Tempest of Wrath and Vengeance (Legacy #3)

13. Theon

13

THEON

H e jolted so violently his knee crashed into the table he was seated at in the manor library. Eliza glanced up at him. Razik didn't bother.

"What is wrong with you?" Eliza asked, annoyance heavy in her tone.

"Nothing," Theon replied, but she continued to stare at him. She had this unnerving way about her that always made him feel like he was this giant inconvenience solely for breathing. But she also made him feel like she almost cared in a strange way he couldn’t explain.

"It's nothing," Theon repeated, getting to his feet. "I just need to take a walk and stretch my legs."

"All morning you went on and on about having to get some things done for your kingdom, leaving us to do the research as usual, and now you're going for a walk?" Eliza asked, a brow arching.

"I do not leave you to do all the research," Theon snapped. "The reason I am so behind on the 'kingdom things' is because I've been doing so much research."

The Fae rolled her eyes, but before she could say anything, Razik spoke first. "She is getting cranky being cooped up in this manor day and night.”

"I am not getting cranky," she retorted, sitting back in her chair with a huff.

"You're right," Razik said, still not bothering to look up from the pages he was turning. "You've been cranky for days now."

Honestly, Theon had just assumed this was how she always was. Razik’s constant broodiness made sense with his dragon heritage, but he didn't know why Eliza carried such a chip on her shoulder all the time. She made it well-known that the Fae were treated vastly different in her world. They ruled entire Courts for gods’ sake. She led the armies of one of them and was clearly close with Scarlett. So what could she possibly have to be this upset about?

"I'm not holding you hostage here," Theon said, getting to his feet and swiping up his phone from the desk. “But if you do leave?—”

"Yes, yes, I know," Eliza grumbled. "I'll need to blend in."

Theon couldn't imagine the Fae General ever blending in with the other Fae in Devram. On top of that, Razik would definitely be noticed as an unfamiliar yet familiar face. He still hadn’t figured out how he was going to tell Luka about this, but like he’d told him, it wasn’t something he was going to divulge over the phone either.

He jolted again as a buzzing started in his veins, his chest, his soul. The bond was straining in a way that could only mean one thing.

"I'll be back in a bit," Theon said.

But Eliza only waved him off and reached over to pull the book Razik was looking through towards herself. A smirk was playing on Razik's lips as his fingers started toying with the end of her braid. Theon still couldn't figure out how they worked together, and while he’d observed them whenever he could, he knew there was some piece he was missing. Every time he brought it up, Eliza was quick to move the conversation in another direction. Razik just flat out ignored the question.

Theon forced himself to keep a casual pace through the manor, the staff bowing their heads as he passed. Kat, Corbin, and Lange were at their daily lessons, being escorted to and from by Tristyn secretly Traveling them. Katya would have immediately figured out what was going on. She was clever and observant like that, but she’d been quiet and withdrawn since she’d returned. She’d never voiced it, but he knew the fact that Axel was still missing was weighing on her.

It was weighing on him too. He’d always protected Axel from the brunt of his father’s wrath. Or he’d tried to. Another thing he’d failed at in the end, he supposed, but he’d been pouring all his time into trying to find him while simultaneously trying to initiate a smooth transition of power that was not going smoothly in the slightest.

Theon let his darkness out, releasing some of the tension coiled tightly in his muscles. The inky magic speared ahead of him, knowing what he knew too.

Tessa was here.

The bond didn't lead him to the rooms they'd shared. No, it led him to his father's study. Or his study now? He still didn't know. This was some kind of grey place that he imagined had never been seen in Devram before. Much like his entire Source experience had been.

He wiped his palms on his pants before he reached for the door. He had no idea how this was going to go. Why was she here? Did she need him? Was she going to draw from his power? What would that be like? Would there be a fight or just words exchanged? Was she by herself? Was Luka with her? Lord Jove? Someone else? The person who’d touched her when she’d taunted him down their bond?

Chiding himself for overthinking this entire thing, he turned the knob, pushing the door open.

And there she was, sitting on the edge of the desk, her legs crossed with one visible from the deep slit of her cream dress. Her bare feet were off the floor. She was so short and small, but the mighty power he could see crackling in her eyes made up for any of that. Her long, blonde hair was curled in soft waves, and she had it pulled over a shoulder. The dress had lace sleeves and a low neckline that showed off the Mark over her heart. Delicate gold thread was embroidered intricately throughout the bodice. The slightest movement made it glimmer in the low light of the room.

Leaning against the doorjamb and crossing his arms, all he could think to say as he stared at her was, "It's cold out, beautiful. You should dress warmer."

She didn’t say anything in response. She only reached for the glass of amber liquid sitting beside her. Holding his stare, she took a sip, leaving red lipstick on the glass.

“I don’t feel anything, so it doesn’t really matter, does it?” she said, her forearm resting atop her knee, and the glass now dangling from her fingertips.

“So you’re telling me if you dropped those shields you have mastered—exquisitely, I might add—I wouldn’t feel anything down our bond, little storm?” he asked, pushing off the doorjamb and moving deeper into the room. He flipped a switch, the glass fireplace springing to life, and her eyes darted to the flames.

“Only loathing,” she answered plainly.

He stopped a few feet from her. “I’ll take whatever you’ll give me.”

Her head canted to the side. “And if all I am willing to give you is death?”

“You won’t kill me, Tessa.” But the tilt of her lips told him he was quite possibly wrong in that assumption. "Why would you when you need me?"

"I don't need you, Theon," she said in a too sweet tone.

His darkness was curling loosely around her ankle, and he was close enough to see the goosebumps appear on her flesh. From here he could also see the dark circles starting under her eyes that told him she was getting as much sleep as he was lately.

"You don't think you need me?" he countered. "Did you not make me your Source?"

Her laugh was an eerie lilt. “If I needed to replace a Source, I'm sure I could find one. Isn’t that what is done in Devram?”

"You are powerful, Tessa. You need a powerful Source."

"Do I?"

"Why wouldn't you need a Source?"

That pointed smile returned as she uncrossed her legs. It was only then that he realized there was an equally deep slit up the other side of the dress, and he glimpsed the gold dagger strapped to her upper thigh.

"Did you really come here armed?" he asked, shock rippling through him.

"Don't act surprised," she scoffed. "I did tell you I was going to kill you. You are the foolish one for coming here unarmed ."

He took a step forward on instinct. No one threatened him. It had been beaten into him for so long. All threats were met immediately with a show of power, and his hand was already coming up to reach for her throat.

Until he found he couldn't move it.

He looked down, finding a thread of light wound around his wrist.

In disbelief, he brought his eyes back to her, where her smile had turned coy. A vicious yank of her power wrenched his arm behind his back. When she did the same with his other arm, he gritted his teeth.

“You don’t scare me, Tessa,” he ground out.

She gave him a mocking pout. “I really, really should, Theon,” she replied, and as she slid gracefully from the desk, her power yanked again.

Caught off guard, he fell to his knees. With their drastic height differences, he was still level with her torso from this vantage point, and when he looked up at her, he found she held that gold dagger in her hand.

“Is this the part where you kill me, clever tempest?” he asked, holding her stare. He couldn’t read her emotions. He’d never been able to, and she still had their bond solidly blocked. He knew the only way to get those shields to slip was to make her lose a little control, and he knew all too well how to push her to that state.

“Silly boy,” she chided, idly twirling the handle of the dagger in her fingers. “I can’t kill you yet.”

“And why is that?”

She reached out, sliding her fingers into his hair, and damn it all, he leaned into her touch, the bond leaping at the first physical contact with her in weeks. Then her grip tightened, yanking his head back. She leaned in so close he felt every word she spoke on his lips.

“I told your father I would be the downfall of his bloodline and that I would let him witness it all before I killed him. I keep my promises, Theon.”

At his name, she allowed her lips the barest touch against his, and he jerked against his restraints, wanting desperately to pull her closer. Make that kiss harder. Remind her he was the only one who could give her what she needed.

But she released her hold on his hair, taking a step back and leaving him wanting more. Always wanting more from her.

“How’s Felicity?” she asked casually.

He started at the sudden change in subject. “What? Why would I know that?”

“Because she’s your Match,” she said simply, moving around the desk. Her fingertips brushed along the surface, that dagger still in hand.

“That I never wanted.”

She paused, looking over her shoulder at him. “How ironic.”

And yeah, he could see the irony of that statement. That she had been forced into something she hadn’t wanted, had resisted as much as he was resisting this Match arrangement.

“Tessa, I?—”

“You know I could have this seat if I wanted it, right?” she interrupted, stabbing her dagger into the desktop before lowering into his father’s chair. The thing was overly regal, like all his father’s decor was, and she leaned back in it, running her hands along the arms. She looked like a queen more than his father had ever looked like a king.

“That seat’s not yours, beautiful,” he said, his darkness starting to drift around the light that bound him.

She didn’t seem to notice as she said, “It could be if I wanted it.”

“You can’t handle the responsibilities of that seat.”

She went still, violet gaze snapping to his. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“That job requires caring for those in the Arius Kingdom. I think you’d find that hard to do if your goal is to kill all the Arius Legacy.” When she only narrowed her eyes, he pushed on. “I know you are the granddaughter of Arius, Tessa, but there’s more to ruling this kingdom than merely being the most powerful. Why do you think I wanted to take the role from my father? I’ve never lied about that.”

“No,” she snapped. “You’ve only used me to try to reach that end.”

“And you’re any different?” he retorted, his magic gently winding into her light.

“Why does everyone keep berating me for this?” she seethed, and Theon stilled as her bands of light started rapidly winding up her arms.

The air around her stirred, charging with chaotic energy, and her next words were said more to herself than to him.

“They made me into this. They tried to make me small. Too wild. Too impulsive. And now when I join them? Become a monster? Be one of them?” Her gaze snapped back to him. “I am exactly what you wanted me to be,” she said, a maniacal note to her voice. “Someone they fear as much as you.”

“Together, beautiful. I wanted them to fear what we would be together,” he corrected, every part of him going on high alert as what appeared to be flecks of gold and silver ashes—or maybe they were embers?—flickered in the air around her. “And not at the expense of my people. Not at the sacrifice of Axel .”

“You made me what I am, Theon,” she snapped, getting back to her feet. She wrenched the dagger from the desk, sparks of energy flitting down the golden blade. “You and Luka. Your father. Mother Cordelia. This entire fucking realm. You do not get to pick and choose the villains. You don’t get to choose the sacrifices.”

“And you do?”

“It is what fate demands of me,” she replied sharply.

“Fate doesn’t get to own you, Tessa.”

“And you do?” she parroted.

“You saying this is fate is no different than the Lords and Ladies saying it is the destiny of the Fae to serve,” he said, his darkness seeping into the light a little more.

Her laugh was a harsh sound. “Are you telling me you suddenly believe the Fae should have choices , Theon St. Orcas?”

Was he saying that? The days had been so busy and hectic, he’d hardly had time to speak with Corbin and Lange about what they knew, and when he did, they were vague. Which was infuriating in and of itself, but he was trying to… Build some trust maybe? He didn’t know.

In all of this, he wasn’t entirely sure what to believe anymore. But he knew he needed to protect his kingdom and the innocent people who had no idea they were about to be casualties in a war they didn’t even know was playing out. He believed this as much as she believed it was her purpose to destroy it.

We were always meant to destroy one another.

He shoved the echo of her words aside, and switching tactics, he said, “I’m saying it seems a little cowardly to not care about someone who cared so deeply about you. And so we are clear, I’m referring to Axel here.”

The quick clarification had that fury in her features stilling. “Do go on,” she purred. “Tell me more about how cowardly I am.”

He forced himself to rein in his own emotions just a little longer as he felt his darkness carefully prying her light from his wrists. “He fought for you, Tessa!” he snapped. “He gave you time to run from Pavil and Matias. He tried to save you the night of the Emerging Ceremony. He took you running, and— He fucking cared , and you clearly did not.”

He got his hands free just in time to stop the explosion of power she threw at him.

Darkness met light.

He felt the force of that collision as it flared outward, but he managed to keep his feet planted. His darkness had immediately settled over him like armor. Tessa might be stronger than he was, but that didn't mean she could easily overpower him. He'd never truly fought back against her, and because of that, she seemed to think that overtaking him would require little effort. Her look of shock at him being free of her bonds was proof enough of that.

His darkness drifted along the floor, a thick, inky fog that was knee high. His shadow wings had appeared, spreading wide behind him, and he knew his eyes were more black than green right now. Orbs of black hovered near his hands, ready for him to pull weapons from a pocket realm, while his magic coiled in his palm, waiting for him to issue an order.

And Tessa was staring at him, eyes wide, but her shields had also dropped and he could feel her. There wasn't a trickle of fear. No, all he could feel was...want? That couldn't be right. But that was awe that stared back at him, as entranced as her magic seemed to be. Tendrils of light reached for his darkness. He let his power rise to meet hers, taunting and teasing. Her magic wanted as much as she did, and he wasn't surprised. Power would always be drawn to power, and despite her presence in this realm, he was still one of the most powerful Legacy in Devram. This was the first time he'd ever let her see the full extent of that.

“Like what you see, beautiful?” he asked knowingly, her power still seeking him out.

“No.” But it came out breathy. Her eyes were still wandering, raking slowly over his body and lingering. That was definitely want and need coming down the bond. Her magic was in a vibrating frenzy he could feel.

“You were lying to me the other night, weren’t you?”

“What?” she asked, enthralled by the magic all around her, and he realized if he didn’t pull her out of it soon, he’d have bigger problems on his hands. Her magic would overtake her, and according to Luka, she still hadn’t learned how to control it in the slightest.

He took a step towards her as he said, “No one else has touched you since me. There was no one between your thighs, no hands on your flesh, or lips on yours?—”

“You’re wrong,” she said, and he felt the tug as she tried to pull her magic back to her.

“Am I?”

“Yes,” she snapped, her eyes finally connecting with his. “Just last night I was kissing another. Isn’t that what you sent him to me for?”

He went still. Luka had kissed her?

Her smile grew, and he felt her power surge in response.

And then he felt the yank on his power.

He tsked, sinking his darkness into her magic. “You think it will be that easy, clever tempest?”

She scowled, her magic surging again and her brow furrowing in concentration. She was so focused on trying to take his magic, she didn’t feel his dark power winding around her. Not until it brushed along her throat like fingers.

“You might be stronger, Tessa. Your power might be greater, but make no mistake, this will not be easy for you,” he said, his voice low and menacing. “But I will always give you what you need.”

With those words, his power tightened around her throat, giving her just that— an outlet for that fury and desperation and need. Someone to challenge her because he’d come to realize that was what he needed too. He craved her defiance, pushing her to rebel, and then he’d punished her for it. It was dark and twisted, but it fed his need for control. He was seeing that now. How he’d forced her to become what he needed her to be. She wasn’t wrong. They’d made her into this, and if he was too late to bring her back, he’d make sure to give her what she needed now, no matter the cost.

With a shriek of rage, her light sank its teeth into his power, and he ground his molars as a growl sounded from his chest. He wouldn’t intentionally hurt her, but his power would still protect him. And gods, she was strong. If only she’d learn how to leverage that strength. She couldn’t control it. She just let her power do what it wanted, letting it loose and hoping it would do what she needed it to. Sure, she’d held control for small increments of time, but she’d never hold it long enough to win a fight. She’d destroy everyone, allies and enemies. No one would be left standing if that chaos came to reign.

The power around her arms had wound along her chest and torso now, her hair a mess of chaos floating around her. With lightning at her fingertips, she dug them into the darkness at her neck, somehow grabbing it and ripping it from her throat.

She shoved hard at the air, and it hit him square in the chest, as if she’d physically struck him. The thing was, she’d flung his own power at him, and it sent him flying backwards. His wings kept him upright, but the burst of power flared wide, sending an end table crashing into the wall. It shattered, wood splinters going in all directions. Theon barely had time to get a shield up before another burst of magic was coming at him. This was her power though, and the charge of energy that slammed into his darkness didn’t dissipate. It bounced around as if trapped inside, content to stay there, and he felt it vibrating throughout his being. Sharp jolts of power that stung, but those stings made his power angry.

A whip of lightning shot for him, and with a hand coated in inky power, he grabbed it the same way she’d grabbed his power. He tugged, and Tessa stumbled forward, her torso hitting the desk she still stood behind. He heard her soft grunt across the room, and when her eyes found his, he knew that fury was only growing. He pulled harder, and she scrambled atop the desk so it wasn’t digging into her stomach, but she threw out a hand, forcing him to dodge another burst of light flecked with whatever-the-fuck those gold and silver embers were.

Keeping a firm hold on the light, he conjured a thicker shield around himself, hoping it would be enough for her magic to bounce off of rather than forcing him to go entirely on the defensive. It’d been a long time since he’d had to call on the full strength of his gifts like this because usually?—

Black flames erupted between them. He heard Tessa’s scream of surprise, but Theon took the moment to take a breath and readjust his grip on her magic. Luka was exactly the reason he rarely needed the full strength of his gifts. The Guardian bond always drove him to intervene.

The flames receded, Luka standing between him and Tessa, where she was still standing on the desk.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Luka demanded, gaze scanning Tessa before he turned to Theon.

“Just having a conversation,” Theon answered, breathing hard. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

“I figured with the two of you in one place?—”

He was cut off by Theon’s darkness shoving him to the side to avoid yet another onslaught from Tessa, and she didn’t stop this time. Apparently Luka’s appearance had given her a moment to regain her composure too because light was followed by a burst of wind, and then came a streak of lightning that skittered along the floor, spearing out to the walls. It kept coming, and while he was busy getting Luka out of the way, he took a hit to the ribs.

“Motherfucker!” he growled, his power already converging and clawing at the power that was sinking into his bones.

She struck again, and he lifted a hand, a shield propelling her magic to the side. A window cracked and shattered, glass shards somehow spraying inward rather than outward.

“Tessa!” Luka barked, fire wreathing his hands as he took a step towards her.

“No!” Theon snarled, his power pushing his Guardian aside again. “This is our fight, Luka. Stay out of it.”

“Stay out of it?” Tessa sneered. “Didn’t you send him to interfere? Glad to see those double standards extend to more than just me.”

“If you’d bother to listen to either of us, you’d know that’s not the case,” Luka retorted.

“I can’t trust you!” she cried. “I can’t trust anyone!”

“What in the name of Anala is going on in here?”

Everyone spun at the female voice. Eliza and Razik stood in the doorway, and fuck. Luka’s face had gone slack in a rare show of emotion.

“Um, Raz…?” Eliza trailed off.

“I see, mai dragocen ,” Razik replied, his sapphire stare pinned on Luka.

The silence stretched on until Tessa started laughing, a maniacal thing of glee.

“What is so funny?” Theon gritted out.

“Everything,” she mused. “Eventually, Theon, you’re going to have to let others in on your plans, because all you ever seem to do is give people more reasons not to trust you.”

“And what about you?” he retorted, noting that Luka had regained his composure but refused to look at him.

“I’ve told you from the beginning I was an excellent liar,” she said, that insanity bleeding into her features as she looked around the room. “But you create just as much chaos as I do, don’t you?”

She leapt from the desk, seeming to float to the floor before she was striding towards him.

Luka didn’t try to intervene. He didn’t even tense at the danger prowling towards his Ward.

Tessa stopped a few feet from Theon, her head tilting back slightly so she could look into his face. “Your father has a place in the Leisure District of the Underground. Speak with the Alpha and Beta, and bring a fair bit of coin.”

Nothing about what she’d just said made any sense. His father didn’t have any holdings in the Leisure District, and the Alpha and Beta who ran it were fickle and not to be trusted. They’d turn their back on an ally for a better offer in a heartbeat.

A portal burst to life behind her as she spun to leave, but she paused just before she stepped through it. Looking over her shoulder, she added, “To be clear, this favor is for him, not you. Because I did, in fact, care for him too.”

And then she was gone.

“Luka, wait. Let me explain,” Theon started, seeing his friend extinguish the flames that were still in his hands, almost as if he’d forgotten they were there.

“I need to go make sure she doesn’t destroy anything,” he answered before he disappeared into the air.

Theon pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger, squeezing his eyes shut. He inhaled deeply, holding the breath for several seconds before exhaling harshly.

“I’m going to assume that was Tessa,” Eliza started carefully. “But the male was…”

“My Guardian,” Theon said, opening his eyes and meeting Razik’s shocked gaze. “And if your queen is to be believed, he’s also your brother.”