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She shrugged. “Caught a ride out with you lot.”

By the gods.

Nuri sauntered forward. “You finally learned to play the game.”

Briar stepped closer, trying to come between them. “Whose side are you truly on, Nuri?” he said in a tone Talwyn rarely heard from the male. It was icy and full of promised threats. It was why he was the Water Prince.

“The side I have always been on,” she replied.

“That is not an answer,” Talwyn spat.

“No?”

Talwyn straightened, her breathing evening out, and the emotions she’d been shoving down spilling over. Fury. Sorrow. Agony. Grief. She’d sacrificed and gave, and it might never be enough, but at least she was godsdamn trying.

She took a step towards Nuri as she said, “I think this truly is all a game to you. I think you enjoy inciting dramatics purely for amusement. I think you areentertainedby keeping secrets and watching what happens when they are discovered. I don’t think you truly care about anything.”

Nuri’s features went positively wicked. “So many insights,” she purred, prowling closer.

“Nuri,” came a low warning from the seraph.

“Hush, Cai,” she replied, her grin growing. “Didn’t you hear? Ienjoydramatics.”

“Nuri, please,” Briar said, trying and failing to shield Talwyn. “I do not know what has happened, but—”

“New game,” Nuri said suddenly, cutting Briar off. “Let’s see how quickly you learn to play this one,your Majesty.” Her fangs snapped out, and she dropped into a crouch.

“Nuri!” Mordecai barked again. “Not like this.”

“You know what to do, Cai,” she crooned. Then her honey-colored eyes locked onto Talwyn. “As for you, I would run.”

“What?”

“Run, Talwyn,” she repeated. Then she started counting down from twenty.

Talwyn looked at Briar, his icy blue eyes wide. “Run, Talwyn!”

“What about you?”

“I cannot risk Ashtine and the babes. Go!”

Nuri was at fifteen when Talwyn took off.

She was at ten when the insane female started laughing.

She was at five when male hands scooped Talwyn up and hauled her into the sky.

Chapter19

Sorin

“Hey, Prince,” Scarlett chirped as she flounced into their rooms. She took a bite from the pear she held, eyeing him with bright silver eyes. Sorin slowly set aside the note he’d been reading from Eliza that Razik had brought back with him. His general had told him of Bastien taking control of the Fire Court and the plan they had come up with, along with the Shifter siblings. It was a good plan, even if he didn’t like her over there alone. He knew Eliza was capable. Call it his Fae male protective nature, he supposed. Keeping his Inner Court safe and unified had always been one of his highest priorities. One he felt like he was failing at as of late.

Now his attention was fixed on his twin flame. Her eyes danced with mischief, and the same radiated down their bond. She was in casual attire— fitted black pants, a long-sleeved white tunic, only two visible weapons rather than the usual assortment, and those godsdamned gold shoes she insisted on wearing whenever she could these days.

She took another bite of the pear as she draped herself across the armchair, her feet swinging over one side. He had filled her power reserves after he’d slept for two entire days. Then, much to her dismay, he hadn’t let her accompany him to a training arena. There was no way he was risking having her—or anyone, for that matter—around while he worked with the new depths of this power. It felt like his, but it felt…wilder. More chaotic. After centuries of having his fire firmly under control, it was a touch unsettling. So every time he’d gone to train with it, he hadn’t let her come. One time she tried to be sneaky, but their newly reinstated bond gave her away as soon as she was within a few miles. And the way she was acting now had him narrowing his eyes at her in suspicion.

“How was training?” she drawled, not attempting to hide her irritation with him.