Page 17 of Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance

Raking a hand through his hair, he said, “I don’t know, Theon. But all the evidence is pointing to her. Not the Augury.”

“She can’t… She wouldn’t…” But Theon trailed off, and Luka knew he was cataloging all the evidence in his mind.

He had sat there and listened as the rulers of Devram had done the same. Lord Jove hadn’t even tried to argue any of the points. Luka had tried, but he’d quickly realized the error of that because of course he would defend the Arius Heir’s chosen Source. He’d suddenly found himself being questioned about the Arius Kingdom’s intentions in Selecting her.

To put it bluntly, all of this was a fucking mess.

“What was the outcome?” Theon asked.

“Rordan swore he had things under control and that she would be confined until all their questions could be answered.”

“Maybe that’s for the best.”

“Can you repeat that? Because it sounds like you just said locking up the female who shattered wine bottles and has powers no one can identify is a good idea,” Luka said in disbelief. “You, of all people, know what happens when someone tries to confine her.”

“If she’s confined and more bodies show up, it will prove her innocence. Not only that, they’ll be the bad guys as much as we are because she thinks they’re giving her freedom,” Theon reasoned.

“By the gods,” Luka muttered. “Are you listening to yourself?”

“You called me, remember?” Theon retorted.

“Fuck all that has done.”

Theon made an annoyed sound. “Go flying. Then maybe you won’t be such a broody ass.”

“Get in touch if you get any leads on Axel.”

“Don’t call me again, Luka.”

He didn’t bother answering, instead disconnecting the call and tossing the phone aside. While he understood the thought process behind having no contact, that was impossible when the three of them were bonded. Mental conversations between them were not private, and when emotions became too much, theyall felt them. Theon would have heard the entire conversation he’d tried to have with Tessa, but Theon had stayed quiet, as if he weren’t there at all. But he was there, and Tessa would have known that. She would have felt him down the bond.

He had no other way of contacting her though. She didn’t have the phone Theon had given her. Short of just showing up at the Achaz Lord’s doorstep, he wasn’t going to see her, let alone talk to her. Theon had pushed and pushed, forcing his way into the very air she breathed, but at least she’d spoken to him.

Removing the remainder of his clothing, he made his way down a short passage that emptied onto a ledge overlooking the Ozul Mountains. It was well hidden, and even if someone managed to find it, he’d paid ungodly amounts for wards from, ironically enough, Lilura Inquest.

With a flash of pale blue light, he shifted into his dragon form. Scales rippled as he stretched his neck and wings. He hadn’t been in this form in weeks. Claws scraped on stone when he moved to the edge, and yet all he could think about was the look on Tessa’s face when she’d seen him in this form the first time. Awe and wonder had filled her features as she’d reached out and run her hand along his scales, her fingers gentle and cool against his hot skin.

He shook his head, trying to shake off the memory before he leapt into the darkening sky.

He was standing in the city center of Rockmoor, the capital city of the Arius Kingdom, and he was standing among carnage.

Bodies were everywhere. The streets were red, and the cries of the dying filled the air. Phantoms glided among them all,gold weapons in their hands that silenced the cries. Luka had never fought in a war, but he knew that was what this was. It was a battle, and one side had lost terribly because these weren’t warriors dead on the ground. These were common Legacy— males, females, and younglings.

And standing in the center of it all was Tessa.

She was fury incarnate as she held a golden sword of her own, blood glistening on the blade. She looked as she had the day he’d found her stabbing wildly with an arrow. Blood was splattered across her face and in her hair. There was nothing of the female they’d found at the Pantheon all those months ago. There was only cold wrath and wickedness on her features when she crouched beside one of the dying. There was no pity, no mercy, as she said something softly to the person before pulling a golden dagger from a flash of light and slamming it into their chest. Her power followed, arcs of crackling light making the male scream as he arched off the ground.

The silence that followed was deafening, but it also allowed his enhanced hearing to pick up on the low conversations happening.

Luka shifted his eyes, his pupils turning to vertical slits so he could see farther and more clearly when one of the phantom figures glided closer to Tessa. It was then he realized they weren’t exactly phantoms. Not as the being reached out with a hand and swept Tessa’s hair over her shoulder. Luka clamped down on the growl that swelled in his chest as his dragon snarled at someone else touching her.

“Are you pleased, your grace?” the figure asked, his voice icy and eerie. Tessa didn’t even react though, as if she was used to conversing with them.

“It is what must be done,” Tessa replied tonelessly, violet eyes sweeping over the chaos around her.

“This realm is yours, your grace,” he replied, circling around her.

Where were her wolves?

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