Page 7

“It can. It will,” Sorin replied, his own tone leaving no room for argument.

Another knock sounded on the door interrupting whatever argument was about to ensue. Tybalt moved to answer it, and Azrael Luan, Prince of the Earth Court, came in. He held a small mirror in his hand. He didn’t spare anyone else any attention, his earthy brown eyes meeting hers. His black hair was tied up on top of his head, and she knew before he spoke what he was going to say.

“Sawyer made contact. They are meeting with Alaric at sundown to make the exchange for Princess Ashtine.”

Scarlett’s eyes fell closed. She stretched her neck from side-to-side and rolled her shoulders as she processed this new information. She couldn’t go. She needed to save her power for when they went to exchange Talwyn for Cyrus and Neve. Cassius couldn’t go. He wasn’t in any state to go anywhere, let alone on a rescue mission. Sorin couldn’t go because he was powerless.

She reopened her eyes, meeting Azrael’s gaze once more. “You are prepared to go?”

He nodded. “I can go and bring Ashtine and Sawyer back here once the exchange is done.”

“You cannot go alone. You and Sawyer will not be enough. Alaric proved that last time.” Her attention went to her Ash Rider. “Can you go as well, Rayner?”

“As you wish, your Majesty,” he said, with a small nod.

“Stop calling me that,” she chided at him. Her gaze flicked to Cethin. “Can Razik go? Two able to Travel would be ideal. He seemed able to handle Alaric, aside from leaving two of our company behind.”

“You know why the mortal kings need to be protected, Scarlett,” Cethin returned, no longer able to keep the irritation from his tone. “Not that you cared when you took Drake back to the continent.”

“They get a choice about their fate, Cethin,” she retorted. “They get a choice. Cassius gets a choice.Iget a choice.”

Cethin ran his hands through his hair, and a small part of her felt bad for her brother. He was trying to do what was best for his kingdom and his own family. She understood that. He had his own burdens he was trying to balance. She did not blame him for this mess. Well, maybe a little, but not entirely. He was as trapped as she was. Maybe his position had been forced upon him as well. Had he had any choice in whether or not to take the throne when their father died? Did he wish this was not his burden? Not his fate? Perhaps, but either way, they were both fighting for their own freedoms and that of their family and people. He was doing what he felt was right for Avonleya. She was doing what she felt was right for…the realm, she supposed.

Because apparently the entirety of the realm was her responsibility now.

And as she had spoken with Saylah under the stars, she’d realized she might not have a choice in what she needed to do, but she’d give others the choice whenever she could. Drake. Tava. Cassius. Everyone deserved to make their own fate. It was why she’d taken Drake and Tava across the Edria. It was why she would stop pushing Cassius about a Source. It was why she’d gone to Saylah in the first place. She was done letting someone else dictate her path. She was done finding keys and locks unless it suited her own needs. She had her own ends to meet, and right now, her greatest priorities were Ashtine, Cyrus, and Neve.

“I can ask Razik if he will go,” Cethin finally said. “That choice will be his.”

“You so readily give him choices?” Scarlett scoffed, her brow arching.

“You try telling him what to do,” Cethin muttered. He turned to Tybalt. “He was going to check on Eliza. Niara thought she would be able to clear her this morning.”

Eliza.

She still wasn’t over the shock of her friend becoming Razik’s Source. She would find time to talk to her about that soon, but the female could take care of herself. She knew Eliza had spoken the truth when she’d said no one had forced her into this. Nobody could force the fire general to do anything.

Apparently Cethin felt the same way about the dragon shifter.

That would be an incredibly interesting dynamic when she really thought about it.

Later. One thing at a time. Cassius. Cyrus. Ashtine.

But first a bath and food. In that order.

She turned back to Azrael. “Plan it, Prince. We can meet in a few hours to discuss things before you go.”

Azrael nodded once, Rayner falling into step beside him as he turned to leave the room. It wasn’t lost on her that she had just asked the Earth Prince of all people to take the lead on a mission for her. Two months ago, she would have laughed until she cried at the mere suggestion of entrusting Azrael with such a task.

The door clicked shut, and her attention shifted back to Cethin. “Anything else? Or can I bathe now?”

Cethin sent her a dry look. “Can we have dinner tonight? To discuss what you learned during your time with Saylah?”

“No,” she replied, moving towards her bedchamber. “Tomorrow, Cethin,” she added over her shoulder. “Just…give me a day to… Just give me a day. Please.”

Cethin nodded once, remorse shining in his silver gaze. “Please remember I likely do not know everything she shared with you. Give me a chance to defend myself before you hold something against me.”

She gave him a tight nod of her own before she disappeared into her bedchamber. A soft flash of light told her Shirina had disappeared, but Paja would stay and so would Amaré.