Page 237 of Storm of Secrets and Sorrow

“It’s a formal summons for the hearing today,” Theon snarled, reading it again.

“Did they think you wouldn’t show? What is the purpose of it?” Luka said, lowering back down.

“It’s not for me,” Theon said, tossing the thing aside. “It’s for Tessa.”

“Are you fucking with me? She’s not even conscious right now.”

“I’m aware.”

She must have sensed his irritation because she shifted again, arm reaching for him as she stayed snuggled next to Luka. He shifted closer, letting her fingers curl around his thigh.

Always meant to destroy one another.

Those cryptic words drifted down the bond again, and he reached over, smoothing the hair off her brow.

“Do you know what that means?” Luka asked, maneuvering onto his side so they could speak over her. It’d been like this since they got back here. One of them was always with her, always touching her, but she slept the most soundly when they were both within reach.

“I have ideas,” Theon muttered, propping an arm behind his head and letting his eyes fall closed. He never needed as much time to recover after the Markings, but this time he’d been restless, worried about this hearing and trying to come up with anything that might save his ass or make a difference.

“Are you sharing them?” Luka growled in annoyance.

Theon sighed. “She’s not supposed to be here.”

“Are you… Are you saying you think theAuguryis right?” Luka demanded, and Theon could tell he wanted to sit up, move, throw a punch, dosomething.

“What if they are?” Theon said. “What if they are right, and her being here is going to bring about some war we were never supposed to be a part of?”

“After all of this, that’s what you’re going with? What are you even fighting for then? What has been the godsdamn point?”

Luka’s words were laced with anger, and Theon could see the smoke from his exhales even in the faint light of the room.

“It’s a theory,” Theon shot back. “It could all be bullshit. You asked if I had ideas. That was one of them. Doyouhave any ideas by what she meant when she said ‘you were supposed to be mine, not his?’ Or any of the other odd things we’ve heard down the bond, for that matter?”

“It could mean anything,” Luka said. “Just like the whole ‘we were always meant to destroy one another’ could mean anything. You know what Cienna always says: trying to figure out fate is wasted time because fate is always changing.”

Theon fell silent after that. Normally, he and Luka could discuss fate, theories, and whatever else came to mind for hours, but not with the betrayal of everything he’d kept hidden still so fresh.

He waited as long as he could before waking Tessa. They took turns getting ready so one of them was always with her. Luka had just come out of the bathroom, hair pulled up in a knot on his head, navy suit pants, and black tie. He was rolling back the sleeves of his light blue shirt. He wouldn’t bother with a suit coat.

Tessa was nestled beside Theon, her head in his lap. He’d been scrolling through emails, and now he clicked his phone off,setting it aside. He felt like a complete jackass for having to do this.

Gently sliding the blankets off her, he shook her a little bit. “Tessa? Tessa, I need you to wake up.”

Her brow furrowed, and she snuggled deeper against him, curling in on herself.

Yeah, this was going to go great.

Shifting her, he eased her away from him, severing any physical connection. There was a muffled whimper, and he felt her dismay down the bond.

“Tessa, you need to wake up,” he said, jostling her again.

It took another moment, but bleary eyes blinked open, staring up at him. They flicked to Luka, who was standing over them, before coming back to Theon.

“What is happening?” she asked in a sleepy slur.

“We have the hearing today,” Theon said. Her eyes started to flutter closed again, and he reached over, cupping her chin. “No, beautiful. Stay awake. You have to come with us.”

“Why?” she mumbled, her eyes remaining closed.

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