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“It is time, Akira,” the second said. “The enchantment fades. Anala is entertaining him, but he will sense her presence any moment.”

Akira took a step forward, and Tessa gasped when she reached out and took her face between her hands.

“Know that sometimes we must break to be forged into who we were meant to be,” she said, streaks of violet flickering in her eyes like lightning cutting through the flecks of gold. Then she bent and pressed her lips to Tessa’s brow. “You will break, Tessalyn. Make sure you get back up and take what is yours.”

19

TESSA

Tessa sat at the vanity table, staring at her reflection. She was supposed to be getting ready for dinner, but all she could do was think about the strange dream she’d had. The dream that hadn’t felt like a dream at all. Yes, she’d been sleeping, but everything about that encounter had felt very real.

Which was silly. Because how could she have been there and here at the same time? It wasn’t possible. A dream was the only plausible explanation, but still…

She’d jolted awake after the blonde female had kissed her brow, and she’d nearly knocked Theon’s computer to the floor. Still here. Still on the sofa in Theon’s suite. She’d stared at him, swallowing thickly when he’d only stared back at her, not saying a word. She’d bit her lip, tucking her hair behind her ear.

Theon had started to reach for her. Some part of her had wanted him to because that entire thing had been unsettling, not to mention everything that had happened with Pavil and Metias. But he’d stopped himself, and for the life of her, she couldn’t figure out why. Why did he suddenly have an issue with touching her whenever he wanted?

After she drank an entire glass of water, he’d sent her off to get ready for dinner. She really just wanted to curl up in his giant bed under blankets with a cup of tea and watch the Chaosphere game that was on tonight, but that clearly wasn’t an option.

“Tessalyn, are you ready?”

She looked over her shoulder to see Theon dressed in a black suit. He wore a black shirt underneath along with a black tie, and he looked like Arius himself. Or what she imagined the god of endings would look like. Tessa’s mouth dried out as she met his gaze. Something in his eyes was different too. The shadows were thicker, making his emerald eyes too dark.

“Why aren’t you ready?” he asked, his eyes narrowing in clear annoyance.

“I am,” she replied, swiping up a tube of red lipstick and quickly applying it. He had set out a black floor-length dress for her tonight. It was sleeveless, with an extended plunging neckline and a slit up one side that went nearly to the top of her thigh. She had left her hair down, but had curled it so it fell in soft curls around her shoulders. Pen usually did her hair for dinner, and Tessa hoped it was adequate.

She stood, and Theon said nothing when he took her hand and hauled her quickly out to the main room. Luka and Axel were waiting as usual, and Tessa tensed at the looks on their faces. Something was different about them, too.

Theon stepped into her line of sight and brought his hand to her cheek. “You know how you are expected to behave tonight?”

“Have I not been meeting expectations at dinner, Theon?” she replied with faux sweetness.

Theon’s lips formed a thin line. “Careful, Tessalyn, or you will find greater expectations placed on you.”

He leaned forward and brushed a light kiss to her lips. She felt her face flush. He’d never kissed her in front of the others. Not on her lips anyway. She jerked back from him on instinct, stumbling in her heels, and his arm shot out, snaking around her waist. He tugged her close, whispering into her ear, “That is considered pulling away. Do not do it again.”

Tessa stiffened in his hold, her eyes coming to his. His darkness coiled, tendrils of it reaching out to brush along her jaw, and she sucked in a breath at the feel of it.

“Do we have an understanding?” he pressed.

She nodded mutely.

“I am going to need verbal confirmation, Tessalyn.”

“Yes. I understand,” she whispered, that darkness tracing down the column of her throat before dissipating. It felt…familiar. Which made sense, considering Theon had forced his magic into her being.

“Good.” He reached up and adjusted a lock of her hair before releasing her. But gods, it also made something in her soul stir.

She glanced at Luka and Axel. Their features were as hard as Theon’s. They were also entirely in black, and while darkness didn’t swirl in their eyes, power and violence emanated from them in a way that had her stepping closer to Theon.

“Theon—” she began as he pulled her forward.

“Hush,” he said harshly, Axel opening the door for them. Axel hardly glanced at her as she was led into the hallway.

Uncertain what was going on or how to react to it, she remained quiet all the way to the dining room. In fact, no one spoke. The males acted like they were going to their death. Or rather, like they were going to defeat death.

As they approached the dining room, Theon dropped her hand, striding ahead of her without a word. Valter and Cressida both sat up a little straighter when they entered the room. Tessa was apparently not the only one who noticed something different about the three of them this evening.