Page 65 of Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance

"Nothing," Theon replied, but she continued to stare at him. She had this unnerving way about her that always made him feel like he was this giant inconvenience solely for breathing. But she also made him feel like she almost cared in a strange way he couldn’t explain.

"It's nothing," Theon repeated, getting to his feet. "I just need to take a walk and stretch my legs."

"All morning you went on and on about having to get some things done for your kingdom, leaving us to do the research as usual, and now you're going for a walk?" Eliza asked, a brow arching.

"I do not leave you to do all the research," Theon snapped. "The reason I am so behind on the 'kingdom things' isbecauseI've been doing so much research."

The Fae rolled her eyes, but before she could say anything, Razik spoke first. "She is getting cranky being cooped up in this manor day and night.”

"I am not getting cranky," she retorted, sitting back in her chair with a huff.

"You're right," Razik said, still not bothering to look up from the pages he was turning. "You've been cranky for days now."

Honestly, Theon had just assumed this was how she always was. Razik’s constant broodiness made sense with his dragon heritage, but he didn't know why Eliza carried such a chip on her shoulder all the time. She made it well-known that the Fae were treated vastly different in her world. They ruled entire Courts for gods’ sake. She led the armies of one of them and was clearly close with Scarlett. So what could she possibly have to be this upset about?

"I'm not holding you hostage here," Theon said, getting to his feet and swiping up his phone from the desk. “But if you do leave?—”

"Yes, yes, I know," Eliza grumbled. "I'll need to blend in."

Theon couldn't imagine the Fae General ever blending in with the other Fae in Devram. On top of that, Razik would definitely be noticed as an unfamiliar yet familiar face. He still hadn’t figured out how he was going to tell Luka about this, but like he’d told him, it wasn’t something he was going to divulge over the phone either.

He jolted again as a buzzing started in his veins, his chest, his soul. The bond was straining in a way that could only mean one thing.

"I'll be back in a bit," Theon said.

But Eliza only waved him off and reached over to pull the book Razik was looking through towards herself. A smirk was playing on Razik's lips as his fingers started toying with the end of her braid. Theon still couldn't figure out how they workedtogether, and while he’d observed them whenever he could, he knew there was some piece he was missing. Every time he brought it up, Eliza was quick to move the conversation in another direction. Razik just flat out ignored the question.

Theon forced himself to keep a casual pace through the manor, the staff bowing their heads as he passed. Kat, Corbin, and Lange were at their daily lessons, being escorted to and from by Tristyn secretly Traveling them. Katya would have immediately figured out what was going on. She was clever and observant like that, but she’d been quiet and withdrawn since she’d returned. She’d never voiced it, but he knew the fact that Axel was still missing was weighing on her.

It was weighing on him too. He’d always protected Axel from the brunt of his father’s wrath. Or he’d tried to. Another thing he’d failed at in the end, he supposed, but he’d been pouring all his time into trying to find him while simultaneously trying to initiate a smooth transition of power that was not going smoothly in the slightest.

Theon let his darkness out, releasing some of the tension coiled tightly in his muscles. The inky magic speared ahead of him, knowing what he knew too.

Tessa was here.

The bond didn't lead him to the rooms they'd shared. No, it led him to his father's study. Or his study now? He still didn't know. This was some kind of grey place that he imagined had never been seen in Devram before. Much like his entire Source experience had been.

He wiped his palms on his pants before he reached for the door. He had no idea how this was going to go. Why was she here? Did she need him? Was she going to draw from his power? What would that be like? Would there be a fight or just words exchanged? Was she by herself? Was Luka with her? LordJove? Someone else? The person who’d touched her when she’d taunted him down their bond?

Chiding himself for overthinking this entire thing, he turned the knob, pushing the door open.

And there she was, sitting on the edge of the desk, her legs crossed with one visible from the deep slit of her cream dress. Her bare feet were off the floor. She was so short and small, but the mighty power he could see crackling in her eyes made up for any of that. Her long, blonde hair was curled in soft waves, and she had it pulled over a shoulder. The dress had lace sleeves and a low neckline that showed off the Mark over her heart. Delicate gold thread was embroidered intricately throughout the bodice. The slightest movement made it glimmer in the low light of the room.

Leaning against the doorjamb and crossing his arms, all he could think to say as he stared at her was, "It's cold out, beautiful. You should dress warmer."

She didn’t say anything in response. She only reached for the glass of amber liquid sitting beside her. Holding his stare, she took a sip, leaving red lipstick on the glass.

“I don’t feel anything, so it doesn’t really matter, does it?” she said, her forearm resting atop her knee, and the glass now dangling from her fingertips.

“So you’re telling me if you dropped those shields you have mastered—exquisitely, I might add—I wouldn’t feel anything down our bond, little storm?” he asked, pushing off the doorjamb and moving deeper into the room. He flipped a switch, the glass fireplace springing to life, and her eyes darted to the flames.

“Only loathing,” she answered plainly.

He stopped a few feet from her. “I’ll take whatever you’ll give me.”

Her head canted to the side. “And if all I am willing to give you is death?”

“You won’t kill me, Tessa.” But the tilt of her lips told him he was quite possibly wrong in that assumption. "Why would you when you need me?"

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