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He hesitated, causing her to glance over at him. He was studying her, clearly debating what to say next. Letting her fork drop to her plate with a clatter, she sat back in her chair, rubbing at the area around the bands. “Stop doing that.”

“Doing what?”

“Trying to figure out what I’m feeling.”

“You feel a lot. All the time.”

“Where are Axel and Kat?” she asked, changing the subject and reaching for her water.

“I haven’t told anyone else you’re awake.”

“Why?”

“You’ll have to forgive my negligence. I’ve been a little busy with your needy cunt, beautiful.”

Tessa choked on her water as Theon continued to casually eat his meal, but she felt his amusement trickle down their bond. Sliding her bowl of soup back towards her, she picked up her spoon solely to have something to do with her hands, but of course, now she was remembering all those things he did between her thighs. She was deliciously sore in a way she hadn’t been in ages.

“We will be some place where you can take the bands off tomorrow,” Theon said after a moment. “It is a place similar to the training quarters, so you’ll be able to do more than merely siphon it off.” When she only nodded, he added, “We’re planning to be there a few days, so it will give you plenty of time without them.”

“We’re leaving Arius House?” she asked, her spoon halfway to her mouth.

He nodded. “Tomorrow morning. We’re going to the Underground.”

Tessa dropped her spoon, hot soup splashing, but she didn’t notice. “The Underground?” she repeated.

Theon was frowning slightly as he used a napkin to clean up the soup. “Yes. We have an opportunity to meet with Cienna.”

“But it’s not actually underground, right?”

“I guess not,” he answered, and all the tension in her muscles eased until he said, “But it’s a system of caves and tunnels in the Ozul Mountains, so I suppose technically it is underground.” His head snapped up, taking her in. “Tessa, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” she rasped, but she was already on her feet. Already moving through the room, through the bedroom. She only wore loose pants and Theon’s shirt. She’d pulled her hair up into a loose knot on her head after rinsing off again before their food arrived. Now she wrenched open the double balcony doors, stumbling outside and gulping down fresh air.

A hand gripped her elbow, tugging her to a stop at the same time a figure was dropping from the sky.

“What is going on?” Luka demanded, his wings disappearing as he took them in.

But Tessa couldn’t focus on what they were saying. They were going to the Underground. For multiple days. And it wasunderthe ground. Let alone thepeoplethat were there. The Arius Kingdom may oversee them, but from what she knew and what Theon had said, the Underground was a kingdom in and of itself.

“Tessa? Tessa, look at me.”

There were hands on her face, trying to force her to look at him, but her eyes were shut tight. She shoved his hands away. Curling her bare toes against the marble floor, relishing in thefreezing bite as it grounded her. Inhaling deeply, she could smell the autumn air and feel the cool breeze on her face.

“Open your eyes, Tessa.” That was Luka. “Now.”

“I’m not in a training room,” she rasped.

Another hand cupping her face, this one hot. “Tessa, open your eyes.”

She blinked, the bond doing something weird in her chest as she focused on sapphire eyes. He didn’t say anything, just stood there. Giving her something else to ground herself in.

Footfalls sounded, and a moment later, Theon was back. “Here,” he said gruffly, a blanket wrapping around her shoulders. “We can sit outside for a while.”

She let him lead her to the patio sofa, Luka’s fingers trailing along her jaw before he dropped his hand. Theon lowered to a seat beside her, while Luka took a chair across from them. She liked that. She could still see him there while Theon’s touch soothed the bond, and in turn, her.

“We’re going to the Underground tomorrow,” she finally said, barely audible.

“We are,” Luka agreed.