Page 243 of Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance

“It blockedeverything,” Eliza answered. “Any and all bonds, including the one with her Guardian, and to reverse it, she had to let her power drain away to nothing.”

“We’re forgetting that she is not Fae,” Razik said. “Who’s to say the Mark will be the same for a Fae versus a Legacy.”

“That wouldn’t be an issue,” Eviana interrupted.

They all turned to her. She stood in the same place, still and with her hands clasped.

“Why wouldn’t that be an issue?” Tristyn asked slowly.

“Because I am not a pure-blooded Fae.”

“Then…what are you?” Eliza asked.

“My mother was a Silas Legacy.”

“But…” Eliza trailed off, the look of horror on her face morphing into anger.

Eviana only smirked. “The Marks are not the only things perverse and altered in Devram. They like to…experiment. It is how advancements are made.”

“Not all advancements,” Tristyn cut in, an angry red flush to his cheeks. “Things like that were never done at Lilura Inquest.”

Eviana shrugged. “The point is, if the Mark requires more than Fae blood to be successful, it is an unnecessary worry.”

“There are costs with blood magic,” Razik started.

“Then I will pay them.”

“But it might not be you,” he argued. “It will affect any bond you have. Could affect anyone connected to you.”

“Like who?” she asked.

“That’s the thing,” he retorted, sounding annoyed. “We can’t know. Magic is still magic. We don’t know all the secrets of it, despite our best efforts. It’s like the realm and the stars. It’s like trying to make sense of Chaos.”

“I will take the risk.”

“But—”

“Razik, it’s her choice,” Eliza interrupted.

“And if that choice leads to death?”

“Death hasn’t had mercy on me for decades. He won’t start now,” Eviana cut in. “But if you do not do this, you may as well return me to Faven. Eventually, I will be forced to betray everything I have seen here.”

She’d betray them all anyway in the end, but they would learn that in time.

“If the Mark can block the bond, it would buy us time,” Tristyn said.

“Shouldn’t we consult Theon before we do this?” Corbin asked.

“Are we loyal to Tessa or Theon?”

They all turned to Lange where he was casually lounging. His platinum blond hair had fallen into his eyes, one arm stretched along the back of the sofa.

“What does that mean?” Corbin asked.

“Tessa asked us to free her. Not Theon,” Lange went on. “Knowing Tessa, I would imagine she meant freeing her from more than a room. Like a genesis.”

Tristyn’s brow furrowed. “What are you talking about?”

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