Page 256 of Rain of Shadows and Endings

“Not yet,” Rordan agreed. “But when it surfaces, you understand what this will come to?”

“Do you?”

Rordan held out his glass, the Fae immediately appearing and taking the still half-full tumbler from him. “I look forward to further discussions on this matter.”

Was he…dismissing them?

“This isn’t over, Rordan,” Valter seethed.

“No, it isn’t,” Rordan agreed. “But one does wonder: who will be left standing when Chaos comes to reign?”

* * *

He stood when Tessa emerged from the bathroom. Dressed in a pair of loose pants and a fitted tank top, she’d braided her wet hair over her shoulder. His father had strongly suggested they stay at the country manor tonight, so here they were. Theon would have much preferred to go back to the townhouse simply to be away from his father, but he’d already had to ask his father for help. Arguing against him tonight would not have been a wise idea.

This room was smaller than their room at the townhouse by at least half. Then again, their room at the townhouse was the entire third floor. He hated staying here though. It just felt like a smaller version of Arius House. Same dark decor. Same oppressive, stale air.

Axel and Luka were here as well, still seated on the sofa in the small sitting area. They each had rooms down the hall. Luka had gone with Axel to help him get cleaned up, and they’d only just settled down with drinks in hand. Axel looked like he’d seen better days and had admitted he had a pounding headache, which had made Theon wonder if Tessa was suffering from the same but wasn’t admitting to it.

She paused mid-step when she saw them all, her arms wrapping around herself as she asked, “What?”

Theon closed the space between them, but faltered when he went to reach for her. He didn’t know where they stood after everything.

“How are you feeling?”

“Tired,” she answered, her eyes darting to the side. She unwound her arms, fiddling with the bands on her wrists. “These are uncomfortable.”

When they’d arrived here, Theon had immediately replaced the ones Rordan had put on her with his own. Who knew what kind of enchantments were on the other ones. Luka had tried to incinerate them with dragon fire, but they’d withstood it. Another thing for Theon to research. For now, the bands were being stored in a pocket realm.

Luka was now drinking an extra ration of blood his father had suspiciously offered to all three of them. They’d had no choice but to take it, especially Axel with all the power he’d used protecting Tessa.

“I know they are uncomfortable, beautiful,” Theon said, unable to stop himself from reaching out and playing with the end of her braid. “But you understand why you have to wear them for now, right? Your power is volatile until you learn to control it.”

“And how will I learn to do that?”

“You will have lessons. It is part of the classes all Fae go through.”

“Yes, but I am not Fae,” she replied, an eerie ring to her voice that had been there after the cellar. It had disappeared, and Theon had been hoping it would stay that way, but apparently that wasn’t the case.

He sighed heavily. “No, Tessa. You are not Fae.”

“Do you think I am part Fae? Rordan does not believe so.”

Rordan?

“What else does Rordan believe?” Theon asked, trying and failing to keep the bitterness from his voice.

“I have magic like his,” she said. “Magic of Achaz.”

“You do,” Theon agreed.

“But also more.”

“We do not know the extent of your power. It will take time to sort this all out.”

“This?”

“You. Your power. How it will affect the Source bond.”

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