Page 5 of Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance

“They are Fae in service to the Arius Kingdom,” Theon answered.

Eliza’s eyes narrowed, and he could swear there were embers drifting through her red-gold hair, but he’d had enough of this.

Turning back to Tristyn, he said, “If this is the help you spoke of earlier, I’m afraid it has fallen flat. Unless you have information that is actually useful, do not contact me again.”

He was already striding for the exit. He didn’t know exactly how he’d find his way back through the network of the Underground, but he’d figure it out.

“Theon St. Orcas, you will sit and listen to what needs to be said,” Cienna called after him. “She told you of her dreams, didn’t she? Of you killing her?”

He went still, turning slowly back to face the Witch. “How do you know of them?”

Her smile was sharp and grim when she answered, “I think you should be more worried about those visions becoming reality because if something is not done, that will be the only way to stop her.”

2

TESSA

Tessa dragged her fingers along the railing. She was in the loft overlooking the Tribunal Hearing room. The last time she’d been here, she’d been down there. The Achaz Lord had told Theon that she was no longer his. She had been given her freedom. Taken away from the Arius Heir who had forced her to her knees and taken and taken and taken from her.

And yet here she was, staring at the Arius seat below, wondering if he was going to be the one to take it when the Lords and Ladies of Devram entered.

The other Heirs and Sources were milling about below. None of them had noticed her. Or rather, none of them were acknowledging her. Except Gatlan. The Fae was the Source of the Anala Heir. He glanced up at her and winked with a nod of his head.

“You didn’t have to attend this today, Tessie.”

She went rigid at Dex’s voice, having forgotten he’d come up here with her.

“Why would I stay behind?” she asked, gaze still fixed on the others below.

“There is no need for you to be here. It is politics and pointless arguing.”

“You think I will not understand?”

After a pause, his tone was carefully neutral when he said, “That is not what I meant.”

She only hummed a response.

“I only mean I cannot stay up here with you,” he added.

“Then don’t,” she answered, finally turning to face him. “I am perfectly capable of being alone.”

Dex’s lips thinned, clearly unhappy with how the conversation was going. His dark eyes swept over her as he debated what to say.

Finally, he said, “Just stay up here, all right?” She felt the corner of her lips tilt up, and that obviously only made him more worried as his mouth turned down in a frown. “Are you…”

“All right?” Tessa supplied. “Does it matter?”

She didn’t wait for an answer, turning back to look down at the Tribunal room. She heard Dex leave, his footfalls slowly fading as he descended the stairs. Her fingers curled around the railing once more, and her gaze fell to the bands of light around her wrists. It never wavered. She never felt like her power was running out, and Rordan never once mentioned putting the bands on that would suppress her magic. It was the opposite actually. He constantly encouraged her to use it, siphon it off, learn about it. He’d arranged for her to train daily with her magic, and she did so with the same instructor from her week in Faven when she’d been separated from Theon. The problem was, she was more powerful than the instructor, and it was becoming increasingly difficult not to harm her while training. More than once, a Healer had needed to be summoned.

The sound of a door opening below drew her attention, and she watched as the Falein and Anala Ladies emerged first. Lady Aithne’s golden eyes flicked up to her, a brow archingbefore she returned her attention to the Falein Lady, nodding at whatever she was saying. Next to emerge were the Celeste and Serafina Ladies. Lady Isleen didn’t bother to acknowledge her, but Lady Candra, the Celeste Lady, immediately looked up at her. Tessa had wondered if her presence would be made known beforehand, and clearly Rordan had informed them all.

Lady Candra’s eyes narrowed, her lip curling into a sneer, and Tessa held her stare the entire time as she leaned on the railing, resting her chin in her hand. The light around her wrists flared brighter, and she knew there was lightning flickering in her eyes. The sneer fell from Lady Candra’s lip, something akin to nervousness replacing it.

And Tessa smiled.

She liked that.

She liked that they feared her. Liked that they didn’t know what to expect from her.

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