Page 173 of Rain of Shadows and Endings

When the table was cleaned, and she’d settled back into her chair, Theon said, “We need to discuss what your days will look like during the Selection Year.”

She nodded, pushing the fruit around her plate with her fork.

“You do not need to attend the same trainings as the other Fae. You will have your element training, of course, after the Emerging Ceremony. There is also a training solely for the newly Selected Sources.”

Her head snapped up. “Why?”

“Because none of the heirs trust the other Fae around their Sources,” Theon answered. “It’s a training all the other Fae go through. The six of you will just do so separately.”

“You all decided this? All the heirs?”

“Yes.”

“What happened during the years only one or two Sources were Selected? It’s been centuries since six were Selected at one time,” she argued.

“They were given private instructors from my understanding.”

“Why can’t we do that now?”

“It seemed like a waste of resources,” Theon answered. “Why find six different instructors when we can just use one?”

“But—”

“Additionally, as future rulers of the Kingdoms, the heirs are all supposed to get along and work together. In theory, we will be spending a good amount of time with the other heirs and Sources. It would be good to get comfortable with them.”

“In theory,” she repeated dryly.

“According to the Kingdom Accords, that is how Devram operates. Working together for the greater good of the realm,” Theon replied.

“And yet Arius Kingdom is rarely heard from and is intensely private,” Tessa mused.

Theon’s lips curled darkly. “We were forced to be.”

They all fell silent when Pen bustled in with a plate of fresh waffles. Tessa glanced at him, and Theon nodded. She immediately grabbed two, pouring syrup atop them. Not his first choice, but at least she was eating.

When Pen left the room, he said, “Do you know what the Kingdom Accords are based on?”

“Of course,” she answered, starting on her next waffle. She’d already devoured the first. “The Revelation Decree.”

“Decree is a generous term,” Theon muttered.

Tessa paused with her fork halfway to her mouth, turning to look at him. “What does that mean?”

“Not the time for a three-hour history lecture, Theon,” Axel cut in before Theon could say anything.

“I wasn’t going to—”

“Yes, you were,” Axel retorted. He fixed his attention on Tessa. “There is a lot of speculation around the Decree and where it originated from, particularly how it was interpreted. But if you let him, Theon will go on and on about this for days. In fact, you will likely get to enjoy that soon enough, but we really don’t have the time today.”

“The point is,” Theon cut in, “we need to get on amicable terms with the other heirs. This was a step towards that goal.”

“Why?” Tessa asked, now sounding bored as she returned to her breakfast.

“Because my father wishes to take over Devram.”

Tessa’s fork clattered to the table, and Theon snatched up her glass before juice was spilled again.

“Your father… He can’t… What?” she sputtered, clearly trying and failing to process what he’d said.

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