Page 277 of Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance

A choice.

He was…giving her a choice.

She swallowed thickly, nodding her head.

Turning to Tristyn, he said, “Give her your cloak.”

“Disguise her as a Keeper?” Tristyn asked, already pulling the garment from his body. “Brilliant.”

Within seconds she was swathed in fabric that was far too big for her, but they’d make do. The three of them walked side by side through the passages. They met no one until they reachedthe main foyer. Tessa tensed, but Theon moved ahead of them, darkness trailing his footsteps.

“Dagian,” he greeted.

The Achaz Heir looked from Theon to her, then back. “I assume that’s her,” he replied.

“The Keeper?” Theon asked. “No one knows their true identity.”

“I am supposed to alert my father whenever someone emerged with her,” Dagian said, ignoring the ruse. When Theon stayed quiet, only holding his stare, he added, “I was hoping it would be you that got to her first.”

“And why is that?” Theon asked, dropping the pretense. Tessa stepped closer, itching to stretch out a hand to touch him.

“Because I know you’ll do what needs to be done,” he answered. “Let them pass, Sasha.”

The Fae nodded, stepping to the side. Tessa hadn’t even seen her emerge to block their path.

“I don’t know what this is,” Theon started.

“It is the start of a genesis,” he answered.

Theon didn’t move for several seconds, then he reached behind him, grabbing her hand and pulling her to his side. Together, they walked out of the Pantheon, Tristyn at their side.

“Can you put a glamour on her?” Theon asked as they discarded the cloak in the shadows.

Tristyn shook his head. “The enchantments won’t allow it.”

Theon said nothing else. They couldn’t run. They didn’t want to draw attention to themselves. Theon led them down side streets, keeping to alleys and using his darkness to mask them whenever possible. It wasn’t until they were crossing into Arius Kingdom, the river coming into view, that she dug in her heels.

“They are waiting for us,” she said, trying to tug Theon to a stop.

He paused, looking over his shoulder. “What do you mean?”

“This…” She looked around frantically, taking in the now dark waters of the Wynfell River shimmering in the twilight of the dying sun.

Theon was suddenly filling her vision, taking her face in his hands. “Tell me, little storm.”

His touch grounded her, and she forced herself to hold his stare. “I have seen this. The Augury and Hunters. They are waiting for us.” Her voice caught in her throat as tears welled. “Luka does not come to help.”

“He will come,” Theon said resolutely, as if there was no other option, but Tessa knew. She had seen this before. She already knew what was going to happen.

He would not come. Her betrayal had been too deep.

“Look at me, Tessa,” Theon said. She hadn’t realized she’d looked away. He dropped his hands from her face, pulling the bands from her wrists, then the ring. Her power flared, her skin glowing. “We are going to fight,” he went on, beginning to pull daggers from swirls of black. “He has been training you, and you, Tessalyn? You are the most powerful being in Devram. No one decides your fate but you. Do you understand me?”

She stared at him, unsure of what to say. There was another swirl of black, and then he extended a gold dagger to her. The same one she had left in the study months ago.

“He’s right,” Tristyn said, and she turned to find him pulling weapons from his own magic. “You are wild and fury. Lean into it, Tessa. Let instinct guide you.”

She shook her head, her mouth drying out as she clutched the hilt of the dagger. “The last time I… Roan almostdiedbecause of me!”

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