Rain of Shadows and Endings — Chapter no 34

34

TESSA

H is dark shadows immediately slid up her torso, fingers of darkness grazing the undersides of her breasts, and she sucked in a sharp breath, ready to let the sensations drag her under. But again his magic stilled.

“And your eyes. I need those too.” It was a whisper she felt ghost across her lips. Her eyes flew open, and she gasped to find Theon right in front of her. “Good girl. Eyes stay on me.”

This close, she could see the specks of blood in his dark hair glimmering in the soft glow of the dim lighting. She could smell the tang of blood, but maybe that was the blood on her own skin. There were smears of red across his cheek and down his throat where he had tucked her in close while they had flown here, which meant there was likely blood smeared in her hair. He wasn’t touching her, but his body was mere inches away. She could feel the heat of him as much as she could see the want in his eyes.

She nodded again at his demand, and then a throaty moan escaped her when his darkness flicked over her nipples before kneading her breasts.

“Some day you are going to let me touch you in all the ways I am longing to, Tessa,” he said, his voice as dark as the shadows continuing to caress her breasts, drag along her ribs, across her torso. A tendril of darkness glided across her throat, another brushing along her bottom lip. “Some day you are going to ask me to touch you.” A small whimper came from her, and Theon’s eyes somehow went even darker at the sound. His mouth moved a fraction of an inch closer to her ear but still did not touch her, just as he’d promised. “You will beg me for it, Tessa, and I will enjoy every second of your pleading before I finally take everything that is mine to have. Because someday you will realize this is far more than a simple Source bond.”

A sound somewhere between want and dread came from her as those hands of darkness slid over her hips and down her thighs. She couldn’t think around it all. All she could do was feel. Then he drew that darkness right over her center, and she cried out, tension building and pooling low in her belly.

“We have always been more,” he continued. “From the moment I saw you slip into that alcove with stolen chocolate, I knew you were mine. The Fates always have their way, Tessa, and this will be no different.”

She could feel him all over her, his shadows coating every inch of her flesh. It was too much and not enough all at once. And when that darkness pressed on that bundle of sensitive nerves, she gasped again.

Theon moved as though he was going to swallow the sound with his mouth, but he stilled. His features twisted, as if it physically pained him not to have his lips on her right now. He didn’t say anything else. He just watched her, holding her gaze, as his shadows and darkness brought her to ruin. She was writhing. Her hips bucking and searching for more as his power played with her, pulsing against her clit. Every time her eyes fluttered, he would pull his magic back and shake his head, reminding her to keep her eyes on him.

It didn’t take long to find herself at the edge, and she didn’t want it to end. She knew what this was. A temporary distraction from her life, but godsdamnit, she would cling to this distraction with all that she was.

The bond that connected them was going wild. Each stroke of his dark power electrified every nerve of her being. She gasped again, her entire body beginning to tremble

as his magic intensified. Tendrils of shadows trailed along her ribs. Working her breasts.

Pressing at her center. Stroking her cheek. Winding through her hair. They were

everywhere.

He was everywhere.

“Give it to me, little storm,” Theon demanded. Darkness wrapped around her throat, forcing her chin up. His hands were braced on the wall on either side of her head, holding him a breath away from touching her. “They’re all mine anyway.”

She shook her head in denial at his comment, and his magic stilled.

She nearly sobbed at the loss, her entire body shaking with want and need.

“Hear me well, Tessa. Everything you are is mine. Everything you have to give, I will take, including your pleasure.”

Then his magic pressed in on her, that darkness going icy cold as it circled and worked those nerves between her thighs, hurling her over the edge before she could brace herself for it. She cried out, but it was quickly muffled by Theon’s hand slipping over her mouth.

“Shh, little storm. Axel is just below us,” he whispered, but the thought of his brother hearing them somehow only intensified the orgasm. She was falling into nothing as release tore through her, spreading out sweet and sharp from the center of her body. Her eyes finally fluttered closed, and waves of pleasure pulled her under.

As she drowned in it.

And when she surfaced from the ecstasy, she was leaning against Theon, his arm wrapped around her waist, clutching her tightly, while his other hand wound into her hair.

She could feel his length pressing against her stomach, and she was curled into his bare chest, her nails digging into his flesh. She slowly raised her eyes to his. He brought a hand up to smooth back hair from her brow. His fingers and palm were stained red, his hand still bloody from the vampyres he’d killed. Somehow, she didn’t care. Not right now. Not as she clung to the weightless feeling in her limbs, to the weightless feeling in her soul.

He dipped his head so he could speak into her ear once more. “You are absolutely stunning, Tessa. I could watch you come for me a thousand times over and never grow tired of it. Just imagine what I will do when you let me have all of you.”

She was still trying to catch her breath, but it caught in her throat at his words. Her achingly empty core clenched weakly again, and she forced herself to inhale deeply before she did something truly stupid. She couldn’t let him have all of her. Not now. Not ever.

Because if it was anything like what he’d just done to her with his power, she couldn’t wrap her mind around what that would be like.

But it was never going to happen.

The bond hissed at the thought, but she was still too high on her release to register its dismay. This high was better than alcohol ever was. It’s why she desperately sought out mortals after assessments. But sex with mortals had never been like that. And what Theon had done to her wasn’t even sex. It was… It was only like that because of this fucking bond. That’s what she was going to tell herself until she believed it.

Theon’s hands slid to her hips, and he took a step back. He still held her steady, his eyes sliding over her. She could swear he let his shadows follow his gaze, ghosting over her one final time.

“Can you stand?” he finally asked after several moments of silence. His voice was hoarse and gravelly.

“Yeah. Yes,” she rasped, clearing her throat. “I need to wash up.”

Theon nodded, releasing her from his hold and taking another step back. To her credit, she only stumbled a bit as she pushed off the wall behind her.

She made her way to the bathroom, feeling Theon’s gaze follow her the entire way before she shut the door. Bracing her hands on the counter, she let her head fall forward.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

She looked up, staring back at her reflection in the mirror. Her cheeks were still flushed. Her limbs were still heavy. She wasn’t entirely sure how her legs were holding her up. That was definitely blood smeared across her face and throat. There were streaks of red down her hair where Theon had touched it.

How had she just let that happen? What had she been thinking?

And why the fuck was she contemplating asking him for more?

She didn’t need him. He didn’t know what she needed. This was just another way he was binding her to him. Strengthening this fucking bond.

Stupid.

Impulsive.

Reckless.

But as she stepped under the hot spray of the shower, watching pink-tinged water flow down the drain, all she could think was that it had been worth it.

It had been worth it to not be able to think about anything else while Theon had brought her to ruin. She didn’t care what that said about her. Drowning in rapture kept her from shattering, and she wasn’t about to apologize for how she held the pieces of her soul together.

“Let’s go, baby doll.”

Tessa groaned as curtains were thrown wide. She pulled the blankets over her head,

curling tightly into herself.

This day could already go fuck itself.

She hadn’t stayed in the shower long last night. The moment her thoughts and memories had started to surface again, she’d only wanted to sleep. Not because she was exhausted or tired. She definitely should have been after the events of the day. But when it came down to it, she just didn’t want to be awake.

She didn’t want to be awake now either.

It was coming. The dark was coming at any moment, and she couldn’t decide if she even cared.

She’d expected to face Theon’s wrath when she got done cleaning up last night, but when she’d exited the bathroom, it hadn’t been Theon waiting for her. It had been Axel.

Theon had apparently needed to go with Luka to “take care of some things” leaving Axel to watch over her. Tessa had been both relieved and disappointed. Relieved because it had delayed facing Theon and whatever consequences were surely coming for her, but disappointed because she’d needed the bond.

The bond. Not him.

She’d wanted to ask where exactly Theon had gone, but she hadn’t. And Axel hadn’t provided any more information either. He’d only settled onto the sofa with his computer and a drink, looking so much like his brother it was almost comforting.

Almost.

“Tessa. Let’s go. I want to get a run in before I have to drop you off with Luka,” Axel

said again, tugging on the blankets.

A run with Axel?

She threw the blankets off, pushing her hair out of her face as she sat up. Looking at the other side of the bed, she could tell Theon hadn’t slept here. Had he even come back?

“Where is Theon?” she called to Axel, who had disappeared into the dressing room.

“Out,” he called back.

“Still?” She was climbing out of the bed when Axel reappeared, running gear and sneakers in his arms.

“Yes, still,” he answered, holding out the items. “Go change. We leave in five minutes.

Eat this too,” he added, swiping a banana off the coffee table and piling it atop the clothing.

“But—”

“Go, Tessa. I have shit to do today.”

“You’re in a good mood,” Tessa griped, snatching the clothing from him.

“Don’t start with this, Tessa,” Axel sighed. “We’ve been up all night doing damage control, and Theon had to—”

Her eyes narrowed when he abruptly stopped speaking. “Had to what?”

“Nothing. Just change. You don’t want to be late for training with Luka. He’ll be an

ass.”

“As opposed to…?”

A dark grin tipped at the corner of Axel’s lips. “Baby doll, Luka is a Sargon Legacy.

The god of war and courage. Remember that’s who is going to be training you.”

“Where did he learn it all?” she asked, going into the bathroom. She left the door open so she could hear Axel’s response.

“Father sent him to several trainings. He’d be gone for months. Theon would be a prick the entire time, but that was when Father was preparing Luka to be his Guardian, not Theon’s,” Axel explained. “Still, I think a lot of it is natural instinct. Theon and I attended a few of the trainings with him and didn’t pick up on things half as quickly.”

“Luka had fire. But it was black,” Tessa hollered, her words garbled while she brushed her teeth.

“Well, yeah. It was dragon fire,” Axel called back. “Three minutes, Tessa.”

She spit into the sink before quickly shucking off the pants and tank she’d slept in, shutting the door to take care of personal needs. Slipping on her running clothes and sneakers, she had the banana stem clenched between her teeth when she emerged while tying her hair back. Sighing, Axel grabbed it, peeling the banana and handing it to her when she finished her hair.

“What’s dragon fire?” she asked.

“The fire of a dragon,” Axel said dryly, grabbing her phone from where it was charging. Theon must have plugged it in because she hadn’t even thought of it after the events of last night. “Let’s go.”

“Your answers are as helpful as your brother’s,” she retorted, taking a bite of the banana.

“Ask Theon about dragon fire in your lessons with him. I’m sure he’ll talk about its

properties for hours.”

“What lessons?”

Axel glanced over his shoulder. “He probably hasn’t had time to tell you yet, but part of your lessons include ones with him. Detailed history of Arius Kingdom. I’m sure you’ll get hours of him talking about all his ideas and theories.”

Pen was at the door with two water bottles in hand, holding one out to each of them.

“Your protein shake is in the fridge, Axel.”

“You’re too good to me, Pen,” Axel teased affectionately.

Pen rolled her eyes, but smiled as she pulled the door open for him. “See you in a bit.”

There was no more talking after that. Axel pushed her even more than Theon did, and after running through the Acropolis bare foot last night, her legs and feet were already sore.

By the time Axel let her stop, she wanted to vomit and her muscles were burning.

“I…hate…you,” she gasped out between dragging in lungfuls of air as she plopped to the ground, her head hanging between her bent knees.

“You’re acting like you’re dying,” Axel chided, kicking an ankle back to stretch.

“I am dying, you ass.”

“Not yet, but you will be after Luka’s done with you.”

“I need food.”

“He has some for you,” Axel replied. “Get up. We’ll walk there for a cooldown.”

“Walk where?” she grumbled as Axel pulled her back to her feet.

“The training arenas.”

“I’m training there?”

“Mhmm.”

“But that’s where they train the Fae assigned as warriors and sentinels.”

“Sure is.”

“I am…not that.”

“No, but you need to train in combat, Tessa. We already told you that. Then you would have at least been able to defend yourself last night until Theon could find you.”

Axel’s tone was sharp and accusing, and it made Tessa wince. He never spoke to her this way.

“I didn’t run from him,” she answered defensively.

“I should fucking hope not, but I’ll let you work that out with Theon.”

“Should I be worried?”

“Do you care?” he countered.

Fair point.

They didn’t speak the rest of the way to the training arenas. Axel led her through the building and down hallways until they came to one of the private training rooms, and he pushed open a door, standing aside to let her enter first.

And her jaw dropped.

Luka was here. Shirtless. And by the gods. She’d known he was fit, but she’d had no idea that was beneath the suits he always wore. Those were defined muscles that disappeared into the waistband of loose linen pants. He had clearly been here a while. His brown hair was tied back in a barely there ponytail, and a fine sheen of sweat covered his body.

Axel chuckled beside her, reaching over and touching her chin with his forefinger, closing her mouth. “Careful, baby doll,” he said with a wink. “Don’t let Theon see you looking at him like that.”

She tried to swallow, but her mouth was too dry as Luka finished up…whatever it was he was doing, and turned to face them. He jerked his chin towards the wall and said, “Eat that.”

Tessa turned to find a table with various things atop it, including a small bowl of yogurt with berries. She snatched it up, partly because she was starving, but more so because she knew a consequence was coming. It was instinct to eat as much as possible right now, even if she knew Theon wouldn’t do that to her.

Probably wouldn’t do that to her anyway.

“You have this handled?” Axel asked Luka, watching her inhale the yogurt. His brow furrowed. “It’s not your last meal, Tessa.”

She felt her cheeks flush, but she didn’t care as she looked between him and Luka.

“I have her. Theon will be here in a bit.”

Tessa paused with the spoon halfway to her mouth.

“Do I need to be here for that?” Axel asked, raking a hand through his hair.

“No. Not until you track down what we need.”

Axel nodded, suddenly avoiding eye contact with Tessa. She had lowered her spoon back to her yogurt, and Luka said, “Finish that, Tessa.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Your days are going to be long. You need to be fueling your body, especially once your element emerges. Training with me and training with your magic is going to deplete your energy stores quickly. You need to eat multiple times a day.”

“You’re acting like I’m going to be fighting for my life.”

“That’s exactly what you would have been doing last night. Finish that,” he ordered again, jerking his chin at the forgotten yogurt. She huffed, but brought another bite to her mouth. She turned to say something to Axel, but he was already gone.

Luka was grabbing some more mats and making the training area bigger. Tessa didn’t know what was happening here, but she got an uneasy feeling in her gut.

“Luka?”

“What?”

“Where has Theon been?”

He paused for the briefest of moments. “We’ve been trying to figure out who the Night

Children were working for.”

“Did you figure it out?”

“No.”

“He told Axel you were taking care of the bodies of the two he killed.”

“I did.”

“What did you do?”

“Burned them to nothing.”

It took her a moment to move past that statement before she could say, “I didn’t… I thought vampyres were made up to keep us in line at the Estates as children,” she said, setting aside her empty yogurt bowl.

“Night Children are not allowed to roam freely. Most are sequestered to the Underground,” Luka answered, motioning for her to join him in the center of the mats where he stood waiting.

“One said she wanted to drink from me,” Tessa said, dragging her feet as she made her way towards him.

He huffed a dark laugh. “I’m sure she did. Fae blood is like a drug for Night

Children.”

“But…”

“But what, Tessa?” he asked with a resigned sigh as he began adjusting her feet and back and arms.

“Don’t the Legacy drink blood? How are they different?”

Luka was behind her, his hands on her shoulders, pulling them back so her spine straightened. “The Legacy are rationed blood to make sure they don’t become like the Night Children.”

“What?” Tessa gasped, spinning to face him.

He growled—an honest-to-the-gods growl—in irritation.

“Tessa,” he snapped. “Focus.”

“On what? Where to put my feet?”

“Yes. Form is everything when it comes to proper training. It’s all about control, and you have none.”

“Don’t sugar-coat it or anything,” she grumbled, letting him adjust her positioning all over again.

“Are you going to try to tell me you have a shred of self-control?”

“I have more self-control than you know,” she retorted.

“Says the female who spent a dinner beneath the table because she couldn’t keep her

mouth shut.”

“Fuck you, Luka.”

“No, fuck you, Tessa,” he snapped, jerking her shoulders back harder than necessary.

“How have you not realized nearly everything Theon has done, including making you sit beneath a table, was to protect you?”

“Protect me? The one I need protecting from is Theon,” she cried, again turning to face him.

“I swear to Arius, Tessa. If you move out of position before I tell you to again—”

“You’ll what? Punish me? Can you even do that without Theon’s permission? Come to think of it, can you do anything without his permission?” she sneered.

“Oh, little one,” Luka replied, his voice laced with warning. His eyes were glowing brightly, and his pupils had shifted to vertical slits. “This attitude of yours is delightful as always—and Theon finds it twistedly endearing for some godsforsaken reason—but if you cannot get yourself under control, Theon will be the least of your worries.” He kicked her feet into position again. “Tell me, Tessa, what do you think would have happened if Theon

hadn’t forced you to sit at his feet that night?” When she didn’t answer, he continued, his tone patronizing, “Come now, surely you must know since you’ve never let Theon explain his actions.”

“Explain his actions? He shoved me under a table, Luka!”

He was in front of her faster than she could blink, his hand gripping her jaw, and she winced. Not because he was gripping her hard, but because his hand was hot. “Would you rather be shoved to your knees, Tessa? Forced to take a cock into that smart mouth?”

She jerked back from him. “Theon wouldn’t do that.”

The sardonic smile that filled his face was terrifying. “If you only knew the behavior corrections we’ve witnessed and endured over the years, Tessa. The kinds of things he has saved you from. Things he wouldn’t tell you because he was trying to ease you into this, trying to protect you even in that. From his father. From us. From himself. Sitting beneath a table was a fucking luxury. But I think even if you let him explain himself, you’d still see him as your villain, wouldn’t you?”

Suddenly bands of black flames were around her ankles, and she flung her arms out to keep her balance as her feet were yanked back into place.

“If you move out of position again, those flames will burn you.”

“You cannot be serious.”

Then she yelped when the flames flared for a blink, biting into her skin.

“The two of you are so godsdamn exasperating,” he snarled, once again yanking her shoulders back. “He’s too controlling, and you’re not controlled enough. I told him over and over this would be a disaster. You’re two forces that should repel each other. Fire and shadows. Light and dark. Beginnings and endings. Instead, you’re drawn to each other.”

“I am not drawn to him,” she seethed, forcing her feet to stay planted.

“Refusing to acknowledge something doesn’t make it non-existent.”

“Acknowledge this,” she spat, raising her middle finger.

He opened his mouth to respond, but stopped himself. For a long moment, he just held her gaze, as if searching for something.

Finally, he took a step back and said, “Memorize this position. It needs to become second nature. Every single thing I teach you will start from this position.”

“This is stupid. If I’m being attacked, they won’t wait for me to assume this position.”

“Stop talking back, or you’ll find flames in your mouth, little one.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You wouldn’t.”

“He certainly would.”

She jerked at the sound of Theon’s voice, briefly wondering why she hadn’t felt him approaching, but then she let out a curse as the flames on her ankles singed her skin when

she moved out of position again.

And they didn’t stop burning.

“Luka!” she cried, hopping from foot-to-foot trying to put out the flames.

“Get back into position,” the dragon said, crossing his arms over his chest, the dragon fire intensifying.

“I can’t think around the burning!” she cried again, trying to make her feet move, but she hadn’t been paying attention to how he’d constantly arranged her.

“Luka, her eyes,” Theon said cautiously.

“I see them,” Luka replied. “She’s been on that edge for a few minutes now.”

She had no idea what they were talking about, but apparently she found the correct foot placement because the burning ceased. Except when she glanced up, Luka was rolling his eyes, and Theon looked like he was moments away from stepping in.

As soon as Luka removed the flames from her ankles, Theon visibly relaxed. Folding his arms across his chest, he leaned back against the table, his emerald gaze sliding over her.

“This is why Theon won’t be present during training,” Luka said in a low voice from where he stood beside her. “He’ll get over-protective.”

“Then why is he here?”

Luka arched a brow at the question, but instead of answering, he turned to Theon and said, “I wasn’t expecting you for at least another hour.”

“I know,” Theon answered, a hand raking through his dark hair. He still looked tired.

Had he truly not slept? “Axel found what we needed.”

“Already?”

Theon nodded. “He’s on his way back.”

“Did he find extra supply as well?” Luka pressed.

“No.”

“What are you going to do?” Luka asked, looking pointedly at Tessa.

“Not until after.”

“As your Guardian—”

“My Guardian, not my keeper,” Theon cut in sharply.

“For fuck’s sake, you need both most days,” Luka grumbled.

When silence fell, Tessa tentatively asked, “Do I have to keep standing in this same spot, or can I move now without obtaining more burns?”

“Don’t move,” Luka snapped.

She huffed in annoyance, but kept her feet planted. His eyes had finally shifted back, and she didn’t want to piss him off again. More than that, Theon still hadn’t spoken to her or approached her, and she didn’t know what to make of it. She felt off balance and on edge, not knowing what to expect, and the cord in her chest was oddly still and silent.

When the minutes passed by with no one speaking, she couldn’t take it anymore. “If Night Children are supposed to stay in the Underground, why were they here? Why were they…”

“Coming after you?” Luka finished. “Theon has already explained this to you. You can be used against him, and by proxy, against the Arius Kingdom. You will forever be hunted,

Tessa.”

“By vampyres?” she balked.

Luka shrugged casually. “Vampyres bound to a particular kingdom. Mercenaries.

Someone trying to gain favor with a Kingdom Lord or Lady. Whoever is hired by another Legacy to do their dirty work.”

“I am supposed to just accept being hunted?”

“No. You’re going to learn to defend yourself,” Luka retorted. “You’re going to learn to control your element when it is revealed. And you’re going to harness some of that wildness.”

She didn’t bother telling him it wouldn’t work. Didn’t bother telling him that Mother Cordelia had tried for years to teach her self-control. Didn’t bother telling him she wasn’t

worth the energy, the hassle. He’d figure it out soon enough himself.

The door opened, and Tessa forced herself not to spin at the sound, instead looking over her shoulder to find Axel strolling in. He was still in his running gear and had a half- empty protein shake in hand.

“Let’s get this over with,” he grumbled. “I have shit to do.”

Seriously, what had crawled up his ass today?

“You have it?” Theon asked.

“I said I did,” Axel retorted, producing something from a burst of shadows that Tessa could only describe as a stick. A thin, black stick. “You’re sure about this?”

“It was your idea,” Theon replied.

Axel winced, his gaze cutting to Tessa before looking away quickly. Then he held the stick out to Theon. Her Master didn’t hesitate, snatching it from him and moving towards her. And suddenly Tessa felt the full force of their Source bond. It was as if she was feeling the hours they’d been separated all at once, and it was too much. She sucked in a breath, her knees buckling. She dropped to her knees. The cord inside her was frantic, and her skin was buzzing, something trying to claw its way to him. Memories of last night surged up. Of him touching her with his magic. Of him knowing exactly how to bring her body to ruin.

She didn’t register that Luka was holding her down. Not until Theon’s fingers brushed along her torso, tugging down the waistband of her running leggings to expose her hip.

“Theon,” she gasped.

He still said nothing to her. He only brought that stick to her skin. But it wasn’t a stick she realized far too late. It was a scion. The same thing the Priestesses used to give Marks.

They were the only ones sanctioned to do so, but they’d already told her they’d found ways around that. It was how Luka had become Theon’s Guardian.

“Theon, stop!” she cried. She didn’t know much about the Marks, but she knew they had to be drawn precisely. One error, one minor imperfection, could change the Mark’s purpose entirely. “Theon, please. I’m sorry. Please don’t!”

But black flames around her throat, her chest, her legs had her stilling, and she realized that once again she was helpless. There was nothing she could do but let this happen. No one would save her. No one would protect her. No one would stop them, just like no one stopped Mother Cordelia. No one stopped the Priestesses.

And another piece of her soul shattered as she went lax in Luka’s hold.

The dragon’s brow immediately furrowed, his eyes snapping to her. “Tessa…”

But she was already going through song lyrics, waiting for it to be over.

One more second.

One more minute.

One more song.

That’s what she told herself as she felt the burning of the scion when Theon drew on her skin. There was no flinching. No screaming. No tears.

There was just nothing.

There was nothing when he passed the scion to Axel and let him draw a Mark on his hip in the same spot. There was nothing when the same was done to Axel and Luka. Three identical Marks that she could only assume matched the one Theon had given her.

There was nothing when Theon produced a dagger and reached for her arm.

There was nothing when he dragged the blade across her skin, and Luka caught her blood in a cup.

There was nothing when he passed the cup to Theon, and he drank the whole thing down, his entire body seeming to shudder in relief.

“It’s a Tracking Mark, Tessa,” Luka said, finally snuffing out the black flames that were still keeping her immobile. “Last night, I came to collect you from the instructor, but you were gone. I had to waste time tracking down Theon so he could use the bond to track you down, and even then… This will be faster. For all of us. Axel and I can find you now too.”

Her gaze slid to Axel. “This was your idea?” she asked, her voice hollow.

“To better protect you, Tessa,” he answered helplessly.

“I didn’t ask you to make it pretty for me, Axel. I asked if it was your idea.”

His features went tense, his eyes shuttering with a mask she rarely saw from him.

“Yes,” he answered.

She only gave a sharp nod.

“Tessa, you need to calm down,” Luka said carefully.

Her head tilted as she met his gaze. “I am calm.”

“I know, but…” His eyes dropped to her hands, and she followed his gaze.

There was faint light flaring from between the fingers of her clenched fists. She slowly raised her hands, uncurling her fingers, and light seemed to crackle and spark at her

fingertips. Not like fire, but like— “You’re too calm, little storm.”

Theon’s voice cut through her thoughts, and her head snapped up, meeting his gaze.

There was more color in his features, and he seemed more awake. With a start, she realized it was because of her blood. Legacy needed Fae blood to replenish their magic. He’d used a lot of his gifts last night with the flying and the killing and the apparent shadow fucking.

“One wants me calm. One wants me wild. Your expectations are becoming impossible, Master,” she said, getting to her feet, and her voice sounded strange even to her. It was

laced with something dark.

It was laced with something powerful.

The three of them were surrounding her, but they were all also several feet away, as though afraid to come closer.

As though they knew something she didn’t.

She met Theon’s gaze once more when she asked, “What element am I going to emerge with?”

“We don’t know, Tessa. Your assessments were inconclusive.”

“And you will use me to help your father take over Devram?”

“No, beautiful. You’ll help me kill my father.”

“So you can have Devram?”

Darkness hovered around him like a faint mist, and she could swear it reached for her when he said, “No, Tessa. So I can have the Underground, and they can have Devram.”