Page 27

“I’m not being difficult,” she spat. “And you’re not even wearing a jacket.”

He stopped beside her, giving her a mocking smile as he lifted a hand and black flames flared to life. Tessa rolled her eyes with a huff.

Reaching for the door handle, Luka said, “Bring the hat, Theon. When she gets cold, be sure and make her say please before you give it to her.”

“Why do you have to be such an ass all the godsdamn time?” Tessa grumbled, stomping after him.

“Why do you have to be so bratty all the godsdamn time?” Luka retorted.

“Youtold me to fight back,” she bit back, following him out the door.

He did? When had Luka told her that? And why hadn’t he told Theon about this conversation?

“And yet you’re still not fighting back,” Luka called over his shoulder, moving around the vehicle as Tessa wrenched open the back door. “You’re still just whining.”

“I am not whining,” she groused.

“And I’m not an ass,” he drawled sarcastically.

“I liked you better when you barely spoke to me,” she grumbled under her breath as she crawled into the backseat.

But Luka heard her and said, “I liked it better when I didn’t have to constantly deal with your attitude, but here we are. At least I can deal with you in a training room now.”

“Deal with me,”Tessa scoffed under her breath.

Theon’s phone pinged with a notification, and when he pulled it from his jacket pocket, he sighed at the email he’d just received. Tessa was already in some kind of mood tonight. He didn’t particularly want to bring this up now and make it worse, but he was trying to be more open with her, not withhold as much information. He still didn’t know just how much he could trust her, but she’d proven some loyalty yesterday at the hearing when she chose him. The least he could do was try to trust hermore. Wasn’t that their original bargain to begin with? Give and take?

Shoving a hand through his hair, he braced himself for the coming conversation. Luka was already sending him a look in the rearview mirror. It came with being inseparable their entire lives. They could pick up on the smallest shifts in moods and knew each other’s tells.

Lightly clearing his throat, Theon said, “Tomorrow afternoon is your first class with the other Sources, Tessa.”

She’d been looking out the window, but her back straightened, shoulders tensing. It was a few seconds before she said, “All right.”

“As for the other lessons, I’m working on finding someone else, but until then…”

“It’s fine,” she said tightly.

“If I had the time?—”

“I said it’s fine,” she interrupted.

“Can you at least look at me while we discuss this?”

After another few seconds, she slowly turned to face him, those violet-grey eyes hard, betraying nothing of what she was thinking or feeling.

One more week.

That’s all he could think as she stared back at him. One more week and she’d have the next Mark. It wouldn’t be such a godsdamn guessing game as to what she was feeling. He’d be able to feel her emotions. He wanted to believe that would make this whole bond easier, but he was realizing nothing with Tessa would ever be easy.

Without thinking, he reached across the space between them. The tips of his fingers brushed along her jaw, and her eyes fluttered closed for the briefest of moments as she leaned into the touch.

“I promise I will find someone else. Just give me a little more time,” he said softly.

Her eyes snapped back open, and she pulled away from him, turning back to the window. “Don’t bother, Theon. I survived nearly two decades with her. I can survive this.”

“Tessa—”

“Where are we going?” she interrupted. “Why are we leaving the Acropolis?”