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Saylah tore her gaze from Scarlett, surveying them all once more. “Cethin.”

“Hello, Mother,” he said, stepping forward and pressing a soft kiss to her cheek.

“Your power is drained.”

“It was necessary.”

“Why have you not drawn from your Guardian?” Her silver eyes flicked to Razik.

“He only just returned from a mission across the Edria,” Cethin explained.

“He should not be leaving your side,” Saylah replied. “Certainly not right now with the state of things.”

Sorin watched as a muscle feathered in Razik’s jaw, but he dropped his gaze to the floor.

“Did you come to chastise them?” Scarlett drawled, moving casually to an armchair. She dropped unceremoniously into it as her shadow panthers continued to guard him and the other Fae. “Because if that’s the case, I do not need to be here. I have matters to tend to, and your mistakes to fix.”

Saylah stiffened, but she did not reply, instead shifting her attention to Cassius. “You were young when I last saw you.”

“Ah, yes,” Scarlett chimed in with faux wistfulness, an adder’s smile on her lips. “The time you laid eyes upon Tybalt’s son, but did not tell your Guardian of his existence.”

The Commander started, but he also said nothing. He only looked at Cassius with remorse and sorrow at knowing how his son had grown up because that secret had been kept from him.

“I was hoping after our discussions in Shira Forest, you would have become a little less confrontational,” Saylah said.

Scarlett hummed, drawing patterns on the arm of the chair with her finger. “I am a disappointment to many people who wished to use me. I will add you to that growing list.”

Everyone in the room seemed to hold their breath while the two exchanged words, Sorin included. He could not decide if he should feel pride while watching Scarlett talk down to a goddess or fear for her life.

“Have you located the lock?” Saylah asked, a tinge of scarcely controlled fury entering her tone.

But Scarlett barked a harsh laugh. “Oh,Mother,” she tsked. “Your lock is quite a ways down on a list of my priorities.”

“Then perhaps your twin flame has just dropped on my list,” Saylah replied.

Scarlett made a show of considering. “It is still well above proper mothering on that list, so I am not too concerned.”

“Scarlett,” Cethin hissed again when the shadows around Saylah thickened.

Still Scarlett sat, casual and bored in her armchair, finger continuing to draw on the armrest as she watched her mother. “Relax, Brother. She needs me as much as you do, and neither of you gets what you want from me unless she holds up her end of our deal.”

Sorin frowned. Scarlett had spoken of this deal in passing, but he did not know the particulars. They’d had little time to speak privately these last two days, and there would be no more time to do so today.

Scarlett’s features suddenly morphed from bored and aloof to wicked and cunning. “You lured me here with a promise of telling me how to restore Sorin’s power. Get on with it. You are taking too much of my time the way it is.”

Saylah turned and stared out the window for a long moment. Her gaze stayed fixed on the mountains when she said, “The balance was upset when he crossed the Veil and came back. Serafina warned you there would be a cost.”

“And I toldyou, enough costs have been paid. This would not be one of them,” Scarlett retorted, pushing to her feet.

“He cannot have his original power back.”

“That is not our agreement, Saylah,” Scarlett said, starfire beginning to slowly wind up her arms. Tybalt stiffened, again flexing his fingers, and Razik moved closer to Cethin, who had shoved Kailia behind him. But the Avonleyan Queen was peeking around him, curious eyes bouncing between Scarlett and Saylah.

“I cannot defy the balance, Scarlett,” Saylah said harshly, finally turning to face her daughter once more. “His power crossed the Veil. We cannot bring another power into this world without sacrificing one of equal power or greater.”

“How would we do that?” Scarlett pushed.

“You choose a powerful being to kill, and take their power before you do it,” Saylah replied.