Page 226 of Storm of Secrets and Sorrow

That was what she tried to tell herself as he helped her sit up. Her legs were draped over his lap, her brow to his shoulder.He murmured soft praises to her, but the nausea was there. Her blood was rushing in her ears. She was starting to panic, but the basin appeared, and then she felt the sofa dip behind her. A cool rag was pressed to her neck, and she could feel the heat emanating off of Luka as he leaned into her.

They let her get the first round of vomiting out of the way before they called for the priestess. She commented again about the Mark looking a little different, and now Tessa understood why. She’d been in too much pain and there’d been too many emotions bombarding her to understand the last time.

“You know she’s going to report this back to the Lords and Ladies,” Luka said, reclaiming his place beside her.

She let out a little sigh when he replaced the cool rag, and Theon brushed his lips along her brow.

“You did wonderfully, little storm,” he murmured.

If he only knew.

“Only knew what?” Theon asked, sitting back to try to see her face.

“Nothing,” she muttered, managing to get a thin mental shield in place.

“Don’t waste energy on that right now, Tessa,” Theon said, moving the bowl back in place.

“I’ll just pretend,” she murmured, her stomach clenching.

After another round of vomiting, she settled back against Luka. One of her hands was in Theon’s. His other hand was dragging his fingers up and down her thigh. Luka had an arm behind her, ready to catch her if she moved too quickly.

Two people here.

Two people tending to her.

Two people who actuallycared.

That’s what she let herself pretend.

“You were supposed to be mine,” she whispered, hardly able to keep her eyes open. “Not his. And he…”

“He what, Tessa?” Luka asked, running a hand along her brow and smoothing back her hair.

She didn’t have it in her to speak any more. She just wanted to pretend.

So she let them hear her thoughts instead.

He and I were always meant to destroy one another.

She couldn’t breathe.

Not as Theon stood over her, a black dagger in his hand.

She couldn’t get air down to even speak.

“Breathe, little one,” Luka soothed. “We’ll figure this out.”

The dragon was near her head, a large palm cupping her cheek and keeping her gaze fixed on him. Always where she could see him.

But Axel wasn’t here.

He was always here.

She choked down a sob, gasping as tears slid down her face. “Please, Luka. It doesn’t have to be like this.”

Luka’s brow pinched, his gaze darting to Theon. “You know she’s right, Theon. There’s always a loophole. There’s always?—”

“We don’t have a choice,” Theon said, still standing over her, his hair stirring in the breeze.

---