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“Where the fuck have you been?” Theon snarled.

“Out with the depraved,” Axel replied darkly, his eyes stalling on Tessa. “What happened to you?”

“Theon made me bleed,” she said simply.

“What the fuck?” Axel said, the accusation heavy in his tone.

“I didn’t—” Theon sighed. “It’s a long story, and one you would know if you would have been around at all today.”

“I had things to tend to,” he replied, moving to the railing and slipping a hand into his pocket.

“Like what? What could possibly have been more important than the ceremony today?”

Axel took a drink, smacking his lips as he pulled the mirror from his pocket. “Cienna made contact.”

“Fuck,” Luka cursed, stepping forward.

“Who is this Cienna you all keep cryptically mentioning?” Tessa asked, a Fae handing her a glass of wine. Luka had placed their order before Axel showed up. “Thank you,” she said with a nod to the Fae, the server appearing startled at the address.

Theon waited until she was gone, and the door had shut again before he answered her question. Keeping her in the dark until she’d accepted this bond had clearly been a terrible idea. He’d thought it wouldn’t matter. That she’d accept the bond, her place, and trust him enough not to care about his sins or the sins of the realm. He’d thought the bond would solve all his problems, not create bigger ones he didn’t know how to fix.

So here he was, answering her questions as much as he could, hoping she’d gain a better understanding of the politics at play. Of his father. Of the inner workings of the kingdoms. Of all of it.

“Cienna is a Witch,” Theon said. “She is the Witch who helped Luka and I with the Guardian Bond. She’s in hiding in the Underground.”

“In hiding?”

“As you can imagine, my father was unhappy when I stole his Guardian from him. Many lost their lives to his wrath, but he is determined to hunt down Cienna and make her pay for helping us.”

Tessa took a sip of wine. “So you routinely fuck over others to get what you desire?”

Axel and Luka went still, but Theon smiled. The same dark smirk she’d given him earlier. “I do what needs to be done, and I show no remorse.”

“Ah, but do you feel it?” she asked, a brow arching.

He stepped towards her, taking her chin in his hand. “If you’re asking if I feel remorse about what I did last night, my answer is no.”

“Because you do what needs to be done,” she said, holding his gaze.

“Yes.”

“To claim what is yours.”

“Yes.”

“So there is no remorse over Pen?”

Shadows appeared, swirling around his fingers where he gripped her chin. “Careful, Tessa.”

“Or what? You’ll lock me in a wine cellar? Or perhaps you’ll go for something smaller this time? A cabinet without room to even sit properly, perhaps? That was Mother Cordelia’s favorite.”

Was she serious? The Estate Mother would keep her in a fucking cupboard? Cordelia had failed to mention that in their discussion. What else had she conveniently left out? But the challenging look in Tessa’s eyes had him gritting out, “Please test that assumption, and take note of the results.”

She smirked, lifting the wine glass back to her lips and draining the entire thing.

He wasn’t sure how to react to this new attitude of hers, but the bond and his magic were both taking notice. Both bristling at the challenge in her eyes.

And for some fucked up reason, all he could think about was when he’d asked her if this was the way it would always be, if it would always be a constant battle with her, and her answer being yes.