Page 8 of Storm of Secrets and Sorrow

“Is a Source bond being fostered? Is it even possible?” asked Lady Farhan, her attention flitting between Theon and over his shoulder to Tessa.

This was the question he’d been dreading because he didn’t know. He didn’t fucking know if the Source bond was doing what it was supposed to do. When he looked at the Sources of the Lords and Ladies standing obediently at their backs or to the Sources of the heirs, that was not Tessa. But she could pretend and act with the best of them, and what if that’s what all the Sources were doing? Despite what the Celeste Lady had said, this was a game of kingdom politics and power grabs. But every single one of them? Did every Source fake that adoring look in their eye when they looked at their Legacy? Did they loathe the role they’d been Selected to serve? Behind closed doors, were they scheming with their Masters and Mistresses, or were they compliant because it was simply easier to be miserable at this point? How had Tessa managed to turn everything he knew upside down in the span of a few godsdamn weeks?

His fingers flexed where his hand rested on the table, his darkness pushing to be let out at the thought. He’d lost so much control over this entire situation. His father had made that perfectly clear over the last few days full of verbal onslaughts and threats of consequences should this hearing not go in their favor. This wasn’t just his own well-being at stake. It was Axel and Luka and Tessa and so many innocent lives who had nothing to do with any of this. Payment for failure might lie with him, buteveryone else would be the ones to suffer, just as it had always been.

The Tribunal room was quiet as everyone waited for his answer, and Theon could feel his father’s gaze burning into him. Finally, Theon answered, “There is a bond. Having never experienced another Source bond, I have nothing to compare it to. I cannot say if it is the same or different, but there is something there, yes.”

The Lords and Ladies all began speaking at once, trying to be heard over one another as arguments broke out between them. Theon couldn’t follow all the conversations, and he turned to look at Axel, the brothers sharing a grim look.

“It’s not looking good, Theon,” Axel muttered low under his breath.

“We will not lose. Wecannotlose,” Theon returned, a hand falling to his lap so he could let some of his power pool and relieve some tension. Except he immediately had to clamp down on that power as the shadows reached behind him, trying to find their way to Tessa. It’d been this way ever since her power was released. His magic had always seemed curious about her, but now it was as obsessed with her as he was.

“I know we have a plan in place should they vote against you, but that plan involves us getting her out of here. I don’t know how we’re going to do that with all the power in this room,” Axel said, his gaze fixed on the Lords and Ladies. “What if she doesn’t respond like you anticipate?”

Then they were all fucked.

It was as simple as that.

Their entire plan hinged on Tessa standing with him, fighting beside the three of them. She was as strong as any of the Lords and Ladies, possibly stronger. That power alongside his own and Axel’s and Luka’s? The four of them together would be a force,even if she was untrained, and it would be their only chance of getting out of here.

But Tessa’s reaction on the ride over here had him worried. Or rather, her complete lack of reaction when the possibility of her death was mentioned had him worried. He’d ignored her statements of wishing for death these past weeks. He’d chalked them up to her being difficult and fighting this bond in any way she could, but after what he’d done to her in that wine cellar…

He couldn’t help himself then. Casting a look over his shoulder, he found her gaze already fixed on him. Her expression gave nothing away. It rarely did. She’d been right all along. She had more self-control than he gave her credit for.

Tessa didn’t move, her hands still curled around the edge of the bench she sat on, her knuckles white from her grip. That was the only sign of her nerves, and gods, he wanted to reach for her. Let whatever this bond was between them soothe her, even if only for a moment.

Luka leaned over then, speaking low into her ear. She nodded slowly, the tension in her shoulders easing a fraction, and Theon found himself suddenly jealous that Luka got to be that comfort in this moment. Just as he’d been jealous when he’d learned she had sought Luka out about the bands at her wrists instead of coming to him.

The bark of curses had Theon turning back to the Lords and Ladies, flames winking out at the feet of each of them, save for the Anala Lady.

“Was that really necessary, Kyra?” Valter sighed, probing at the scorch mark at his feet with the toe of his black shoe.

“Yes,” the Anala Lady said simply.

“You have our attention,” Lord Jove said. He still appeared casual, but his tone betrayed his annoyance at being silenced in such a manner.

“We all agree the female is not Fae, yes?” Lady Aithne asked. There were murmurings of agreement from the others before she went on. “Then perhaps we should not be treating her as such.”

The room went still, and the Lady’s amber gaze was fixed on Tessa as a small smile played on her lips.

“What are you saying, Kyra?” Lady Isleen asked, her nails clicking as she drummed her fingers along the arm of her chair.

“I am saying that perhaps Tessalyn has some insight into this matter. I am saying perhaps she has an opinion on how this should be handled, and if she is indeed a Legacy, her opinion should be considered,” Lady Aithne said.

Valter looked livid as he glared at the Anala Lady, and this… This was something Theon hadn’t expected.

Theon moved his attention back to Lady Aithne just as her amber gaze flicked up, and he twisted to find the Keeper leaning along the railing of the upper deck. His cloak shrouded him from view as it always did. Theon only assumed he was a male based on Tessa’s testimony of him. No one truly knew, but what was he doing here? And what did he have vested in Tessa because he clearly had some interest in this.

“Tessalyn Ausra.”

Lord Jove’s deep voice pulled Theon’s attention back to the front of the room, but only for a second before he was turning back to look at Tessa. She was rigid, any tension Luka had eased back tenfold. Her knee was beginning to bounce, and her hands had left the bench as she began wringing her fingers together.

“Speak, Tessa,” Theon said, but it wasn’t the commanding order he’d intended. It came out soft and low, something he was sure only the four of them could hear.

“Yes, my Lord,” she answered, her gaze dropping to the ground. Her knee ceased its movement, her hands clasped tightly in her lap.

“Come stand before us,” the Achaz Lord said, and there was a softness to his voice, as though he was coaxing a spooked animal.

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