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“If you are choosing it. If you are accepting the bond that has always existed there, yes. It would be my honor to give you the Mark, especially since it will save his life.”

“What doesthatmean?” Scarlett asked, her attention snapping to her friend.

“When he took that Mark without a companion Mark, he took a great risk. Because there is no companion for that offering to latch on to, it drains his own magical reserves. When those are gone, it will begin to drain his very life force. Sending the Ash Rider to you cost the Prince of Fire greatly.”

“How did he find me?”

“There is not time, Scarlett. He fades as we speak,” Juliette said, grasping her left hand. “Interesting.”

“What?” Scarlett asked, looking down at her own hand.

“He protects you. Even now. He weakens hour by hour, but he continues to protect you. He weakens to keep you safe, to keep your location a secret from them.” Juliette’s eyes met her own. “I need you to take down his enchantments, or I cannot Mark you.”

“I cannot undo something I know nothing of,” Scarlett protested.

Juliette put her hands on either temple and closed her eyes, then lowered them back down to her sides. “You must remove the shields and enchantments, Scarlett. Only your power can cleave them”

“I can’t. I did not put them there,” Scarlett cried.

“No, you did not. Your twin flame did,” Juliette replied simply. “Now remove the shields.”

“I don’t know how,” Scarlett snapped.

“Of course you do,” Juliette said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “If you do not remove them, we are done here.”

Scarlett glared at Juliette, then closed her eyes. She took a deep breath.

In and out. In and out. In and out.

She stilled, reaching for the recesses of her mind, where she reached for her magic,and she found them. She saw the flames that surrounded the edges of her being. The flames were warm and safe. The flames were home. She placed a mental hand against the flames. She felt them struggle as if someone were trying to keep them lit.I’m okay,she whispered gently to the flames.I’m safe.The flames sputtered, and she sucked them into her palms.

And then she saw it. She saw an endless abyss of power. Her power. Golden flames and ice and water and ashes swirled in it, but also glittering white flames of pure white.

And shadows. Her shadows danced and flitted among it all.

Unending.

Unrelenting.

Wild and vast and deep. The deepest recesses of her own self. Beyond herself even.

She opened her eyes to find a Mark flaring on her left hand. “The third gift…” Scarlett swallowed.

Juliette smiled. “By finally accepting who you are as a whole, the light and the dark, by not trying to cage parts of yourself, you will find your magic is a song in your very blood, sister. You will find the control you have sought for months. Now go. Save your twin flame, and then it’s time to let that wildfire burn.”

Scarlett turned towards the way she had come and found Shirina sitting by the entrance, those silver eyes glowing bright. Then, in a flash of white light, the panther was gone.

“One last thing, your Majesty.” Scarlett turned back to Juliette, who was standing near a window, looking out. “Those who can walk among the worlds brought a book with them in the beginning. You would do well to find it.”

“How am I to find such a thing?” Scarlett demanded.

“Keep down the path you have already discovered. Now go.”

“Damn Oracle with her cryptic riddles,” Scarlett muttered under her breath.She could hear Juliette’s ringing laughter as she practically ran down the passageway.

She burst out of the cave and into the daylight. The sun was high in the sky. She must have been in the cave for hours. Hazel stood exactly where Scarlett had left her and bowed low as Scarlett emerged.“Your Majesty.”

Rayner shot to his feet from the rock he had been sitting on and rushed to her side. “Are you all right?” His eyes were scanning her up and down.