Page 131 of Storm of Secrets and Sorrow

“I’ll save you some of mine this week,” his brother said.

Axel only nodded, wiping at his brow where sweat still dampened his hairline. He should probably shower again.

“This was about more than Tessa,” Theon said.

“Clever as always,” Axel muttered sarcastically, his head falling into his hands.

“Tell me so I can help.”

“Where is Kat?”

There was shuffling, and then Theon was sinking down beside him. “She went up to your room.”

Axel lifted his head, only to let it fall back against the wall. With his eyes closed, he relayed the conversation he’d had with their father.

When he was finished, Theon was quiet for a long moment before saying, “You can’t have feelings for a Fae, Axel.”

“You think I don’t know that? In five years, I’ll be Selecting my own Source. I’ll likely be chained to my own Match contract.”

“Are you fucking her?”

His eyes snapped open, and his head jerked up. “No, I’m not fucking her.”

“Really? I assumed you were.”

“She was claimed unexpectedly, brought here instead of the dorms, and was forced to do all manner of things at her—” He stopped speaking at the look Theon was giving him. “I know I’m the asshole we were raised to be, but I’m notthatkind of asshole. Thanks for thinking the absolute worst of me.”

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Theon said. “She’s obviously comfortable with you. I assumed it was a mutually beneficial exchange for the time being.”

“Yeah, well, you assumed wrong,” Axel grumbled.

“But you do care for her.”

It was a statement, not a question.

“I spend a lot of time with her.”

“It endangers her. Think of Caris. Think of Pen?—”

“I know, Theon. Why do you think I’ve never gone any further? We don’t even sleep in the same bed,” Axel said.

He conveniently left out the part about kissing her in the Underground.

Neither of them said anything for several minutes until Theon broke the silence with a sigh. “I’ll do what I can to prevent it from happening, but be careful, Axel. If Father realizes what she means to you…”

Theon didn’t have to finish the thought. Axel knew it ended with snapping Katya’s neck the same way he’d snapped Pen’s. He was her biggest threat in more ways than one, but it didn’t stop him from getting to his feet and putting the bottle of blood away before climbing the stairs to his room. It didn’t stop the way he could already feel her before he’d even opened the door,and it didn’t stop the way he could breathe a little easier when he found her with a spoonful of peanut butter and a book in her hand.

She said nothing as he pushed the door shut, leaning against it and holding her amber gaze.

“Are you all right?” she finally asked, lowering the now empty spoon.

And because she’d thanked him only a few days ago for always being honest with her, he said, “No.”

Kat nodded, setting the spoon and book aside. “Do you need to talk about it?”

“No.”

“Do you need me to help with something?”

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