Page 26 of Storm of Secrets and Sorrow

It was his turn for his eyes to go wide. “Where have you been sleeping?”

“Right here. On the sofa.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s your bed,” she repeated.

Axel didn’t know what to say to that. “Just get in the bed, Katya.”

“But you’re a Legacy. I’m just a Fae.”

“You aren’tjustanything,” he snapped in annoyance, not sure where that had come from. He took a breath as she slipped back into the role he’d spent the last hour coaxing her out of. “I’m just saying you need a good night’s rest more than I do. You’re the one training with your power. Just like with needing to eat, you need the bed more.”

She wouldn’t look at him, but she shook her head in refusal.

“Fine. Sleep on the sofa. I’ll sleep on the floor.”

That had her head snapping up. “You can’t sleep on the floor.”

He shrugged, moving to the bed to grab a pillow. “I’m a Legacy and an heir. I can do almost anything I want.”

“My Lord?—”

“Axel,” he interjected.

She sent him an unimpressed glare. “Axel, it does not make sense for you to sleep on the floor.”

“What doesn’t make sense is you sleeping on the sofa the past few days when there’s been a perfectly fine bed right here. It isn’tlogical.”

“You’re…frustrating,” she sputtered.

“But my arguments are more logical than yours,” he said with a knowing smile.

“Fine. I’ll sleep in the bed if you’ll sleep on the sofa and not the floor,” she snapped, and Axel had a feeling that if she didn’t have the shirastone bands on her wrists keeping her power under control, flames would have flickered in her eyes.

“Deal, kitten,” he said, retrieving the pillow he’d tossed to the floor.

And Axel knew without a doubt he’d be sleeping in his room every night from now on.

6

THEON

“Where are we going?” Tessa asked with so much resignation in her voice that Theon immediately questioned whether they should even do this.

“Just put this on,” he answered instead, handing a jacket to her. She was dressed in jeans and riding boots. It was the best he could do with the last minute decision to do this.

He’d mentioned the idea to Luka this afternoon. To his surprise, Luka had immediately agreed and said he’d take care of everything.

When Tessa had zipped the jacket, he held out a stocking hat too, and she narrowed her eyes at him.

“It’s not that cold out, Theon.”

“It is after sunset,” he countered. When she just gave him a frank look, he added, “Put it on, or we’re not going.”

“You haven’t even told me where we’re going,” she snapped.

“We’re going,” Luka said, striding into the foyer and moving straight to the door. “Don’t make her wear it; if she wants to be difficult, she can be cold.”

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