Page 35

She was still feeling it. The way her magic had been drawn to his. Was that what Theon had felt all this time? When he would talk about his power seeking her out?

The want.

The need.

Wasthatwhat was making this bond so godsdamn unbearable? Their power? Maybe it wasn’t a bond at all. Maybe it had been their power this whole time.

She knew she should focus on the conversation happening between Theon and Luka, but it was hard when her power was once again trapped. Not only that, but it seemed to know Theon was nearby, and with him, his magic that called to it.

Which was just great because all she could think about was his fingers skimming down her body, his shadows toying with her, his heated gaze?—

No.

Tonight was enough.

It had to be enough.

“Axel is going to give you so much shit about this,” Luka was saying when Tessa forced herself to tune back into the conversation.

“What’s the Augury?” she asked, trying to distract herself from the ache between her legs.

“It’s a group of people who believe the Revelation Decree is not a law to govern Devram, but rather that it’s a prophecy or an omen,” Theon explained.

“It is atheorythat this group even exists. There has never been any proof of its existence,” Luka said.

Tessa frowned. “So it’s like the female in the mirror?”

Luka snickered as he got out of the vehicle and moved to open her door for her.

“It is not like— The female was there,” Theon snapped before getting out on the other side of the vehicle.

Tessa looked up at Luka as he pushed the vehicle door shut behind her.

“You look tired,” he said with a frown.

“Thanks,” Tessa grumbled.

“You should eat after expending all that power.”

Tessa hummed an acknowledgment, trailing the two as they made their way into the townhouse. “Why do you think this Augury group attacked me?”

Theon reached over to grab the hat she’d pulled off her head. Setting it off to the side, he unzipped her jacket as he answered, “Like I said, they believe the Decree is an omen. They believe that if the prophecy comes to pass, Devram will be destroyed, and they consider themselves some kind of divine protectors of the realm.”

“Isn’t that what the Keeper is supposed to be?” Tessa asked, turning so Theon could help her out of the jacket.

“Do you remember what I told you about the Keeper?”

“You believe he does more than keep the Decree. You believe he guards something inside the Pantheon.”

“Theon believes the Keeper has nothing to do with the Decree at all,” Luka said, appearing from the kitchen and holding an orange out to her, already peeled.

“What are you doing?” she asked, glancing at the fruit.

“Handing you an orange.”

“Why?”

“I told you, you need to eat after using so much power.”