Page 177 of Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance

“Which brings me to another thing we need to discuss,” Luka said. “There is a priestess here. Dark hair. Violet eyes.”

“You are describing half the priestesses in the realm, Luka,” Tessa said dryly, gingerly setting her feet on the floor as if testing the feeling.

“But this one was upset. She was scolding Dex for letting you drink all the tea at once when she’d told him not to let you.”

Tessa shrugged. “That was probably Elowyn.”

“She is also the one pulling me out of your visions.”

“What? How?” Tessa asked.

“I don’t know, but I recognized her as soon as she stepped into this room. She is the same one,” Luka said, instinctively moving forward when Tessa made to stand. His arm went around her waist, steadying her, until she nodded that she was fine to be on her own.

“That doesn’t make any sense,” she said.

“None of this makes any sense. Which is why we want to go see what we can find in the catacombs,” Luka said, letting her get a few steps ahead of him before he followed.

“An afternoon won’t be enough time. The catacombs are expansive,” Tessa said.

“We take what we can get when it comes to the Ekayan Island,” Luka answered. Then he hesitated before adding, “And what we could get was this afternoon.”

She turned to him, leaning against the doorway into the bathroom. “Thisafternoon?”

He nodded, and she fixed her gaze on something past him.

“I know you’re still not feeling well, and then we have to worry about Dexter,” Luka said. “But he got you a pass. Know that he orchestrated this and paid a high cost even knowing you likely wouldn’t be able to join.”

She nodded once. “And where is Dex?”

“He comes and checks on you every hour.” Glancing at the clock, he added, “I expect him in the next few minutes.”

She nodded again. “And you will still go?”

“Not if you ask me to stay.”

Her eyes met his then, studying and searching. “But you wish to go,” she finally said.

“We are the ones being directly affected. I am the one being pulled into your visions. I think it would be best if one of us was present for the research,” he agreed.

“You can do whatever you wish,” she said. “You are not mine, nor am I your responsibility.”

The dragon in his soul snapped to attention at those words, and Luka felt like she’d physically punched him. Which was stupid. Because she was right with both of those things.

The door opened before he could decide how to respond to that, Dex striding into the room. Luka recognized the flash of relief in his eyes at finding her awake and out of bed.

“Tessie,” he said, pushing past Luka to stand in front of her. “How are you feeling?”

Tessa glared up at him, only saying, “I’m going to shower,” before she went into the bathroom, slamming the door in Dex’s face.

And Luka smiled in satisfaction.

Dex turned to him, a sneer on his lip. “Has she said much?”

“Only that you’re a dick,” Luka said flatly.

Dex gave him a derisive look before moving to the armchair and taking a seat to wait for Tessa. “All of you are smug assholes until you realize you’re not invincible.”

“I never said I was invincible,” Luka retorted.

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