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“You will use her for this purpose?” Callan demanded. “You will make her suffer even more?”

Briar turned those icy blue eyes upon him, and Callan forced himself not to squirm under the intensity.“We would, and perhaps you should see why.”

Beatrix and Briar strode through the doors and back into the bedroom. Callan made to follow, but Cyrus stopped him. “Stay. Watch, Prince.”

So he did. He watched as a few moments later, a water portal appeared on the grounds below. He watched Briar emerge, cradling Scarlett in his arms, the Healer with them. He watched as Briar gently set Scarlett onto her feet in the grass, supporting her as she cradled her middle. Eliza saw them, too, but too late to stop her next blow. Flames radiated from them, and Briar sent out a blast of water, dousing the flames and shielding Scarlett, the Healer, and himself. He watched as Sorin whirled and stopped short, his flames vanishing into nothing but wisps of smoke.

CHAPTER 18

SORIN

He couldn’t see past the blinding rage. All he could feel was fury and terror. Scarlett had been hurt. She had a broken arm, broken ribs, and multiple bruises. She had been fucking bleeding. He hadn’t been able to protect her. She had been shoved into her magical well so deeply, she couldn’t even begin to heal herself.

And it was all because of that fucking mortal prince.

“Sorin!” Eliza cried. “Calm the fuck down!”

She caught his feint and met his blade. He had not sparred with Eliza in years. They had not fought in sixty. Her own flames clashed into his, and the reverberations could be felt in the ground beneath him. Eliza flipped back as he thrust again, and she barely avoided the hit.

“Sorin, you will level this whole damn place!” she ground out between her teeth as he struck again. “She is in there! She is safe! She is healing!”

He knew this. In the back of his mind, he knew what she said was true. He knew he was being irrational, but the savage rage coursing through his veins could not be quelled. He could not quiet it, could not douse it.

“He put her in danger!” he seethed, attacking again.

She caught his blade between her own sword and dagger, shoving him back. “He did not know! Talwyn is cunning and conniving. He was tricked. He is a mortal who knows nothing of the rest of the world, Sorin.”

“He is a mortal who is in love with her and thought Talwyn would help him take her from me,” he snarled.

“She is no one’s damn property,” Eliza growled, and Sorin had to shield against her own attack. He was panting as he dodged her blow, forced to retreat a few steps. “The two of you need to back off and give her space to figure out her own shit.”

“Why do you think I have not told her of the twin flame bond?” Sorin seethed again.

“Because you are a fucking coward,” she sneered.

Sorin felt his power surge up, and with it pain that he blocked out, lunging for her once again. He saw her dredge up her own power, and just before their blades met, her eyes widened in horror. Power emanated from their strike, and he felt a spray of water. Great. Now fucking Drayce was here to try to quell him, too.

He whirled, ready to take them both on with the blinding rage that burned through him at the thought of his twin flame being in such danger, and he froze. The flames along his blades guttered, and his eyes widened.

Briar was not alone. Beatrix stood near him, reproach and disappointment all over her face. Briar’s arm was looped under Scarlett’s shoulders, supporting her as she stood barefoot in the grass. She hugged her arm to her chest. He could see her grimace as she took a breath. The pain against her ribs had to be agony. Her eyes locked onto his, worry filling them.

“Sorin?” Her voice was barely a whisper, but he felt it in his soul. He felt her in his mind, using that bond she didn’t even know existed.

What is going on? They said you were in danger. That I was needed.

“What is she doing here?” he demanded. The rage was there, boiling just beneath his skin, but he couldn’t do anything. Not with her before him. “Get her back to our chambers. She is in pain.”

“You need to stop, Sorin. You are not in a place to be expending this much power. She was the fastest way to reach you,” Briar said. His voice rang with authority.

“That is not your call to make,” Sorin snapped.

“Sorin.” Scarlett said softly again, as though she were awake but still as sedated as possible. She took a step towards him and stifled a cry. She slowly lowered to her knees, Briar easing her down.

Sorin’s chest cracked. He dropped his sword to the ground, rushing to her. “Love,” he whispered, dropping to his own knees before her and taking her face in his hands. Her eyes had returned to their usual icy blue color, but they were dull and filled with pain as she sucked in a shallow breath.

“Make her sleep, Beatrix,” he growled.

“Wait,” Scarlett gasped, thrusting out a hand to stay Beatrix. She studied his eyes. “You are not all right.”