Page 127 of Storm of Secrets and Sorrow

“He just chooses which parts to acknowledge, then acts surprised when the things he ignored come back and blow up in his face,” Luka said.

Theon glared. “You’re being a bigger ass than usual today.”

“You’re both being broody jackasses with Tessa gone,” Axel muttered.

Could Luka drive any slower today? Fuck.

“Your mood isn’t much better,” Theon shot back.

Axel said nothing, only lifting his middle finger.

Katya was studying the three of them as if they were some fascinating experiment.

“What did Corbin emerge with?” Theon asked after a tense moment of silence.

“Water,” Kat answered.

“And the other one?”

“What other one?”

“The one Corbin is involved with,” Theon said impatiently.

“Lange emerged with air,” Kat answered tightly.

“And he came from another estate as well?”

“Falein.”

Axel glanced at her, her answers getting shorter and more curt. She was definitely more than irritated.

“Get to the fucking point, Theon,” Axel grumbled, kicking the back of Theon’s seat.

“Godsdammit, Axel,” he snarled, darkness coiling in warning.

Axel smirked, his shadows stretching and taunting Theon’s magic.

“Not in the vehicle, you idiots,” Luka groused.

“Then fucking drive faster,” Axel snapped. “I could walk home faster than this.”

“Unlikely. Pretty sure I’d run you over for a few hours of quiet.”

“Nice, fucker,” Axel retorted, his shadows snapping out and biting at Luka’s arm, a line of red appearing.

“The fuck, Axel!” Luka yelled, the vehicle swerving as Luka jerked the wheel, spinning to glare at him with vertical pupils.

“Eyes on the road,” Axel said, settling back in his seat once more with a satisfied smirk.

Katya was staring at him, and yeah, he knew he was acting like an asshole. But godsdammit, she was sitting right there. Without the bands on subduing her magic, he could practically taste it. So much power in her blood. He didn’t even need it for that. His reserves were fine. There was absolutely no reason for him to be this frenzied, yet here he sat. Controlled by a craving with the cure for it sitting a few feet away. He needed the fucking distraction.

She lightly cleared her throat, smoothing her hands over her loose training pants. “Is there a reason you were asking about Corbin and Lange, Theon?”

“Did Lange pass his exam today as well?” Theon asked.

“He did.”

“Did anyone claim them?”

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