Page 223 of Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance

He swept from the room, his words still ringing in the air between them.

Failure is not an option.

Words that had haunted her.

Words that Mother Cordelia had said to her.

Words that Theon had said to her.

She sank back into her chair, wondering how she was going to get out of this.

She’d waited until she knew Theon was gone. He wouldn’t feel her cross the wards of the estate manor, but she didn’t want to accidentally run into him either. Technically, she was keeping her word. The various kingdom manors were just outside the Acropolis, each in their own territory. So in all actuality, shewasin Arius Kingdom, just as she’d told Rordan she would do. She still wasn’t sure what she was going to do to fulfill his order of providing a suitable Arius death, and she’d skipped training because of it. Her mental shields were up, blocking Luka. He was going to be furious.

Moving quickly and quietly, she stopped outside a door, knocking softly. She knew they were here because while she’d seen Theon leave, she hadn’t seen them leave.

The door opened, sky-blue eyes staring back at her.

“Tessa?” Lange said in surprise. “I had a feeling I was going to see you today, but I didn’t quite believe it.”

“Hi, Lange,” she said, surging into him.

He huffed a laugh, catching her and pulling her into a hug. “Everything all right?”

“Yeah, I just…”

Needed to talk to someone that wasn’t involved in all this mess.

Lange stepped to the side, letting her pass. The curtains were open, letting natural light bathe the room. She hadn’t been expecting the small suite they had. There was a little sitting area with a fireplace and television and a door leading to what she assumed was a bedroom.

“Is Corbin feeling better?” she asked.

Lange gave her a warm smile. “He’ll be out in a minute, and you can see for yourself.”

“How come you aren’t at your classes?”

“The instructors are all gone today. Assessments at the Estates,” Lange answered.

“Oh,” was all she could think to say as she looked around their space. Small but homey. Little pieces of them scattered throughout. Something stirred in her soul, and she knew it for what it was: jealousy. She was jealous that they had this little haven of solitude to simply exist without expectations. Sure, they had responsibilities, but in this space, it was just them.

“Are you sure you’re all right?” Lange asked.

But before she could answer, Corbin appeared, striding through the bedroom door. He seemed a little pale, his hair longer than the last time she’d seen him, and she could swear he was a little thinner.

“Corbin,” she breathed, closing the distance between them and relishing the feel of his arms coming around her.

“Hey, there,” he said around a soft chuckle. She looked up to find him exchanging a look of concern with Lange.

“Are you feeling better?” Tessa asked, extracting herself from him and swallowing the emotion clogging her throat. “You were ill the last time I was here.”

“Lange mentioned you stopped by,” he said. “I’m sorry I missed you.”

“What was wrong?”

“Just a headache and some body aches.”

She frowned. Fae rarely got sick, let alone with something as minor as a headache. “Did a Healer see to you?”

“I’m fine,” Corbin said. “How areyou?”

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