Page 47 of Storm of Secrets and Sorrow

The priestess only nodded, extending the dagger to him again. Ready to get this over with, he sliced his palm before kneeling beside the sofa.

“Ready?” he asked.

“How nice of you to ask this time,” she drawled. “But yes, Theon. I am prepared for this. I know what to expect this time.”

“I’ll draw blood, let the priestess draw the Mark, and then Luka will remove the band. Only one. It will be fine.”

“No need to explain things to me. You never have before.”

He bit down on his retort. She was nervous and upset. Lashing out at him is what she did. Lifting the blade, he sliced a gash along her chest, blood immediately welling and flowing along her skin. He moved to the side, letting the priestess near to draw the Mark, and as soon as she was done, Luka pulled the band from her wrist.

At first, her power crackled faintly at her fingertips, just as it did the few times they’d done this before, and Theon felt a small sense of relief that at least that had gone right. Taking a deep breath, he lifted his bleeding palm, looking into violet-grey eyes as his blood met hers.

Any ounce of relief he’d momentarily felt was gone as her light wrapped tightly around his darkness. Energy crackled out of her, lightning skittering along the floor, and Theon heard the priestess let out a small scream. This is exactly why she shouldn’t be in this room. Luka already had a shield of black flames surrounding her though. The gods help them if a priestess was killed during this.

Gritting his teeth, he pressed his palm more firmly to Tessa’s chest, pouring more of his darkness into her. Her back was arched, her breath coming in gasps as her fingers latched onto his wrist, holding him there. Luka’s hands were on her shoulders, and Theon leaned over her, smoothing his other hand over her brow.

“You’re okay, little storm. You need to let this happen,” he rasped, pushing more power into her. “Just like when we’re by the river. Let me help. Don’t try to control your magic right now. Let me show it what to do.”

Tessa nodded, her eyes squeezed shut as a tear escaped, sliding down her temple. Her nails were digging into his flesh, drawing blood, but if that’s what she needed to endure this, then so be it. She didn’t realize just how much he was willing to bleed for her.

Inhaling another deep breath and giving himself a second to regain control, he sent another wave of power through their connection, and Tessa’s magic seemed to pause. His shadows moved slowly, tentatively, and he could swear her light was watching, studying.

Waiting.

For what, he didn’t know, but his darkness was straining now. It was reaching for her magic as it always reached for her. He forced it to wind slowly around her power, rather than force it into submission. His shadows coaxed and teased, and a tendril of light sparking with energy started to reach back. He could feel the small shocks in his bones, feel the warmth of her light in the darkest places of his shadows.

More.

He’d always want more of this, of her.

Even if she willingly gave him everything as he’d demanded, it wouldn’t be enough.

“That’s it, Tessa,” he murmured, his thumb swiping at another tear. “We’re almost there.”

They had to be, right? But he wasn’t feeling anything. He wasn’t feeling emotion like he thought he would. This just felt like he was torturing her for no godsdamn reason.

Wanting this to be over with, he summoned another wave of shadows, letting it pool and swell, before sending it into her.

Tessa screamed.

But so did he, a sound of agony ripping through him.

Because her power hadn’t been content teasing and playing and watching. It had been waiting, luring him into a sense of security.

Light sank into his darkness as if it were the fangs and claws of a wild animal, and it didn’t let go. What had been little shocks before were streaks of energy jolting his entire body. Instinctively, he tried to yank his hand away, but her nails digging in further had him stilling, keeping the connection. Fuck, if they had to do this again?—

But then he felt it. A flicker of emotion. Agony that wasn’t his own.

Then he barked out a curse as her power wrapped around his, and suddenly, it wasn’t his shadows forcing her light into submission. It was her light taking what it wanted. Her light caressing his darkness, and his power going willingly, as though it couldn’t resist the call of what she was.

He gasped, not able to take in a full breath as emotion barreled into him.

Agony and fear and helplessness.

Loneliness and despair.

Longing and desperation.

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