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Rayner’s lips pressed into a tight line. “She shifted and hid among Callan’s things. To go with me.”

“She shifted?”

“She is a power shifter. We can discuss this more later,” Rayner said in a way that left no room for debate.

Scarlett’s brows shot up at his address, but Sorin knew him well enough to understand the implied warning. He brought his hand to the small of her back and leaned in to whisper, “There is more to say, but he does not trust everyone in this room.”

She nodded once, attention still fixed on Tula. “You are all right, Tula-Bug?” she asked, her tone softening.

The little girl peered out from behind Rayner, and she nodded. The Ash Rider reached back, gently ruffling her curls. His eyes met Sorin’s again. “The Alpha and Beta know what she is.”

Fuck.

Sorin expelled a harsh breath. That explained a lot of his hesitation at the moment. With the current accords and charters in place, they could demand that Tula be given over to them. She was an orphan Shifter.

“Tonight, when I return, I will need that explained to me,” Scarlett said, her spine straightening. “But I need to deal with Saylah before we go get Neve and Cyrus.” She glanced at Rayner once more. “Are you all right to go with me and Cassius?”

He nodded. “Let me get Tula settled, and I will rest. Unless you need me for—”

But Scarlett was already shaking her head. “Go. I need you prepared for tonight.”

Rayner gripped Tula’s hand in his, then hesitated. “Scarlett. Ashtine said that Cyrus is with—”

“I know where Cyrus is,” she interrupted again, her tone strained and agonized. “We go at sundown.”

Rayner nodded again before leading Tula to the stairs that would lead up to the guest rooms on their level of the castle.

Cethin cleared his throat. “It truly is unwise to keep her waiting, Scarlett.”

Scarlett rolled her eyes and waved her hand dramatically in a gesture for him to lead them along.

Sorin kept his hand on her lower back as they followed down a hall. He bent to murmur, “Whatever information she has, whether or not this will work—”

“It will work,” Scarlett interjected. “She knows what is at stake if she does not come through on what I have demanded.”

He wanted to say more. He knew there were things she had left unsaid about her visit to Shira Forest, but now was not the time to push her. So instead, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her temple as they came to a set of closed double doors.

Cethin looked at Scarlett. “Are you ready?”

She tossed him a mocking smile as her ornate crown of shadows and starfire took shape atop her head. “Of course.”

Her brother seemed to hesitate, but then he pushed open the doors. They all filed into a grand sitting room. Tybalt stood near a window, and next to him was a goddess. There was no mistaking what she was. Unworldly beauty. A circlet of stars sat on her brow, and shadows flitted around the stars as if they were in the night sky itself. Long silver hair that matched her children flowed down around her shoulders, reaching to her waist, and misty shadows drifted around her, just as they often did her daughter when she let them out.

Saylah’s silver eyes took them all in as they entered, and as one, they all dropped to a knee, bowing their heads.

Everyone except Scarlett.

If he could, he would be hissing to her down their bond and telling her to get on her godsdamn knee before the goddess of night and shadows, but when he chanced a glance at his wife, she stood there with her arms crossed and a bored look on her face.

“At least your company knows how to show respect to a goddess,” Saylah said, her voice as cold as the shadows around her.

“Seeing as I am your god these days, perhaps you should be on a knee before me then,” Scarlett retorted, and Sorin could hear the wickedness in her voice.

“Scarlett,” Cethin hissed at her above the collective sharp inhale from several others in the room.

“Rise,” Saylah said tightly.

They all got to their feet, and Scarlett moved in front of him and Cassius protectively. Two shadow panthers appeared, snarling softly while they prowled around the Fae. Tybalt’s eyes widened, his fingers flexing as he watched the shadows.