Page 323 of Dawn of Chaos and Fury
He shrugged because he shouldn’t really care.
She nestled into his chest, her cheek resting over his heart. “My loyalty is to you,” she murmured.
He frowned. “I know that. Why are you saying that?”
“I just want you to know. During the hard days, you’re still not alone.”
He rested his chin on her head, looking out over the black waters of the Wynfell River.
Knowing standing here wouldn’t make time stop, a few minutes later he Traveled them back to the front yard of the manor. They walked up the front steps together, and Luka pushed open the door, ushering her through first.
“Theon?” Tessa called.
“In the sitting room, beautiful,” he answered.
Luka followed her in, and then he nearly ran into her when she stopped abruptly.
“What’s going on?” Tessa asked slowly.
Luka understood her suspicion. Blackheart was here, and with him was a seraph.
Eyes that were a few shades darker than his grey wings. Neatly trimmed black hair.
“This is the one that never speaks,” Tessa said, her head tilting to the side in a predatory manner Luka recognized. “What is he doing here? A present?”
Tristyn barked a laugh. “No, wild fury. He came to me with a request.”
“A request,” she repeated, sounding a little disappointed, and Luka sent a few wisps of dragonfire to ease the tension of her magic that had clearly been ready to take more.
“He helped me,” Theon said, slipping his hands into his pockets. “The day Rordan took us to his palace. While you were…keeping Rordan and Achaz busy, he was keeping theHunters back. Helped me understand what the fuck you were doing.”
“You’re saying he’s on our side?” Luka deadpanned. “I find that hard to believe.”
“There are seraphs who are working on the inside,” Tristyn ventured. “Look at Brecken.”
He had a point. Dagian’s mother had survived too, the two of them living quiet lives in Coveyll as requested. Luka had his reservations about that. She was one of the original seraphs. Surely someone would come looking for her, but it was one of the many things they’d have to look into in the coming days.
“And what is this request?” Tessa asked, fingers curling at her side.
Tristyn glanced up at Luka before back at Tessa. “When we leave today, he wishes to go with. Scarlett can get him where he needs to go from there.”
Tessa was dragging her fingers along the back of a sofa while she asked, “Illithor, right? That’s your name?”
The seraph’s eyes narrowed, and he nodded.
“And where will you go? Back to Achaz?”
Grey eyes flashed to Tristyn. “He doesn’t have a choice, wild fury. But he uses his position to help when he can. Just like Brecken did.”
She studied the seraph a moment longer, her power creeping forward as if testing him. He stood perfectly still, holding her stare.
“You trust him, Tris?” she asked.
“I do.”
“Then he will be your responsibility.”
He arched a brow. “I can accept that.”
