Page 150 of Rain of Shadows and Endings

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She was up before Theon the next morning, having slept in the bed in the small room. Theon hadn’t argued with her. He hadn’t even tried to convince her to sleep beside him. The sun hadn’t risen yet, but she couldn’t sleep. She was surprised she’d managed the few hours she had gotten. She sat in the bay window, sipping on coffee, watching the rain drizzling outside and wondering if it would rain like this at the Acropolis.

They would drive to Dark Haven before using the portal there. The other Fae had never left the Acropolis. They had used these last few weeks to get assigned to dormitories and go through an orientation of sorts of what to expect throughout the Selection Year. As a Source, she knew she wouldn’t have to go through all the various lessons and trials the other Fae would undergo, but she also wasn’t exactly sure what she would be doing there now. These last few weeks had been so chaotic between her and Theon and this damn bond. She just assumed she’d be told what she needed to know when she needed to know it at this point.

Just do as you’re told and stop being a burden.

Be what they want you to be now, so you can be who you were meant to be later.

But did it matter when she just didn’t have it in her to care anymore?

Maybe she’d been going about this the wrong way. Maybe she could find some sort of purpose in this. Some sort of…contentment in the fate she’d been given. Fighting against it was getting her nowhere.

The sound of footsteps had her glancing over in time to see Theon emerge, shirtless and wearing only his lounge pants. She looked back out the window, utterly annoyed at how her heart rate had picked up at seeing him, the cord stretching and reaching for him. She hadn’t gotten dressed yet herself, unsure of what she’d be required to wear. She was hoping she’d at least be able to be comfortable while traveling. So her hair was up in a messy bun on her head, Theon’s thermal over the tank top she’d slept in. He’d draped a heavy blanket over her after she’d fallen asleep, so she hadn’t been cold.

She heard him getting coffee in the kitchen, then she felt rather than heard him approach her in the window.

“I don’t believe the townhouse at the Acropolis has a bay window overlooking gardens,” he said. “I wonder, where will you perch there?”

She slowly turned to look up at him.

“So we are back to not speaking?” he asked when she didn’t reply.

She frowned. “No. I have just never been to a townhouse, so I don’t know what to expect or where I will…perch.”

“I haven’t been there since it was updated after the last Selection, but I imagine the layout will be the same.”

“They update them after every Selection Year?” Tessa asked.

“They do.”

“That seems excessive.”

“It probably is.”

When he didn’t say anything further, Tessa said, “Do I need to pack anything in particular to bring with me?”

“Pen left two days ago to get everything in order. We will have clothing and necessities upon arrival. Anything else we might need, we can find in the city,” Theon replied.

“Penelope will be there with us?”

“She is the only staff that will be there with us, per our request,” he said, taking a drink of his coffee as an almost fond smile crossed his lips. “Anyway, I have your computer and tablet already packed. We can go over passwords and whatnot on the drive. You just need your phone and any personal—”

He cut himself off when he realized what he was saying.

She cleared her throat. “As was stated last night, I have nothing, so I have nothing to pack other than what you deem necessary.”

“Can we talk about…all of that?”

“No.”

“No?”

She turned to look at him once more. “Our deal was that I would be compliant and help you with whatever it is you need my help with as your Source. When we are alone, I am not required to be such a thing.”

“You no longer want your questions answered?” he asked, his head tilting as he studied her.

“Nope.”

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