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“Did you figure it out?”
“No.”
“He told Axel you were taking care of the bodies of the two he killed.”
“I did.”
“What did you do?”
“Burned them to nothing.”
It took her a moment to move past that statement before she could say, “I didn’t… I thought vampyres were made up to keep us in line at the Estates as children,” she said, setting aside her empty yogurt bowl.
“Night Children are not allowed to roam freely. Most are sequestered to the Underground,” Luka answered, motioning for her to join him in the center of the mats where he stood waiting.
“One said she wanted to drink from me,” Tessa said, dragging her feet as she made her way towards him.
He huffed a dark laugh. “I’m sure she did. Fae blood is like a drug for Night Children.”
“But…”
“But what, Tessa?” he asked with a resigned sigh as he began adjusting her feet and back and arms.
“Don’t the Legacy drink blood? How are they different?”
Luka was behind her, his hands on her shoulders, pulling them back so her spine straightened. “The Legacy are rationed blood to make sure they don’t become like the Night Children.”
“What?” Tessa gasped, spinning to face him.
He growled—an honest-to-the-gods growl—in irritation.
“Tessa,” he snapped. “Focus.”
“On what? Where to put my feet?”
“Yes. Form is everything when it comes to proper training. It’s all about control, and you have none.”
“Don’t sugar-coat it or anything,” she grumbled, letting him adjust her positioning all over again.
“Are you going to try to tell me you have a shred of self-control?”
“I have more self-control than you know,” she retorted.
“Says the female who spent a dinner beneath the table because she couldn’t keep her mouth shut.”
“Fuck you, Luka.”
“No, fuck you, Tessa,” he snapped, jerking her shoulders back harder than necessary. “How have you not realized nearly everything Theon has done, including making you sit beneath a table, was to protect you?”
“Protect me? The one I need protecting from is Theon,” she cried, again turning to face him.
“I swear to Arius, Tessa. If you move out of position before I tell you to again—”
“You’ll what? Punish me? Can you even do that without Theon’s permission? Come to think of it, can you do anything without his permission?” she sneered.
“Oh, little one,” Luka replied, his voice laced with warning. His eyes were glowing brightly, and his pupils had shifted to vertical slits. “This attitude of yours is delightful as always—and Theon finds it twistedly endearing for some godsforsaken reason—but if you cannot get yourself under control, Theon will be the least of your worries.” He kicked her feet into position again. “Tell me, Tessa, what do you think would have happened if Theon hadn’t forced you to sit at his feet that night?” When she didn’t answer, he continued, his tone patronizing, “Come now, surely you must know since you’ve never let Theon explain his actions.”
“Explain his actions? He shoved me under a table, Luka!”
