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He had kept a shield around them as they’d made their way back out, stifling their scents and movements, but somehow there was a suppression on his power. He had felt other power there. Power from Mikale. Even more power from Lord Tyndell. Sorin’s magic had thrashed in their presence. He had felt it gutter as they came closer and closer.It had taken every ounce of strength to hold that wall of flame, and even then she had been hurt. Her side was still gushing blood as she wretched and convulsed in the sand.

He’d cut their palms to utilize the blood magic of the twin flame Mark, to share his own power with her. He didn’t know if it would work with her not having the Mark, but he had to give her every advantage he could. He’d needed her to dredge up that magic that slumbered so deep within. The magic that they had kept slumbering with her nightly tonic. Her magic had reacted exactly as he had hoped, manifesting as self-preservation, and Traveled her to the sea, to the sun. Traveling— a gift few Fae were blessed with, but one he suspected she possessed when Lord Tyndell had all but confirmed who her mother was.

Cassius reached his side nearly at the same time as Eliza did. The others were several paces behind them. Sorin took a step toward Scarlett.

“What the hell happened?” Eliza demanded.

They were supposed to meet them here on horseback, where they would then ride like hell for the border. As soon as they crossed into the Fire Court, he’d be able to portal them home.

“Things got a little complicated,” Sorin muttered.

“A little? She’s losing blood way too fast, Sorin,” Eliza snapped back. “She’s going to be dead before we cross the border and then you—”

“She is not going to die,” he snarled.

As he took a step towards her, Scarlett looked up at him, and he stopped. Her icy blue eyes were glowing bright. Flecks of gold danced in them like living embers and shadows swirled among them.

“Scarlett,” Cassius said, making to step to her, but Eliza shot out a hand.

“Stay back. All of you,” she said coolly as the others came to a halt beside them.

Ice shards, as sharp as glass, and small flames formed a swirling shield around Scarlett that kept them from coming any closer. Shadows wove in and out of the ice and flames. She allowed the rolling waves through and seemed to welcome the soothing feeling on her legs as she knelt in the sand.She was trying to stay grounded, to remind herself this was reality.

“Holy burning Arius,” Nuri whispered, bringing her hand to the amulet of the god of death and darkness at her throat. It was perhaps the first time she had never had a smart ass thing to say.

“Whatever happens, do not say a word, and do not come close to her, especially you,” Sorin said, eyes narrowing at Callan. “You love her and will not like what you see, but I cannot have her focus elsewhere right now. Understood?”

Callan only nodded mutely, his wide eyes on her. “Is she doing that?”

“Yes,” Sorin said, studying her shields, looking for any sign of weakness, but there were none that he could detect. “Eliza, get the horses. She will ride with me.” They had planned to each have their own horse to ride as fast as possible, but they were one horse down now that they had Traveled here instead of riding. “Nuri and Cassius, you should go. I do not know how this will end, but if it does not end soon, we will have far bigger problems than Mikale. When we are gone, disappear as quickly as possible.”

“Get her out, Sorin,” Cassius said, swallowing as he beheld her in a cocoon of swirling ice and flames and darkness. He could see the pain on his face at her suffering.

“Do not bring her back until she can control it,” Nuri said softly.

He only nodded, then took a step towards her as everyone else took steps back.

“Scarlett,” Sorin whispered, his voice catching as he watched her wild power swirl. Yes, they definitely needed to move now. The Traveling had been a small, quick burst of her magic in the land, but this? This unbridled, continued display would certainly call all the creatures of the realms to them. It was a blast of power that would surely be felt across the lands, across the seas. His own queen would likely arrive shortly at this blast of magic. He feared little, but this uncontrolled power was terrifying.

“What is happening?” Scarlett rasped, her throat hoarse from vomiting. She stared at the shield swirling around her like she didn’t really see it,digging her fingers into the sand. He could see her trying to steady herself, trying to control all the emotions he could scent on her.

“Scarlett,” Sorin said again, dropping to his own knees so he was level with her. “I can explain all of this. I have tried so many times. I can tell you everything, but I need you to trust me. I need you to lower your shields.”

“You have kept secrets from me,” she said. Her voice was barely a whisper, hollow and empty. The shadows seemed to reach for him across that shield. “So many secrets. You’ve kept things from me when I have shared so much with you.”

Shit.This was going on too long. She was sending a beacon into the realms, telling the world who she was. He speared his magic into her shield, trying to snuff out her flames or melt the ice, but the shadows latched onto it like fangs sinking into flesh. His magic jerked back.

“Scarlett, look at me,” he said, his voice calm but commanding. An order. She slid her eyes to him. He could feel ice rising in his veins. “You need to let me in. You need to let me come to you. You are going to bleed out.” He could feel his blood slowing as it got colder and colder, beginning to freeze. She was freezing him from the inside out. Her power was unyielding. An unrelenting wave that kept crashing into him. His magic thrashed as those shadows attacked him now, sinking claws in deep.

“Aditya—” Cassius breathed behind him, but Sorin held up a hand to silence him.

“I can take you somewhere to keep you safe,” he choked out, his lungs straining to take in the cold air that was blanketing the beach. He was sure the others were freezing as well. She was freezing the whole godsdamned beach. “I need you to trust me. I need you to let me in. You did it, Love. You got us out. You saved us all. You kept us all safe. Let me do the rest. Let me help you.”

“These seem to be all the help I need,” she said thoughtfully, hollowly, watching the shadows float along her arms. They caressed her, stroking her cheek, down her throat. They swirled along her torso, her breasts, her thighs, as if seducing her.

“Yes, but the shadows do not love you. The shadows cannot heal you.”

“Oh, you are quite mistaken. The Darkness indeed loves me.” The smile that filled her face was as terrifying as the magic encompassing her.