Rain of Shadows and Endings

Book 0: Legacy

by Melissa K. Roehrich

Genres: Romantic Fantasy; Fantasy Romance

Synopsis

Out of all their creations, the gods favored their children the most. But with that favor came the fear that their Legacy would one day become too powerful . . .

A World the Gods Forgot
Devram is a realm hidden amongst the stars. The gods gave their Legacy the best of all the worlds, and then they left—having sworn to never return and to never interfere.

A Historical Event
Forced into a life of servitude, the Fae provide for the Legacy in more ways than one. Every five years, eligible Fae are gathered for the Selection and assigned to serve in one of the six Kingdoms. To be chosen as the personal Source for a Kingdom Heir is the greatest honor, and for the first time in millennia, all six Kingdoms have heirs choosing a Source. But their selections could tip the power balance a little too far.

A Chosen That Was Never Meant to Be
Tessalyn Asura was as forgotten as the realm. But when she finds herself the personal Source to the Heir of Endings, she winds up serving in the darkest Kingdom of them all. The secrets within the Arius Kingdom are meant to be learned and kept, but this was never the life she wanted. Fighting not only the fate thrust upon her, but the temptation to lose herself to desire, Tessa will do anything to escape her new destiny. Until she begins to realize that maybe their world isn’t as forgotten as they thought—and that maybe she’s the reason why.


 

Release date: August 31, 2023

Publisher: Kensington Books

Print pages: 670

Sample

Before we dive into what is to come, I need to cover a few things. The Legacy Series takes place in the same universe as the Lady of Darkness series, but this is an entirely new world with brand new characters. You do NOT need to read the Darkness series to understand The Legacy Series. This series can be read separately. Theon and Tessa’s story will have its own conclusion by the end; however, you will come across spoilers for the Darkness series along the way, even if you don’t recognize them as spoilers at the time.



Now that we’ve covered that, this series is a different vibe from Darkness. I cannot stress enough that Tessa is not Scarlett and Theon is not Sorin. Do not go into this expecting a similar story. Am I still going to rip your heart out? Yep. Are you probably going to HATE some characters for a while? I can almost guarantee it. The world is more advanced. The Legacy rule, and the Fae are there to serve. The themes and writing are darker. Both Tessa and Theon have major trauma. As always, trust the process, but more importantly, remember this is fiction. In no way am I condoning the actions and behaviors in this book. If dark romance is not for you, that’s ok! Please don’t go into this, and then pretend you were blindsided. This is me telling you.



The book contains heavy themes of severe depression, anxiety, threats of sexual abuse/assault (not between the main characters), and physical abuse, both on page and memories (not between the main characters). You can find a complete list of content information including tropes, tags, and triggers on my website at www.melissakroehrich.com/trigger-warnings. I strongly encourage you to read the exhaustive list of content information if you have any extreme dislikes of particular tropes or tags. Additionally, there is content information in the back of this book that is current as of February 2025. I’m doing my part; I need you to do yours.



Finally, family and friends, I adore you. I love that you want to support me, but this book is very possibly not for you. Please don’t force yourself to read it. I promise I would much rather you live in blissful ignorance than have to discuss some of the things in this book the next time I see you. Papa, please don’t read this book.



If, after all that, you’re still in, grab the wine! In true fashion, there will be Chaos. Welcome to Devram.

XO- Melissa

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I adore when books come with playlists that follow along with the story. You feel everything more. It immerses you more. It brings everything to life. If you find this to be true for you too, here you go! Enjoy!





If you don’t have Spotify, the full Playlist can also be found on my website: https://www.melissakroehrich.com under Book Extras!

In all things there must be balance.

Beginnings and endings.

Light and dark.

Fire and shadows.

The sky, the sea, the realms.

The worlds are no different. Beings emerged from the Chaos to create such a thing.

Among those to emerge were six Firsts: Falein, goddess of wisdom and cleverness; Celeste, goddess of the sky and moon; Anala, goddess of day, fire, and the sun; Serafina, goddess of the stars and dreams; Achaz, god of beginnings; and Arius, god of endings.

Achaz and Arius emerged first. They became the most powerful of the gods, working together to maintain the balance. Beginning created. Ending judged.

The First gods created the Lesser gods. They went to various parts of the stars, setting up their own kingdoms among the realms and maintaining balance, and from them, worlds grew and prospered. Some grew faster than others. Some were favored more than others. Some were lost, and some were forgotten.

New beings were created and scattered among the realms. Other beings were created and kept close. But as more and more came into existence, tension bloomed among the gods. Power balances began to shift, and the gods began to create beings with mortals— demigods, whose descendants became their Legacy. Fear took root that one of those bloodlines would become more powerful than the rest, so an accord was struck. There would be no more demigods created, and the Legacy across the realms were to be brought to one world. A realm created solely for them to grow and prosper and thrive. The Legacy were gifted mortals in their world to do the mundane tasks required for survival. They were also gifted the technologies from the most advanced of the worlds.

And they were gifted the Fae.

Beings created to balance out the power of the gods that ran in the veins of the Legacy. Power that was too great to let go unchecked. The magic flowing in the blood of the Fae fed the power of the Legacy, forcing them to rely on the Fae. In exchange for being this source of power for the Legacy, the Fae were given their own gifts—one of four elements. They were granted enhanced senses and an extended lifespan. All of these were given by the gods so that the Fae could watch over their Legacy and keep their bloodlines safe.

Then the gods left that world, agreeing to never interfere there again.

Over time, Chaos descended among the stars. Wars raged, and the balance tipped. Some worlds were ended. Some were abandoned. Some were reborn.

But gods are fickle beings, and things meant to be forgotten never remain so.

“Are you hiding in an alcove eating chocolate?”

Tessa froze at the sound of the low voice, said chocolate halfway to her mouth. She thought she’d been hidden well enough. Obviously not.

Damnit.

She quickly turned, hiding the chocolate behind her back. Which was stupid. He’d already seen it.

“I, um…”

She trailed off when her gaze landed on who had spoken to her. She could swear darkness swirled faintly in the dark emerald green eyes that were studying her, a slight frown on his full lips. His ebony hair was messy for the formal occasion they were about to attend, and a couple strands fell forward, brushing dark brows. His hands slid into the black pants that were clearly tailored to fit him perfectly, along with the black shirt and black vest that clung to his torso. He didn’t wear the formal suit jacket that the other males had been wearing as she’d watched them slowly filter in. The top two buttons of his shirt were undone, and there was no tie in sight.

This night definitely called for a tie.

His head tilted to the side, and Tessa swallowed thickly, her mouth suddenly too dry. The thing inside her lifted its head, and she shoved it back down. That was the last thing she needed right now.

“Are you unwell?” he asked. Not because he cared about her wellbeing in any way. Very few actually cared about her, and that was definitely a thread of annoyance in his tone.

That annoyance is what snapped her out of whatever trance she was in. She quickly dropped to a knee before him. Gods. He was a Legacy, and she’d just been standing there staring at him. Fantastic. Lange was going to laugh himself into tomorrow when she told him about this.

“My apologies,” she murmured, making sure her tone sounded like she meant it with her eyes fixed on the male’s black shoes.

“You may rise,” the Legacy said impatiently.

Well, that was easier said than done. She was in a dress that clung to her figure as much as his own custom-tailored clothing. This was the only occasion she would likely ever wear something of such elegance. One sleeve flowed down her arm to her wrist, while leaving the other arm completely bare from her shoulder to her fingertips. It pooled at her feet, and she’d already tripped on the damn thing multiple times tonight. Her shorter than average height didn’t help matters, even with the four-inch heels she’d been forced to wear. The dress was black with a sheer emerald green coverlet adorned with black beads that glittered in the flickering flames of the sconces.

Sconces, not lights and electricity like every other building had in the six kingdoms of Devram. Because… Honestly, Tessa had never really understood why the Pantheon was void of all modern advancements, save for cell phones. But even phones had to be placed on a special setting that only allowed for incoming calls. Nothing else. Something about wanting to honor the humble beginnings of the worlds. She’d always thought it rather silly. The gods didn’t care about their world. Why would they care if there was basic lighting in the Pantheon?

A hand was suddenly in her face, and she glanced up at the Legacy in confusion.

“Well?” he demanded, wiggling his fingers. “I assume it will be difficult to get up in that dress, especially as you seem unwilling to put down your chocolate.”

Tessa felt her cheeks flush, but she slowly slid her fingers into his palm. His hand wrapped around them, tugging her to her feet. When she went to pull her hand back, his grip tightened.

“Why are you out here by yourself, away from the other Fae?” he asked, his voice deceptively low and innocuous. It wasn’t quite as entrancing as the compulsions the Legacy could use, but it wasn’t that far off either.

She knew she shouldn’t be out here. Dex was going to be livid. Not so much at the fact that she had wandered off, but that she’d done so without telling him so he could join her.

“I was⁠—”

“I would strongly suggest not lying to me,” the Legacy said coldly.

“I wasn’t going to lie to you,” she retorted, and his brows rose at her address.

She sighed internally. This is why Dex never let her sneak off alone. She was remarkably good at moving about unseen and sneaking into places she wasn’t supposed to be, but she was also rather impulsive at times.

Okay, a lot of the time.

“I was finding some place to eat this without having to share,” she said, waving the chunk of chocolate in his face. Her other hand was still clasped in his.

He just stared at her like he wasn’t quite sure what to say in response to that.

“Which is why I was hiding in an alcove,” she added, beginning to fidget when he still didn’t say anything. She hated enclosed spaces. The alcove hadn’t been her first choice, but desperate times and all that. “I will just, um… Go back to the grand hall?” she said, trying to tug her fingers from his grasp, but his grip only tightened further.

“That would be the wise thing to do,” he agreed.

“Okay, well, then I sort of need my hand back.”

Instead of releasing her though, he stepped closer, crowding her back further into the alcove. “Are you slated to be Selected?”

“What?” she asked breathlessly. This was bad. So bad. Why in the world did she think she should come out here without Dex?

“It is the first time in a millennium that all six kingdoms have heirs selecting their Sources at the same time,” the Legacy said.

“I know that.”

“It is a historic night.”

“I know that,” Tessa repeated.

“Everyone is incredibly apprehensive. The Lords and Ladies are on edge, and their heirs are full of anxious anticipation. The Fae are allowed to join in the celebrations, and you are out here.” His other hand came up and plucked the chocolate from her fingers. “Hiding and eating chocolate.”

“Hey!” she protested, reaching for the sugar, but he held it out of her reach. She was shorter than average, sure, but he was also tall. Taller than Dex and Brecken, and they were over six feet.

“And arguing with a Legacy,” he added harshly.

Tessa snapped her mouth shut. She was hungry, and he’d just taken the one bit of sustenance she was likely to get for the next four hours. He gave her a smug look as he set the chocolate on a ledge that ran above them near the sconces.

It was definitely going to melt up there.

She sighed, and he frowned at the petulance. “Are you slated to be Selected?”

“What?” Her breath hitched at the fact that he’d asked this question again. If she had been slated for such a thing, that would mean she had already been claimed, and he would not be allowed to touch her without offending one of the heirs and their parents.

But she was not slated to be Selected.

“Do not make me ask that question again,” he said in a soft warning, leaning in and twirling a loose golden curl around his finger. “I am not a fan of repeating myself.”

“No,” she whispered, her eyes falling closed as she waited for whatever he was going to do to her.

“You are upset by that?”

“No,” she said truthfully. Because she wasn’t. It might have afforded her some measure of protection at this very moment, but she’d never wanted the honor of being Selected to serve as the personal Source of one of the ruling family members in any of the six Kingdoms.

“No?”

She shook her head, opening her eyes to meet his curious stare.

“Really?”

“You told me not to lie to you,” she bit out.

“That I did,” he said, his lips almost lifting into a smile, but it didn’t fully form. “Do you always obey orders so well… What is your name?”

“Tessalyn,” she answered bitterly, knowing she couldn’t deny a Legacy.

“Do you always obey commands so well, Tessalyn?” he asked, stepping into her even more. She could feel a hard muscle brushing against her front.

“Rarely.”

“Another truth,” he said, that finger letting her curl go free and sliding along her jaw. She forced herself to remain still. “So you are either more obedient than you care to admit, or…” He trailed off, his fingers dropping to her bare shoulder and brushing down her arm.

“Or what?” she gritted out.

“Or it is just with me.”

“It is neither of those things.”

“Ah, now you are lying,” he said, his lips finally turning up into a small smile.

She frowned. “I really should be getting back. I’m sure the Selection is about to start at any moment.”

“It likely is.”

“And I should be in there. So should you. To see your future Lord or Lady select their Source,” she added, worrying her bottom lip. His eyes dipped to the movement.

“We definitely should be,” he agreed, amusement seeming to flit across his features. “Be in there, that is.”

“So…”

For a long moment, he didn’t move, then he finally stepped back from her. She could have sagged with relief, but the surprise flooding through her was more overwhelming at the moment. As a Fae, she didn’t really have the right to deny a Legacy. Fae could not deny a Legacy anything unless they were claimed and Marked. She could say no, but that didn’t necessarily mean anything to them.

She slipped past the male and into the empty hall, pulling up the sides of her dress so she wouldn’t trip on it. Her black heels clicked on the marble floor that was kept in immaculate condition, and she concentrated on not tripping yet again.

“It was a pleasure, Tessalyn,” he called after her, and she knew she should turn and acknowledge him. She knew it would be seen as incredibly disrespectful not to do so, but she didn’t. She hurried down to the small side door she’d found to slip out here and rushed back into the grand hall where the Opening Selections would be held. Fae and Legacy alike filled the vast space, although none of them mingled together.

“Where have you been?”

Tessa jumped at the familiar voice in her ear, spinning to find a tall male glaring at her with eyes such a dark shade of brown they were almost black.

Dex.

She pushed out a breath when he slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her back against his chest, and she relaxed into him.

“After the Selection is done, we’re still sneaking out, right?” Tessa asked, scanning the other Fae who were of age for Selection as they milled about the grand hall.

“As long as we’re not Selected,” Dex replied, resting his chin on the top of her head.

Tessa huffed a laugh. “We both know we’re not going to be Selected. We can sneak off as soon as the Selection is done. The gods know it’ll be hours before we’re offered any food, and I’m starving.”

“I told you to eat before we left.”

“I tried,” she protested with a pout, shoving him off of her. Moving him wasn’t the easiest thing she’d ever done. He was a good eight inches taller than she was, and while his muscles weren’t as defined as some of the other Fae, they were definitely there. “Some Legacy prick took my chocolate.”

“Wait, what? When?” Dex demanded, spinning her to face him and gripping her shoulders. The sleeves of his suit jacket pulled up just enough that a Mark was visible on the inside of his right wrist, the Celeste Estate symbol declaring which estate he was raised at. It matched the one on the inside of her own wrist. Eventually, two more Marks would join that one. One to declare their element and one to declare which kingdom they were assigned to serve.

“Five minutes ago,” Tessa groused. “I was out in the corridor with a piece of chocolate I snagged off a passing tray⁠—”

“The trays of food for the Legacy,” Dex clarified.

“Yes, those trays,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Anyway, I was caught, and he took my chocolate.”

“He?” His eyes widened. “Are you all right? Did he⁠—”

“I’m fine,” she said, cutting him off.

“You shouldn’t have gone off without me,” he said tightly.

She sighed. “I know.”

There was a tense moment of silence between them before he released her shoulders. “Who’s sneaking out with us? Oralia and Brecken?”

Tessa nodded, her eyes continuing to roam around the room and searching among all the gathered Fae. There were more than she had expected, and they’d all been split up as they’d been herded down the various halls to this space.

“I’m sure Brecken will convince Katya to come,” Tessa said. “Lange and Corbin will obviously come too.”

Dex nodded. “Assuming none of us get Selected, you mean.”

Tessa tsked under her breath, continuing to scan for any of their friends. “None of us are getting Selected, Dex. The heirs picked their Sources long before tonight. The Legacy ruling families have been watching us all for years. We know the Celeste Heir is choosing Jasper, and the Falein Heir is selecting Dade⁠—”

“And the Achaz Heir is selecting Sasha. I know what we all think we know, Tessa. It’s just…” Dex sighed, raking his hand through hair as brown as his eyes. “Until it’s a done deal, anything could happen. And the Arius Heir is still unaccounted for.” An emotion crossed his features Tessa couldn’t quite read. Unease? Frustration? She wasn’t sure.

It was true. The Arius Kingdom was incredibly private, and they rarely ventured out of their borders. When they did, nothing good ever happened. The Arius Kingdom was the definition of cruel and wicked, which fit, she supposed, since they were descendants of Arius, the god of death and endings. The Kingdom’s ruling family embodied all of that and more with their power to command shadows and darkness along with other mysterious gifts that were not well known. Few outsiders were ever allowed into the Kingdom, and while it was known there was an heir of age there to Select a Source, he hadn’t been visiting the various Fae estates the last several years to evaluate his options like the other heirs had.

Tessa reached over and grabbed Dex’s hand, gently squeezing his fingers. “I know something unexpected could happen, but we both know the odds are low at this point. So let’s just believe that none of us will get Selected, and that we’ll all be drinking and, more importantly, filling our stomachs within the next two hours.”

Dex gave her a lopsided grin, but it didn’t meet his eyes. He reached over, tucking a curl of her honey-blonde hair behind her ear. “How many times do I need to tell you hope is pointless?”

“I don’t waste my time on hope. Not when I have you to save me.” He huffed a laugh at her teasing, and she pushed up onto her tiptoes to press a soft kiss to his cheek. “We’re going to be fine, Dex.”

He held her gaze for another heartbeat, then blew out a long breath. “I know, Tessie. I’m just ready for it to be over.”

“I think we all are.”

The Opening Selection Ceremony was just the beginning though. This was a year-long event that was just getting started. The Selection was held every five years. All the Fae who had come of age since the last Selection were brought to the Acropolis. The Fae would have their gifts awakened during the Emerging Ceremony, then they would be put through various tasks and trainings while being observed by the Kingdoms. Eventually, they would be assigned to whichever Kingdom they were to serve in. If an heir was of age to Select a Source, it was done during a Selection Year. Once the heirs all chose their Sources, there would be a brief break of a few weeks to allow the heirs and their new Sources to get acclimated. Then they would rejoin the rest of the Fae back at the Acropolis. With only six kingdoms, that did not happen often with the extended lifespan of the Legacy. To have all six kingdoms with heirs of Selection age at one time?

A historic night, indeed.

She finally spotted Oralia’s pale blonde head of hair making her way towards them. Brecken was following close behind her, and sure enough, he had Katya in tow.

“Nervous?” Brecken taunted when they reached their side. He waggled his dark brows up and down.

Tessa rolled her eyes. “No. Like I was telling Dex, we all know how this is going to go. The heirs have had their Sources chosen for the last year, if not longer. This is all formality at this point.”

Despite that knowledge, there was a general sense of unease in the grand hall. What the Legacy in the alcove had said was true. Nervous laughter rang out from around the room, and everyone was fidgety. Couples held hands a little tighter, and conversations were hushed and whispered.

They were taught that being Selected was an honor. It was ingrained in them from birth that being Selected was the greatest role in society a Fae could ever hope to achieve, and that to be the Source of a ruling Lord or Lady was as good as nobility. Only those who were already tapped to be a Source truly believed that, and Tessa was pretty sure that was out of necessity to come to terms with their fate. Once they were fully bonded, they would believe it though. Their Masters’ desires would become their desires.

The Legacy could fill their deep power wells naturally over time, but to fully refill them from a completely drained state would take weeks, if not months, to do so. They had the powers of gods in their veins after all. That took a while to recoup, and in the meantime, they’d be left vulnerable. But when they drew power from a Fae, it refilled their power wells instantly.

Which is why no other descendants of the gods were allowed a personal Source like the ruling families. It was a rite performed by a Priestess who bonded the Source and Master with four Marks that connected them as one. When all the Marks had been given, they could sense each other’s presence, feel each other’s emotions, and hear each other’s thoughts.

Tessa hated the very idea of it. She didn’t want to be in anyone’s head, and she sure as shit didn’t want anyone inside her head. She didn’t even want to be inside her own head most days.

She was excited for her gifts to emerge, though. Unlike the Legacy, Fae gifts didn’t emerge naturally. They had to be awakened by the Legacy, which would happen a few weeks from now for all the Fae in this room. Tessa had always dreamed of the fire element, but the Anala Kingdom didn’t allow any other Kingdom to have fire Fae. They were all born and raised in Idalia, the Anala Kingdom capital. Instead, all of her aptitude tests were predicting air as the most likely element for her.

“Poor Sasha looks terrified,” Katya said quietly to Tessa, drawing her attention to the brown-haired beauty standing at the edge of the group of five Fae who had been slated to be Selected. For all intents and purposes, they were already claimed by their heirs. They knew they would soon be unwelcome by their own kind. Everyone was already treating them differently. They would soon be bonded to a Legacy, able to be found at a moment’s notice, and no secrets withheld from their Masters.

Sasha was a few inches taller than Tessa, and her hair hung down her back in loose waves. She looked stunning in a gown of amethyst against her bronze skin. She was wringing her hands together and worrying her bottom lip.

“I would be too if I knew the Achaz Heir would be Selecting me tonight,” Tessa answered.

Oralia sighed. “This just needs to be over.”

“I just need to eat an entire pizza. By myself,” Tessa grumbled.

“I told you to eat,” Dex taunted into her ear from behind her.

A grin tugged at Tessa’s lips, but she didn’t let it form. She took a small step back as she retorted, “And I told you I tried.”

She felt Dex step into her, so close she could feel the small chuckle emanate from his chest. “Oh, Tessie,” he murmured so that only she could hear. “What am I going to do with you?”

More of the Legacy were starting to arrive. They were dressed in their formal finery and gowns, just as the Fae were. Tessa watched as they interacted with one another. Family Guards, Fae chosen from their Kingdom’s armies to guard the ruling families, were beginning to line the edges of the room. Some had bows and quivers full of arrows. Others had swords at their waists. The mortals of the realm had guns, but they did nothing against a Legacy or a Fae. Both races healed quickly, and unless those bullets were made of shirastone or nightstone—which were incredibly expensive and heavily regulated—they wouldn’t do anything. Even then, they would have to hit the head or heart.

Servers were plentiful now, offering glasses of wine to the Legacy, and Tessa pouted. Now she was hungry and thirsty.

“Have any of you seen Lange and Corbin?” she asked, continuing to watch the Legacy move about the room.

Brecken snorted a laugh. “I’m guessing they found a room for a quick fuck before the festivities.”

“They wouldn’t,” Katya gasped, her amber eyes widening in shock. “Here?”

“Oh, they totally would. Those two go at it whenever they can, and they like the thrill of forbidden places,” Brecken answered with a wink.

Tessa was sure that was a blush at the implication of Brecken’s words, and she was jealous that Katya’s dark skin hid it so well. Brecken had had his eyes set on Katya for a few months, although Tessa didn’t know why he bothered. The odds of them getting assigned to the same Kingdom were not great. She didn’t understand why any of them formed relationships to be honest. If she got separated from her best friend, that was going to be hard enough. She couldn’t imagine being separated from someone she loved so intimately.

But just as she thought that, she saw Corbin and Lange slip into the room, hand-in-hand. Corbin’s shaggy brown hair was definitely disheveled, and Lange’s shirt was mis-buttoned beneath his jacket and tie. The cocky grin on Lange’s face said he’d definitely just gotten some.

“What’s going on, guys?” Lange greeted when they reached the group.

“You tell me,” Tessa replied, reaching to fix his buttons before straightening his tie. “Which room do I need to avoid the rest of the year we’re here?”

Corbin and Lange exchanged mischievous grins before Corbin’s hazel eyes met hers. “We’ll never tell,” he said with a wink.

“We’re all getting drunk as soon as the Selection is done, right?” Lange asked, his sky-blue eyes wistfully following a server with yet another tray of wine.

“Yes,” Tessa agreed. “And doughnuts. The ones with chocolate on them. Not the powdered sugar ones. Then drinking.”

“For the love of the gods, Tessa. You’re acting like you haven’t eaten in days,” Dex said with an exasperated sigh.

Tessa merely shrugged, shifting from foot-to-foot. These heels were killing her feet. She was used to sneakers. And pants. Not dresses. “I’m bored. How much longer until this thing starts?”

“Sweetheart, you need to find someone to take you to a coatroom. It makes time go by so much faster,” Lange taunted, and Corbin elbowed him in the ribs.

Tessa rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t hold back her grin. She planned to do exactly that tonight, only with a mortal. And not in a godsdamn coatroom.

The Lords and Ladies and their heirs had to be arriving any minute, and then this thing could get going. Maybe she could sneak a glass of wine somehow…

Her eyes fell on a couple of Legacy who were standing near the edge of the crowd. One had his back to the room, but the other seemed to be watching everyone intensely. He was slightly shorter than the one with his back turned but only by an inch, if that. He had dark brown hair that reached his jawline and piercing sapphire blue eyes that Tessa could see from across the room.

Then the other one turned to look out over the crowd, and Tessa sucked in a breath.

It was the Legacy from the corridor. The one who had cornered her in the alcove. He appeared to be watching everyone as intensely as the other male. Every once in a while, he would say something to the Legacy standing next to him, and he would be handed a folder of some sort after a moment. Where his companion got the folders from, Tessa had no idea. If they were outside the Pantheon, she was sure they’d be looking at tablets rather than paper documents. The two would look over the contents of the folder, heads close together, flipping a few pages, before the first would hand it back to the second and continue to observe the crowd. Tessa