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No, no, no.

Tessa? What’s happening?demanded Theon, his voice frantic in her head.

Fuck. Her shields.

And she couldn’t breathe.

“Keep moving,” said the gruff voice with a vicious yank on her arm, causing her to stumble forward.

It’s too dark here.

Use your magic, little storm.

I can’t. The bands.

She felt Theon’s anger as Luka’s voice filtered through.One step in front of the other, Tessa.Can you do that for us? Close your eyes. Don’t think, and just keep moving.

One step in front of the other. She could do that.

I am going to kill every one of these people.

That was what she thought as she focused on the next step and then the next.

That’s our girl,Luka coaxed, clearly feeling something down the bond.

She couldn’t be that.

Not anymore.

Not now.

Tessa, what do you mean ‘not anymore?’asked Theon.

This godsdamn bond.

She tried to lift her arms, wanting to drag her hands through her hair, but the hands clamped around her biceps tightened.

Right.

Underground.

In the dark.

Helpless and alone and being led to slaughter.

Except the ground was sloping upwards, and a few minutes later, she was breathing in fresh air and blinking against a setting sun. She’d had no idea what time of the day it was. Apparently early evening.

She halted as she looked around, the two males releasing her and stepping away to join the rest of the robed Augury members here.

They stood in some type of outdoor amphitheater, rows of seating ascending half the space. Looking over her shoulder, she found the door they’d emerged from set into the side of a hill.She could hear the sound of rushing water in the distance, likely the Wynfell River. The cloudy sky was sprinkling the ground with big, fluffy snowflakes that melted the moment they touched the ground. She curled her toes against the damp earth, feeling the soft snow turn to water against her bare flesh.

A surge of swirling midnight had her stumbling back several steps, her eyes wide as a male stepped from their depths, followed by a female. He wore robes like the rest of them, but no mask, his Source a step behind him.

The masked members made no move to bow or drop to a knee. For once the male before her didn’t seem to care as hazel eyes locked on hers.

The Arius Lord.

“I do hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long,” Valter said, adjusting the sleeves of his robe the same way he always adjusted the sleeves of his suit jackets. “My last engagement took a little longer than expected.”