Page 13

Had guided her into an entirely new fate.

“Come on, little one,” Luka said, his voice low as he waited. There was no impatient gesturing like Theon always did when she didn’t respond immediately. There was no quick grip latching onto her when she slid her fingers into his waiting palm. There was just the slow curl of his fingers, his large hand engulfing hers.

She let him pull her to her feet, and he immediately released her hand once she was standing and steady. Moving to the sink,she rinsed her mouth and washed her hands before they made their way back to the hearing room.

The Lords and Ladies hadn’t returned yet, and Theon cupped her face in his hands the moment she was within arms’ reach, searching for damage as he always did.

“Are you all right?” he murmured, brushing a stray hair from her brow. The concern in his emerald eyes was almost enough to convince her he truly cared.

“I’m fine,” she replied.

Theon sighed, his hands dropping to her upper arms as though he was going to pull her into him, but then he seemed to think better of it. After all, that would be inappropriate in front of all these prominent Legacy, even if she was more than a Fae, more than a Source, now.

Instead, he was guiding her back to the bench, and, to her surprise, taking a seat beside her. Her hands fell to the edge, fingers once again curling around it, but only for a moment. Theon’s hand was curling around hers, prying her fingers right back off and intertwining them with his own.

“I can still help,” he murmured, leaning in to speak into her ear. “Even in a room like this, I can still be the comfort that you need right now.”

“The bond is comforting, Theon. Not you,” she replied tightly, resisting the urge to lean into him, to take more from him as she felt the bond already loosening the tightness in her chest, calming her anxious thoughts, soothing her soul. But sitting beside him was enough.

It had to be enough.

“Of course,” he replied just as tersely, rigid beside her.

There was nothing but the murmurs of quiet conversation around them. Axel was thumbing through something on his phone again. Luka was being his usual stoic self. So sheand Theon sat, side-by-side, not speaking. It was becoming so familiar to her now, it was a comfort in and of itself.

Theon didn’t release her hand until some time later when the doors opened and the Lords and Ladies were striding back into the room. Then he was standing, buttoning his suit coat, and stepping forward while she remained seated, focusing on the sudden lack of warmth around her hand.

Axel took Theon’s place beside her while Luka remained standing a few feet away, his arms crossed, and they all waited for someone to speak. The room was quiet, everyone seeming to hold their breath.

“While there are several valid concerns, we have come to a compromise of sorts,” Lord Jove finally said, settled casually in his chair as he had been for much of the earlier proceedings.

“A compromise,” Theon repeated.

Lord Jove nodded. “Tessalyn, come forward.”

She looked up then, meeting bright blue eyes ringed with gold. There was none of the gentleness with which he’d spoken to her the night at his home after the Emerging Ceremony. This was the Achaz Lord, the silently agreed upon ruler of Devram. If he’d wanted this to play out some other way, it would have. Tessa could see that truth staring back at her.

Lord Jove gave a sharp jerk of his chin, and Tessa was standing and moving to Theon’s side.

“We have agreed to let Tessalyn remain with you for the time being,” Lord Jove finally said, and Tessa could feel the relief rolling off Theon. He opened his mouth to speak, but Lord Jove held up a hand to stay him. “You have until the winter solstice to uncover her lineage, Heir St. Orcas. If, at that time, you have not been successful, alternative arrangements will be made.”

“What kind of alternative arrangements?” Theon demanded.

Lord Jove’s smile was tight and laced with an arrogance that said he knew exactly how much power he held here. “None that involveyou.”

“That’s impossible,” Theon returned. “How will you sever a Source bond?”

“Which brings us to our next contingency,” Lord Jove went on. “Should you be successful in discovering her lineage, it will be reported to us immediately, and the next courses of action will be determined. In the meantime, you are permitted to continue with the Source Marks as Tessalyn has stated she is willing.”

From the corner of her eye, Tessa saw the muscle in Theon’s jaw tick. She knew he was likely biting his cheek to keep from speaking, and not once had he looked at his father.

“After the Samhain Feast, she will spend a week in Faven?—”

“Absolutely not,” Theon said at the mention of the Achaz Kingdom capital.

“Hold your tongue, Theon,” Valter growled, and finally Tessa glanced at the Arius Lord. He was as tense as his son, that same muscle ticking in his jaw. He didn’t like this either, but had clearly lost any arguments against it.

“She will spend a week in Faven with some of our most skilled priestesses for testing,” Lord Jove went on as if neither of the Arius Legacy had spoken. “This is agiftfrom us to aid you, Heir St. Orcas.”