3. Tessa

In the aftermath of Theon’s Entrancement, Tessa is forced to acknowledge him as Master. He presses her to drink water and explains the tonic must take effect before the first Mark. Theon reveals they will skip the ball, leave immediately after the feast, and he refuses to reveal his home until she is Marked.

Tessa negotiates a single concession: attend the feast. Seated among heirs and Sources, she eats under threat while seeking her friends, locking eyes with Dex across the hall. When she tries to visit them during a pause, Theon blocks her, exploiting formality to force her to address him as Master, and warns her to behave. He notes the Marking may be uncomfortable and signals it is imminent.

On the way to the Marking Suite, Theon uses magic to heal the bruise at her neck, proof the tonic is working. Granted five minutes in the restroom, Tessa finds a shared, stolen phone. She calls Dex, forbids a direct rescue as it would mean execution, and improvises an escape plan.

With Theon at the door, Tessa opens a high window, climbs out onto a third-story ledge, and edges toward a balcony as Theon shouts and shadows search for her. She reaches the balcony, shaken but elated, and prepares to reconnect with Dex.

The balcony doors open to a sapphire-eyed Legacy who anticipated her defiance. He destroys the phone and carries Tessa back, stating Theon is waiting, ending her brief bid for freedom as the first Mark approaches.