Rain of Shadows and Endings — Chapter no 44

44

THEON

“W hat have you done?” his father snarled, darkness slamming into Theon and throwing him against the wall of their private viewing box. Theon slid to the floor, cursing under his breath at the unanticipated hit, sharp pain lancing up his side. “Do you have any idea what you have just compromised?”

Theon was climbing back to his feet as black flames sprang up around him, Luka grabbing his elbow and helping him up.

“Sorry,” Luka said. “I was taking care of his plant bitch.”

“So she’s out of commission?” Theon asked, automatically tugging at his cuffs to straighten his sleeves.

“If she moves, she’ll have fire up her twat.”

“You are in a delightful mood today,” Theon muttered, letting his shadows cover him for extra protection. It wouldn’t stop his father’s magic, but it would lessen the blows.

“Anytime I get to fuck with her, it puts me in a good mood,” Luka replied.

Theon snickered. A good mood. But the mirth quickly fell as they prepared to face his

father.

“Ready?” Luka asked.

He nodded, his body tensing as the black flames slowly receded.

“Still hiding behind fire instead of facing your problems,” his father said, a sneer of disgust curling on his lips.

“My only problem at the moment is you standing in my way of retrieving my Source,”

Theon retorted.

“Your Source?” his father repeated. “She is not even Fae.”

“She is still mine,” Theon said, grateful to find Axel nowhere to be seen. He’d made it out to get to Tessa just like they’d planned.

“A Source must be Fae,” his father spat.

“Says who?”

“It is how things are done.”

“Maybe it’s time for how things are done to change,” Theon returned, repeating words his father would say when Theon was younger and would question his plans.

Until his father got tired of being questioned and found other ways to silence him.

His father’s nostrils flared, shadows swirling in his hazel eyes. “You realize that any semblance of trust we have built with the other kingdoms is now gone. They were already upset about the fire Fae, and now they will accuse us of even more scandal. We should have killed the female when we had the chance.”

“You will not lay a fucking finger on her,” Theon growled.

His father scoffed, dragging a hand through his hair. It was a rare show of frustration from him, and the mannerism made Theon pause. He had expected his father to be angry.

Furious. But this was…

This was trepidation.

This was dread.

“Cressida, leave,” he suddenly spat, not bothering to look at his wife.

His mother did not question anything, sweeping from the room with her glass of wine in hand.

“Father,” Theon started the moment the door shut behind her. “I fail to see how this is not a positive for us. Tessa is clearly a being of great power. I control her, therefore I control that power. This night has been lucrative for us.”

“You think you can control that?” Valter murmured. “It is not some Fae elemental power. You cannot be this naïve. The godsdamn Keeper awakened her gifts. You know what that means.”

He was pacing the length of the private box, continually dragging his hands through his hair. Theon glanced at Luka, completely at a loss. He felt like he was in a room with Tessa, unsure of how to handle the unpredictable male before him. His father was nothing but in control at all times, demanding the same perfection from everyone around him.

“Father, let me go get Tessa. We can go back to the townhouse or the country manor and figure out how to proceed from there.”

“Yes,” Valter muttered, suddenly stopping and straightening. He tugged on his shirt cuffs, straightening his sleeves. “That is a sound course of action. Luka, release Eviana.”

The black flames keeping Eviana bound near the door went out, and she rushed to her Master’s side. Theon was already striding for the door, but the moment he pulled it open, he stilled.

Standing on the other side were the Serafina and Celeste Ladies, along with their heirs.

“Did you honestly think we would let you get away with this?” demanded the Serafina Lady, shoving past Theon and entering the room. “Honestly, Valter, after all of our cooperation as of late, this is how you repay us?”

Cooperation? Theon didn’t know what the Lady was talking about. And when the fuck had his father become on a first-name basis with the Serafina Kingdom?

The only thing that was becoming clear was that his father had way more secrets than Theon had realized.

“Maya, I have no idea what you are referring to,” his father said.

“You have no idea?” the Serafina Lady scoffed. “Let’s start with the Source your son randomly Selected. I’ll leave the fire Fae to Kyra. She is livid.”

“Kyra is always furious about something,” his father muttered.

“True, but another kingdom claiming a fire Fae? She will be at your door next.”

“Hopefully she will at least wait for a private meeting. This is too public, Maya. You know this.”

The Serafina’s silver stare shifted to Theon. “I suppose I should be speaking to your heir rather than you. It suddenly makes perfect sense why no one was able to gather her predicted element.”

“My Source was predicted to emerge with air. You can view any of her assessment records,” Theon said coldly.

“And yet she told my Source she was predicted to emerge with water and almost no

power,” Lealla piped in snidely.

Had she?

Theon had to work to keep the smirk from his lips at that. Instead, he shrugged, donning his mask of indifference. “Either way, clearly her assessments were inaccurate.”

“How convenient,” the Serafina Lady interjected.

“I don’t know that I’d use the word convenient. She is rather wild at times,” Theon said casually, scratching at his jaw. “But what’s done is done, I suppose.”

“That is your answer to this?” demanded the Celeste Lady. She swung around to face his father. “You know the division this will cause. Do you wish to go back to being the shunned kingdom you have been for centuries?”

Darkness appeared, pooling at his father’s feet. “Do not threaten me, Luna,” he said darkly, Eviana tensing beside him. The Ladies’ Sources were stepping in front of their Mistresses, but before anyone could make another move, the door was being flung open.

Everyone spun to the sound, magic appearing at their fingertips and in the air, as Axel stumbled into the room. Blood was dripping from his nose and a gash along his temple, and Theon rushed forward to catch him before he collapsed to the floor.

“What happened? Where is Tessa?” Theon demanded in a low tone, trying to keep the others from hearing.

“Attacked,” Axel managed to gasp out. “I got back as quickly as I could.”

“You were attacked?” their father demanded. “By who?”

“Many. Legacy and Fae alike,” Axel answered while Theon and Luka helped him to a chair. He lifted his head, meeting Theon’s gaze. “But in the end, it wasn’t them who took her.”

“Who? Who has her?” Theon ground out, shadows filling his vision.

“Rordan. Rordan Jove attacked us both. The Achaz Lord has her.”

And it killed him, absolutely destroyed him, but Theon turned to his father and said, “I need your help.”

A Fae opened the door the moment his father knocked at the Jove country manor.

“My Lords,” he said, bowing his head. “His grace is expecting you.”

“I bet he is,” Theon sneered, stepping into the foyer.

“Quiet, Theon,” his father snapped, brushing past him and following the Fae who had started down a hallway to the left. Gone was the brief glimpse of uncertainty. The Arius Lord was back in control, shadows trailing each step.

Within a minute, they were being shown into a lounge. It was smaller and less grand than he’d expected. Nothing compared to the overcompensated displays his father insisted on.

He immediately found Tessa, who was seated on a sofa with a glass of water between her palms. She was paler than usual, but other than that, she did not appear to be hurt. Or if she was, her newly released power was already healing her.

His gaze dropped to her forearm where a new Mark stood out. It wasn’t black like the Source Mark on the back of her hand, but it was a pale silver color. Identical to the Mark on his own forearm that he’d received at ten years to awaken his own gifts. A Witch had given him the Mark, his father having paid off one in the Underground so that word wouldn’t get back to the other kingdoms which exact powers of Arius he had manifested, but the godsdamn Keeper had made an appearance for Tessa.

“Valter,” Rordan greeted, not bothering to rise from his seat across from Tessa. “A pleasure to see you, as always.”

It was only then that Theon realized who was sitting next to Tessa.

That Fae. The not-lover.

The one who told her she was constantly creating unnecessary chaos.

The same thing he had told her before shoving her into a small, windowless cellar.

“Rordan,” his father said curtly. “I believe you have something that belongs to my kingdom.”

Rordan smiled. “Would you like something to drink? Tessalyn has been sipping on water. We agreed that any alcohol may not do well with her body after I had to quell her impressive display of power.”

“Is there a reason she is here rather than at the Pantheon?” Valter demanded.

“There is, in fact,” Rordan replied. Then he turned to Dagian. Theon hadn’t even realized the heir was in the room. “Do help Frederick with the drinks for our guests, Dagian.”

Theon’s jaw nearly dropped. His father would never ask another Legacy to wait on someone, let alone ask his son to do so. That was a Fae’s job, far beneath a Legacy. Yet Dagian didn’t question it, moving to the beverage cart where the Fae who had escorted them in was filling glasses. Two females, the Achaz Sources, were standing near an opposite wall, quiet and watchful.

“Please take a seat,” Rordan said, gesturing to the surrounding vacant seating.

“This is not a social call,” his father snapped. “We came to retrieve what is ours, and we will be on our way.”

“Is she yours, though?” Rordan countered, his head tilting at the question.

“Of course she is,” Theon interjected. “She bears my Mark. Tessa, come here.”

Tessa was already tense, and now she stiffened at being addressed. But she had to obey him. It was in the oath to obey her Master above all others.

With a deep exhale, she slowly got to her feet, Dex standing to help her up and taking the water from her. She made her way to Theon, and the moment she was within arm’s reach, he was pulling her into his side. She leaned against him, utterly exhausted.

“Are you all right?” Theon asked in a low voice, tilting her chin up to look at her.

She only nodded, her eyes darting to the side.

“We will be leaving now,” his father said, turning on his heel.

But Rordan was pushing to his feet. “I am afraid we need to discuss these matters further.”

Valter rounded on him. “What is there to discuss? She was Selected. It is done. Only death can undo it.”

“Can a being who is not Fae truly be Selected as a Source?” Rordan mused, a hand slipping into his pocket while he brought his liquor glass to his lips.

“Evidently they can,” Valter sneered.

“And yet she belongs here, with me.”

“When, exactly, did you come to that conclusion?” Theon interjected.

“The moment she displayed the power of Achaz.” Rordan’s tone had gone low and dark, light flickering at the fingers gripping his glass. “Of course, not all of her gifts are like my own, and isn’t that interesting?”

Theon tugged her closer, her breath hitching.

“What are you insinuating?” Valter asked, darkness drifting around him.

“I am proposing that she be housed at the Pantheon until it can be determined what exactly she is.”

“No,” Theon snarled. “She belongs with me.”

Rordan smiled at him as though he were a child who couldn’t comprehend what was being said. Then he returned his attention to Valter. “I am assuming you have already considered she may be the key to everything?”

“Of course I have,” his father gritted out, and Theon didn’t understand anything that was being referenced.

Rordan took another sip of his drink, seeming to savor the taste before he said, “Then

you already know where she belongs.”

“There is no proof,” Valter argued.

“Not yet,” Rordan agreed. “But when it surfaces, you understand what this will come

to?”

“Do you?”

Rordan held out his glass, the Fae immediately appearing and taking the still half-full tumbler from him. “I look forward to further discussions on this matter.”

Was he…dismissing them?

“This isn’t over, Rordan,” Valter seethed.

“No, it isn’t,” Rordan agreed. “But one does wonder: who will be left standing when Chaos comes to reign?”

He stood when Tessa emerged from the bathroom. Dressed in a pair of loose pants and a fitted tank top, she’d braided her wet hair over her shoulder. His father had strongly suggested they stay at the country manor tonight, so here they were. Theon would have much preferred to go back to the townhouse simply to be away from his father, but he’d already had to ask his father for help. Arguing against him tonight would not have been a wise idea.

This room was smaller than their room at the townhouse by at least half. Then again, their room at the townhouse was the entire third floor. He hated staying here though. It just felt like a smaller version of Arius House. Same dark decor. Same oppressive, stale air.

Axel and Luka were here as well, still seated on the sofa in the small sitting area. They each had rooms down the hall. Luka had gone with Axel to help him get cleaned up, and they’d only just settled down with drinks in hand. Axel looked like he’d seen better days and had admitted he had a pounding headache, which had made Theon wonder if Tessa was suffering from the same but wasn’t admitting to it.

She paused mid-step when she saw them all, her arms wrapping around herself as she asked, “What?”

Theon closed the space between them, but faltered when he went to reach for her. He didn’t know where they stood after everything.

“How are you feeling?”

“Tired,” she answered, her eyes darting to the side. She unwound her arms, fiddling with the bands on her wrists. “These are uncomfortable.”

When they’d arrived here, Theon had immediately replaced the ones Rordan had put on her with his own. Who knew what kind of enchantments were on the other ones. Luka had tried to incinerate them with dragon fire, but they’d withstood it. Another thing for Theon to research. For now, the bands were being stored in a pocket realm.

Luka was now drinking an extra ration of blood his father had suspiciously offered to all three of them. They’d had no choice but to take it, especially Axel with all the power he’d used protecting Tessa.

“I know they are uncomfortable, beautiful,” Theon said, unable to stop himself from reaching out and playing with the end of her braid. “But you understand why you have to wear them for now, right? Your power is volatile until you learn to control it.”

“And how will I learn to do that?”

“You will have lessons. It is part of the classes all Fae go through.”

“Yes, but I am not Fae,” she replied, an eerie ring to her voice that had been there after the cellar. It had disappeared, and Theon had been hoping it would stay that way, but apparently that wasn’t the case.

He sighed heavily. “No, Tessa. You are not Fae.”

“Do you think I am part Fae? Rordan does not believe so.”

Rordan?

“What else does Rordan believe?” Theon asked, trying and failing to keep the bitterness from his voice.

“I have magic like his,” she said. “Magic of Achaz.”

“You do,” Theon agreed.

“But also more.”

“We do not know the extent of your power. It will take time to sort this all out.”

“This?”

“You. Your power. How it will affect the Source bond.”

“Right,” she murmured, rocking on her toes as if she suddenly couldn’t stay still.

“Are you hungry, Tessa?”

“Do you think I will need blood?”

“What?” Theon balked.

“Blood,” she repeated. “Like you drink.”

“No,” Theon said immediately.

“It’s a fair question,” Luka said from the sofa. “If she’s Legacy—”

“She’s not Legacy,” Theon interjected.

“Don’t be stupid, Theon,” Axel sighed. “She has Achaz power, which means she has some blood of Achaz. And based on the power displayed tonight? I’m going to go with a lot.”

“Not to mention her Mark matches ours,” Luka said, holding up his forearm to show the Mark identical to the one on Tessa’s forearm.

Theon turned back to her. “Did the Keeper say anything to you?”

“Not really,” she answered, rocking on her bare toes again. “Can we go outside?”

“It’s the middle of the night.”

“I like the dark. It makes the light shine brighter.”

“Don’t you think it would be better to rest? Or eat? Or…” he trailed off as she made her way to an armchair and plopped into it, apparently abandoning her efforts to go outside.

“You all have a lot of Marks. Why couldn’t I see them earlier? You said they could be seen by those who have the blood of a god.”

He had said that, and now that she mentioned it, she was right. She should have been able to see them all along. The only explanation he could come up with was that whoever had bound her power had somehow nullified all of her bloodline’s magic. Bits and pieces of her power had broken through when her emotions had been in a heightened state, and to be honest, Theon was a little worried the same would happen even with the bands in place.

“Do they all mean something different?” she asked when Theon didn’t answer.

“Yes.”

“Will you tell me about them?”

His brow arched as he slid his hands into the pockets of his loose pants. “You want to

learn about the Marks?”

“Yes, please.”

The pleasantry made both his brows shoot up. “I can tell you about the Marks.”

“And my lessons? When will those start?”

Theon glanced at Luka and Axel, who both just shrugged.

“The Fae begin lessons in three days. You will start them then as well.”

“With you?”

“Some of them,” he answered with a nod.

“And Mother Cordelia?”

“I think that is something we may need to reconsider, but not tonight.”

“And training with my power?”

“Tessa,” Theon sighed. “Can we discuss this tomorrow? After we’ve all had a chance to get some rest?”

“Of course,” she murmured, her fingers repeatedly smoothing over the fabric of the armrest.

Silence fell, but it only took a few seconds for Axel to fill it.

“I’m going to bed,” he said, getting unsteadily to his feet. “I swear I can still feel phantom shocks from that prick’s power.” He turned to Tessa. “You good, baby doll?”

She paused her finger movements, then held up her wrists. “I’d be better if you took these off.”

He huffed a laugh. “Soon you won’t need them,” he replied, bending to press a kiss to her cheek. “Get some sleep.”

“You too,” she murmured, her hands falling back to her lap. When Luka stood, she looked up hopefully. “Do we train tomorrow?”

Luka studied her for a long moment, and Theon knew that look. He was trying to work something out. Finally he said, “Let’s see how you feel in the morning, all right?”

They both knew she would not be training in the morning.

Tessa didn’t answer, and when Luka and Axel left the room, the door closing softly behind them, Theon moved closer to her. He crouched down before the armchair, looking

up into her violet-grey eyes. “Tell me the truth, Tessa. How are you feeling?”

Her head tilted to the side. “You told me to lie to you.”

“But now I need the truth.”

“Lie and truth. You can’t have both. Just like you can’t have light and dark, beginnings and endings.”

Theon reached up, cupping her cheek. “Little storm, you’re exhausted. It is nearing dawn. Let’s go to bed, and tomorrow we can discuss everything.”

She hummed, beginning to run her fingers over the armrest again. He slowly lowered his hand from her cheek, folding it over her fingers. “Do you have a headache? Axel said he has a pounding headache. I can try to heal that for you.”

“You cannot heal me, Theon.”

“You are my Source. Of course I can.”

Her lips tilted into a haunting smile. “You’d have to find all the pieces of my soul, and it’s far too shattered to be put back together.”

She wasn’t making any sense, and she had to be overtired from the day.

He stood, taking her hand in his and tugging her to her feet before leading her to the bed. When he climbed in after her, he was momentarily shocked when she curled into him, resting her head on his chest. He quickly curled an arm around her though, breathing in the scent of her, relishing in the feel of her pressed against his bare torso.

With a finger, she began tracing along his Marks.

“I have this one now,” she said, tracing the one on his arm that matched hers. Her breath danced along his suddenly overheated skin.

“You do,” he agreed.

“And this one,” she said, her finger moving over their Bargain Mark along his ribs.

“Yes,” he said tightly at her touch.

One godsdamn finger and memories were flooding up of the nights she’d let him have pieces of her.

Her touch slid along his torso to the other side of his ribs. She traced the inverted triangle with three horizontal lines running through it that was opposite his Bargain Mark

with her. “I don’t have this one.”

“You never will.”

“What does it mean?”

He pressed a kiss to her brow, smoothing his hand along her hair. “Tomorrow, Tessa.”

She didn’t speak again, and he was grateful because he didn’t know how to answer all of her sudden questions. He needed some time to sort this all out and research some theories. But even tomorrow he wouldn’t tell her what that Mark was.

He wouldn’t tell her about the Bargain he’d had to make with his father in exchange for his help.