Page 14 of Dawn of Chaos and Fury
3
TESSA
“You need shoes, Tessa,” Luka said from the main foyer of the penthouse.
She looked down at her bare toes, brow furrowing.
“It’s been snowing for days, and I know it’s stopped, but now the sidewalks and roads are icy,” Luka continued, dropping a pair of boots on the floor in front of her. “More than that, we have no idea what we’re going to step into when we go through the mirror gate.”
She wasn’t really worried about that.
He pressed socks into her hands, and she looked up at him, wrinkling her nose in disgust.
“You can’t wear flip-flops,” he chided, crossing his arms, and she rolled her eyes as she plopped down on the floor and slid the socks onto her feet. Then she pulled on the black boots, working the buckles and laces. The things came nearly to her knees. She would have preferred a dress, but she was in fitted black pants and a form-fitting top. Clothing very similar to Razik and Eliza, who were clad in what she assumed they had arrived in this realm in.
A hand appeared in her line of vision, and she slipped her fingers into Luka’s palm, letting him pull her back to her feet. Then he dropped a stocking hat on her head, and she scowled at him. He ignored her, reaching to take a cloak that Tristyn was passing out. All of them would wear the cloaks the Keepers wore. An extra layer of disguise everyone was hoping they wouldn’t need.
She hadn’t come back downstairs until everyone was ready to leave. Luka had said they were discussing something important and had tried to convince her to come listen to it all, but the truth was, she didn’t care. Nothing anyone said was going to change anything, and any information they had could be told to her after this night.
“Everyone have everything?” Tristyn asked, and Tessa watched him slowly take in the space around him. A place he’d lived in for centuries.
Razik reached to take a pack from Eliza, shouldering it with his own. Cienna and Gia had bags she assumed held potion ingredients and books. Tristyn had two bags stuffed full, and Luka had a backpack along with a duffel bag.
She had nothing.
The bow Auryon had left her was back at Luka’s cave. Her phone was in Faven. The book Rordan had given her was hidden. She had nothing, just like she’d gone to the Arius Kingdom with.
She had nothing, but all that was about to change.
Luka reached over, pulling the hood of the cloak up and tucking her hair in. Taking care of her like Theon had instructed. His new assignment.
With another last look around, Tristyn pressed the button for the elevator that opened directly into his main foyer. They all stepped in, the ride to the first floor quiet, and they stayed that way as they stepped out onto the street, taking a side door thatemptied into an alley. The door behind them hadn’t even closed completely when two large shapes stalked from the shadows, glowing orange eyes locked on her.
Tessa smiled as Roan came to her side, rubbing against her legs. Her fingers sank into his silver fur while Nylah prowled a few feet in front of her, dark as the night. There would be little doubt who they were if they were spotted, but few would dare to do anything. She was powerful. Her wolves were dangerous. Her company was violent.
It was the start of everything that was to come.
Tristyn took the lead along with Xan, Nylah with them. Luka stayed on her other side. Behind them were Eliza and Razik, and Tessa idly wondered how they kept their footsteps so light. Cienna and Gia took up the rear.
The world was still around them, as if the entire realm was holding its breath, and Tessa inhaled deeply. Fresh cold air filled her lungs, and she wished her bare feet were leaving prints in the snow rather than her boots.
Sticking to the dark streets and staying in the shadows, they made their way to the Pantheon. The trek took three times as long as it should have, but they couldn’t exactly pull up in a car at the front doors.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Luka pull his phone from his pocket multiple times. For the most part, he appeared to simply be checking the screen. A few times, his thumb moved as if typing a message.
It was over two hours before Tristyn was leading them through the hidden door and down passages in the Pantheon. Roan dropped behind her, the passage too narrow for him to stay at her side, and she heard Luka cursing at the wolf for separating him so far from her. Soon enough, they were all spilling into the chamber, everyone pulling back their hoods and breathing a collective sigh of relief.
Or everyone else was.
Tessa kept her hood up, coming to a stop just inside the chamber. Her eyes swept over the room, vividly remembering every breath and step, every word spoken and tear that had fallen.
A kiss, soft and tender and full of sorrow.
Tessalyn Ausra, I would sacrifice all the realms and all the stars for you. You are perfectly wild. Perfectly untamed. You were not made to be caged, nor were you made to be a sacrifice for a realm that does not deserve such a gift. You were made to live in the light. Go live, little storm.
Thumbs swiping at her cheeks.
And fury.
