35. Tessa

Tessa experiences a vivid vision of a violet-eyed warrior riding a purplish-black dragon, dropping a message: “Tell him to keep fighting. Tell him Lilura lives.” Overwhelmed by constant visions and the looming third Mark, she waits with Theon for allies.

Lange and Corbin arrive with fresh kingdom marks. Tessa reveals a theory that they may be more than Fae and admits urging Theon to claim Corbin so he and Lange would not be split. They note others from Celeste Estate are being claimed, supporting suspicions around Mother Cordelia.

During a lesson, Cordelia confronts Tessa, admitting she was promised advancement in Devram for keeping Tessa alive and controlled. She summons masked Augury members, choking Tessa with power. Tessa sends panic down the bond as the assassins close in—until Auryon appears from smoke, sniping foes and breaking Cordelia’s hold.

Auryon extracts Tessa through corridors as more Augury attack. Two massive wolves—Roan and Niylah—join the fight. Outside, vastly outnumbered, Auryon orders Luka to get Tessa out before “Chaos will rain.” Luka Travel-shifts Tessa to the Wynfell River and removes her bands, promising to return after he takes to the air.

With the bands off, Tessa’s magic explodes—light, lightning, wind, and golden mist—then settles into a vigilant glow. Luka returns and admits he may be bound to her since the second Mark, having helped Theon contain her power. Tessa, furious at being used and hunted, refuses the bands forever and reins in her magic to twin gold cords at her wrists.

Luka Travels Tessa home. Theon’s darkness immediately seizes her, calming her power but silencing her. He glares at Luka, accusing his Guardian of keeping secrets, while tensions and divided loyalties sharpen on the eve of the third Mark.