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September 22 - September 26, 2025
For those who are still trying to find their place in this world, it’s okay. Take your time. It will be worth the wait.
“As for Luka, once you are gone, he can become my Guardian,” she continued as though they hadn’t been interrupted. “That’s what he was always meant to be, isn’t it? Auryon said so herself.”
“I didn’t kill Auryon,” she scoffed. “Your Hunters did,” Theon amended. “At your command.” “Because she was trying to keep me from my destiny.”
“Breathe, my light,” Luka coaxed down the bond. “We’ll figure this out.”
“Because some things are worth the risk and more.”
But the male? He looked just like Luka.
“He does not allow me to do anything, and if you ever speak to him about my actions again, you will find yourself bleeding.”
Secrets were currency after all.
And Dex and Oralia were lying to her. She just hadn’t figured out what they were lying about yet.
“Be who you were meant to be, Tessalyn,” he said, his voice low. “My freedom depends on it.”
Because this person wasn’t a member of the Augury. This was the Keeper.
It was said no one truly knew who or what the Keeper was. That the use of glamours and spells kept their identity ever changing, but the Keeper was also never seen outside the Pantheon.
The sword settled between her shoulder blades as if it had always been a part of her. Always hers. Since the dawn of time.
“That it is,” Achaz agreed, and she could hear just how pleased he was with that answer. “And tell me, granddaughter, what does correcting the balance mean?” Granddaughter.
Because she’d stopped playing the games of the Legacy and had entered an arena with gods, and if she failed, her only purpose was death.
“There are texts that suggest Achaz had a child with a daughter of Zinta. I don’t think Tessa is that child because those texts were written centuries ago, and Tessa is obviously only twenty-four years. But beyond that, she could be anywhere in the line.”
They’d been finding bodies all throughout the Acropolis for the last two weeks.
Every single victim had some type of Arius lineage. Until the priestesses.
Her head tipped to the side, the gold dagger still gripped in her hand. She was a godsdamn vision.
But somehow, he’d also just been in one of Tessa’s visions, and he didn’t know what the fuck to do with that.
Bree DelaCrux— one of the four Night Child clan leaders that ruled the vampyres in the Underground.
“Do you have Ash Riders here?”
“They can move through ashes and smoke. Believed to be of the Anala bloodline,” Razik went on.
“How naïve of you to think it is only Temural you must worry about.” “Me?” Theon asked. “You are the one who failed.” “But you are the one who broke her.”
“You claim to hate the dark, yet the light is leaving you blind.”
“You either want someone to make decisions and choices for you, or you don’t, Tessa. You wanted control. You have it. That makes you responsible for the consequences. No one else. I’m not going to be the one to make you feel okay about those choices. Theon is the one to seek out when you need someone else to make decisions for you so you don’t have to feel the ramifications. He’s the one who’s going to take on that responsibility so you don’t have to, because he’d do anything to keep you from harm. He’s the one who will protect you from yourself. I’m going to be the one who lets you decide
...more
You know nothing of war and torture. You know nothing of fighting for a cause and failing. You see this life as a curse, while others found it to be a blessing.”
You’ve forgotten, Theon said. Forgotten what? That I’ll always fight for you. You’ll forever be mine.
“But to make sure we understand each other, I sleep beside him. I kept him from being locked in one of these cells, albeit that was admittedly because I couldn’t have him learning about you just yet. I am his protection in this place now.”
“If this is my destruction, then I’ll make sure the world burns with me.”
“Did you know she threatened to burn a realm to nothing for you?” “How would I know that?” Tessa retorted, moving up to the glass. “And who is she?” “Your mother.”
“The Arius— Valter said you brought me to this realm. Is that true?” “Yes.” “Why?” “To hide you from Achaz.”
“Everyone is always trying to protect me. They think they know what’s best for me. But no one ever asks me. They just shove me into the dark and lock me in—”
“At that time, the Achaz and Arius Lords were still working together. An Augury attack was planned. I was brought here. Valter took my son, and you were… Well, from what I’ve gathered, you were lost among the chaos. Both Lords spent the next two decades searching for you.”
“Either way, there is only one instance that would allow him to put another before his Ward.”
“I’m saying that it's a little paradoxical that you hated the monsters so much, you decided to become one only to employ the same tactics you hate.
This entire fucking realm. You do not get to pick and choose the villains. You don’t get to choose the sacrifices.”
“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.”
"No. They are Trackers. From the god realms. Arius gifted a litter of Trackers to Temural as a gift when his powers emerged. These are from that litter.”
“Trackers were—are—exactly what they are named for. They emerged from the Chaos bound to the Firsts. A pair for each of them,”
“There is more than one type of bond among the realms,” Razik said with a sigh that said he found everyone in this room to be annoying for not already knowing this. “The Source bond you all have here is not what it was intended to be. Instead, someone, at some point in time, took a sacred bond and desecrated it.”
“The Mark is a twin flame Mark, and if both accept the Mark, it initiates something called the Trials.”
“What is important is what twin flames can do. Once the bond is initiated, they can feel each other’s emotions and speak to each other via their thoughts.”
“If accepted by both sides, it is something to be revered. A twin flame is the one soul you are destined to be with, have been joined with since the beginning of time. It is believed the souls of twin flames recognize each other, somehow finding each other among the stars, and this godsforsaken realm has used it to force the Fae beneath them.”
“Are they breeding the Fae?” “In the Villas, yes. But the Hybrid Villas
“In this realm, I am a goddess, but to you, I am your ending.”
everything in him wanted to comfort her, claim her, and then end whoever had done this to her.
“I cut off his fingers before I killed him,” she added. “Good girl,” he said,
“Such a violent temptress,” Luka said, his voice all gravel. “And the other?” “I didn’t use any magic. Only blades.” “I would have liked to see that.” “Why?” “Because I’ve seen you when you’re vicious, and it’s stunning to witness.”
