Page 233 of Rain of Shadows and Endings

The sound of footsteps made him glance at the doorway to find Luka holding his own mug of coffee. He leaned against the doorjamb, staring at Theon, who had returned to staring at the door.

“Have we heard from Axel?” Theon asked without looking at him.

“No. How long have you been standing here?”

“Ten minutes.”

Luka took a drink from his mug.

“I had to do it,” Theon said.

“I know.”

“I didn’t have a choice.”

“I know.”

“We need to prepare for the Emerging Ceremony.”

“I know.”

“Stop saying ‘I know,’” Theon snapped.

Luka just took another drink of his coffee, then took Theon’s mug when he held it out to him.

“I don’t feel guilty about this,” Theon said, reaching for the door handle.

“We don’t have the luxury of guilt.”

“No matter what state I find her in, this was worth it. She’ll understand the gravity of the situation. I’ll never have to do this again.”

Luka didn’t say it, but Theon knew what he was thinking— That from the very beginning he had said Tessa wasn’t the one for this.

Last night had proved just how right he’d been all along.

With a harsh breath, Theon pulled the door open, finding the wine cellar pitch black. He hit the switch, but no light turned on. He flicked it a few more times, but there was nothing.

Had the storm done something? That didn’t seem possible. Storms didn’t interfere with the magic that powered their homes and buildings.

“Here.” Luka tossed orbs of black flames above them. It didn’t really illuminate anything, but the faint glow allowed them to at least make out the stairs.

Slowly, Theon started down, sticking close to the wall. “Tessa?”

But there was no answer. Only the strong odor of wine. If she was drunk down here…

Well, he couldn’t really blame her. He’d locked her in a wine cellar for fuck’s sake, knowing exactly what kind of panic it would send her into.

“Tessa,” he called a little louder. “Tessa, answer—”

But he was cut off by the sound of something crunching under his shoes when he stepped off the last stair.

“What the…?”

He blinked as Luka produced more dragon fire to illuminate the entirety of the cellar. There was glass everywhere. Broken wine bottles. Shattered lights. Wine covered the floor, red liquid staining the empty wine racks where the alcohol had dripped down to pool on the floor.

And in the center of it all was Tessa.

She was curled on her side, her knees clutched to her chest, and her face buried in them. Her golden hair was a mess of knots, as if she’d been pulling on it, and it was stained the same color as the wine racks.

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