Page 104 of Storm of Secrets and Sorrow

She was opening her mouth to ask Theon if they could go for a short walk when Luka walked in. His sapphire eyes swept over her in the briefest of glances before he was walking through to the wine cellar. He emerged moments later with a bottle, drinking directly from it.

“Where’s Kat?” Luka asked.

“In the lounge,” Axel answered, eyeing the bottle.

“Do you need some?” Luka asked, Tessa watching the exchange curiously. Axel seemed to debate his answer, his fingers drumming on the counter, before Luka made it for him, sliding the bottle across the surface. “Take what you need.”

Something akin to shame filled Axel’s features as he stared at the bottle. “You’re the ones who just fought. You need your ration.”

“We will get more in two days. I’ll be fine,” Luka replied.

After a long pause, Axel shook his head, sliding the bottle back towards Luka. “If these two mystery people show up, you need full reserves. I’m good.”

Tessa finally realized they were discussing Fae blood, but why would Axel need some when he hadn’t fought at all last night? His reserves should be plenty full.

But her magic suddenly jolted, and Tessa nearly dropped her wineglass.

Theon’s attention whipped to her. “What’s wrong?”

But she’d felt this before. An intense curiosity. A craving for more. A recognition of something she knew intimately.

“She’s here,” Tessa said simply.

“Who’s here?” Theon asked.

“The female from last night.”

Luka was immediately on alert, and Axel was on his feet and out of the kitchen in the next breath. Tessa assumed he was going to Katya.

“Why do you think that?” Theon asked cautiously.

Tessa shrugged. “My magic senses her.”

“That’s not—” Theon started, but then he turned to Luka. “Did you feel them at the wards?”

Luka shook his head, already striding to the foyer. Theon followed, Tessa trailing after them. After being stuck inside all day, a quick walk would have been nice, but that wouldn’t be happening now. Seconds later there was a knock, and Luka was pulling open the door.

“See!” the silver-haired female exclaimed. “He looks just like him.”

The same male from the night before was rubbing at his brow. “Not the time, Scarlett.”

“But you see it, right?”

The male sighed, an apologetic smile filling his face as he looked between Luka and Theon. “Is this an all right time? We haven’t seen anyone else come or go in a few hours.”

“How can you possibly know that?” Theon demanded. “And how did you get past our wards?”

A sly smirk curled on the female’s lips that clearly set Luka even more on edge as he slid in front of Theon.

The female only laughed.

“This is the part where you invite us in,” she said, gesturing beyond them into the townhouse. Silver eyes met Tessa’s where she was peering around Theon as the female added, “This is a family matter.”

After a tension-filled moment, Theon said, “Let them in, Luka. This has been a long time coming.”

Theon turned, his hand falling to Tessa’s lower back as he ushered her to the lounge, but when she glanced back over her shoulder, the female winked at her.

Kat immediately got to her feet when they entered, and Tessa couldn’t blame her. Old habits died hard, and when those habits could save you from any manner of correction, you never let them die. But Axel slid casually in front of her, the same way Theon and Luka did to her.

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