computer, and I found some of your old lesson papers,” she replied, skimming the one she currently had open.

Axel twisted even more in his seat to look at Theon. “Seriously? You have old lesson papers still saved on your computer?”

“I never clean my files out,” Theon retorted. “I gave Tessa access to my entire network. Some files are password protected. Obviously those are not.” His attention returned to her. “Why are you looking through those anyway?”

She shrugged. “I’m bored.”

“We only have about an hour left,” Luka said.

“Great,” Tessa replied. “So about this Guardian thing. This paper Theon wrote says it’s

a Mark of some kind.”

“It is,” Theon answered slowly.

“Like the Source Marks?”

“Sort of.”

“According to your paper, they incorporated the Guardian Mark into the Source Marks

somehow.”

“It is a theory.”

“Right. A theory…” she murmured, continuing to skim through the document again.

“But what is it exactly?”

“How much do you know about Arius and Sargon?” Theon asked instead.

Tessa glanced up at him. “Arius is the god of endings and who you descend from.

Speaking of which, how far back does that go? Like a few generations up your family tree, and we’d find Arius or…?”

Theon barked a laugh. “No, Tessa. The original demigod our family is descended from lived literally thousands of years ago. Before this world was even created. I don’t even know how many generations back we’d have to go to even come close to figuring that out.

Likely hundreds.”

“And Sargon is the god of war and courage,” she said.

“Yes,” Theon replied, his eyes flicking to the front seat where Axel and Luka were listening intently. “He also commands Arius’s armies, including his elite guardians.”

“Elite guardians? And what do you mean by Arius’s armies? Wouldn’t Sargon ultimately answer to Achaz since he is the ruler of the gods?”

“Why the sudden interest, little one?” Luka asked, and she was surprised it came from him. He tended to let Theon and Axel deal with her, only interfering if Theon was being a special kind of asshole.

“It’s just this Guardian Mark thing…” She paused as she read more, her feet beginning to tap on the seat again. “I don’t understand why they would incorporate it into the Source Marks. How would that work?”

“There are different types of magic throughout the worlds, Tessa,” Theon said, watching her closely. “Some are not as readily found here because the gods do not interfere with our world, but that does not mean our own magic hasn’t evolved in various ways. We

have found ways around that.”

“What does that mean?”

“How do you think advancements are made with tonics and technology?”

“We were taught the gods gave their Legacy the best from all the worlds before they dumped you all here,” she replied, her eyes going back to the screen.

“You phrase it so eloquently, baby doll,” Axel teased.

Tessa shrugged. “So the Guardian Mark was a real thing?”

“It is a real thing,” Theon answered.

“In theory.”

“It is a theory that the Guardian Mark was somehow incorporated into the Source Marks, but the Guardian Mark itself is not a theory,” Theon clarified.

“How did it work?”

“Guardians are always of the Sargon bloodline. They were often bonded to Arius descendants, but the strongest of Sargon’s bloodline were bonded to gods or deities to protect them.”

“Deities?” Tessa asked, glancing up at him.

Theon gave her a soft smile. “Deities were the result of a god having a child with a

magical bloodline.”

“A magical bloodline? Like the Legacy?”

Theon shook his head. “The Legacy all have mortal blood. We are descended from demigods, the result of a god and a mortal. We may have worked hard over the many centuries to make the mortal blood as insignificant as possible by carefully arranging Matches, but it doesn’t negate the fact that we will always have some mortal blood, even if only a drop at this point.”

“So what kind of magical bloodline then?”

“The gods created worlds,” Luka chimed in. “You think they only created a few forms of life and only in this realm?”

“I guess that makes sense,” she mused. “What other magical bloodlines are there?”

Theon shrugged. “Who can really say at this point? With the gods agreeing to not interfere in this world, it is not as if we can know of anything going on in the other realms.

It is said Legacy could once travel between places by simply willing it, as if they walked through the air. But they took that ability from us when they brought all their Legacy here.”

“Travel between places? Like between kingdoms?”

Theon shrugged. “Between kingdoms. Between worlds. That is something we will likely never know, I suppose. I’ve found texts that suggest more than the gods emerged from the Chaos.”

“So back to this Guardian thing,” Tessa said, sitting up a little straighter because this was truly fascinating. Of course she’d known there were other realms, but she’d never really thought much about it. What would be the point when her entire purpose was to serve the Legacy? But entire other bloodlines and races? Even though it made complete sense, it was still hard to wrap her mind around. “Gods and deities just picked a Guardian? Then they were given this Mark and what? How did it work exactly?”

“They didn’t just pick a Guardian,” Luka said. “Some tried to replicate it and force such a thing, but it never worked the same. The Guardian Mark had to be agreed to by both parties, or it wouldn’t function as it was created to.”

“And it was created to…?”

“The Guardian and the Ward’s lives became connected. The Guardian could sense when their Ward was in danger, and the bond created required the Guardian to do whatever was necessary to protect their Ward, even if that meant giving their own life,” Luka answered. “That is why it did not work when forced. When forced, the Guardian could, and often did, become resentful of their Ward. But when the Guardian chose the Guardian Mark and subsequent Guardian Bond—”

“Wait, Guardian Bond?” Tessa interrupted. “Like this Source Bond thing?”

“Source bond thing,” Theon repeated dryly.

She gave him a simpering smile. “Don’t pretend your feelings are hurt. I have made it perfectly clear how I feel about this Source bond thing.”

Theon clenched his jaw but didn’t say anything else.

“The Guardian Mark creates a bond of sorts. As I said, the Guardian can sense when their Ward is in danger and is driven to protect them,” Luka said into the tense silence.

“And this was incorporated into the Source Marks how?” Tessa asked, scrolling down on the document.

When no one spoke, she glanced up to find the three of them looking between one another.

“For those who believe I have a lot of secrets, you lot certainly seem to have a lot of your own,” she said casually.

“If you’d accept this bond, I could share all my secrets with you, Tessa,” Theon said.

“Right. Before you can trust me, I need to blindly trust you and accept the bond. Got it.”

“Tessa,” Theon sighed, running his thumb and forefinger along his brow.

“What is the theory of how this was incorporated in the Source Marks?” she asked.

“It—” Luka started.

“Luka…” Theon warned, causing Tessa to glance up again.

“She deserves to know, Theon. She should know.”

Theon began to say something, but Tessa cut him off. “I don’t deserve anything, Luka.

You should know that by now.”

“Tessa, we’re trying here,” Theon said.

“No, Theon. Luka is trying. Axel is trying. You are just demanding. Much like your father.”

The vehicle fell quiet, all the males going still. After a long, tense moment, Tessa put her earbuds back in, closing out of the document and shutting the laptop. She’d closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the window when an earbud was plucked from her ear.

Theon was leaning over her, but before she could snap at him, he spoke first.

“How much do you know of the Marks, Tessa?”

“What?”

“When this all started, you told me you didn’t know as much as the other Sources.

That you hadn’t been prepared for what’s happening like they were.”

“Because I haven’t been.”

“So what do you know?”

“There are four Marks.”

“Do you know what each of them does? The order they are given?”

She blinked at him because she didn’t know. She knew what the Marks would do, but not the order or which ones would do what.

A finger brushed over the Mark on her right hand. “This one allows us to feel each other’s physical presence. It’s why the bond craves closeness right now. It’s our essences getting to know each other, and it’s why…”

“You’re annoyingly needy?” she supplied, and Axel snickered from the front seat.

“Yes,” Theon said tightly. “You are supposed to be feeling the same way, but

obviously are…not.”

Tessa flashed him a sardonic smile.

His finger left her hand and came to her chest, brushing over her heart. “The next one will go here. On the fall equinox,” he continued softly. “It will allow us to feel each other’s emotions.”

She swallowed as he held her gaze, something in her stomach unacceptably fluttering.

“And if I don’t want you to know what I’m feeling?” she breathed.

He didn’t answer, his finger trailing up along her collarbone, around her throat until he brushed down her nape. He leaned forward to whisper in her ear. “And on the winter solstice, you’ll get the third Mark here, allowing us to hear each other’s thoughts.”

“And if I don’t want you in my head?” she whispered back.

“I am praying to any god that will listen that you will feel differently by that point,” he answered.

“How unfortunate for you the gods can’t hear those pleas. And if they can, there’s nothing they can do about them.”

Heated emerald eyes met her own. He lifted her left hand, his thumb brushing over the back of it. “The final Mark will go here. On the spring equinox.”

“And will allow you to draw power from me.”

“Yes,” Theon agreed, that heat in his gaze dying out a little and being replaced with something Tessa couldn’t quite put her finger on. “Each Mark adds another layer to the bond, but the final Mark… You will feel driven to react against any threat against me.”

She jerked back from him. “What?”

“That is where the theory about the Guardian Mark somehow being incorporated into the Source Marks comes from.”

“So let me get this straight,” Tessa said. “Not only will I lose all sense of self, all privacy, all of me, I will also be forced to give my life for yours if the situation demands such a thing?”

Theon opened his mouth but closed it again, saying nothing in response.

“You will literally take everything from me,” she whispered in realization.

“No,” Theon said, shaking his head, still gripping her left hand. She tried to pull it back, but he squeezed her fingers. “No, Tessa. That will never happen.”

“What do you mean that will never happen? Do you not intend to force the rest of the Marks?”

“No. I mean, yes. You will receive the rest of the Marks,” he amended quickly at her arched brows. “But you will never be required to give your life for mine.”

“You can’t say that, Theon. If the situation—”

“It won’t happen, Tessa.”

“How can you be so sure?” she demanded, her voice rising.

His hand came to her cheek. “Because I already have a Guardian, Tessa. A full Guardian. With a Guardian Mark and a Guardian Bond.”

“What? Who? How?” she asked, stumbling over her words as she tried to digest what he’d just told her.

“I already have a Guardian,” Theon repeated. “It’s how we know so much about the

Guardian Bond.”

“Who?” she repeated.

“Luka.”

Tessa’s head whipped to the front seat. She pushed past Theon to lean over the center

console. “You’re his Guardian?”

“I am,” Luka agreed.

“How?”

“I willingly took the Guardian Mark when we were sixteen years,” Luka answered.

“We both have one.”

“Where?” she demanded, sitting back and looking expectantly at Theon.

“We both have Guardian Marks on our backs.”

“I’ve never seen it,” Tessa argued.

“You wouldn’t,” Theon said. “Guardian Marks are magic of the gods, Tessa. It’s called many things in various texts— Blood Magic, magic of the gods, the Celestial Language.

The point is, you can’t see them unless you have the blood of the gods in you. Although, there are some texts that suggest you will be able to see them once you have all the Source Marks.”

Tessa could only stare back at him. He reached out, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

“Do all the heirs have Guardians? Lord St. Orcas?”

Theon shook his head slowly, his eyes never leaving hers. “Guardians must be descendants of Sargon.”

She turned back to Luka. “You are a Sargon Legacy?”

“I am.”

“How?”

“What do you mean how?” Luka said dryly. “I’ve seen your lesson marks. I know you were taught basic anatomy, Tessa.”

She rolled her eyes. “I mean there aren’t any Sargon descendants anywhere. That line hasn’t even pledged to a Kingdom.”

“Because Sargon is loyal to Arius. There was no need,” Luka answered.

Tessa was quiet, trying to process everything, but she couldn’t. It was all too far- fetched at this point. So instead she turned back to Theon and said, “That doesn’t explain why the other heirs don’t have a Guardian. Or why your father doesn’t have one. He’s the Arius Lord.”

“Sargon descendants are few and far between,” Theon replied.

“Why?” Tessa asked, her brows knitting.

“No one really knows. Some believe he was far more…selective about who he sired children with so he doesn’t have as many descendants,” Theon answered.

Her nose wrinkled at that, but it kind of made sense. The gods were eternal. She imagined living for an unlimited number of millennia allowed time for various… experiences. But still. Just how many children did the gods have? Sure, they created various bloodlines, but they hadn’t physically created them all that way. Right?

“What are you thinking?” Theon asked.

“That the other gods are kind of…promiscuous?”

“Promiscuous,” Theon repeated, his lips twitching.

“I’m trying to be respectful.”

His brow arched. “That’s new.” She gave him a dry look while flipping him her middle finger. “And that’s rude,” he added.

She was about to respond when something else occurred to her. “Wait. You’re a

descendant of Sargon?”

“Yes,” Luka sighed.

“Then what are your gifts?”

The three of them looked between each other again.

“You really don’t know?” Axel asked.

“Why would I know? I thought he was an Arius Legacy. I thought he was your cousin or something.”