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“And Sorin?” Rayner asked.

She sucked in a sharp breath, her chest tightening. “He will find his way to us.”

Lifting her palm, shadows swirled again, forming a sphere she encased in ice. Just like the shield she had formed around the lock. She’d let her magic study it, learn every detail of the thing.

And now her magic formed a perfect replica in her hand.

“Everything else is ready? You and Kailia accomplished the task? Most seraphs are inside the cliffs?” she asked as smoke and ashes thickened around Rayner to hide the real lock.

“Yes, but if we are atop the cliffs, we cannot go through with this, Scarlett.”

“So we will not be atop them when the time comes,” she replied, more shadows sliding into place along her body. “Stay on guard. Keep your weapons out. Travel us up, Cass.”

Cassius grabbed her outstretched hand, his other hand clamping onto Rayner’s shoulder. When they stepped from the air, her shoulders were back, her chin high, and her shadow panthers were stalking along at her side.

Before Alaric had a chance to open his godsdamn mouth, two of his seraphs were burning with starfire, their screams echoing in the air.

Her former master stared at her impassively, his lips pursing the smallest amount. His dark hair was tied back at the nape of his neck, cloak billowing behind him in the breeze. “You always did throw a tantrum when things did not go your way.”

Scarlett’s gaze went to Kailia first. She was huddled with her knees drawn to her chest. Her hands and feet were bound in what Scarlett was sure was nightstone. It had to be to keep her from moving among her ashes. Cyrus still had an arrow embedded in his shoulder, blood steadily streaming from it. She could see it on his leathers, his tunic, dripping to the ground where he was on his knees. A seraph stood behind him, a sword in hand.

“Release them. Now,” Scarlett gritted out.

And even Alaric had the good sense to pause at her dark tone.

“Why would I do that when you have reneged on our agreement, my Wraith?” he asked, taking a single step towards her. “I am told my Water Prince is no longer in my possession.”

“I am simply following the example of my benevolent former master,” she retorted. Then she let starfire flare in her eyes. “Howdareyou come after Ashtine and her babes.”

“Oh, Idare, Scarlett Monrhoe, because you sent me back a false Fae Queen,” Alaric spat, taking a few more steps towards her. “You thought you could play me, and there would be no consequences?” He clicked his tongue in disappointment. “You know there are always consequences for disobedience.”

Cassius and Rayner stepped closer to her, a force of power at her back, and her panthers snarled a warning.

Alaric simply gave her a small smile. Cassius went to his knees with a curse.

“Cass!” Cyrus cried, lurching forward, but the seraph had the blade at his throat in the next blink.

“Release them all, or you will never have this,” Scarlett snarled through clenched teeth, lifting the fake lock into the air before them.

Alaric’s dark eyes fixed onto the object, Cassius sucking in a sharp breath as their former master released his magic from the hold of his draining power. “I knew you would be the one to find it,” Alaric said, taking another step towards her.

“And you will never see it again if you do not release Cyrus and Kailia. Now,” she said in a deadly hiss.

“I am to trust your word after all of this, Scarlett? I think not,” Alaric said, moving closer still. Her panthers snapped at him, but she held them back. And when Alaric lifted a hand to touch the lock, she snatched it back from his reach.

“Terms, Alaric,” she said. “I give you this lock; you let us all leave. Alive.”

He smirked at the added caveat, and his raised hand came to her face instead. She made herself stand there. Let him drag his fingertips along her jaw until he gripped her chin. “You are such a godsdamn pain in my ass, and yet I find myself so incredibly proud of you. You are exactly what I envisioned you becoming.”

She swallowed, holding his dark stare. “Are we in agreement?”

“No.”

Scarlett blinked. “No? Is this lock not worth more to you than all of our lives?”

He tilted her chin even more. “That lock is only valuable to me if I can wield it. Something you can clearly do if you were able to find it, my Wraith. So no, I am not agreeable to your terms. I will let everyoneelseleave alive. You and the lock stay behind. And together?” His other hand trailed up her arm. “Together we will keep this world safe. Is that not what you desire most?”

She clamped down on everything roiling through her. Her eyes fell closed as she breathed it all in. The anxiety of what she was about to do. The fear of knowing she might fail. The revulsion at having him touch her. Of knowing if this failed, Mikale would touch her next.