40. Tessa

Valter Arius arrives unannounced, confronting Theon about reports of a dragon near the Acropolis and Tessa’s public interaction with another Legacy. Theon explains the Night Children attack and Luka’s pursuit, but Valter frames it as weakness and exposure of long-guarded secrets, including the Sargon-descendant dragon.

Valter presses the insult, using Tessa’s visibility to claim they look weak. Theon argues Tessa acted under his orders, yet Valter suggests replacing her and threatens her life. Theon bargains to delay any decision until after the Emerging Ceremony, contingent on the value of Tessa’s manifested gifts.

To exact consequences, Valter summons Eviana with Pen bound in conjured thorned vines. Before Theon or Axel can intervene, Valter orders further torture: Eviana stabs and slices Pen, then tightens vines around her throat. Pushed to breaking, Axel unleashes darkness, snaps Pen’s neck, and drives a dagger into her heart, ending her suffering. Valter departs, satisfied with the display of obedience.

In the aftermath, Luka shields Tessa from Axel’s destructive outburst, then removes Pen’s body at Theon’s instruction for cremation and a farewell. Theon, expressionless, prepares to run. When Tessa seeks guidance and apologizes, Theon unleashes cold fury, tying Pen’s death directly to Tessa’s disobedience and public defiance.

Declaring harsher consequences, Theon drags Tessa to the wine cellar, locks her inside, and leaves. Alone and panicking, Tessa relives confinement trauma, claws at stone to no avail, and finally breaks—her light ignites, lightning flares, and bottles shatter as she curls in on herself, clinging to song lyrics to endure.