Page 84 of Storm of Secrets and Sorrow

“You still ask the wrong questions,” she answered, the long knives sliding into hidden sheaths on the suit she always wore.

“Then what should I be asking?”

Violet eyes met his when she said, “You should be asking what you can do to control that fate.”

“We can’t control fate,” Theon replied.

“We can change it, though,” Cienna replied. “Every action, every word, every breath. The simplest of things can change fate.” She smiled again, a knowing thing that had Theon suppressing a shudder. “I think you will learn soon enough that wrestling with fate leaves scars. Only you can decide if they’re worth it.”

16

TESSA

Her bare feet padded softly on the cool, white marble steps as she descended them, her fingers dragging along the wall made of the same. There were sconces every few feet. Orbs of golden light filled them. The same golden light that crackled at her fingertips as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

Her breath hitched. Even with the ceiling so high above her and the space vast and open, she was still underground. Even with her light, even with her power, the remnants of shackles long since shed still clung to her. She took a moment, willing her racing heart to calm. It wasn’t that shecouldn’tbe down here. She could go anywhere in this place she chose. There were no rules. No orders. No demands made of her. Not here.

Yet still…

A cold nose nudged her hand, and she peered down at the wolf beside her. It was massive, its head reaching above her waist. As large ashishounds were. Her fingers glided through silky fur such a light shade of grey it appeared silver in the lighting. The wolf nudged her hand again, a low whine coming from him.

Taking another deep breath, she moved forward, following a wide hall. Thick panes of glass lined the passageway, allowing her to see into the rooms on either side. A few were occupied; most were vacant. Cells to hold any manner of being.

She sang softly to herself as she moved. Lines from a decree that wasn’t a decree at all.

“In all things, there must be balance. Beginnings and Endings. Light and Dark. Fire and Shadows. The sky, the sea, the realms. But when the scales tip, and Chaos rains, who will fight? And who will fall?”

Her long gown swished as she moved, the silky fabric cool against her skin. The white dress dipped low between her breasts, reaching nearly to her navel and revealing just as much skin down her back. The material tied at her shoulders, and a deep slit up the side let her move freely. Threads of black and gold and pale blue were woven into the garment.

The colors both grounded her and drove her mad.

“Life must give, and Death must take. But Fate requires more.” She came to a stop before one of the glass cells. “Destiny beckons, and sacrifice demands.” The glass sparked, imbued with the same magic in her veins to contain the being within.

A male sat on the floor. His brown hair was long, reaching well past his shoulders. It was a tangled mess of knots and needed to be washed and trimmed. She’d expected the scruff on his face to be longer. The facial hair was trimmed close, as if it had been recently tended to. A large onyx ring that matchedhissat on his finger, but she was more interested in the manacle at his throat. A thick band of pure white stone, it contained flecks of gold.

Flecks of light and energy.

A chain attached to the manacle was anchored to the wall, allowing for such little movement, she was unsure how the male could even eat or take care of his needs. He wore looselinen pants, but his torso was bare, allowing her the perfect view of the Marks that ran the length of his left arm.

The wolf beside her whined, lowering to his belly as Tessa stepped forward, resting a hand on the glass. The Mark on the back of it caught her eye. A Mark she’d put there. Energy crackled where her palm met the glass, but she absorbed it. This power wasn’t meant to keep her out.

It was meant to keep him in.

The male lifted his head, bright sapphire eyes connecting with hers.

And she smiled as she sang, “Who will be left standing when Chaos comes to reign?”

17

TESSA

The bond in her chest was conflicted. Theon wasn’t near. She could tell that, and it didn’t like that. But somehow she was also content. It didn’t make any sense.

Then again, it didn’t make any sense that she was alive either. Not when she’d been stabbed.

Maybe she was dead.

Death seemed peaceful. Comfortable. Freeing. Something she’d craved for so damn long.

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