Page 28

Chapter 27

Sorin

"S aylah is your mother,” Cyrus repeated.

They were all seated around the breakfast table back at the estate. Sorin and Scarlett had slept late after their night with Cethin. Scarlett hadn’t even changed when they’d ?nally gone back to their rooms. It had been well into the night, and she’d simply slept in the dress she’d worn. Sorin was fairly certain she had been asleep before she’d even landed on the bed, too exhausted and overwhelmed by everything she had learned. Now it was mid-day, and she was eating a pear while the others stared back at the way she had casually dropped that she was the daughter of a goddess.

Because why not randomly reveal that nugget of information in between asking for the juice and taking a bite of fruit?

“I guess so,” Scarlett sighed, head resting on her hand with her elbow propped on the table. He could tell with only a quick glance she was only half here, lost in her own thoughts.

“The actual goddess?” Cyrus said.

“Yes, Cyrus,” she replied listlessly.

“The goddess of shadows and night? Daughter of Arius and Sera?na?”

“Gods, yes!” she snapped, sitting up a little straighter. “I am glad you know your gods and goddesses, Darling.”

“So what does that make you? A godling?” Cyrus mused.

The pear left his wife’s hand, ?ying at Cyrus’s face. “Do not call me that,” she snarled.

Sorin recognized that slow smirk that ?lled his Second’s face as he leaned to the side to avoid the fruit.

“Of course not...” Cyrus said with feigned innocence.

Silence fell around the table. The others continued to stare at her, different expressions of shock on their faces. Scarlett either did not notice or did not care. He assumed the latter, as she began spreading jam on a piece of toast.

“Did you learn anything else interesting last night?” Cassius ?nally asked.

“More interesting than learning her mother is an actual goddess?” Cyrus quipped. “That is going to be pretty hard to top.” He popped a few grapes into his mouth, grinning at Scarlett. “ Can you top that, little godling?”

“I swear to, Saylah—” Scarlett stopped abruptly, a scowl forming as a laugh burst out of Cyrus, followed quickly by a curse.

“Stop being an ass,” Cassius said.

“Here I thought violence was beneath you,” Cyrus muttered, leaning forward and rubbing at, what Sorin guessed, was his shin. He could only assume Cassius had kicked him beneath the table.

Scarlett was mindlessly eating her toast. She’d hardly spoken all morning. He could feel... Gods, she was feeling so much right now, he couldn’t decipher it all down the bond.

“We learned that Alaric’s magic was stolen from a descendent of Arius,” Sorin said, answering Cassius’s question.

“Great. We will add it to the list of things we do not know how to prepare for,” Eliza muttered, her mood seeming to be as sour as his wife’s.

Fantastic. Two moody females were sure to make for a delightful day. “Except that Cethin apparently possesses the same gifts along with shadows similar to Scarlett’s,” Sorin said, taking a bite of the ham on his plate.

“That would make sense,” Rayner said. “He is a descendant of Arius as much as Saylah.”

“And he can dream-walk. That was inherent to Sera?na,” Sorin supplied. “Just like Scarlett’s... star?re.”

“The white ?ames,” Luan clari?ed.

“Yes,” Sorin said. Scarlett was not even trying to listen now.

He went on to ?ll them in on the prophecy and the little bit of history they had learned about the Wards and the Witch who had enacted them.

“Cethin is going to train her on how to defend against Alaric,” he was saying.

“Wait,” Eliza said, perking up. “We get to train with them?”

“We are meeting Cethin shortly to start. I do not think he intended to train everyone—” Sorin started.

“Let them come,” Scarlett said suddenly, getting to her feet. “If the Avonleyans are going to ?ght with us, we all need to train with them. Learn from each other. Understand each other’s ?ghting style.”

“Exactly,” Eliza said, practically jumping up from her seat. “Iamsupposed to train with Callan this morning. He can come too.”

“Where are the mortals?” Luan asked, as if he just realized they were not present.

“At Hale’s estate,” Briar said, setting down a glass of orange juice. “Tava was up before the sun to help Lynnea with breakfast. The children are not adjusting well to the Avonleyan schedule.”

“Understandably,” Scarlett said, yawning as she stretched her arms above her head. She looked down at Sorin. “Ready?”

“Did you eat enough?”

“Yes, Sorin,” she sighed. “I will suf?ciently be able to hand anyone their ass in a training ring today.”

“That sounds like a challenge, godling,” Cyrus said, getting lazily to his feet.

Her eyes ?ashed to him, ?ames sparking in her irises. “Darling, you have no idea.”

They made their way to the front steps to meet Cethin, Callan and Drake appearing a few minutes before the king. Hale was with them, apparently curious to watch them train. Between Cethin and Razik, they Traveled their entire party.

Sorin blinked a few times against the brightness of the sun when they stepped from the air. They were in the middle of a stone arena. It was circular with a dirt ?oor and large enough for a hundred warriors to easily train without it being too tight. Scarlett was already bouncing from foot-to-foot beside him, needing to expel some energy and work through everything she’d learned.

“So what are we doing ?rst?” she asked, turning to her brother. She rolled her neck, ?ngers ?exing. He could feel her practically vibrating down their bond. She was really wound up this morning.

“We thought we would let you warm up a little. Then I could start draining you, and we can work on defensive maneuvers,” Cethin said.

The words were hardly out of his mouth when Scarlett said, “Deal.” And her shadows slammed into Cyrus.

He swore, coughing from where he lay on his back in the dirt. She stalked up to him, pulling the spirit sword from a swirl of star?re. “Call me godling again, Darling ,” she sneered.

Cyrus coughed again. “I really should have expected that.”

“You really should have,” she simpered, twirling the sword in her hand.

Cyrus chuckled, getting to his feet and brushing off his pants. He pulled a sword from ?ames. “Shall we then?”

Sorin watched as the two sparred, some of the others pairing off as well. Eliza was working with Callan across the arena. Sawyer and Cassius were sparring, and Briar and Luan were siphoning off some of their own magic. It still made him take pause every once in a while to see Prince Azrael Luan among their company.

“We need to discuss something,” Rayner said, his voice low and quiet beside him.

“Oh?” Sorin asked. He kept his eyes ?xed on Scarlett, but every other part of him was focused on his Third.

“There is someone here who can move among the winds or ashes. I have not been able to catch them,” Rayner murmured.

“When did you notice?”

“I thought I felt them the night we arrived, but I wasn’t sure. It was late. There was a lot going on.” Sorin nodded, wincing as Scarlett knocked Cyrus to the ground again when her shadows looped around his ankle and jerked his foot out from under him. “Every time I sense them, they move before I can pinpoint their location.”

“What do you make of it?” Sorin asked.

“I think they are just watching right now. Observing us. Likely reporting back to Cethin,” Rayner replied.

“Are they here now?”

“In and out. They are beginning to linger longer.”

Sorin nodded again. “I know you are extra protective of Tula right now, Rayner, but I need you to stay and ?gure this out. The Avonleyans have not given us any reason to distrust them yet, but we have only been here a few days. That does not mean anything.”

“I can do both,” Rayner said, and Sorin could hear the slight defensiveness that had entered his tone.

“I know, Rayner, but you can trust us to help keep Tula safe too. You know that, right? We have people with the children at all times.”

“That did nothing on the ship,” he retorted sharply.

Before Sorin could reply, Cethin and Razik were making their way over.

“I am going to draw from her,” Cethin said. “I want to prepare you so you do not become protective.”

“Thanks for the warning, I guess,” Sorin said tightly. This was going to go against every instinct.

“Razik is here to help... encourage you and her guardian to let this happen. Honestly, it would be easier if you guys would go, but—”

“Neither of us will allow that,” Sorin interrupted.

“I ?gured that would be the case.” His gaze cut to Razik. “Only if necessary, Raz.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Razik muttered, waving him off as Cethin began to make his way towards Scarlett and Cyrus.

“This is not a good idea,” Rayner said softly. “Cassius does not know how to control his power. If he thinks Scarlett is in real danger—”

“What do you mean he cannot control his power?” Razik asked harshly, his head snapping towards them.

“We do not entirely understand his gifts. He has only accessed them a couple of times, and only when Scarlett is in danger,” Sorin answered.

Razik swore viciously under his breath before shouting, “Cethin! Wait!”

He was rushing towards him, Cethin having paused and turned to look back at him. Sorin could see Cethin’s eyes widen slightly, his gaze darting to Cassius across the arena with Sawyer. The pair had stopped sparring and were speaking with Auberon, watching Eliza and the mortals.

“Why are they so concerned about Cassius?” Sorin muttered.

Scarlett and Cyrus had heard Razik yelling at Cethin, and they had stopped their sparring, making their way over. Scarlett was nodding at whatever Cethin was saying, and Sorin could already tell by the look on her face he was not going to like what she had to say when she began moving towards him.

“You and Cass need to go,” she said.

“Fuck no,” Sorin answered.

“Sorin,” she sighed. “Briar and Azrael can stay. Eliza. Cyrus. You can literally leave every other Fae and mortal here with me, but you and Cass will be too overprotective.”

“No,” Sorin gritted out. “This was all ?ne until they realized Cassius did not have control over his power. Cass can go if necessary, but I am not leaving you here with them.”

Her nose scrunched a little, her brow creasing. “Why would they be concerned about Cassius’s gifts?”

“I do not know. Perhaps we should ask them,” Sorin said.

When Scarlett did, Cethin answered, “Razik will have to interfere if Cassius’s magic takes over. That is something we would rather not do.”

“But you were prepared to do just that,” Sorin argued.

“When we were under the impression you all knew how to control your gifts,” Razik sneered. “How has he only accessed them a handful of times?”

“Likely because there was no one to awaken his gifts,” Scarlett hissed, stepping toe-to-toe with the male. Her tone was low and vicious. He was several inches taller than her, and she still somehow appeared to be staring down her nose at him. “Likely because he does not know anyone with his gifts, and likely because the two people who could probably help him have not acknowledged his existence yet.”

Razik’s blue eyes almost seemed to begin glowing, but he blinked, and it was gone. “You know,” he said roughly.

“And so does he.”

Sorin reached out and gently gripped her elbow, tugging her back a few feet.

“How long have you known?” Cethin asked, a hand going through his hair. The same thing Scarlett did when she was upset.

“Yesterday morning,” Sorin answered. “How?” Razik gritted out.

“Our Fire Court General heard Magdalena asking you about Lord Tybalt. His mother told him his father’s name. It wasn’t hard to put it together,” Scarlett said. “I am assuming you are his half-brother then?”

Razik shook his head once sharply, hands clenching at his sides. “Tybalt is my blooded uncle, but he is the only father I care to acknowledge.”

Tense silence fell among them all, and Scarlett huffed a laugh of disbelief. “You have nothing else to say to that?”

“He did not want me to say anything until he was here,” Razik said. “He wants to meet him—is anxious to do so—but was called away on business before he could.”

“On business? What business is more important than meeting his godsdamn son?” Scarlett demanded, her voice rising. Sorin tightened his grip when she tried to step towards him again.

“Your mother,” Razik said snidely.

“Okay, that is enough for now,” Cethin said, stepping between Razik and Scarlett. “Cassius needs to go, or we need to ?nd another time to train.”

Sorin looked down at Scarlett. What do you want to do, Love?

I want to wrap my shadows around Razik’s throat and let them bite a little bit.

“Let us have some time,” Sorin said to Cethin and Razik. “Maybe we can train tonight?”

Cethin nodded. “We will stick around though. If you do not mind?”

“Sorin, I need to train,” Scarlett interrupted.

“What you need to do is work through everything you are feeling before you unnecessarily set things on ?re,” he replied, reaching for the sword Cyrus still held. His Second looked as irate as Scarlett, but he handed it over before stepping back.

“Sorin, I—” she started, but then a startled scream came from her. She leapt back when ?ames sprang up inches from her boots. “Asshole,” she snapped, white ?ames ?aring down her sword.

“Fight me, Princess,” Sorin said with a wry grin. “You are snapping and growling at everyone else. I am beginning to feel left out.”

Her lip curled back in a sneer, and she lunged forward, his entire arm vibrating when he blocked the hit. “Focus on your Fae magic,” he said when they broke apart. “You are becoming too dependent on your shadows.”

“I know,” she gritted out, water springing from her palm to put out the ?ames he’d sent chasing after her.

They had been sparring for a few minutes when Briar’s voice rang out, instructing Scarlett in different ways to use her water magic. She was ?awless, incorporating each suggestion and every change Briar suggested. Her ?re met his, forcing his magic to bend to hers. It shouldn’t be this easy for her to do so. Even if she was part goddess, it should not be this easy for her to counteract his magic. He wanted to believe it had something to do with her being on Avonleyan soil, but he knew that wasn’t the case. He also knew he shouldn’t be expending this much power, but she needed this. He could already feel some of the tension leaving her as she moved, focusing more on her water magic than her ?re today.

Some time later, Sorin’s tunic was soaked through, from her water magic or his own sweat he wasn’t sure, when thick shadows ?lled the arena.

“I thought we agreed on none of that this round,” he panted, blocking her blow.

“That’s not me,” she said, breathing just as hard, stray hair stuck to her forehead.

They both lowered their swords, looking around, and they both stilled when they found Razik holding Cethin back.

Because that was Rayner across the arena. He held a female before him, one hand holding her wrists behind her back. She had hair as black as the night and amber eyes that shone brightly, but even from this distance, Sorin could see the smoke and ash swirling in them.

She was an Ash Rider.

“He has three seconds to release my wife,” Cethin said, his voice so lethal it had the hair on the back of Sorin’s neck standing on end.

The female had a look on her face that was somewhere between amused and irritated, but Sorin quickly jerked his chin at Rayner. As soon as her hands were free, she was striding gracefully across the arena, almost seeming to ?oat above the ground. She was short, her head barely coming to Cethin’s chest. Her black dress had deep slits up the sides, and a bow was slung across her back. She was barefoot, and she left ashy footprints with each step.

“I told you she wouldn’t be able to keep herself out of sight for long,” Razik muttered.

Those amber eyes darted to him, and she sent him a simpering smile as an arrow appeared amidst a puff of smoke at her hand.

“It has been a while since we’ve played, Lia,” Razik crooned and... was that smoke coming out of his nostrils?

“Fuck me,” Cethin muttered, ?ngers rubbing at his brow. “Can you two knock it off for ?ve godsdamn minutes?”

“Do you think this is what we are like? Is this what others see when they watch us and our Courts?” Scarlett whispered, her head cocked as she watched the Avonleyans.

“I... do not know,” he replied, his muscles tense as he waited to see if Razik and the female were actually going to ?ght.

The female came to a stop in front of Cethin, and he reached out and snatched the arrow from her hand. “Tiny ?end,” Cethin sighed, ?ngering a lock of her black hair. “What am I to do with you?”

“I told you last night he was on to me, Cethin,” the female answered. “It was only a matter of time.”

“You could have just stayed away,” he argued.

“I am getting bored, Cethin.”

“Dear gods, nothing good ever comes from that,” Razik muttered.

The female was already reaching for the arrow Cethin still held. “Let me introduce you then,” Cethin said quickly, holding the arrow out of her reach and gesturing to the rest of them. The female turned, calculating eyes sweeping over them. “This is my wife, Kailia, Queen of Avonleya.”

“I already know all your names,” she replied far too sweetly. “Cethin has been having me follow you.”

“Really? After all the trust talk last night?” Scarlett asked, her brow arched.

“As if you have not been snooping around wherever you can since you arrived,” Cethin retorted.

He had a point. They had been doing that, and Rayner had been learning as much as he could. His reserves were still fairly depleted, but his eyes were swirling a little faster these days.

“You are an Ash Rider?” Scarlett asked. “Like Rayner?”

Kailia looked back to where Rayner still stood halfway across the arena, watching everything closely. When she turned back, she said, “I suppose so. In some ways.”

“Are there more of you here? More Ash Riders?”

“There are a few others with the gift to move among smoke and ashes, but the gifts of the descendants of Anala vary,” Cethin answered.

“Descendants of Anala?” Scarlett repeated slowly, and Sorin could already hear the satisfaction creeping into her tone. He knew exactly what was going to come from her mouth next. “So Ash Riders are Avonleyan?”

Cethin’s brow creased. “Of course they are Avonleyan. Some are stronger than others, of course, depending on lineage, just like the Fae. But to move among the smoke and ashes like they do, Anala’s bloodline would be strong.” Then his silver eyes widened. “You all do realize the Fae and Avonleyans co-existed until they were separated. There are many on your continent who would be able to claim some type of Avonleyan heritage.”

“Anyone with rare gifts then,” Scarlett continued. “Like a Wind Walker or...” Her gaze cut to Briar and Sawyer. “Water Gazers.”

“That is not possible,” Briar said. Everyone had moved closer when Kalia had arrived, a sort of impromptu meeting taking place in the center of the training arena.

“Yes,” Cethin said. “You truly did not know? Why do you think they rule the Fae Courts? When the Courts were originally established, they were ruled by an Avonleyan and Fae couple, usually an Avonleyan and their Source. Of course, after we were separated, Fae bloodlines would have become more dominant as the Avonleyan lineage was diluted.”

“But Sorin is not an Avonleyan,” Eliza cut in, then seemed to hesitate. “Right?”

“I cannot answer that without seeing family records,” Cethin said. “But I would guess not.”

“Why?” Scarlett asked.

“Because I can feel his power wells.”

Sorin tensed when Scarlett whirled to face him.

Are they depleted?

More each day. You know this, Scarlett.

Her lips pursed, arms crossing. We need to talk to someone, anyone, about this. Why were you sparring with me?

Because you needed it, and I will always give you what you need when it is in my power to do so. We can try Beatrix again. We really should speak with her anyway.

“Do they do this often?” Kailia asked, and Sorin’s eyes cut to her.

“Yes,” Luan answered. “It is annoying and rude.”

“Would you like us to create that super secret handshake, Azzy?” Scarlett asked sweetly. “Would it make you feel better?”

“Insufferable,” he grumbled.

“I think what we all need is some time to... ” Cethin sighed, raking his hand through his hair again. “Fuck. I do not know what we need to do right now.”

“So... day-drinking then?” Scarlett asked. Hale barked a laugh, covering it with a cough.

“We are not going to day-drink,” Sorin sighed.

“Stab things?” Kailia offered.

“No,” Cethin said quickly, and Razik snickered. “Let’s all just go separate ways and regroup after all the unexpected turns of the morning.”

Scarlett sighed deeply as everyone began to disperse. “Let’s get cleaned up and go into Aimonway. There was a sweets shop on one of the corners.”

“You want to go buy candy?” Sorin asked.

“Well, day drinking and stabbing things are off the table, so I guess candy and chocolate it is,” she replied.

Sorin suppressed his laugh, knowing it would likely earn him more violence. His arm fell around her shoulders, and he dropped a kiss to the top of her head. “Candy and chocolate it is,” he agreed.

“Is someone feeling homesick?” Sorin turned and went rigid.

He was on the banks of the Tana River, north of the Fire Palace. He’d walked here with Scarlett on numerous occasions. Had watched her wrestle with her darkness here. This was where she had asked him not to let her drown.

How ironic that now he stood here and looked upon Mikale Lairwood holding her, back pressed to his chest, hand around her throat. Her eyes were wide and pleading, shining with apology.

“It is funny,” Mikale said, dragging the tip of his nose along Scarlett’s temple. “I have never been able to enter your dreams. I have tried. Numerous times. But not until this bond of yours was Anointed.” His other hand dropped, his ?ngers dragging over the twin ?ame Mark on Scarlett’s hand. “But I have been practicing bringing someone from their dreams into another’s for just this occasion.”

Sorin raised a hand, summoning his ?re, but nothing came.

Mikale laughed, a low and ugly thing. “I control things here, Fire Prince.” His hand came up, and this time his ?ngers skimmed along her collarbone, between the valley of her breasts, down her torso where his hand splayed across her stomach.

“You know, I could not enter her dreams for quite some time either. Even before I was told what she truly was, I tried. It was why I needed her that night.” He smirked, ?ngers ?exing around her throat, and he shrugged. “Part of the reason anyway. That night gave me a connection, even if it was only a physical joining. It gave me a way in.”

“You forced her—”

“She was given a choice,” Mikale cut in. “She chose the outcome of that night.” Two tears were slipping down Scarlett’s face, and Sorin had never felt more helpless.

He had never seen her so helpless. Was this what she faced every time Mikale entered her dreams? She had told him, but seeing it—experiencing it ?rsthand — was a completely different matter.

“Let her go,” Sorin ground out.

“No. I do not think I will,” he replied, hand moving from her stomach to her hip. “We tried to tell you she is not yours. Apparently we need to make the message a little clearer.” He tugged Scarlett back into his chest a little more, and a strangled whimper escaped her lips. “Good luck waking her.”

And then he was gone, Scarlett with him.

Sorin jolted awake, turning to Scarlett’s sleeping form beside him on the bed. Her face was pinched in pain, tears on her face exactly as they had been in the dream.

“Scarlett. Love.” He shook her shoulders, hand smoothing over her hair. “Scarlett. Wake up. I’m here.”

Her eyelids did not even ?utter.

“Scarlett,” he growled, an order that she refused to follow even in sleep.

Scarlett!

Nothing. He could feel nothing down the bond. He could not feel her emotions. Could not hear her thoughts. He could not feel her .

He tried once more to wake her before he was out the door, slipping his pants on as he went. The front of his pants weren’t even buttoned when he was pounding on Cassius’s door.

“Cassius!” His ?st hit the wood again, not caring if he woke the entire godsdamn house. “Cassius! She is in trouble!”

“Sorin?”

He twisted, the door across the hall opening to Cyrus’s room. He didn’t have time to process that Cassius was in Cyrus’s room at this hour.

“You need to Travel and get Cethin. Now!” Sorin said, rushing over to him.

“Sorin, calm down,” Cyrus tried, coming out behind Cassius.

“I will not calm down,” Sorin snarled. “Go, Cassius!”

“It is the middle of the night—”

“Mikale has her! Trapped in some godsdamn dream! I cannot wake her! Go and get Cethin!”

He turned from them, racing back into the suite. Scarlett hadn’t moved an inch.

It was only a few minutes, but it felt like hours until Cassius appeared with Cethin. Cyrus, Kailia, and Razik were with them. Sorin spent the entire time trying to wake her, pulling her into his arms, smoothing back her hair. He sent his fire trying to rouse her shadows, her starfire, anything. “Tell me what happened,” Cethin said tightly as he took in Scarlett, his features tense. Kailia reached up, running her hand down his back while murmuring something to Razik.

“We were sleeping. Mikale— He brought her into my dream. Said he was going to keep her— Fuck! Just dream-walk and go get her!”

“They are getting smarter. I did not think he would be able to carry others when dream-walking,” Cethin murmured, reaching out and running his ?ngers along Scarlett’s brow.

“What are you waiting for?” Sorin demanded. “Go get her.”

“I can’t,” Cethin said, the agony of that statement clear in his tone.

“Why the fuck not?” Cassius asked, looking as helpless as Sorin felt.

“A number of reasons, not the least of which is that my reserves are not full enough for me to do such a thing. I do not have a Source to draw from,” Cethin answered. “But even if I could... ”

“You would not,” Sorin spat. “After all of this, you still will not help her? We are ?nally here! What more do you want from her?”

“I did everything I could every time I saw her,” Cethin snapped back. “You think I did not want to tell her more? I was the one who awakened her magic. I was the one who made sure Shirina became bonded to her when you broke her heart. I told her to ?nd a Source, ?nd the keys, discovered the draining Mark. I was the one who risked the wrath of Arius to make sure you came back to her.”

“What?” Sorin said, lurching back.

Cethin’s mouth snapped shut, his silver eyes hard.

“Is there another way to help her, Cethin?” Kailia asked, utterly calm and collected. Sorin wanted to throw something at her. There was no way she understood the gravity of this situation. Did Cethin tell his wife nothing?

“You should be able to reach her with your twin ?ame bond,” Cethin said, rounding back on Sorin, accusation heavy in voice. “Nothing should be above that. The gods designed it that way.”

“This has happened one other time,” Cyrus said, seeing the violence simmering in Sorin’s eyes. “Mikale came to Scarlett in a mirror. She called for him down the bond, and he did not hear her.”

“Before or after it was Anointed?” Cethin asked.

“After.”

“Impossible,” the king scoffed.

“Not impossible,” Sorin ground out. “The bond has felt different since I almost died—”

“You did die,” Cyrus cut in.

“I thought it was because the bond was Anointed shortly after. Just an adjustment, but...” He trailed off, running his hand over her hair again. She was trapped in her head. With Mikale. Alone. The gods knew what he was doing to her.

“The cost,” Cethin said, his voice pained. “This was the cost for you to come back.”

“No,” Sorin said, shaking his head. “The cost was my power. Itis slowly depleting. It is not as it once was and becomes less by the day.”

“Until there will be nothing left. Until you will, essentially, be powerless,” Cethin said, his tone growing softer, gentler. Placating. “Until you are merely a mortal with a longer lifespan. Mortals do not have twin ?ames, Sorin.”

“No,” Cyrus snarled. “That is... not possible.”

“It is,” Cethin said. “She said there would be a cost. I offered to pay it. I gladly would have, but she said it would not be me.”

Sorin could hardly breathe. He could scarcely hear them anymore. Sounds were muf?ed, and the voices were droning, mixing with one another until he couldn’t tell who was speaking. This was the sacri?ce required of him to stay with her? Their twin ?ame bond? His magic? Without it, he could not be her Source. And she could not claim another as long as he remained living. What kind of fucked-up games were the Fates playing?

“Who? Who said that?” Cassius asked, cutting through the din of his spiraling thoughts.

“Sera?na,” Cethin answered.

“Sera?na,” Cyrus repeated. “You spoke with Sera?na?”

“I dream-walked to Sorin beyond the Veil,” Cethin said. “I was searching for Arius, to beg for him to send Sorin back. I knew...” His voice was thick with emotion as he glanced down at Scarlett. “I knew that this would truly break her. That she would implode and take the world with her. I knew that without you, she would have no hope, and we would all fall with her.”

Cethin cleared his throat, Kailia threading her ?ngers between his and leaning into his side. “Our mother sent me, gave me enough power to do such a thing. Dream-walk beyond the Veil. I was racing death itself, hoping to ?nd you before it was too late, but Sera?na found me ?rst. I thought she was going to make me leave, take you to Arius herself. I begged her, on behalf of Scarlett. When she ?nally agreed, she said there would be a cost.”

“Did she say anything else?” Cassius asked, lowering to the bed beside Sorin and reaching for one of Scarlett’s hands.

“She told Sorin to go home, and that Anala would ?nd it interesting that you were bonded to Amaré.”

“Why?”

Cethin shrugged. “My guess would be because he is not the most powerful ?re Fae.”

“But he was until... ” Cyrus argued.

“That is a debate for another time,” Razik said. “What do we do now, Cethin?”

“She is strong enough to break the dream-hold he has on her. I can feel her reserves,” Cethin said. “He should not be able to hold her there.”

“He controls her in those dreams. She has told me as much,” Sorin said.

“Then she lets him,” Cethin replied. “He may have had to kill a Sera?na Legacy to get those gifts, but she is still stronger and more powerful.”

“Which means his hold on her is all mental,” Cassius said quietly, his eyes shuttering closed as he tipped his head back, hurting for her not as her Guardian but as her soulmate.

“What do I do?” Sorin demanded. “I cannot just sit here.”

“Keep trying to reach her down the bond,” Cethin said. “I have some books at home I can look through. See if there is anything.”

Sorin did not bother responding. He’d summoned Cethin here for help, and he’d given him nothing. He did not give a shit what he did at this point. If he wasn’t going to help her, he could get out.

“I can stay,” Razik was saying. “Be the go-between in case they need something.”

“We do not need you,” Cassius said coldly, refusing to look at his cousin. Sorin was certain that had not been addressed yet, despite Scarlett telling Razik that Cassius knew everything.

“You came to us for help,” Razik retorted.

“And you can give us none,” Cassius snapped.

“Hey,” Cyrus interjected, stepping between the two. “Let’s just...” He sighed deeply. “It will be better if he stays, Cass. Cethin can send him messages if he ?nds something, and if something changes here, Razik will know how to reach Cethin.”

“Fine.”

“Cass—”

“I said ?ne,” Cassius bit out, angling his body away from them and focusing on Scarlett. “Are you still trying to reach her?”

“I have not stopped,” Sorin said, not caring what the rest of them did anymore.

Scarlett. Love. You are stronger than he is. You can ?ght this.

Nothing.

“Come on, Seastar,” Cassius was muttering.

And Sorin was ?ashing back to another time, in another room, when Cassius had been trying to wake her. When shadows had drifted from her palms as she had thrashed atop her bed, sweat matting her hair to her forehead. When her dreams had been of nightmares past. He’d been able to reach her that time, had pulled her from that dark place. He’d reached her that time and so many others, promising to never leave her alone in the dark. He wouldn’t leave her alone now either.

Scarlett Aditya, listen to me and hear me well. He does not get any piece of you. He does not get to keep any of what he has taken from you. He does not get to keep you from me. You are all mine. Every bright star and darkest crevice of your soul is mine. Do you understand me? You are mine. All the way through the darkness. Now, wake the fuck up.

There was a strangled gasp as she bolted upright, her cheeks already wet from tears suddenly coursing down her face. He was pulling her into his chest, her nails scraping against his ?esh as she tried to grasp any part of him.

“Sorin.”

His name was a cry and a plea. He already knew what she was asking for.

“Everyone get out,” he said tightly, clutching her to him with one arm banded around her waist. His other hand was already at her throat, ?ngers tracing where Mikale had touched her in his dream.

No one said a word, and Cassius slowly rose from the bed. “If you need something... ”

“I won’t.”

Cassius nodded once before turning and following the rest of them out.

And as he went about replacing Mikale’s touch with his own, reclaiming what Mikale thought he could take from them, a vow settled deep in his being.

Scarlett could have Alaric. She could claim his kill and make it as tortuous as possible. She could have Alaric and Lord Tyndell and every other Maraan Lord and seraph. But Mikale? He was claiming that death, even if all he had when the time came was a sword and his bare hands.