Rain of Shadows and Endings — Chapter no 36

36

THEON

“G ods, you’re pissy,” Axel mused.

Theon could feel his gaze on him, and he resisted the urge to flip him off. Tonight was about appearances and making connections. He’d been drawing lines among the other heirs for two days, and now it was time to move beyond them. Alliances needed to be formed within the other kingdoms, not just with the ruling families. None of the plans would work if there weren’t established relations on the inside, but more than any of that, they needed to make it known that Arius Kingdom would no longer be pacified staying in their corner of the realm.

When Theon remained silent, Axel continued, “I know things aren’t ideal with Tessa right now, but for the love of Arius, go find someone to fuck, Theon,” Axel added, taking another drink.

“I don’t want to find someone to fuck,” Theon bit out.

“You need a good fuck,” Axel said pointedly. “Let off some steam. Clear your head so you stop biting off everyone else’s. You’re not making any relations being a constant dick.”

That was easy for him to say. He’d been chatting with the same dark-haired female all night and didn’t have a godsdamn bond interfering. Theon had tried to be somewhat pleasant tonight, but Axel was right. He was pissy, and it had everything to do with the Fae

he wanted to fuck but couldn’t.

Or rather wouldn’t.

Because he certainly could force her. He was willing to cross a lot of lines. Fuck, he had done a lot of unforgivable things. Killed people. Set others up to take the fall for his actions. Fucked people over to gain information. None of it kept him up at night. Necessary actions to get what he wanted.

But this? He couldn’t do it. Because for some fucked up reason, he thought this was the one thing keeping him from turning into his father completely.

“A good fuck would get you out of your head for a while,” Axel mused knowingly, the teasing gone from his tone. If anyone would understand being in your own head, it was his brother.

“You think I don’t want to?” Theon retorted, signaling to a passing Fae for another drink. “This fucking bond won’t let me want anyone else right now. The gods know I’ve

fucking tried.”

Axel arched a brow. “Are you serious?”

“Yes,” Theon grumbled. “Meanwhile, Tessa can tell me all about how she would rather fuck a mortal or her own godsdamn hand instead of me, and I’m left jacking myself in the shower.”

Axel huffed a laugh but quickly covered it with a cough at the glare Theon threw at him. “But you said the other night—”

“The other night was about keeping her from going over an edge,” Theon said, taking the drink off the tray the Fae was holding out to him. “She was spiraling. From the things I have managed to learn about her, I could piece together that it was probably similar to what happened after an assessment.”

“When she would go off the estate to find mortals,” Axel said in realization.

Theon nodded. He hadn’t told them much of that night, only that she’d finally let him help her. But he’d wanted to keep that night for himself because it might be the only thing

she ever let him have, and if it was, he didn’t want to share it with anyone.

He’d spent as little time as possible with her the last two days, mainly because he knew he wouldn’t be able to control himself around her. After he’d made sure she was all right, he’d left Axel with her while she’d showered. He’d met up with Luka to make sure the Night Children were taken care of. Luka had already found the other two, and they’d spent the rest of the night cleaning up the mess of it all and trying to figure out who had sent them after Tessa.

It could be anyone, really. A Lord or Lady. One of the fuckers in this room looking to move up in social status. It could simply be someone with a vendetta against Arius Kingdom. The gods knew there were plenty of people with those.

But he’d been drained. Between using his magic to find her, defend her, and then basically fuck her, he hadn’t experienced power levels that low in a long time, and he’d been four days away from his allotted ration of Fae blood. Luka had all but forced him into taking blood from Tessa because he was starting to draw power from him. That’s how the Guardian Bond worked. When Theon ran out of his own magic, he began drawing from Luka. It wasn’t ideal to have either of them low on power for any amount of time, even if Axel was here with them. Luka had given him until mid-day to take blood from Tessa, or he was going to do it himself.

But gods, Tessa’s blood? That was the most divine Fae blood he’d ever tasted. He’d never noticed a difference in the blood he was given weekly. Fae blood was Fae blood, but not this time. This had made his entire being feel chaotic and out of control. It had to be because of their Source Bond. Or maybe it was because she was going to be so powerful once her gifts emerged? A combination of the two? He didn’t know, but it had taken every bit of his self-control not to take more.

Just like it’d taken every bit of his self-control not to follow her into the shower to take more when he’d made her come with his shadows.

Axel cleared his throat. “Did you learn any more about her time at the estate?”

“No,” Theon answered shortly.

That was a lie. After her refusal to explain her history with her Estate Mother, Theon had gone to speak with Cordelia himself. He just hadn’t decided what he wanted to do with the information yet, mostly because he was too close to losing control right now. Too many things were spiraling, leaving him riding a dangerous edge. Anger at Tessa for leaving the Acropolis. Anger at those godsdamn Night Children for trying to take her. Anger at whoever had sent them after her. Anger at the Estate Mother for hurting her. Anger that he

was in this situation to begin with.

But mostly he was furious with himself.

For failing to keep her safe yet again.

For failing to figure out who wanted her.

For failing to control his Source.

For failing at all.

He failed at something he didn’t know a person could fail at. That had to be the epitome of failure. To fail at something that was impossible to fail at.

So he’d let Axel and Luka deal with her the last few days because it was the only way to protect her from himself.

He’d tried to stop himself from watching her all night. They’d agreed Luka would be the one to handle her at this social, but he found himself looking for her yet again. The last time he’d seen her, she’d been sitting with the other Sources. He wasn’t blind. They clearly hadn’t accepted her as one of them, likely because of whose Source she was. She didn’t fit in with them. She couldn’t fit in with the other Fae. She only had him, Luka, and Axel, and she couldn’t even be with them tonight. Not that she’d want to be. She was still pissed at all

of them.

No, pissed wasn’t the right word.

She had become…apathetic. As though she suddenly didn’t care about anything, resigned to simply accept whatever was required of her and being done to her. He started at the sudden realization. She’d been different since the night in the rain on the balcony when she’d told him he’d already won. He’d told himself it was her slowly giving into the bond.

That he hadn’t completely failed. That it was because she hadn’t been adequately prepared for her role. Any excuse to justify why this had gone so horribly fucking wrong.

But this was worse. Her not caring was worse than her hating this, and how the fuck

did that work?

And where the fuck was she?

“I have some things to tell you.”

Theon looked over to find Luka sliding into the chair next to him.

“It better be where Tessa is,” Theon snapped.

He saw the look exchanged between Axel and Luka and downed the rest of his drink when Axel said, “This isn’t fucking working. Something has to change.”

Luka raked a hand through his hair, and it made Theon pause. He was agitated, and Luka rarely showed any emotion. Theon braced himself when he said, “What do you need to tell me?”

“I already told him he needs to find a good fuck,” Axel offered.

“Fuck off, Axel,” Theon said, dropping his now empty glass on the low table before him. “Spit it out, Luka.”

“Axel has a point, and the first thing I have to tell you could help with that. Felicity

Davers is here,” Luka said.

“How does that help with anything?”

Luka shrugged. “You could find out if you’re compatible.”

“By fucking her?” Theon replied flatly.

“How else do you plan on producing an heir?” Luka asked, and Theon saw the slight

twitch of his lips.

This fucker was teasing him.

“You can both fuck off. Where is Tessa?”

The small bit of mirth on his face instantly vanished, and Luka pushed out a harsh breath, raking his hand through his hair again. “Before I tell you that, I need to tell you something else. And before I tell you that, I need you to remember we are in public with dozens of Legacy who will take any chance they can to observe weakness.”

“This sounds ominous,” Axel muttered, setting his drink aside and leaning forward,

bracing his elbows on his knees.

“What is it, Luka?”

“Tristyn is here.”

“Who the fuck is Tristyn?” Axel asked.

But Theon knew exactly who the fuck Tristyn was.

“The mortal is here?” Theon demanded.

“Oh, fuck,” Axel hissed under his breath, and Theon felt it then. Both of their powers subtly pressing against him. Axel’s shadows were a mist that was unnoticeable, and Luka’s was a low black flame that blended in with the low lighting of the lounge. Both of them prepared to combat his power if he lost control.

“There’s more,” Luka said.

“Where is Tessa?” Theon gritted out, his darkness pressing at his being and shadows

clouding his vision.

“Tristyn is not a mortal.”

“What?” Theon hissed. “How in the realms do you figure that?”

“For starters, he’s here. On this level. At an event for Legacy.”

“Don’t be a smart ass. If he’s a Legacy, why did we all assume he was mortal when we ran into him in Rockmoor?”

“I don’t know. Perhaps Tessa will have some insight. She’s been dancing with him for the last ten minutes,” Luka answered.

Theon was already on his feet, striding straight for the dance floor across the room.

“Why are you just telling me this now?”

“Because she seems to have some sort of connection with him. Maybe she’ll get us information—”

“I don’t want her to get anything from him,” Theon snarled, already spotting her golden hair where Tristyn was indeed twirling her around the dance floor to some fast- paced number. Her eyes were bright as she tipped her head back in laughter, and the pair had gathered quite a crowd.

Luka and Axel were both gripping his arms, tugging him to a stop.

“We need to decide how to handle this,” Axel murmured.

“I will handle it by making him choke on darkness before hauling him to the Underground for tampering with a Source,” Theon said darkly.

“Or we think about this rationally. Which bloodline is he from? Which kingdom is he loyal to? Can we sway him?” Axel countered.

Godsdamnit. Theon knew he was right, but all he could see was the male’s hands on what was his. All he could hear was her laughing with a male that wasn’t him. All he could feel was the failure weighing down on him.

“If we charge in there and use our power, not only will everyone assume you do not have control of your Source, but the extent of our powers will be revealed,” Luka murmured in a low voice. “Your father will not be pleased.”

“And you think he is going to be pleased by this?” Theon demanded, his hands clenching into fists in his pockets.

“I am saying we need to be smart about this.”

“They know we can control shadows,” Axel muttered, and Theon could hear the calculation in his tone. “So we play both parts. We let them see the power they know we have while also looking like we let this happen. Make it appear we already have an alliance in place.”

“What if he doesn’t go along with it?” Luka asked.

“He will,” Theon said, his fury lifting just enough to think semi-rationally. “He has an interest in Tessa. We need to figure out what that interest is.”

“Do you think he knows about…well, her?” Axel mused, watching as Tristyn spun her around.

“He knows something,” Theon said, squaring his shoulders. “But his time with her is up.”

He strode forward, shadows trailing behind him with every step. He sent some of his darkness to Tessa, letting it wind around her like ivy, claiming her as much as reminding her who she belonged to. She stiffened for the briefest of moments before she relaxed into Tristyn once more, her movements becoming more fluid, if such a thing were possible. It was all he needed to see to know she was going to put on this little show with them.

The song finished at the same moment they reached the edge of the dance floor but no one dared move. The other Legacy, including the other heirs, were looking on with interest.

Dagian was sipping a drink, his eyes fixed on Tessa in a way Theon did not like, while Lealla was watching Theon with a smirk. Tana’s Source was at her side, murmuring in her ear, and Mahina and Prudence were across the dance floor, their eyes glowing softly as if preparing to defend themselves.

“Theon St. Orcas,” Tristyn said, stepping toward him.

No hesitation. No hint of trepidation. Just the same arrogance the male had displayed in Rockmoor. At least now Theon understood why to some extent.

“Tristyn,” Theon replied, and he really wished he knew the male’s surname. It would give him a clue to his bloodline and what he was doing here. Judging by the small smirk on the male’s lips, he knew this. “Thank you for keeping Tessa company this evening.”

“Always a pleasure. Although I will say I preferred our time in Rockmoor over this,” he said with a wink at Tessa.

She looked at him with a coy smile. “I was thinking the same thing. There’s just something about hotel ambiance.”

“And that elevator music,” Tristyn added wistfully to which Tessa let out a genuine laugh.

Theon cleared his throat, his shadows thickening and beginning to creep along the dance floor. There were sharp intakes of breath and people taking a step back as Luka and

Axel stepped to his side.

“It’s time to go, Tessa,” he said.

“Of course,” she replied, the picture perfect Source as she turned and bowed her head to Tristyn. “Thank you for the evening.”

Tristyn, however, reached over and tipped her chin up. “We’re far past this nonsense,” he said, his voice so low Theon could hardly hear the words spoken. “Destruction or salvation, wild fury. Your choice.”

With those parting words, Tristyn nodded at Theon before he turned and walked off the dance floor, the crowd parting around him. Theon could feel every eye on them, waiting to see what happened next, but before Theon could decide what to do, Tessa moved.

She sauntered over to him, reaching up to straighten his tie. Then she let her fingertips drag down his torso until they rested against his stomach. She looked up at him from beneath her lashes, biting her lower lip. With a dark smile, he thumbed her lip from her teeth and leaned down to speak low into her ear, “Failure was not an option, Tessa.”

“I’ve failed at nothing,” she returned, a cruel smile of her own forming as she pushed up onto her toes and slid her hand back up his chest and around to his nape, digging her nails in. Her lips trailed along his jaw as she continued, “Does everyone not see a bond different from their own? Is that not what you demanded of me, Master? Do you see another Source speaking to anyone else? Do you see another heir so trusting of their Source that they let them dance and converse with another Legacy?”

The recent apathy seemed to have dissipated, replaced by something new. Something he’d glimpsed in that training room when she had seen her power manifest and hold. When she’d gained an idea of just how powerful she was going to be.

He slipped an arm around her waist while his other hand slipped into her hair, his fingers tangling in the golden strands. He tugged, pulling her head back to look into her eyes. There was no glowing violet ring, but that familiar storm was there, just beneath the surface.

“I suppose we should dance then,” he returned, glancing up and signaling whoever was in charge of music to play something.

“What?” she stammered, her eyes widening in surprise.

“I can’t have you dancing with other Legacy and not me. We’re putting on a show, aren’t we?”

“A bond that is superior in every way,” she replied, her breath catching when he dragged his fingertips down her spine before taking her hand in his and pulling her flush against his front.

He let himself focus on the feel of her beneath his hand. Let himself feel the way she moved against him as he led her around the dance floor. He didn’t even register which dance they were doing. They were all muscle memory, ingrained in him from a young age, but he felt each of her sharp inhales, despite her best attempts to hide them.

He didn’t pay attention to the shocked looks from the Celeste and Falein heirs. He didn’t notice the scowls from Dagian or Lealla or the narrowed gaze of Tana. Theon let the rest of the room watch on as he took this moment with Tessa, even if it was an act. He’d pretend it wasn’t. For the duration of the song, he’d pretend he wasn’t what he was in the same way she pretended to be what he demanded of her.

He’d steal this moment, wishing the song would never end, because when they got home, everything would change.