Page 208 of Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance

Her lips pressed together, and her gaze slid to something over his shoulder. She moved imperceptibly closer, as if seeking him out for comfort.

Still holding her hand, he extended a finger to touch her chin, bringing her eyes back to his. “Tessa, are you not going into this contract willingly?”

“Did you go into your contract with Felicity willingly?” she countered.

“No, beautiful. I did it to save you.”

“You keep saying that,” she said. “But—” She cut herself off, shaking her head a little as if trying to clear her thoughts. “Can we not do this tonight?”

“Do what?”

“Fight.”

“You promised it would always be a battle,” he said, pulling her even closer, eliminating any ounce of space between them.

“It is,” she murmured, more to herself than him. “Just not the battle I was anticipating.”

She fell silent, and he could have pushed her, but gods, he just wanted to enjoy holding her. The gods-only-knew when she was ever going to allow such a thing again.

He bent down so his lips brushed the shell of her ear when he whispered, “You look stunning tonight, Tessa.”

He could swear a soft cry came from her, but her brow was pressed to his shoulder. The bond. She was soaking it up as much as he was.

“Come home,” he murmured. “Please, Tessa. Just…come home. We’ll fix all of this. Figure it out. I’ll?—”

“Can a mother interrupt to dance with her son?”

Theon looked up to find Cressida waiting expectantly, Tessa’s head snapping up at the intrusion.

“Of course,” she said, all her softness bleeding away, but Theon caught the glimmer in her eyes. The thin pools of silver that he watched her blink away as she let her light swirl around her like a golden mist. It called to his darkness, and he let it go, wisps of dark rushing out to greet her.

Then she turned and walked away from him.

Again.

“Mother,” Theon said, not bothering to hide his displeasure as the next song started.

“You need to stay away from her,” Cressida hissed, not hiding her own displeasure either.

“She is my Source.”

“But she is not supposed to be,” she snapped. “And when this is all taken care of, you need to be ready to move on.”

“When this is all taken care of?” Theon repeated.

“You know what I mean. When you fix all this.”

“Right,” he muttered, certain that wasn’t what she’d meant at all.

He was kept on the dance floor for the next three songs, finally getting a reprieve when it was announced the auction would begin soon.

That was when he saw her slipping out a side door. If he had to guess, it was the same side door she’d slipped out of on the night of the opening Selection Ceremony. He followed, because at this point, he’d follow her anywhere.

Stepping into the hall, his suspicions were confirmed, which meant he knew exactly where to find her. He didn’t need the bond or a Tracking Mark. His footfalls echoed down the deserted hallway until he came to an alcove.

And tucked back into its shadows, he found a female. There was no chocolate in her hand this night. Only two tear tracks down her face that she quickly wiped away.

“We’re meant to destroy each other,” she whispered, the words pained and agonized.

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