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“They will need Azrael for battle strategies and planning as he is a prince and knows the Wind and Earth Courts best, and you need to go back for…obvious reasons. I will stay with her. You two can go back tomorrow. Take Callan with you.”

“And Razik?”

“What of him?”

“You are his Source.”

“I am well aware,” she grumbled.

“What else are you?”

She glared at him. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“You have been hiding in your quarters to avoid answering questions about this,” he said, swirling his glass, ice clinking together. “You have been avoiding all of us.”

“There is nothing to talk about.”

“Nothing to talk about?” he repeated incredulously. “Did you think this through at all?”

“Of course I did.”

“You did? What is the plan, then? You will stay with him in Avonleya when this is all over?”

“What? No.” Her lip curled at the idea. “I will go home to the Fire Court.”

“You are his Source, Eliza. You will need to be near him at all times. He is Cethin’s Hand. He will need to be in Avonleya.”

“He can Travel. He can come to me when he needs to.”

“And if his power is too drained to do so? What then?”

“He will need to plan for such things.”

“Eliza,” he deadpanned.

“This is none of your business, Rayner.”

“It is my business. It is Sorin’s business because there is a very good chance you will need to challenge for the Fire Court throne.”

She jerked back from him. “What? No,” she said, shaking her head in denial. “Sorin lives. He has not abdicated—”

“And he no longer has any power. If whoever is running the Court right now challenges him, he will lose. There is no question. You are now the most powerful Fire Fae. Surely you have thought of this.”

Her arms tightened around herself, eyes darting away from him. She hadn’t let herself think about it. She did not wish to rule. She was perfectly content leading Sorin’s forces as his general.

“And then what will you do, Eliza? How will you balance being both the Fire Court Princess and the Source of a powerful Avonleyan?” he went on.

“Don’t be stupid. I’m not going to be the Fire Court Princess,” she snapped.

Rayner fell silent, knocking back the last of his drink. For several minutes, the only sounds were the crackling logs in the fire. Eliza just wanted to get out of here. Go back to her own rooms and curl up with her book. Escape to places where she did not need to contemplate such things. As much as she loved reading, it was a necessity as much as it was for enjoyment.

“What do you want me to tell Sorin?” he finally asked.

“Tell him whatever you want.”

He sighed. She knew she was in a mood now. Rayner did too.

“Get some sleep, Eliza,” he said, setting his empty glass down on the side table before he disappeared into the bathing chamber, shutting the door behind him.