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There were hands on her face. Golden eyes boring into hers.

Scarlett.

The voice in her mind was a snarled order. A mate calling to his twin flame.

Her cheeks were wet. She was crying.

She was vaguely aware of everyone crowded around them, of Cyrus trying to force the note from her hand, but all of her attention was on Sorin.

“He killed him,” she whispered, her breakfast roiling in her stomach.

“Who? Who killed who, Scarlett?”

“Alaric,” she gasped, breathing too difficult. “He had Sawyer killed.”

“What?” Cyrus demanded, his fingers stilling on her hand. “How? Why? We made the exchange.”

“But it was a trick. We tricked Alaric with Talwyn,” she said, eyes still on Sorin who had gone so still, she wasn’t sure if he was breathing. “He sent Nuri after Ashtine.” Her voice broke as she whispered on a choked sob, “Sawyer took her place.”

“Fuck!”

That was Cyrus cursing. Cyrus who had been tortured by the Sorceress and who had now lost yet another friend.

“Sorin,” she whispered. “I’m sorry, Sorin. I’m so sorry.”

“I just…” he rasped, hands still framing her face. “Just give me a moment, Scarlett.”

His hands were trembling against her skin.

She’d known Alaric would retaliate. She should have seen this coming. Should have known he wouldn’t go after Talwyn. Talwyn would be too easy. The effect wouldn’t be the same.

Her fault.

This was her fault.

She wanted to go. To run. To the sea. To the country estate. Anywhere. Anywhere but here. She needed to breathe, but her family needed her more. Sawyer had been her friend, yes, but the others had known him for centuries. Family. The Drayces were part of their family. She had done this.

Her movements felt heavy and slow as she turned to her family. Cassius had Cyrus in a tight embrace. Rayner was staring down at the ground. Sorin was still holding her face.

She sucked in a sharp breath, shoving the note into her pocket. Then she gently pulled Sorin’s hands away before she wrapped her arms around him and pulled her husband close. He buried his face in her neck, and she reached over and grabbed Rayner’s hand, squeezing his fingers tightly in hers.

Everything else was forgotten. They summoned Neve, and Sorin broke the news of another loss for the Water Court. They spent the day in a cozy den, Cethin and Kailia giving them space, but also bringing them anything they needed throughout the day.

And when the day was over, when everyone had gone to their rooms and Sorin was fast asleep, she slipped from their bed. She tugged on her pants and tunic, not bothering with shoes before she Traveled to a section of beach south of Aimonway. Pulling the note from her pocket, she read it over and over. It wasn’t much. Talwyn had clearly been in a rush. Short, scribbled words that gave the barest details of what had happened, and where she and Ashtine were now. Scarlett memorized every detail before she let the note go up in white flames. Her eyes fell closed, the sea breeze kissing her face. All she could see was the last line of that note in Talwyn’s elegant scrawl.

Get Briar here now. Or it was all for nothing.

With fire warming her veins, Scarlett walked straight into the waves, and when she could no longer touch the bottom, she swam out a little farther. She cast an air pocket and sank beneath the water, letting the sea wash away her tears.

Then she started planning.

* * *

The stars were fading when she emerged, using her fire to dry her clothing before she was back on the dry sand. She sent a message off amidst a swirl of shadows as she moved, ignoring the person waiting on the shore.

It wasn’t Sorin or Cassius. It wasn’t even Cethin.

It was Saylah.