Page 162 of Dawn of Chaos and Fury
“Dagian was there the night Blackheart and I broke you out of the cells. He let us pass without alerting others we were taking you,” Theon explained, a fact that had slipped his mind. It had been utter chaos that day, and Tessa had been lost to the same.
“Why?” she asked, her head tilting as she studied the Achaz Heir.
“Because while you are the catalyst, you are not what will eventually call the Fates to this world for destruction,” Dagian answered, his attention solely on Tessa now.
“Of course she is,” Theon said. “It’s in the Revelation Decree.”
“I said she is the catalyst,” Dagian retorted, still watching. “She is part of it, has started it all, but she is not the thing that will drive the Fates to intervene. Not entirely anyway.”
“You need to tell me exactly what you know, and you need to do it without your fucking eyes on her,” Theon replied, letting his darkness loose to drift around him and her. Dagian only responded by letting some of his own power out. A gold mist to mirror the inky darkness.
Until similar light drifted among the onyx.
Theon clenched his jaw at feeling Tessa’s power mingle with his own. It was euphoric and chaotic andher. He’d missed this, and so had his power, suddenly being pulled in two directions, because it wanted her too.
“Speak,” Theon ground out, forcing himself to stay focused on the Achaz Heir.
“Tessa is not the only imbalance in Devram,” Dagian said, wandering around the room, examining pictures and trinkets. His Source stayed rooted, but her eyes never left him. “My father has been…collecting power for a few decades now.” He paused, looking over his shoulder. “Since she came and others followed.”
They all turned, some looking to Xan and others to Brecken.
“Has that one told you what his job is in the realm?” Dagian continued.
“I’m assuming you’re speaking of Brecken,” Theon said.
“I’m certainly not speaking of the dragon. Those are Arius’s pets.”
“Watch it,” Luka snarled, but he wasn’t the only one. Low growls came from Xan and Razik as well.
Dagian only smirked. “Back to the matter at hand. I was sent here with a purpose, but it allowed me to pursue one of my own.”
“Then spit it out,” Theon said.
Dagian sighed dramatically. “Your bloodline really isn’t known for its patience.”
“And yours is?”
He cast him an incredulous look. “Achaz has plans that have been in the works for millenniums, and my father, well… That’s why I’m here. He sent me to make some kind of meaningless bargain, as long as it included a matching ring to the one Luka bartered with.”
Theon glanced at Axel, the ring with a square onyx stone in the center. His brother clenched his fist. Neither of them had any real attachment to them other than their father had asked where they came from and seemed to covet them himself. They became a symbol of defiance and camaraderie after Luka found them, but?—
“How many are there?” Tessa asked from where she’d been observing at his side.
“Three,” Dagian answered. “Either would do. He’s not picky.”
“But why? What are they for? Certainly not just to lord over them. Theydosomething,” Tessa pushed.
“So clever,” Dagian mocked, and it was Theon’s turn to snarl, echoed by Luka’s low rumble. “Relax,” he sighed. “I wouldn’t be telling you all of this if I were here to betray you.”
“How am I not the only imbalance?” Tessa asked, and then he had to work to control his surprise because her voice was cold and icy. Power and chaos, and he had no idea why until she said, “Why could I not feel you before?”
“What?” Theon demanded, that single word carrying violence.
“Not like that,” Brecken intervened as Luka and Theon both took steps towards the heir. “It’s not a bond of any kind. He is powerful. Tessa can sense that somehow.”
“Power calls to power,” Xan added, speaking for the first time. “Her Chaos is sensing his.”
“But that would mean he has Chaos,” Kat said, her furrowed brow telling Theon she was trying to work this out as frantically as he was.
