"The wolf nearly dying really shook her up," Luka said, moving to his small kitchen. There wasn't much there though, considering he hadn't been staying here.

“I can order some food to be sent up,” Theon said, already reaching for his phone. "I'm sure she'll be hungry when she wakes too."

While Theon busied himself with that, Luka got himself a glass of water, drinking the whole thing before placing the glass in the sink. The two of them had more to talk about than just Tessa, and he didn't know where to begin. How had things gotten so fucked up in such a short period of time?

"I suppose you haven't had a chance to substantiate what she said earlier today?" Luka asked when Theon came over and took a seat on a stool at the island.

“About the residence in the Leisure District that my father supposedly has?” Theon asked. When Luka nodded, he sighed and said, “No. I will need to go there. I doubt Kylian and Giselle would answer any correspondence, but if it’s true, it’s a brilliant place to hide Axel away.”

The Shifter Alpha and Beta would likely demand an audience to answer any questions. They would feel snubbed with anything else.

"So you'll be going to the Underground then?" Luka asked.

"I guess."

"You're going to the Underground without me?" he clarified.

"She needs you more right now," Theon said, glancing at the open bedroom door.

"I am still your godsdamn Guardian, Theon," he snapped, his lungs burning a little as he exhaled a plume of smoke in agitation.

"I know you are," Theon retorted, his power appearing in his eyes and answering a challenge on instinct. "She's the most important thing right now. That's what I need you guarding."

Right. Because it was so easy to spend all this time away from him. It was still a godsdamn bond that apparently affected him more than Theon. Maybe he was just more focused on Axel right now, but this had never happened before Tessa.

“I’ll take Tristyn with me,” Theon supplied.

“Blackheart?” Luka demanded. “You cannot be serious.”

Theon sighed again. “He’s proven himself valuable a time or two, and he’s been helpful as of late. He has standing with the elite of Devram, and he can access information with his company.”

“So you trust him now?”

“Not implicitly, but he is trying to help with Tessa.”

"Who are they?" Luka asked, done with the subject of Tessa right now.

“Razik Greybane and Eliza,” Theon said, knowing exactly who Luka was referring to. “They are from Scarlett and Sorin’s world. Eliza is his Source, but not like a Source here. I’m still trying to figure it all out. They are limited in what they can share so they don’t tempt fate or whatever,” Theon said. “But Razik is… I think Scarlett believes he is your brother, and this is why I couldn’t tell you anything over the phone.”

Because even if Razik wasn’t related to him in some way, which was highly unlikely given how much they resembled each other, the implication was clear. The malewasa Sargon Legacy.

“He can shift?” Luka asked flatly.

“I haven’t seen his full dragon form, but he can isolate it. Like you,” Theon answered.

“He believes we are related?”

“I don’t know. After the encounter this morning, he and Eliza retreated to the rooms they are staying in. I didn’t see him again until I had to ask him to Travel me here, and even if we’d had time, he wouldn’t have discussed it with me. He doesn’t speak much, is easily irritated, and… Well, he’s…” Theon waved a hand in Luka’s direction.

“Thanks,” Luka deadpanned.

“It’s not an insult,” Theon replied. “He has the same qualities as you. The biggest difference is he’s more knowledge driven rather than strategy driven like you are. The guy knowsa lotof shit, and he can often interpret Cienna’s nonsense that is never nonsense.”

“Sounds like you have plenty of help then,” Luka muttered.

Theon paused. “Are you?—”

“No,” Luka cut in, straightening from where he’d been leaning on the counter. “I’ll keep Tessa busy while you handle…every other facet of the plans.”