Page 98

Theon had been trying to gain a meeting with the male since the Emerging Ceremony. He’d called Lilura Inquest every day since, but he could never get past Blackheart’s godsdamn assistant. But the moment Tessa is at a public event and accessible again, he shows up?

“Theon.”

His name was a harsh whisper from her, and he turned, finding Tessa sinking to her knees. He could see her entire body trembling. It shouldn’t surprise him. He’d held her by the river bank several times now when the bands would come off and her power would erupt. Light was flickering and sparking at her fingertips. Winds were whipping around them as the incoming storm increased, wild and unrelenting. A few big raindrops splattered to the ground, icy water droplets sliding down hisneck. There was howling, and with the winds, he couldn’t tell how far away it was.

“Where are we supposed to take her?” Luka was demanding again.

“I cannot believe you have not figured out how to— What are you doing?” Tristyn asked.

But Theon was done with this. His darkness was coating his skin, and his shadow wings had formed. They needed to get out of here. They couldn’t go through the halls of the Pantheon, but they didn’t need to.

“We’ll go to the training arenas. They’re only a few blocks away,” Theon answered, crouching down next to Tessa. Glowing violet eyes met his, a mixture of desperation and malice radiating down the bond. He could feel everything she was feeling. The clever thing had figured out a way to block their bond for short periods of time, but it seemed she had lost that control when her power suddenly decided it wanted out. He could feel her panic and her helplessness, her fear and her agony.

The desire to simply give in.

“I can’t control it,” she rasped. “I don’t… I didn’t mean… Your father?—”

“Let me worry about my father,” he answered, reaching out and letting his fingertips brush along her jaw. “Control it a little longer, then I can help. Just like we’ve done before.”

But she shook her head. “I… I don’t think I want to.”

“The training areas won’t contain her fully,” Luka argued as Theon scooped her into his arms.

“Unless you have a better idea, it’s our only choice,” Theon replied, tightening his grip on Tessa as she somehow managed to curl into him and push him away at the same time.

He could tell Luka wanted to argue more, but he said tightly, “I don’t have any better ideas. Do you want me to get Axel?”

Theon shook his head. “I think it’s better if he stays. Father will already be livid we left the way we did.”

“Fair point,” Luka agreed.

Theon turned back to Tristyn. “The next time I call on you, I expect to speak to you directly.”

The male smirked at him. “Arius Heir or not, unless Tessa is the one contacting me, you’ll continue to speak to Maggie.”

Another flash of lightning and Theon was turning his back on the male. He’d deal with that later.

With a smooth leap, he was dropping over the balcony railing, Tessa tensing in his arms as he glided them swiftly to the ground. Her light crawled along the darkness coating his skin as if it were looking for weakness, seeking a way in.

His feet hit the ground as he said, “I know it’s calling to you, Tessa. Don’t let your magic take control. I’m going to help. Just a little longer.”

The small smile on her face was terrifying as she whispered, “Too late.” She lifted a hand, her fingers combing through his hair. “Don’t you see? It wants out, and I can’t stop it. No one can stop it. No one can stop chaos when it comes to reign.”

He nodded slowly. “Can you walk?”

In answer, she shifted, and he lowered her to her bare feet. He didn’t bother asking if she wanted shoes. Her steps were surer now, her trembling having ceased, and all Theon could feel from her now was an unnatural peace as she let her power have control.

Luka landed beside him, and the only thing Theon could say was, “She’s lost to it.”

“No she’s not,” Luka argued.

“She is. I can feel it. She finds it safer there.” He turned to look at his closest friend. “She finds it safer to let her power have control than to learn to harness it. We failed her.”

“Then let’s fucking fix it,” Luka retorted, stalking forward.

Theon watched as he summoned his black flames, Tessa’s head snapping in his direction at the display of power. If her magic was in control, it would seek out other power.

Strong power.