Page 175 of Storm of Secrets and Sorrow

She felt nothing as he slid one of his shirts over her head.

She felt nothing as he squeezed water from her hair with a towel before sitting her in front of the warm fire.

“I got to you first,” he said gruffly, shuffling about behind her and presumably shedding his own wet clothes. She was staring at the flickering flames trapped behind the glass, remembering months ago when she’d done the same at Arius House. “We were both racing back to you when we felt your emotions. I was faster, but he’ll be back soon. He took care of— He’s coming back to you. As fast as he can.”

“I don’t want to see him,” she said flatly.

“You need to, Tessa. The bond needs it. You both need it. It will help.”

“Fine. After I’m asleep. Then I don’t have to see him.”

“All right,” Luka agreed after a moment of silence.

“And I don’t want to sleep up there.”

“Okay.”

She twisted to look at him, finding him leaning against the doorway of his closet, arms folded across his chest and wings still out.

“I mean it, Luka. I do not want to wake up in that bed in the morning.”

“I swear it, Tessa.”

She nodded, turning back to the fire. She wished she had some alcohol. If Luka wouldn’t help her get lost in pleasure, she could at least drown in a bottle.

Instead, she was stuck with her feelings, trying to shove their way out of the pit of her soul where she had them locked away.

And that was where they’d stay because the only thing feeling did was give her hope.

Foolish girl.

She wouldn’t make that mistake again.

30

THEON

Theon burst through the door from the garage, not bothering to remove his coat and shoes as he ran through the main floor and up the stairs. Luka met him on the second floor landing, holding his door open.

“She’s sleeping,” Luka said. “Do not wake her. It would be bad for all of us right now.”

Theon’s breath caught as he finally laid eyes on her. The room was dark, only lit by Luka’s black flames around the room, but Theon could see her. She was curled up in the middle of Luka’s nest of pillows and blankets. Her hair still looked damp, and her bare legs were tucked into her chest, Luka’s shirt not covering much. There were traces of mud along her legs and arms, as if she’d tried to clean up but stopped caring. One hand was tucked under her cheek, the other splayed on the pillow. She looked utterly spent.

“You had to put the bands on,” Theon noted, swallowing thickly.

“I did,” Luka said, shutting the door quietly.

Theon plunged his hands through his hair, blowing out a harsh breath. “What did she say?”

“She asked how often you’ve been bringing Felicity here.”

“Never,” Theon said vehemently. “I never bring her here.”

“I told her that. She said I was lying,” Luka replied. Theon started to say something else, but Luka cut him off. “She wasn’t going to listen to anything I had to say. Not tonight. What did Felicity say?”

“She said Tessa startled her when she got here, that she told her I’d be back shortly, but Tessa turned and left,” Theon answered, quickly removing his jacket and suit coat.

“I caught up to Tessa in the gardens,” Luka said. “I managed to get her to the river before she lost complete control. I questioned being in the air with that storm she summoned, but I held off on the bands as long as I could. I didn’t want to do that to her, especially not knowing what she went through in Faven. But Theon, she’s…” Luka sighed, running a hand through his hair that hung loosely around his face.

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