Page 148 of Rain of Shadows and Endings

She nodded. She was starving. Mother Cordelia had found some reason to withhold her meals today. She couldn’t even remember what she’d done this time.

“Bought them in Arobell before coming here.”

“Oh.”

He held the bag out to her again. “Want one?”

She shook her head.

“What are you doing under here?” he asked again, looking around the cramped space. She hardly fit in the small space, let alone a full-grown male.

“How old are you?” she blurted before she could stop herself. No surprise there.

“Twenty-three. How old are you?”

“If you are twenty-three years, why are you not assigned to a Kingdom?”

“Born days too late, I guess,” he answered with a shrug, finishing off his doughnut.

She took a deep breath then, tipping her head back against the wall and closing her eyes. “Well, Dex from the Serafina Estate, whatever you have heard about me, it is not true, so you can kindly fuck off.”

“I don’t even know your name.”

“Leave.”

“I didn’t mean to make you upset.”

She didn’t say anything.

“My apologies if I offended you.”

There was rustling, and a moment later she heard him leave. When she opened her eyes, she found he’d left the paper sack. Glancing around to make sure he’d truly left, she pulled out a doughnut with chocolate frosting and took a bite.

“Tessa?”

The sound of Theon’s voice jerked her back to the present where it was now pouring rain. Icy drops slid down her exposed back. He was standing directly in front of her, his hands shoved in his pockets. “Where’d you go, little storm?”

She brought her eyes to his. “Tell me why you Selected me. No bullshit. Tell me what you want from me.”

“Why is this so important to you?” Theon asked, his suit soaked through and clinging to his body.

She didn’t even feel the chill against her skin.

“Tell me.”

“Tell me why it matters,” he countered.

“Tell me!” she screamed, but her voice was carried away on the howling winds. “Tell me what it is you want from me so godsdamn badly that you took me from those who actually cared about me.”

“Why do you insist I do not care for you?”

“Why can’t you answer the godsdamn question?” Her hands came up, shoving against his chest, and to her surprise, he moved back a few steps.

“Wind,” Theon murmured, meeting her gaze. She didn’t actually hear him over the driving rain, but she read his lips. He looked up at the sky for a long moment before he stepped close to her once more. “Come inside, Tessa. I will answer your questions.”

“Answer them now,” she demanded, digging in her heels when he reached for her and tried to tug her to the doors.

He spun back to her. “Tessa,” he said incredulously. “You need to get out of the rain.”

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