Page 241 of Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance

She was standing in the living room of the Arius manor, a place she’d been thousands of times. They always stayed here during Selection Years and whenever Valter had business in the Acropolis that required an extended stay. Her hands were clasped in front of her as she watched the five others in this room debate. They’d introduced her to the newcomers, but no one had volunteered where they had come from and what they were doing in her master’s house.

Or why the male looked so similar to Luka Mors.

“So what do we do with her?” Razik asked, before he growled a curse when Eliza elbowed him in the ribs.

“She is standing right there,” the female chided. “Don’t speak about her as if she isn’t.” Then she rounded on the others. “Andshe should have the same rights as the rest of you. She deserves to have those bands taken off. It can drive us mad to be separated from our power like that for long periods of time.”

Eviana almost huffed a laugh. She would have if she could feel anything. The truth was she’d gone mad long ago.

“We can’t,” Tristyn said, rubbing at his temple. “She is the Source of Valter. If she is free to access her power, he could instruct her to use it against us.”

Eve? Where are you? Did they move you? The bond is stretched far too thin, came his voice down the bond, and now she was the one rubbing at her temple.

She couldn’t lie to him, but she didn’t have to tell him exactly where she was.

They did move me, my Lord,she answered.I fear it is quite a distance from you.

What are their plans?

I do not know yet.

Relay any information you gather.

Of course, my Lord.

As if being separated from you for weeks wasn’t enough, now they have taken us farther apart. On whose orders?

I am unaware of the orders, my Lord.

Find out!came the barked command.

I will share what I learn.

“Are you all right?”

She looked up, all of them staring at her, but Eliza’s grey eyes held concern. Eviana’s head cocked to the side, and her…whatever he was to her, clearly didn’t like what her face did because he stepped in front of the female.

Eliza clicked her tongue in annoyance. “If the bond is the issue, then we find a way to block it.”

“There is no way to fully block a bond,” Tristyn said, exasperated. “Just as there is no way to sever the bond without a death.”

Eliza’s lip curled in a mocking smile. “Scarlett did it.”

“Impossible,” Tristyn said, shaking his head.

“Not impossible,” Eliza countered. “She blocked her twin flame bond and then ended up getting captured. It set off a whole series of events, but the point is, she did it. Why can’t we do it for Eviana?”

“You can block the bond?” Eviana repeated, and everyone turned to her.

They were the first words she’d spoken since they’d appeared here. Traveled through the very air. She didn’t know how long she would be able to keep that secret, but if the bond could trulybe blocked… Well, that would be convenient. More convenient than death to sever the thing, she supposed.

“That was her twin flame bond,” Razik was saying. “This…thingthey’ve created is more than that.”

“Yes, but it blockedeverything,” Eliza argued. “Including her Guardian bond.”

“That still doesn’t account for the Source bond that is woven into those,” Razik countered, gesturing to the Marks on her hands. “You know as well as anyone we don’t mess around with blood magic.”

“But it is possible?” Eviana interrupted.

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