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“Enter, Theon.”

He opened one side of the double entrance doors and stepped inside. He knew this study like the back of his hand. This was where he’d been forced to spend countless hours being taught about the kingdom and its history after his private lessons were concluded for the day. This was where he was forced to sit through endless meetings that meant nothing to him at eight years. This was where he’d be lectured on how he wasn’t doing enough, prepared enough, responsible enough to take over this kingdom. How he’d failed yet again. This was where his father made sure he remembered who was the more powerful of the two of them.

This was where his father assumed he would simply go along with all his plans.

Once they knew Tessa’s element and the strength of her magic, everything would change. He could move forward with his own plans. For now, though, he was forced to fall into line.

The walls of the study were dark brown and lined with bookcases filled with books Theon knew were only found here. The floor was hardwood with blood red rugs adding to the darkness of the room. Red curtains were drawn over the windows. Normally they were wide open to allow sunlight in for the numerous plants throughout the space.

His father sat behind his desk, leaning back in his chair as he watched Theon with narrowed eyes. Eviana was curled up in an overstuffed chair to his left under a window, toying with a small flower that was blooming and closing in her palm. Always nearby and within reach. Her piercing turquoise eyes were following his every movement, ready to intervene if necessary. Theon came to a stop in front of the desk and waited for his father to invite him to sit.

He never did.

“Tell me, son, how is the bond coming along?”

“You saw her, Father,” Theon replied, forcing himself to still as his magic shifted beneath his skin. “She is weak as her body adjusts, but I am confident everything is going as it should.”

“Her Mark was beautiful,” Valter mused. “A beautiful Mark on an equally stunning girl.”

“Her beauty has been established numerous times,” Theon said sharply.

Valter smirked at him. “So it has. And how are you adjusting to the bond? Clearly the possessiveness has already settled into place.”

Theon bit back a sarcastic remark. “It is more intense than I had anticipated, but I will adjust just fine.”

“The intensity and need lessen some as the bond settles into place. She appeared to be fulfilling the urges. I can only assume the same is happening in your bed as the bond strengthens,” Valter said, leaning forward and shuffling papers around on his desk. “You should be thanking me for the insistence of a female Source at this point.”

Theon pressed his tongue to his cheek, refusing to respond to the comment. Mainly because he didn’t think they would be sharing a bed the way his father was clearly referencing. They may end up sleeping beside each other, but the way things were going, she wasn’t going to let him touch her in that way anytime soon. She could hardly stand to let him touch her to soothe her aches, let alone bring her pleasure.

But gods, he wanted to. This wasn’t just some need for release either. The Source bond was creating a primal need to claim her and mark her as his in every way possible, not just with visible Marks on her skin. He wanted to taste her on his lips. Feel her tremble under his fingers from his touch rather than her fever. Feel what it felt like to be deep inside her. Fantasies weren’t going to cut it. If the desire was this strong after one Mark, what would it be like after two? After she’d received all the Marks?

“Have you received word from your brother?” Valter asked, pulling Theon from his thoughts.

“Should I have?”

His father sent him a bland look as he settled back in his chair once more, his forefinger tapping on the desktop a few times. “Axel would contact you before me simply for the theatrics of it.”

Theon shrugged, sliding his hands into his pockets and rocking back on his heels. “I have not heard from Axel since he left.”

His father grunted in annoyance, his finger tapping again. “You have a few weeks until you, Luka, and Axel go back to the Acropolis. With your Source selection out of the way, you can begin to make progress with some of the other tasks I have for you. I do not want to spend weeks and months there. I will depend on the reports of you three when it comes time to select the Fae to serve this kingdom,” Valter said, his demeanor becoming entirely business-like.

“This is what you needed to speak with me about so urgently?” Theon demanded. “Why could this not wait? Tessa—”

“Your Source is the reason this could not wait,” Valter cut in, rising to his feet and leaning over his desk to leer at Theon. “I want to make myself perfectly clear. You are expected to do whatever is necessary to make sure our plans are seen through and so is your Source. And if that means you need to lend her out to make sure a deal is secured with the appropriate people, you will do so.”

White hot rage ripped through Theon and before he knew what he was doing, darkness pooled in his hand, but his father was faster and stronger. Not only that, he had a Source that was fully bonded to him. Shadows like his own shot from his father’s hand, wrapping around his throat and arms. The power threw him back against a bookshelf, and several books were knocked free and tumbled to the ground. Eviana had moved to his father’s side faster than Theon could blink, vines reaching from the closest plants to take over for his father’s shadows.

Valter removed his suit coat, handing it to Eviana without so much as looking at her. He didn’t need to. He could speak directly into her mind. Slowly he strode towards Theon, rolling up his sleeves as he moved.

“While you know I enjoy seeing that wrath, Theon, you know better than to direct it at me,” his father said calmly.

The fist to Theon’s side had him grunting a curse before darkness was forced down his throat, cutting off his airflow. He strained against Eviana’s vines, but they were too thick for him to do anything with his father’s magic reinforcing the restraints.

“She may be your Source, Theon, and you may control the girl, but I control you,” Valter snarled into his face. He slipped a black ring onto Theon’s finger, spelled to not only nullify his magic but drain it. Without a Source, he wouldn’t be able to refill his reserves as quickly, not without his weekly allocation of Fae blood, and he was already weak from the Marking ritual. But his father controlled the distribution of their supply and would withhold it from him to prove a point.

Valter turned away, ripping the shadows from Theon’s throat and leaving him gasping as his father walked back to his desk. He rolled his sleeves back down and took his jacket from Eviana, shrugging it on while Theon gulped down air.

Grabbing his phone from his desk, Valter slid it into his pocket and made his way to the door. Pausing with his hand on the handle, he said, “Oh, and so we are clear, the next time she fails to kneel when it is expected, she will be kneeling in front of me for a different reason, and you can watch as a reminder for you both.” His eyes went to Eviana. “Keep him bound for the next half hour, then come find me. All this talk of being on knees finds me wanting you on yours.”