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Axel snapped.

Or rather, his darkness did.

Whips of it appeared as he snarled, “For fuck’s sake, that’s enough.”

Tessa’s scream was muffled by Luka’s hand when Axel’s darkness took Pen’s head and twisted, the crack echoing in the room before he stalked forward and snatched the dagger that had fallen to the floor and plunged it into Pen’s heart.

And Valter was smiling.

Grinning from ear-to-ear as if he was proud of his son.

“Maybe you’re not a complete waste after all,” Valter said. Shadows rose up behind him, Eviana coming to his side, and he stepped backwards into the flowing darkness, disappearing.

“Fuck!” Axel bellowed, more darkness exploding from him. A shield of Luka’s dragon fire surrounded her, protecting her as he shoved her down to the floor. Axel’s darkness didn’t just explode, it destroyed. The furniture went flying, the side tables splintering as they hit the walls. Mirrors and lamps shattered, shards of glass melting as they collided with Luka’s shield. She had never seen Axel lose control. Never even thought he’d been on the edge of losing control. Even now, it had come out of nowhere. Theon had tells when he was riding that edge, but Axel?

That was terrifying.

From the floor, she found herself staring at Pen’s lifeless body across from her, her features still twisted in pain and dull blue eyes staring at nothing. She had done nothing but serve the Arius House loyally for decades. First in the kitchens, and eventually becoming Theon and Axel’s personal servant. And he had killed her. For nothing.

No.

Not for nothing.

Because of her.

“Burn the body and gather the ashes, Luka,” Theon said, his voice strangely monotone. “We will take them to Sinvons Lake for a Farewell after the Emerging Ceremony. Scatter them where we buried Caris’s ashes.”

He didn’t look at her. None of them did. Luka stood, his fire flaring out as he scooped up Pen’s lifeless body. Tessa didn’t know where he was going. Axel had already disappeared. She hadn’t realized he’d left.

Theon turned and headed up the stairs, and she wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do. For weeks now, her every move had been decided for her. Taking a deep breath, she followed.

When she reached the third floor, she found Theon had already changed. He had athletic shorts on and a long-sleeve top. The same clothes he wore when they went running. He was lacing up his sneakers when she entered, and he didn’t pause, let alone look at her.

Wringing her hands together, she cleared her throat lightly before saying, “You are going for a run?”

“Yes.”

“Do you…want me to go with you?”

“No.”

And fuck, she didn’t know what she was supposed to do.

“I’m sorry, Theon,” she whispered. “I know Pen was…endeared to you.”

“This was not the first time this has happened. It won’t be the last,” he answered shortly, pushing to his feet. He shoved his phone into his pocket before grabbing some earbuds. Two of his rings were gone, only the onyx one that matched Axel’s remaining.

“Theon, I need you to tell me what to do,” she said quietly.

“Why?” he sneered. Emerald eyes settled on her, the shadows so thick in them, they were more black than green. “Why do you need me to tell you what to do? You repeatedly choose to do the exact opposite of what I request of you.”

“I…”

But she trailed off as he took slow steps towards her, and she was backing up with every step he took until her back hit the wall. She’d been wrong. Axel’s unpredictable rage was terrifying, but Theon’s cold, unyielding rage?

That was petrifying.

Theon’s rage was calculating, just like his father’s. When he let his anger out, it was with purpose. It would hurt where it mattered, just like forcing them to watch Pen be tortured had affected them.