Storm of Secrets and Sorrow by Melissa K. Roehrich

Here is a summary with spoilers for Storm of Secrets and Sorrow

A week after Tessalyn’s magic is revealed, she is still keeping secrets and struggling with what comes next. Theon remains close to her but is also hiding things of his own, trying to uncover what Tessa truly is. The two are summoned to a court of heirs to decide Tessa’s fate, as she isn’t fae but is bonded to Theon as his source. After a tense deliberation—including the option of executing her—they decide she may stay with Theon. Her magic will be monitored, and if nothing is discovered after six months, the source bond will be severed. Surprisingly, Tessa agrees to stay.

Theon’s father is furious and takes his anger out on Theon. He reveals his contingency plan: if the bond is severed, Theon will take Kat (currently protected by his brother Axel) as his new source and marry Felicity—a union already bound by a blood contract. Meanwhile, to keep Tessa under their control, she will be forced to marry Luka.

Still wearing the magic-suppressing bracelets, Tessa grows increasingly agitated. Luka and Theon take her to a remote area where she can release her power. They're stunned by how much she holds, while Tessa becomes overwhelmed at the prospect of controlling it. During this vulnerable moment, a mysterious group attacks. Tessa doesn’t fight back, frustrating Luka, who has been training her.

Soon, it’s time for Tessa’s next bonding mark—one that will connect her and Theon’s emotions. During the ritual, Theon realizes he can’t handle her magic alone and enlists Luka’s help. The mark ends up binding her to both of them. When she wakes, she feels a connection to Luka, though it’s weaker than her bond with Theon.

Seeking answers about Tessa’s lineage, they descend into the underground to meet Cienna, someone Axel trusts. Tessa struggles with the setting but is curious about Cienna, who reveals that Tessa’s father is a god, and her mother might as well be one. Secrets unravel: Theon suspects Tessa’s moods control the weather, and Tessa reveals she can resist some of his commands. After Cienna expels them, they head back to their underground hideout. On the way, Tessa panics and warns of bloodshed, thrashing violently. They force her forward until a night child, Jagger, arrives, furious they brought Tessa underground. His group attacks, and by the end, Jagger is drinking from Tessa’s neck with a dagger lodged near her heart. As she fades, she murmurs that she tried to warn them.

It takes days and an exceptional healer, but Tessa recovers. She wakes to find Luka watching over her, still feeling a strange pull toward him.

Later, at a formal dinner with all the heirs and sources, Tessa briefly reunites with old friends before receiving a note from Trystan Blackheart, asking to meet. This time, she doesn’t flirt—she's more secure in her bond with Theon. When Theon and Luka find her with Trystan, he berates them for suppressing her magic with the bracelets. In response, they rush Tessa to the training grounds to safely release her power. As she does, two figures emerge from her magic, aiding her when another group attacks.

After the battle, the two strangers—Scarlett and Sorin—reveal themselves. Scarlett, a world-walker, has come with a message from Tessa’s father, confirming he is a god. She also questions the nature of the bond marks, saying there should only be one in her world, unlike the four Theon believes exist. Without many answers, Scarlett and Sorin leave, saying they’ve said too much.

Tessa then departs for training in another kingdom. During the week-long absence, she grows distant from Theon and confides only in Luka. Luka notes he can now feel Tessa’s emotions. Kat uncovers more of Tessa’s past, revealing how poorly she was treated, likely covered up by Mother Cordelia. Theon investigates, confronting Trystan, who admits something is amiss and offers a new teacher in Cordelia’s place. Meanwhile, Theon uses the time to appease his father by spending time with Felicity, his betrothed, knowing he’ll soon need to tell Tessa.

Meanwhile, Axel struggles with bloodlust, especially for Kat, as his rations are restricted. His cravings intensify when Kat is stabbed with a poison dagger, and he nearly loses control.

Tessa’s training goes well. She learns more about her powers and shares her visions, which begin to make more sense. But upon returning to Theon’s estate, she finds Felicity in his room. Realizing the truth, she feels foolish for believing Theon wouldn’t eventually sleep with someone else. Luka calms her and puts her to sleep, but she wakes the next day emotionally numb.

Axel and Kat grow closer after her near-death experience. Kat devotes herself to researching Tessa’s identity and Scarlett’s origins. The two share an intimate moment, and Axel realizes he would do anything to be with her.

Time passes, but Tessa struggles to trust Theon again. She pushes Luka away, and her visions grow more frequent and intense. As the council’s six-month deadline approaches, tensions rise. A tense dinner with Theon, Luka, Felicity, and Theon’s parents only worsens things.

With days left, they head to the catacombs library and discover a new term: wind walker—which they believe Tessa might be. Kat also discovers that there should only be one bond mark. Tessa has not yet received that final one. Concerned, Axel arranges for Kat to be smuggled out of the city with Trystan’s help to keep her safe. The next night, Axel doesn’t know her whereabouts—only that she is safe.

Tessa’s third bond mark is next. Again, her magic overwhelms Theon, and Luka joins in. The third mark links all three, allowing them to hear one another’s thoughts. Tessa needs days to recover but is abruptly awakened to attend the council and learn her fate. Upon waking, she kisses Luka, stunning both him and Theon.

The council decides Theon failed to discover her origins, and Tessa is taken from him. Luka sneaks in using his Traveling ability. Tessa confides in him that she’s having the same vision repeatedly, with slight changes each time. She fears she’s losing her mind.

Meanwhile, Axel is ambushed and a magic-restricting ring is forced onto him. He wakes in a torture room. His father, enraged that Kat is missing, demands her location. Axel refuses. His father threatens him with dark promises: Axel will reveal the truth, be made to kill Kat, and serve a greater, more sinister purpose.

In her prison, Tessa finally lowers her shields and speaks to Luka and Theon—briefly—before she’s shackled and taken to their father. He accuses her of ruining his plans and tries to kill her, but her magic explodes, summoning soldiers who fight on her behalf. Trystan joins the battle and admits he has always known her true lineage. Theon did too—and kept it secret. In return, Tessa reveals she knows about a witch Trystan loves, using it as leverage. Trystan tries to get her to leave with him, but she refuses, tired of being used as a pawn.

Theon, feeling her rage, finds her outside. Tessa tells him two stories—one of a god, and one of herself. He finally sees her pain: the loneliness, the neglect, the lack of choice. Then she reveals that source marks work both ways. She carves the fourth and final mark into Theon, allowing her to draw power from him and control him to some extent. She also reveals she has his father—alive, for now—because she still needs him. With his father captured, Theon becomes ruler, which also frees Tessa from her original bargain. He must let her go. As she leaves, Theon warns her that she’s starting a war.

Luka finds Theon in immense pain. They discover Axel has been missing for two days. Theon decides: Luka will go with Tessa, as she needs a true friend. Theon will rescue Axel and prepare for the coming war.

Finally, Trystan gets his own chapter. He goes underground to meet his sister—the seer Cienna. She reveals that Scarlett left behind a vial for emergencies. When broken, it summons two figures: Eliza and Raxik. Trystan explains that Scarlett has a cousin—Tessa. Raxik is horrified, declaring that Tessa should never have existed. She is upsetting the balance of their world, and if it isn’t corrected… chaos will reign.