Page 229 of Rain of Shadows and Endings

Theon braced his hands on either side of her head, and his voice was low and far too calm. “I told you everything you did reflected on me, Tessa. This should not be a surprise.”

She knew this was her fault, but to hear Theon speak it aloud…

“I’m sorry,” she repeated.

“I told you before, I do not need your apologies nor do I want them. What is it I require of you, Tessa?”

“Obedience,” she whispered.

“Did I not make it clear that the consequences for failure would be harsher now?”

“You did.”

For several long moments, they only stared at each other, the shadows growing darker and darker in his eyes.

Until his darkness was wreathing his forearms and winding through his dark hair like an onyx halo.

“You were supposed to fix things,” he said in a sharp hiss. “You were supposed to make things better. Help us stand against him. Instead, my world has been nothing but chaos since you stepped foot in it.”

“I did not ask to be in your world!” she cried, the thing inside of her snapping to attention.

“You couldn’t just do as you were told, could you?” he continued, ignoring her outburst. “I tell you to stay with us at all times; you leave and require Luka and I to save you. I tell you everything I do is to protect you; you fight me at every turn. I tell you not to let another touch you. Not only do you allow another to do just that, you do so in public where everyone can see, and now Pen is dead.”

Tessa lurched back, pressing further into the wall. “I know that is my fault, but—”

“It is entirely your fault,” he snarled, his words as sharp as the dagger used to take Pen’s life. “Her death is directly correlated to your actions.”

“I was trying to find out information for you! We already had this argument, Theon. You defended me to your father—”

“Of course I defended you, Tessa!” he shouted. “You are still mine to protect, even if it does require me to constantly deal with the messes you create.”

The words hit their mark, whether intended or not, and she instantly shoved down every thought and insecurity.

She instantly became nothing.

So close to being something.

She nodded mutely as his words settled deep into her soul. He was still hurling verbal insults at her, but she couldn’t hear them.

Too wild.

Too much to deal with.

Not worth the hassle.

Nothing.

A bruising grip on her elbow pulled her from her thoughts. She had removed her heels as she climbed the steps, but she still stumbled as she struggled to keep up with his long strides.

“Theon, where are we going?” she asked, stumbling yet again on the stairs.

“I am going for a run,” he replied.

“I’m not in shoes for running.”

“Funny, you ran all the way to the river without shoes. I didn’t think such things mattered.”

“Theon, I—”

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