Page 149 of Storm of Secrets and Sorrow

Taking a deep breath, Tessa focused on her light, pulling it back into herself. Energy still crackled. She could feel it at her fingertips, still straining.

“No,” the instructor said. “Let that go. Focus on the light for now.”

That was easy for her to say. She was an Achaz Legacy. Some cousin or something of Rordan who had trained Dagian in his magic. But an Achaz Legacy didn’t have all her abilities.

They couldn’t make it rain indoors.

Or summon a storm.

She winced as her power flared, then her eyes flew open at the sound of Dagian cursing.

“It’s going well, I see,” the heir said tightly, his arms crossed while he toed at a small crack that had appeared in the stone floor of the training chamber.

“I lost my focus,” Tessa muttered, flexing her fingers where her palms still glowed faintly. Her gaze darted to Dex, who was keeping watch near the door, instructed to only let certain people into the space.

“Clearly,” Dagian deadpanned.

“We all know playing with our magic is different fromusingit,” Rordan said, all of them turning as the Lord strode through the heavy stone door, Dysani behind him. After her first day here, she only saw the Lord at dinners. Never during her training or the tours of Faven.

The instructor bowed at the waist, and Tessa immediately lowered her gaze, clasping her hands tightly in front of her.

“She needs a reason to use it. Control it,” Rordan continued, coming to a stop beside his son.

Tessa frowned a little. “I have a reason to control it. I don’t want to hurt anyone with it.”

“And that’s admirable,” Rordan said with a smile. “But Legacy power is power of the gods. It needs to be used. It demands it. Surely you feel that?”

“Yes, but…” She trailed off, feeling her magic beneath her skin.

Restless.

Excited.

Seeking.

“What do you think our power is?” Rordan asked, his light flaring, slithering out from him the same way Theon’s darkness did. It coiled, snaking up the walls of the chamber as though it were golden vines. Bright white flowers of pure light bloomed, glowing like the orbs in all the sconces in the palace.

It was beautiful.

“I don’t know,” Tessa answered.

“All the power of the gods comes from Chaos,” Rordan said.

“The gods came from the Chaos,” Tessa said.

“Ah, they came from it, yes. But so did their gifts. And the Firsts? They are Chaos themselves,” Rordan said. “That same power trickles down in their offspring. Diluted, of course, especially in the case of the Legacy. The mortal blood weakens the Chaos. It is why we are so particular about our Matches.”

Tessa frowned. She knew why the Legacy, especially the ruling families, were so strategic with Matches. They wanted to erase the mortal blood from their lineage as much as possible.

“But even with all our plans, the mortal lineage remains, and thus, Legacy will forever be at a disadvantage,” Rordan went on.

At a disadvantage?

It took everything in her not to laugh at such an absurd statement.

But he sent her another knowing smile. “You think I am delusional saying such a thing, but think of this, Child. The gods designed the Fae. They are magical beings. All magical beings, including the Fae, have Chaos. It is where power comes from, but the Fae?” He gestured to where Dysani and Sasha stood to the side of their Masters. “If no mortal blood enters their line, they do not have a weakness, do they?”

“They are still not descendants of the gods,” Tessa argued. “Even the original demigods the Legacy descended from had to be more powerful than the Fae. They were direct descendants of a god or goddess.”

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