Page 177

She didn’t.

He quickly clicked his phone off, setting it aside, and turned back to the bed. She had curled back into herself, a blanket wrapped tightly around her. Violet-grey eyes were fixed on him, but she didn’t see him. It was as if she was looking right through him.

This was the wine cellar all over again.

Filling another mug of coffee, he approached her, setting it down on the nightstand before stepping back.

“Tessa?” he said carefully.

She didn’t answer him. Only stayed curled in a ball, her knees to her chest.

Theon glanced at Luka, who was watching her with a tight expression. He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees and hands loosely clasping in front of him.

“There’s a lot to talk about this morning, Tessa,” Luka said. “And I can’t take those bands off until you’re at least acknowledging us.”

Her eyes flicked to him for the briefest of moments before they were back on Theon.

“That’s fine, beautiful,” Theon said quickly. “You don’t need to speak. I just need you to listen.” She didn’t give any other sign of acknowledgment, and he didn’t expect her to. “I wasn’t told you were returning early until late afternoon, and I was told you wouldn’t be home until well into the night.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly at that, and he was cataloging every single mannerism because right now he felt nothing from her. Not a single flicker of emotion to clue him in on what she was thinking and nothing to help him navigate this.

“I had dinner plans to appease my father. We were on our way to our dinner reservation when I received a call that there had been an attack by the Augury at the same spot where I was supposed to pick you up later that night. Naturally, I assumed they were waiting for you,” he went on. “I called Luka. He’d already received word of the attack and was on his way there. Axelwas also already there because it was outside the arenas where he was with Katya. She’s fine,” he added hastily when Tessa’s eyes widened some. “They both are, but others… There were a lot of casualties from the attack. Both Fae and Legacy.” He saw the bob of her throat as she swallowed. “I haven’t seen the list of the Fae lost. I only received the list of Legacy lost this morning.”

The truth was they wouldn’t bother naming the Fae. They’d receive a brief report of the powers that were lost and no longer available to be claimed, but he’d already told Axel to find out if any of Tessa’s friends were among the casualties.

“I didn’t want to have to…split my focus while I was there,” he went on. “You were the only thing that mattered. We were near the townhouses, and she suggested dropping her off here. In my hurry, I agreed. It was close and a quick solution to the problem. Admittedly, I didn’t think about it. She wasn’t my focus. You were. But I know she went in our room, Tessa. I felt her enter the wards. I was furious and planned to confront her when we got back, but I was in the middle of chaos. There was still fighting going on when I got there. I wouldn’t leave until I had you back, but I know that’s where you found her. And gods, Tessa, for that I am sorry.”

But she was back to seeing through him. He wondered if she was even hearing him at this point. But he pushed ahead, hoping she was, despite some part of him knowing this was pointless.

He cleared his throat, swallowing down something he hadn’t experienced in years as his eyes burned. “I was with Luka whenwe felt you. I was repeatedly calling Dagian, even Dex, trying to find out where you were. But then every bit of what you were feeling slammed into me, and I have never…” She was expressionless, and something in his soul was cracking as he watched her. Because he wasn’t blocking a godsdamn thing. He knew she could feel every bit of what he was experiencing in this moment.

And she didn’t care.

“I knew Luka would be faster. We were both racing for you, but I knew he’d reach you first. When I got back to the townhouse, he was already gone with you. My father was here, speaking with…her. Axel and Kat were back, and my father had already threatened Axel earlier in the day. Katya was the easiest target. So I had to… I tookherhome. Or to the place she is staying at in the Acropolis. My father rode with us, so I couldn’t question her like I wanted to. But I came back as soon as I could, Tessa. Every action was to get back to you as soon as I could.”

His words seemed to echo in the silence of the room. He didn’t know what to do. He’d long since set his coffee mug aside. His hands were trembling slightly with the need to reach for her, and he shoved them into his pockets. When she did finally speak, he nearly fell to his knees at the sound of her voice.

“So they were waiting for me?” she asked, her voice void of inflection. “I am the reason people are dead. Again. This is my fault.”

“Gods, no, Tessa,” Theon said, lurching forward a step and making himself still once more. She still didn’t move, didn’t react. “This isnotyour fault. Do you hear me?

“No?” she asked, blinking once. It was like something cleared with that one action, and she was looking at him. Really seeing him.

And she cut him down once more with her next words.

“Is the attack near the arenas not directly correlated to me? The same way Pen’s death was?”

“This was a set-up, Tessa,” he said, lowering to sit on the edge of the mattress. “It was a set-up to get tome, not you. I haven’t figured it all out yet, but some things happened this past week, particularly yesterday. When you’re feeling…better I will tell you everything. But this was not your fault, Tessa. Please know that. You were used to draw me out.”

“So she could get to her,” Luka said grimly.

Theon looked back over his shoulder. “What?”

“I think you’re right. This was all a set-up, but it wasn’t just about you. It was about both of you. You were drawn away from here so Felicity could get to her.”

He turned back to find Tessa’s eyes squeezed tightly shut, her breathing a little too fast, but it evened out again within seconds.

“But then she would have known Tessa would be back earlier than I was told. But why? What could she have to gain from it?” Theon said.