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“I do not know. I haven’t pieced it all together yet.”

She turned her head, meeting his gaze again. “But you’d tell me if you knew? You wouldn’t keep it from me?”

“No, Love,” he replied. He stepped closer to her, unable to help himself. “I would not keep it from you.”

“And you’ve told me everything?” she asked, her eyes searching his own.

“I have told you everything.” Before the words had even finished leaving his lips, he felt a searing jolt of pain shoot through his left hand. Gritting his teeth, he pushed it from his mind. “Come, let’s have some tea.”

Scarlett nodded and led the way back into the bedroom. Tea was already waiting on the low table near the armchairs. She plopped into one, still clutching the blanket around her shoulders. Sorin took up the armchair across from her once more and handed her one of the cups.

“I know you think Fae customs and stories are incredibly profound and all,” he started.

“I swear to Saylah, Sorin, if you’re about to drop another piece of world shattering information, this tea cup is going down your throat,” she muttered.

Sorin blinked at the…at the normalcy of that comment from her mouth. At the peek of who she was breaking through that place she was trapped in.“No, it is nothing like that. This is something I think you already know and just need it explained.” Her nose scrunched slightly as she sipped at her tea. “Legend among the Fae is that our magic and power comes from a place called Shira Forest.”

Scarlett paused her sipping, her eyes on the fire before them. She had pulled her knees to her chest and draped the blanket over them. Resting her teacup on her knees, she said, “I thought you said the Avonleyans blessed the Fae with magic.”

“They did, but it is believed that their magic came from this Forest. It is said Shira Forest is where the gods reside along with the Fates.”

Scarlett snorted. “The gods live in a dream world?”

“Shira Forest is a real place. It is just that no one knows where it is.”

“Convenient,” she grumbled.

Sorin sat back in his chair with a smirk. “I am going to assume you saw an animal there, and I am going to go a step further and venture to guess it was a panther as dark as night.” Her head slowly turned towards him. “The Spirit Animals live in the Forest when they are not needed by their bonded ones. The most powerful of the Fae, those chosen by a particular god or goddess, are bonded with their Spirit Animal. In essence, you become bonded to that god or goddess through that bond.”

He fell silent and let her process what he’d told her, waiting for the questions he was sure were coming.

“How did you know I saw a panther?”

“Because Shirina made her presence known while you slept. She was often seen at the foot of your bed, watching over you and growling at anyone who dared to approach you. The Goddess Saylah’s panther has not been seen in ages, Scarlett.”

“But why was I taken there tonight? I saw her in my dreams while I slept. What was the purpose of tonight?”

“I do not know. I have only been there once and that was the night I was bonded with Amaré. How or why you were there again, and how Talwyn was there with you, I do not know.”

“Was anyone else there with you? When you became bonded or whatever?” she asked.

“No. It was only me.” Scarlett only nodded once and turned back to the fire. “Was someone there with you? When you met Shirina?”

“When I was there tonight with Talwyn, there were other animals there. Not just Shirina,” Scarlett said.

It was Sorin’s turn to slowly turn to her. “You saw several Spirit Animals there? How many?”

“This time? Many.”

“This time? How many times have you been there, Scarlett?”

“That I can remember? Two. The first time I saw two and… The first time there were two animals.”

“Which animals did you see?”

“Well, the wolf from the day I saw you and Talwyn speaking in Baylorin was there,” she said, fiddling with her teacup.

“Maliq? He is Talwyn’s bonded, the wolf of Celeste, goddess of the moon and sky. I suppose it would make sense that he was there if Talwyn was also there with you. Who else?”