Page 187 of Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance

“Came to talk to you,” he replied, taking her in.

Her golden hair was pulled back into a sleek ponytail, while her cream dress was fitted down to the lace sleeves that covered her arms. Not enough to block out the bands of light though. Violet eyes were watching with flecks of grey and gold that peeked through.

“About what?” she asked. “They told me you were missing.”

“I was,” he admitted.

“Where were you?”

“Locked up somewhere.”

Understanding flickered in her eyes. “Then how did you escape?”

“I was kind of…let go, in a way,” he answered, sliding his hands into the front pocket of his sweatshirt.

“Let go,” she repeated, her suspicion evident.

“It’s kind of a long story, but I came to you for your help.”

“My help?” she scoffed. “Have you spoken to Theon?”

“Yes. He filled me in on some things, but he didn’t have time to catch me up on all the details,” Axel said, pulling out his phone to check the time.

She hummed in response, leaning against the locked bathroom door. “What did he tell you about me?”

“That you had left. Went to Achaz Kingdom. That he sent Luka with you so you wouldn’t be alone,” Axel replied. “That you have my father locked up somewhere. Thank you for that, by the way, even if that was the reason I couldn’t be located. Except that…” He trailed off as something occurred to him. “Youcould have found me, Tessa.”

“I tortured your father for information and passed it along,” she said icily.

“But the Tracking Mark. You could have found me the same way I found you,” Axel said.

She blinked, her features void of any emotion.

“After everything… You didn’t care?” he asked, beginning to realize this had been a huge mistake.

“I passed along information so they could find you,” she repeated.

“But they didn’t find me,” he said, his voice rising. “I foundthem. I nearly— You did nothing.”

“I did more than was required of me to begin with,” she snapped.

“Fuck you, Tessa,” Axel snarled, trying to keep his shadows in check. “I was going mad. I almost killed Katya. You could have prevented all of that.”

“I could have done nothing at all,” she argued.

“Instead, you did the bare minimum. Congratulations,” he sneered.

“After everything, I owe you nothing,” she retorted, pushing off the door and prowling towards him. Light echoed each step, a trail of gold mist left in her wake. “I don’t owe anyone anything, least of all the bloodline I am destined to kill.”

“What?”

She smirked. It was cold and unfeeling. “Theon didn’t tell you that part? I vowed to destroy all the Arius blood in Devram.”

“You’re fucking with me,” Axel said, unwilling to believe that.

“It’s my purpose,” she recited.

“Then what are you waiting for?” he demanded, spreading his arms out wide. “I’m right here, Tessa.”

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