Page 247 of Rain of Shadows and Endings

She didn’t have time to contemplate it any longer. The dramatics of the Sources’ powers emerging began with Sasha being led with fanfare to the center of the arena.

Tessa watched as she emerged with air. As Jasper revealed the same, and Maxson manifested water. Dade had sand and leaves swirling around him, confirming the expected earth element, and Gatlan, of course, produced fire, just like his Mistress. No one expected anything less.

Not until her.

The entire arena fell quiet when she was ushered to the center platform, slipping off her delicate sandals before she stepped up onto it. Her black dress swirled around her ankles, the material light and cool against her overheated skin. Stealing a quick glance up, she found Axel taking small steps to the exit. Because he was supposed to protect her. She found Valter leaning eagerly forward, his eyes narrowed. She found Luka in a defensive stance, the same one he’d been making her stand in for hours all week long.

And she found Theon, a mixture of anticipation and dread on his face. She felt the cord in her chest reaching for him, seeking comfort, but she felt the thing in her soul reaching for him too, wanting something much darker.

The priestess stepped forward, and Tessa started to lift her arm. But the sound of multiple gasps had both her and the priestess turning. The other priestesses who stood around the arena were all bowing their heads. The sentinels were standing at attention, and a hooded figure was making its way towards her. Two large wolves flanked them. One was a dark charcoal grey. The other was a shade of grey so light, it appeared almost silver. That one was the one she recognized as its bright eyes fell on her. It was the same wolf who had emerged from the trees right before the vampyres had attacked her.

“Your grace,” the priestess said when the figure neared. “I was unaware you would be attending tonight’s ceremonies.”

The figure said nothing, only lifted an arm. Even their hand was hidden in the long sleeve of their cloak as the priestess held out the black scion. When the figure had taken it, she bowed once more before stepping down from the platform, retreating to the other priestesses and leaving Tessa alone with them.

They came closer, and she took a step back. Her eyes flitted to Theon, who was gripping the railing and staring in shock. Did he know who this figure was?

Then her gaze snagged on Dex on the level just above the arena floor. His expression was dark, his eyes narrowed as he watched the figure come to a stop in front of her.

The figure’s hood was deep and pulled down so far, there was no way to see their face. It was completely concealed in the darkness of their hood. They reached out, a gloved hand appearing from the sleeve. It wasn’t small and delicate, leading her to guess it was a male who gently grasped her forearm. He said nothing as he appeared to study her arm for a long moment before he twisted it slightly to look at the Mark on the back of her hand.

“So foolish,” they murmured, and the voice was definitely male and somehow familiar.

He said nothing else as he brought the tip of the scion to her forearm, beginning to draw a Mark. She watched in fascination as he drew an inverted triangle.

And the thing inside her sat up in excitement.

Stretching.

Yawning.

Seeking.

Then he began drawing a star beneath the triangle, and her skin was buzzing with energy that needed out. She was hot and cold and her entire body was vibrating as she forced herself to remain still. Was it supposed to be like this? No one had told her. No one had prepared her. She was just expected to know so many godsdamn things, and she knew nothing.

The male didn’t seem to notice when she started fidgeting, shifting from foot-to-foot. She was pretty sure none of the other Sources had taken this long.

He was marking a second star into her skin when he said, “Do you know why I like storms?”

The question was so random, it distracted her from whatever was happening in her soul. But she didn’t know if she was supposed to speak. None of the other Fae had spoken during their ritual.

He didn’t appear to care if she answered as he moved onto a third star. “Because it reminds us that even chaos needs to scream sometimes. That even with all the magic and power among the realms and between the stars, even with technology and all the tools we have at our disposal, some things are, in fact, uncontrollable.”

Gods, his voice. Where had she heard it?

The wolves that were standing on either side of him began to whine, inching closer to her. Again, the male seemed unconcerned.

He was drawing the final line of the third star when he lifted his head. She could feel his stare from beneath the hood as he said, “A storm is coming.”

And when he lifted the scion from her skin, light flared. Blindingly bright light emanated from her skin, glowing like sunlight. But that’s not what had the entire arena in an uproar.

That would be the light crackling at her fingertips, flaring out and creating cracks in the platform she was standing on. Lightning striking the balconies and causing chunks of marble to crumble and fall.

That would be the water that was falling from above, a downpour of rain inside the Pantheon.

That would be the two wolves howling and circling around her as the hooded male disappeared into the crowd.

That would be her magic.

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