Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance (Legacy #3)

7. Tessa

7

TESSA

“ G et up, Tessa,” came a voice that grated on her ears.

“Get out, Oralia,” she retorted as the Fae threw open the room-darkening curtains. Light flooded the room, and it had Tessa burrowing deep into her covers to escape it, seeking the dark. Not that she’d been sleeping. She never slept anymore, but she’d made it worse by taunting Theon about someone else being in her bed. No one had been here, of course. It had all been to rile him up, and it had worked. She’d felt the slice of pain and his anger. It should have been satisfying to know she’d made him bleed the way he’d made her bleed, but it had been satisfying in an unexpected way.

She enjoyed feeling his jealousy at the mere idea of someone else touching something he considered to be his. Not because it hurt him or because she thought she belonged to him in any way, but because it made her feel valued.

And what did that say about her?

Probably that she was indeed the monster she claimed to be.

“I do not have time for your whining today, Tessa,” Oralia chided. “Get up, and get dressed. We need to go.”

“Go where?” Tessa muttered, still not moving.

“It appears the acting Arius Lord sent his guard dog to check on your wellbeing.”

Tessa threw the blankets back, sitting up. “Luka is here?”

Oralia was in the large walk-in closet now, but her voice carried out as she said, “Not yet, but he will be shortly. He was spotted entering the grounds and felt crossing the wards.”

Tessa hadn’t felt him down the bond, which could only mean he was blocking it on his end. A dirty, clever move after her refusal to speak with him a few days ago, but to show up in the Achaz Kingdom? At Lord Jove’s home?

That was a stupid move she’d never have expected from the dragon.

More than that, he was far too close to something she didn’t want him knowing about.

That thought alone had her up and out of bed, rushing to the door.

“Where are you going?” Oralia demanded, darting in front of her and blocking her path.

Tessa skidded to a halt, her power crackling around her. “Did you not just tell me to get up?”

“Yes, and get dressed ,” she drawled, tossing some clothing onto the bed.

Tessa looked down at her nearly sheer night clothing that stopped mid-thigh. Oralia was probably right. She spun, hurrying back to the bed while simultaneously pulling the nightgown over her head. The thing was a golden cream color because all of her clothing was light now, but her gaze snagged on the black Marks on the back of her hands. A Mark claiming her as his , and a Mark that took everything from him.

“Tessa!” Oralia snapped, another piece of clothing landing on the bed. “Let’s go.”

“I don’t understand why we’re in a hurry. Luka isn’t going to do anything to me,” Tessa muttered, sliding on flimsy underthings and loose-knit white training pants. Then she reached for the sports bra and cropped top, the sleeves tight fitting on her arms.

She quickly brushed her teeth and slipped a hair tie onto her wrist. She’d have to put it up later for training with Odessa, the instructor who was helping her master her gifts. That was what she did most mornings, and judging by the clothing Oralia had laid out, that was the plan again today.

“Shoes, Tessa,” Oralia called after her as she breezed through the door.

“Can you grab them?” she yelled back, loving the feel of the cool marble beneath her bare feet.

“Tessa, wait!”

But Tessa ignored her, moving along the hallways she was coming to learn well. Her fingers dragging on the wall, she was descending the grand staircase when she heard Dex.

“As I said, the Achaz Lord and his heir are out right now. You need to make an appointment to see them.”

“And as I said, I won’t be speaking with a Fae . Find me a Legacy to speak to,” came a familiar drawl that had her heart skipping a beat and the bond vibrating in her chest. She put everything she had into blocking that stupid bond right now. Luka didn’t need to know what she was feeling.

“That is not an option available to you,” Dex retorted.

In the past weeks here, she still had not figured out how Dex had gained such a position in the Achaz Lord’s household. It was one secret she had yet to uncover, but she would in time.

“It is the only acceptable option,” Luka replied, crossing his arms and squaring off with Dex.

“Your options are to leave and make an appointment, or wait in the cells beneath this house,” Dex sneered, straightening to his full height, but Luka still had an inch or two on him.

The tilt of Luka’s lips was slightly terrifying when he said, “Try it.”

Before Dex could answer, Tessa said, “He can stay with me until Rordan returns.”

Dex spun in her direction, but Luka’s eyes only flicked to her as though he’d known she’d been standing there the entire time.

Which he only confirmed when he said ‘ About time you use that voice of yours’ down the bond.

When had she dropped her shields?

You’re an ass , she retorted, and to her annoyance, she saw his lips twitch.

“He can’t stay with you, Tessa,” Dex said in an exasperated tone as he turned away from her.

“Of course he can,” she replied, drumming her fingers on the wall, energy flickering off them.

Dex sighed, turning back to her once more. “Where is Oralia?”

Tessa shrugged. “I assume I am going to train? Luka can come with me.”

“We’re not leaving you with an Arius Guardian,” Dex snapped.

“What does he want anyway?” she asked, dropping down to sit on a step and resting her chin in her hand.

“To speak with the Achaz Lord,” Dex answered.

“About what?”

“He won’t tell me.”

“Because you are clearly not the Achaz Lord.”

“Tessie,” Dex snapped again. “I don’t know what I did to deserve your attitude this morning, but we can discuss this later.”

Tessa arched a brow just as Oralia came rushing down the stairs. “Sorry!” she cried, and Tessa winced at the shrillness. The glare Dex shot Oralia told Tessa all she needed to know: Oralia’s job had been to keep her busy while he’d dealt with Luka.

“Tessa, let’s get going. Odessa is waiting,” Oralia said, ignoring Dex and dropping shoes next to Tessa on the stairs.

“Great. Luka is coming with us,” Tessa said, not bothering with the shoes as she stood.

“He is not,” Dex said. “Lord Jove will have my ass, Tessie.”

“I’ll take the blame,” she replied.

“That won’t matter. I’ll still bear the punishment. You’ll subject me to that?”

Her gaze slid to Luka’s, finding him watching her, his arms still crossed. “If you’re that worried, put some bands on him.”

“That’s not—” Dex let out a frustrated sound.

“He doesn’t think I’m going to hurt you, Tessie ,” Luka said, and she glared at him. “He thinks I am somehow going to talk you into coming back to the Arius Kingdom.”

Tessa blinked a few times before sliding her attention back to Dex. “After all this, you think Luka can say some pretty words to me, and I’ll go back to Theon?”

“No, but I—” Dex started.

“You really have such little faith in me?”

“That’s not what I said?—”

“You do not trust me to fulfill my destiny?”

“Stop, Tessa,” Dex barked. “You know I only want to protect you.”

“I do not need protection from Luka,” she sneered, descending the final few steps and striding past him. “I will let Rordan know of the situation. You need not worry about your own wellbeing.”

“Tessa, wait!”

But she was already out the front door. She didn’t need to look to know that Luka was following her. She could feel it down the bond. Neither of them spoke as she led him across the grounds to a small training building. It was a miniature version of the training arenas at the Acropolis, enchanted to contain the magic that was practiced within. She’d been told this was where Dagian had mastered his gifts, and Rordan before that.

Odessa was waiting for them. Her dirty blonde hair was tightly braided as always, and she wore the same attire Tessa was wearing. Well, almost. She had shoes on. Tessa was still barefoot, which was fine. She usually ended up barefoot by the end of training anyway.

“Who is this?” Odessa asked, faint light already emanating in her palms while she stared at Luka, her dark blue eyes narrowing.

“No one you need to worry about,” Tessa said with a dismissive wave of her hand, calling forth her own power that flared far brighter than Odessa’s.

“Did Lord Jove authorize him being here during your training sessions?”

“Rordan does not need to authorize anything for me,” Tessa said, energy sparking within her light.

“Perhaps not for you, but for me, he does,” Odessa replied. “He must leave, or I cannot proceed with our lesson today.”

“He’s not leaving.”

“Then I will,” the instructor countered.

“Then leave.”

Odessa blinked in surprise, and it took a few moments before she hesitantly said, “I don’t think that would be wise.”

“Either proceed or leave,” Tessa said.

“I…”

“Leave, Odessa.”

“Of course,” she said with a small bow before leaving the training building.

“Look at you,” Luka said the moment the doors closed behind her. “Taking a stand against not one, not two, but three people.”

“Shut up,” Tessa snapped. “I still don’t want to talk to you.”

“Then why not let me pass the time in the cells like your Dex suggested?”

“He’s not my Dex,” she muttered, focusing on the power still pooling in her hands.

Luka only grunted a sound of acknowledgment, but she could feel him watching her. With an exasperated huff, she closed her fists, extinguishing her light as she said, “What?”

Luka raised a brow. “I didn’t say anything.”

“You don’t need to. You’re staring at me.”

“If memory serves, you like it when you can see me.”

Tessa pursed her lips, her power and the bond vibrating in her soul while she held his stare.

“So what now?” Luka asked, taking a few steps to the right.

She turned to keep him in her sight. “Now nothing.”

“Nothing?”

She turned more as he kept moving. “Yes, nothing. What are you doing here, Luka?”

“I need to talk to you.”

“No.”

He nodded, still moving. “It’s important, Tessa.”

“I don’t care.”

“Clearly,” he deadpanned. “Then I suppose we spar. If I win, you speak with me about some important matters. If you win, I sit quietly until Lord Jove returns.”

“I’m not going to spar with you. You’ll win,” she argued.

“Yet you’re already in a defensive stance.”

“I…” She trailed off, looking down to find her feet planted in the same godsdamn position he’d made her stand in for hours during all their training sessions.

That was when she realized he’d been circling, and she’d done this naturally, preparing for an attack.

“You did this on purpose,” she accused.

“Seemed like a waste not to utilize the space, and we have time,” he said. “Glad to see you retained everything since you left.”

“This isn’t the type of training I do with Odessa,” she said, still not breaking her stance for whatever reason. “She’s teaching me to use my magic. It’s not physical training.”

“What a waste,” Luka scoffed.

“It’s not a waste,” she retorted, resisting every urge to stomp her foot at his arrogance.

“No? Is she as powerful as you?”

“No.”

“Then how is she training you?”

“Who do you suggest should be training me?” Tessa drawled.

“Someone at least close to your power level,” he replied. “And they should be training you to use your magic and fight at the same time.”

“Why do you care?”

“That’s what you’re doing here, isn’t it? Starting a war? If you’re going to start a war that will be the death of tens of thousands, you should at least have the common decency to fight in it,” Luka said, taking a step towards her.

“I thought we weren’t talking,” she gritted out as he took another step closer.

“Only if you win,” he replied. “You don’t want to spar? Fine. We can train with our magic,” he added, summoning his black flames.

She swallowed her gasp as her power surged, rushing to the surface, and she couldn’t control it. Not as her light flared to life, a golden mist swirling around her. It tugged at her, reaching for Luka, and he fucking smirked at her.

Fine. He wanted to play? She would play.

“If I win this match, you speak with me about these important matters. If you win, I will not ask to speak of such things with you again. Do we have an accord?” Luka asked.

Before she could register what he said, she answered, “Yes.”

Then she silently cursed him when she felt the telltale sensation of a Bargain Mark on her forearm.

Godsdammit.

She threw her power in his direction. There was no finesse. No art or direction. She’d never been able to control it, and Luka was right. Odessa had never been able to help her do so. How she’d trained Dagian or Rordan was beyond her. They were certainly more powerful, and yet she’d somehow taught them control.

Luka’s black flames met her light, wrapping around it before snuffing it out, and she ground her molars as she summoned more magic.

“You can’t simply throw your power around,” Luka chided. “Have a purpose, Tessa.”

“I do have a purpose,” she snapped, energy crackling among the golden power this time. “To shut you up.”

This time her power wasn’t so much of a blind attack. There was some form to it as she sent it at Luka, tendrils branching off to try to pull his attention in different directions. But Luka had been doing this far longer than she had, directing his fire to circle around and chase hers.

“You’re trying to do too much too soon,” he said. “Don’t separate your magic yet. Keep it centered and focused.”

“But Odessa has been telling me the opposite,” she argued, shaking out her arms as she pulled more power to the surface.

“Because they are trying to figure out just how powerful you are,” he replied. “Don’t move.”

“What?”

But then he was behind her, having stepped through the air and appeared there. She jolted in surprise when a large hand landed on her forearm, and then he cursed when a jolt of energy went through him.

“Should have expected that,” he muttered, but he didn’t release her. He adjusted her wrist before pushing her other arm down to her side. “Focus on this one spot,” he said, tapping her upturned palm. “And while you let your power pool there, think of where you want it to go. What you want it to do.”

Then he was gone, appearing where he’d been before. And she wasn’t focusing on the power in her palm, but on the sudden loss of heat on her arm where he’d been touching her.

Her magic took advantage of her momentary lack of focus, flaring bright and leaping for Luka once again.

“Focus, Tessa,” Luka commanded.

“I can’t when it’s just me,” she argued, putting her arm back in position and starting over.

“What does that mean? I’ve seen you fight. I know you can do this. I heard about what you did when the Augury tried to kill you. This is no different.”

“Yes, it is.”

“How?”

“It was fight or die!” she cried. “And it wasn’t just me. Roan and Nylah were there. There were others fighting for me. It wasn’t just me against them. It was—” She paused, her breathing coming too quickly now. “I don’t know what it was.”

Luka nodded as if he understood exactly what she was saying, and she didn’t understand how he could possibly know.

“You had something to fight for,” Luka said, unbuttoning his shirt cuffs and rolling his sleeves up his forearms. “I can work with that.”

“This is ridiculous,” Tessa said, throwing her hands up in frustration. “Let’s just— Luka! ”

His name was a cry of shock and pain as black flames singed the exposed skin of her torso. She looked down in disbelief, finding her pale skin red and splotchy.

Dragging her eyes back to him, she said, “You burned me.” She didn’t know what else to say. He’d actually fucking burned her.

“That fury I see burning in your eyes?” Luka said. “Channel it into your power and focus, Tessa. If you think I’m not going to burn you again, you’re wrong.”

“Luka, wait. I— Stop!” she snarled, feeling his fire lick at her again, this time along her ankles. A faint trace of smoke wafted from the lightweight pants where there was a definite hole with blackened edges.

“Your wolves aren’t here. Your Hunters aren’t here. No one is going to fight for you right now.”

I will always fight for you, little storm .

“He’s not here either,” Luka said, clearly having heard the words she remembered coming from Theon’s lips so many times. “It’s just you, Tessa, and you can do this.”

She cried out again as the sting of a burn blossomed along her collarbone and up her neck.

And then she was crying out a scream of rage.

The power in her palm grew and grew, and while it was chaotic, there was purpose to it. It swirled in her hand, flickering flecks of energy resembling sand in a whirlwind as it grew. Higher it rose, gusts swirling in the room and sending furniture flying into the walls.

“Look at what you can do,” came a gruff voice in her ear. It was low, and she could feel the rumble of it in her bones. Not only that, she could feel an admiration mixed with desire, and she shoved it aside, pushing him out.

He didn’t move though. Instead, he stepped imperceptibly closer, his front brushing against her back as he guided her hand. “ This is what they are watching for, Tessa. They do not want you to control this power. They only want to control you .”

Her fury burned hotter making her magic flare. Drops of water landed on her brow, her cheek, her neck, causing the burn to sting more. This wasn’t just light and energy anymore. This was wind and rain. This was a storm. Her storm.

And then it was gone, and she was letting out an oomph as she found herself on her back, the air knocked from her lungs. Her power exploded, shattering in every direction, but she was wrapped in a cocoon of black flames, Luka kneeling beside her. A hand was pressed to her stomach, directly atop the burn. His palm was hot, and she squirmed, trying to move away from him. But one warning look from him had her stilling. His eyes glowed that brilliant blue, vertical pupils never leaving her stare. It took a moment for her to realize he was soothing the burn, his power somehow lessening the damage he had caused.

Then she was squirming for an entirely different reason as his palm slid up her torso, between her breasts. It’d been weeks since she’d lost herself in any sort of physical release, and Theon had been right last night: her own hand was never enough. Nothing was ever enough unless it was him, but maybe it could be with?—

She swallowed her gasp when Luka’s hand slid up to her throat, fingers loosely clasping around her neck. There was no silencing the soft sigh that came from her as he soothed that last burn. He leaned over her, coming even closer, and she wanted— No, she needed this. But her lungs weren’t working, and she couldn’t suck in a breath. All she could think about was what it would feel like to feel his lips on hers. Anywhere on her body for that matter.

He hovered there, so close she could feel his words on her lips when he said, “I won.”

Her eyes went wide, shock rippling through her. “What?”

“Our little sparring match,” he added. “I won.”

“You did not,” she cried in outrage.

His mouth tilted into that smirk that made her want to become physically violent. “You are on your back. Your power is nowhere to be seen, while mine is still surrounding us. I think that’s a pretty clear victory.”

“You— I— You’re an ass,” she spluttered, shoving at his chest and pushing him away. She scrambled to her feet, glaring at the Bargain Mark on her forearm. The square around three intersecting arrows taunted her about her never-ending impulsivity.

“But a victorious ass nonetheless,” Luka said, crossing his arms and watching her with amusement from where he stood a few feet away.

“Fine then,” she snapped, her hands going to her hips. “What do you so desperately need to talk to me about?”

All the mirth faded, and her stomach did a weird tumbling sensation as unease crept in. She tried to shove it aside. She shouldn’t care about anything he had to say. This was her purpose. This was her destiny. She had to correct the balance. She had to?—

“Axel has been missing for weeks,” Luka said. “And only you can help us find him.”

She said nothing, only staring back at him.

“You have nothing to say to that?” Luka said in disbelief, but it quickly morphed into a calm rage. “Or have you known this entire time?”

“Don’t be daft. Of course I didn’t know,” she retorted.

“No? Because the last one to see him was Valter, and you have Valter, do you not?”

Her fingers flexed where they still rested on her hips as she tried so fucking hard not to care. She couldn’t care. Axel was still part of the Arius line. Her destiny still beckoned, and his sacrifice would be demanded just as much as the rest of the Arius descendants.

After several moments of tense silence, she said, “So you, what? Want me to go ask Valter where he is?”

“Yes,” Luka said immediately.

“And then report back to you?”

“Yes.”

“So you can report back to Theon,” she stated.

Luka started to answer, but then pressed his lips together. He finally broke their stare, shifting on his feet as he clearly tried to think of how to respond.

He didn’t need to bother.

“You have nothing to say to that?” she mocked, liking this feeling of having the upper hand once more. “I left the Arius Kingdom, Luka. I do not have to bow to his demands or answer his summons. I owe him nothing.”

“He sent me to you,” Luka said, meeting her gaze once more.

“Obviously,” she replied, rolling her eyes.

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “He sent me to you. Told me not to tell him anything that was spoken between us.”

She clicked her tongue in annoyance. “You’re his Guardian.”

“I made the same argument. He sent me to you anyway.”

“It’s a ruse. It’s always a game with him, but this is my game now,” she sneered.

“And Axel is what? Collateral damage?” Luka countered.

“I can’t trust you, Luka. Surely you understand that.”

“And I can’t trust you. Not after what you did.”

Her hands dropped to her sides as she siphoned off some of her growing frustration with this entire conversation. Tiny bolts of lightning skipped across the floor.

“Then what is the point of this?” she finally asked.

“I just need you to find out where Axel is,” Luka said. “He is not part of this thing between you, me, and Theon.”

“No. He just held me down for a fucking Tracking Mark. He just sat and watched while Theon shoved me under a table. He just?—”

“Gave you music,” Luka interrupted, prowling towards her. “Brought you doughnuts. Gave you distractions and little things when you had control over nothing. He made you laugh, and he argued with Theon on your behalf far more times than you know.”

She had backed up while he’d advanced, and she didn’t stop until her back pressed to the wall. With nowhere else to escape, Luka’s hands landed on either side of her, caging her in.

“Your war is with Theon. Your fight is with me. Axel is not part of this, and if you don’t believe that, know that he is missing as punishment for saving Katya from the hands of males who would have taken everything from her,” Luka said, black flames sparking in his sapphire eyes.

Again she said nothing, staring back at him with her lips sealed. He searched her eyes, and she locked down every emotion, focusing on keeping the bond blocked.

With a derisive huff of laughter, his arms dropped to his sides, and he stepped back from her. “ This is what will make you a monster, Tessa.”

“You think I don’t know that?”

Another breath of disbelief came from him as he said, “You claim to hate the dark, yet the light is leaving you blind.”

Then he left her standing in the training room, the doors clicking shut, echoing his retreating footsteps.

And she forced herself not to care.