Page 42

Chapter 41

Cyrus

C yrus was leaning back against the wall seated on a bench, watching Scarlett and Rayner move around the dance ?oor.

Sorin had convinced Eliza to go back up to her guest room a little bit ago. She had gone pale and was undoubtedly overdoing it by staying down here far longer than she should have. She’d ?nally relented as long as Sorin was the one to escort her back and not Razik.

The male in question was seated beside him. Cassius sat on Cyrus’s other side. With Eliza being stuck here to stay close to the Healer, they’d been hanging around the castle the last few days. They’d found themselves spending more and more time with Cassius’s cousin, and while the male was certainly a prick, Cyrus found he didn’t mind him. He was helping Cassius learn to harness his magic and continued to train him. He was an excellent warrior, which was to be expected with Sargon’s blood running in his veins, and he was knowledgeable. Cyrus had asked him questions for nearly two hours the other day, and he’d answered every single one. Granted, he had seemed utterly annoyed the entire time, but he’d still answered them.

“I cannot believe you brought that here tonight,” Cassius said, eye ?xed on the object in Cyrus’s hand.

He’d been absentmindedly ?ddling with the sea glass item that he’d pulled from his pocket. It was Sawyer’s mirror that he’d stolen. He’d hinted at it that night they’d raced through the hedge maze. From the glare Sawyer had given him the next morning, he knew it was gone. Which meant he’d be trying to get it back.

Since Cyrus was staying at the castle right now, and there was a big event planned, it was the perfect time to attempt to steal it back. It’s what he would have done, and Sawyer had gone conspicuously missing a few hours ago. Which is precisely why he’d slipped the mirror into his pocket before heading down to the festivities tonight.

“Strategy,” Cyrus said with a wink at Cass, ?ipping the mirror between his ?ngers again.

Cassius gave him a droll look as he ?nished off the mug of ale he’d been drinking.

“Do you have an attachment to this trinket?” Razik asked. “Or the female that you glimpse in it at times?”

“No, I am not attached— Wait, what female?”

Cyrus ?ipped the mirror over, staring at the re?ective surface. There was nothing in it. The mirror itself was imbued with Water Gazer magic, but Cyrus had still assumed only Water Gazers could see anything in it. If Cethin or Scarlett had seen something, that could have maybe been explained away since their father was a Legacy of Anahita, but Razik? He was Sargon and Shifter.

Unless Cyrus had misunderstood how the mirror worked.

Cassius leaned in, peering at the mirror over his shoulder, and Cyrus clamped down at the heat of his body being so close.

They hadn’t spoken of Cassius getting a Source or going to Aelyndee since the night Cassius had kissed him again. The godsdamn prick. They’d gone to Rydeon, split up on their tasks. Cass had guarded Scarlett as her Guardian, and he’d guarded Drake with Eliza. He’d never admit it, but he was glad he’d been partnered with someone because his focus had de?nitely not been entirely on Drake.

Then they’d been staying at the castle with Eliza. They’d been given suites in the wing on Scarlett’s ?oor. The rooms were big— alarge sitting room with seating and dining space, small study, bedchamber, bathing room.

They were too big. Too much quiet in such an empty space. Too many places for memories to lurk.

He’d lasted two hours before he’d found himself outside of Cassius’s door. He was in the suite next to his, and Cyrus stood in that hall for ?fteen minutes, cursing himself up and down, before he ?nally knocked on the door. It opened within seconds, as if Cassius had been waiting for him. He’d been shirtless. Again. No patch. Barefoot. But he noticeably hadn’t been sleeping either.

“No talk of Sources,” he’d said.

“No talk of Aelyndee,” Cyrus had replied.

Cass had nodded, stepping aside and moving to the alcohol cart in his rooms. He’d passed Cyrus a glass of liquor before he’d moved back to the sofa, picking up the book and notes he’d been poring over. It had taken him a while to realize it was the same book he’d been studying that night they’d argued, but he had been too busy breathing deeply for the ?rst time all night to ask him about it.

He didn’t know how to navigate this thing with Cassius. It had been different with Merrik. They’d both been little idiots, learning the ways of the world, the ways of their bodies, and everything in between. They’d fumbled through all of it, their relationship included, learning as they went until they were dealt one of life’s hardest lessons: loss and grief. Or at least he was. Cyrus had always thought Merrik got the better end of that deal, not having to learn how to keep going when it hurt to breathe.

Thia had been different too. Everything had been instant with her. They’d both felt the pull of the twin ?ame bond. Things had become heated and passionate right from the start. That described their entire relationship. She’d challenged him, yes. Was perfect in every godsdamn way. But Cyrus had always been waiting for her to get taken away from him. Cassius had been right that night. When she’d died, it had only con?rmed what he’d always suspected.

But this thing with Cassius had been slowly building, and Cyrus didn’t know what to do with it. Things hadn’t been easy, per se, with Thia, but they’d certainly been easier than this. No, that wasn’t true either. They had just been different. The challenges they’d faced together had been different.

“You haven’t seen her?” Razik asked. “Every once in a while there is a ?ash of her in there.”

Cassius’s ?ngers closed around his hand, tilting the mirror in his direction, and fuck him and his casual fucking contact.

“The mirror is usually hidden. Out of sight. Out of mind,” Cyrus said, watching the re?ective surface carefully.

“How many times have you seen her since we have been sitting here?” Cassius asked, face so close to Cyrus, his hair was brushing his cheek. He’d pulled the shaggy brown strands up and tied them back for the ball tonight, but a lot of it had slipped free again.

“A few,” Razik said with a shrug.

“Helpful,” Cyrus deadpanned.

“I assumed she was of some signi?cance to you,” Razik said. “It was not my business, but I was curious how that worked with you two being together.”

Neither Cyrus nor Cassius said anything to that.

“It has been a while since I have seen her, but I was not monitoring it all evening. Just saw glimpses,” Razik said.

Cyrus and Cassius both muttered something of acknowledgment as they watched the mirror, Cass’s ?ngers still wrapped around his hand. Which wasn’t helping his focus. Granted, they were just watching a small mirror. It didn’t exactly require a lot of concentration, but gods. His touch made him think of the way he’d felt underneath him in that training arena. Cassius straddling him, the feel of his—

“Is that who I think it is?” Cassius said, leaning in even closer, pulling Cyrus from things he really should not be thinking about right now.

“It can’t be,” Cyrus said, bringing the mirror closer. “Why would Sawyer have a mirror that showed him Talwyn?”

“The Fae Queen?” Razik asked, leaning in to look too.

“The dead Fae Queen when Scarlett gets a hold of her,” Cyrus muttered.

“You still think she will kill her?” Cassius asked, watching Talwyn in the mirror.

Cyrus snorted a laugh. “I can’t believe you are asking that. If Scarlett had seen Talwyn on any of our missions to the continent, she would have either killed her there or brought her here to do so slowly. Likely the latter now that I say it out loud.”

“Fair point,” Cassius said. “Where is she?”

“I don’t know,” Cyrus said. He couldn’t see much behind the Fae Queen. All he could tell was that she was by water. A moment later, she was gone from the re?ection again. He glanced up, spotting Sawyer with Briar, Neve, and Azrael across the hall. “But I’m guessing he might.”

“Of course he will also want it back,” Cassius said, getting to his feet to follow Cyrus, who was already making his way between bodies, heading towards Sawyer.

“Yes, but Talwyn is up to something. If we can use this mirror to watch her? It’s a fair tradeoff. I can nick it again another time,” Cyrus said, Cassius reaching his side in a few long strides.

They made it to the other Fae within a few minutes, and Cyrus sidled in between Sawyer and Azrael. He slung an arm around Sawyer’s shoulders. “Question for you.”

Sawyer’s eyes narrowed in suspicion while Briar huffed a laugh, sipping from his drink.

Cyrus took the mirror from his pocket, toying with it between his ?ngers. “Tell me about this mirror.”

“It is mine,” Sawyer snapped, a hand darting out to snatch it from him.

Cyrus yanked it back out of his reach. “Finders keepers, right?” “Godsdamnit, Cyrus. You are a bastard,” Sawyer muttered.

“Well established fact,” he agreed. “But I’ll make you a deal, Baby Drayce. You tell me about your fancy mirror, and I’ll give it back to you.”

“Just like that?” Sawyer asked suspiciously.

“Just like that.”

“Even I do not believe you,” Briar said with another laugh, watching the exchange.

“We saw... ” Cyrus paused, glancing at Azrael. The male might have sworn loyalty to Scarlett, but he didn’t know where the prince stood with Talwyn at this point. “We saw someone in the mirror.”

“Who?” Briar asked, slowly lowering his cup that had been halfway to his lips.

“Better question,” Cyrus countered. “Where?”

“The mirror was passed down from our father,” Briar said, reaching for it. Cyrus let him take it without fuss. “We were told the ?rst Water Court Prince made it. I was not quite sure I believed him, but knowing now he was Avonleyan and had Anahita’s bloodline running in his veins, it makes it more believable.”

“Do you have one too?” Cassius asked.

“No,” Briar said, handing it over to his brother. “There was only one. I do not know who our father intended on passing it down to, but I do remember Sawyer was obsessed with it as a child. Would spend hours playing with it, listening to father’s stories about it.” Sawyer had gone quiet, the mirror clutched so tightly in his ?st, his knuckles were turning white. “When our parents were killed, I insisted Sawyer take it. It had always meant more to him than me.”

Well, Cyrus definitely felt like the bastard he’d been called now. He’d known the mirror was special to Sawyer but had never known why.

Cyrus shoved his guilt aside, asking, “So he would be the most knowledgeable about the mirror?”

Briar nodded, Azrael and Neve listening intently to every word being said beside him.

“How does it work?” Cassius asked.

“It is really not that complicated,” Sawyer said tightly, opening his palm to look at the mirror. “It was imbued in Anahita’s Springs.”

“The hidden springs of the Water Court?” Cyrus asked.

“Those are the ones. It shows the re?ection of the springs. If someone is looking into the waters, you would see them in the mirror ,” Sawyer explained.

“And you do not have to be a Water Gazer to utilize it?” Cassius clari?ed.

Sawyer shook his head. “The magic is in the mirror itself, not the holder or the person on the other side.” He paused for a moment before he asked again, “Who did you see?”

“Not important,” Cyrus said, gripping Cassius’s forearm and tugging him backwards. “Thanks for the history lesson.”

“Cyrus... ” Briar said, his eyes narrowing in warning. “Where is Sorin?”

“With Eliza,” Cyrus answered over his shoulder, dragging Cassius with him.

“What the hell, Cyrus?” Cassius demanded, when they were out of earshot. “Did you know you were stealing something that had sentimental value all this time?”

“No,” Cyrus replied. “And yes, I feel like a jackass.”

“At least you acknowledge it,” Cassius muttered. “I cannot believe you made me help you steal a mirror that belonged to his father.”

“Well get over it. We’re about to go steal a queen,” Cyrus said, eyes sweeping the room for Scarlett.

“What are you talking about?”

“I know where the Springs are. If Talwyn is there, we can go get her.”

“You think Scarlett is going to help us leave the Wards? To go get Talwyn?” Cassius asked doubtfully.

“I know she will,” Cyrus answered. He spotted Scarlett a moment later, speaking with Cethin and Kailia. He whistled at Razik, who was still sitting on the bench they’d been sitting on earlier. The dragon shifter looked over at him before ?ipping him off. Admittedly, Cyrus should have known better than to try to get his attention that way.

He wandered over to him and said, “Want to come with us to get my queen a present?”

“Why would I want to do that?” Razik asked. His lip curled as if the mere idea of that disgusted him.

“Because it involves hunting down a powerful Fae Queen on my continent. You can stretch those wings a little bit,” Cyrus answered.

Razik shrugged, getting to his feet. “I don’t have anything better to do.”

Cyrus sent a ?re message to Scarlett and watched as she reached up, plucking it from the ?ames. Somehow, she immediately found him in the sea of bodies, her head titling with interest.

“Come on,” Cyrus muttered. “She’s going to meet us in the king’s lounge.”

They hurried up the stairs they’d come down at the beginning of the night, slipping into the lounge, and a few minutes later, Scarlett did the same.

“You brought me a present?” she asked, the same suspicion that had ?lled Sawyer’s eyes ?lling hers. “To thank me for taking down the magical wards?”

“Not exactly,” Cyrus said. “It’s not here yet.”

“Then where is it?”

“In the Water Court.”

Scarlett went still. “What, exactly, is going on?” Her eyes shifted to her Guardian. “Cassius?”

Cass rubbed at the back of his neck. “We may have learned where Talwyn is, and Cyrus wants to go get her.”

“Talwyn?” She hissed the name more than she said it.

Cyrus nodded, adrenaline already ?ooding his system. “The three of us can go get her, Darling. It takes her out of play for the Maraans. Gets her out of our Courts. And—”

“Her death is mine,” Scarlett snarled, and shit. She was terrifying when she got this way. This was Death’s Maiden staring back at them. A Wraith of Death, not the Avonleyan Princess.

“Of course it is,” Cyrus said quickly. “Let us go get her.”

“How?” she gritted out.

“Cass can Travel us to the Water Court Palace. From there, I can get us to the Springs,” he said. “Razik will come with us.”

“I still have the vial of Cethin’s blood from the last trip to Rydeon,” Razik said, completely apathetic. “We’d just need some of yours to leave the Wards.”

“You will get her and bring her back to me?” Scarlett clari?ed, and that was de?nitely bloodlust and hatred shining in her eyes.

“Yes, Darling,” Cyrus purred. “Just tell me where to drop her.”

“At my feet,” Scarlett snarled.

“As you wish, my queen.”

Scarlett paced a few steps before whirling back on him. “You and Razik go. Cassius can stay back with me.”

“He’s the only one who can Travel us there,” Cyrus argued. “Razik has only been to the Necropolis.”

“You’re not taking Cassius with you.”

“Then how else do you propose we get there?” Scarlett pursed her lips, but before she could say anything, Cyrus warned, “And don’t even think of suggesting you going, or I’m telling Sorin everything. That we’re going to get Talwyn so you can exact revenge.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” she hissed.

Cyrus stepped closer, bringing his face right up to hers. “I would dare.”

“This is an interesting dynamic,” Razik quipped, watching everything with bored amusement.

Scarlett sent him a droll look before turning back to Cyrus. “I swear to Arius, Cyrus, if you take him with you and something happens to him—”

“Nothing is going to happen to him, Darling. I’ll be there, and Razik will be there with his fancy dragon tricks.”

Scarlett bit her lip, still not entirely on board with this plan.

“Don’t either of you ?nd it a little ridiculous that you are debating my safety when I am, in fact, a Guardian and an actual descendent of Sargon? With the same dragon magic as Razik?” Cassius cut in.

Scarlett and Cyrus both glanced at him brie?y before she turned back to Cyrus. “If anything happens to him, the things I will do to you will make what I did to the man who choked on his balls—”

“Gods! Stop!” Cyrus snapped with a grimace. “I got it. Don’t let anything happen to the Witch child.”

“Fuck both of you,” Cassius said, ?ipping them off.

“So we’re doing this then?” Razik asked, pushing off the wall he’d been leaning against.

“My queen?” Cyrus asked, a wicked grin curving up on the corner of his lips.

Shadows ?itted across her eyes and more curled around her arms. “Bring me Talwyn.”

“Directly on the High Witch’s front step?” Cyrus asked, looking around when they stepped from the air. “Bold move.”

“Stupid move,” another voice sneered. “Three males showing up unattended by a female? You must wish for death.”

“Not death. Just a word with Hazel,” Cassius replied, his chin lifting.

“How dare you call her by her name,” the Witch snarled, the sword she’d drawn rising and leveling at Cassius’s throat.

“Believe me, there are plenty of other things I could call her,” Cassius retorted, and damn. He might have forgiven his father for not being there while he’d grown up, but that evidently did not extend to his mother.

Before the Witch could reply, the front door opened and the High Witch herself stood there. Cyrus immediately bowed low. Razik crossed his arms, looking her up and down once, while Cassius just stared back at her. She seemed to peer around them before she asked, “You travel alone?”

“If you are asking if Scarlett is here, the answer is no,” Cassius replied. Then his head tilted to the side. “Unless you are inquiring after Tybalt?”

The High Witch’s lips pursed, her sharp features hardening even more. “Come with me.” She looked at the other Witch. “I do not require assistance, Arantaxa.”

The other looked like she wanted to argue, but wisely nodded in agreement, turning her back on them.

They stepped into the High Witch’s home. It was the ?rst time Cyrus had ever done so. Cassius had come here one other time with Scarlett. It had not gone well. They’d had to be discreet and secretive because Hazel had not wanted the other Witches to know of his existence yet, and Cyrus was sure that was what upset Cassius most of all. Tybalt was ecstatic to have a son, introduced him as such every chance he got. The High Witch kept his identity a secret under the guise of protecting him. She gave the same explanation for having abandoned him in the mortal kingdoms.

“Who is this?” the High Witch asked, trying and failing to keep the sneer off her face as she looked over her shoulder at Razik.

“My brother,” Cassius replied tightly.

The High Witch nearly tripped over air. She was quiet for a long moment, seeming to gather herself, before she turned to face them fully. “Do you bring news?”

“We do not have time for that,” Cassius replied, stepping forward. “We came because we need your help.”

“My help?” the High Witch asked, brows shooting up.

“A few days ago we were in a ?ght in Rydeon. Sybil had a potion that nulli?ed powers. We need one that would do that to a Fae but not affect an Avonleyan.”

“For what purpose?” the High Witch asked.

“None of yours,” Cassius returned coldly.

Her ?ngers twitched at her sides, but other than that, the High Witch had no reaction. “It is rumored my sister has met her end.”

“She has,” Cassius con?rmed. “At the hands of a mortal male.”

Again her ?ngers twitched, a brief glimpse of shock skating across her features, before they were hard once more. “Good. Come with me.”

She turned, leading them through her home, and Cyrus couldn’t help but notice there was no one else present. Did she live in this giant castle by herself ? That protective of her privacy and secrets?

They followed her down several halls before they entered some kind of storeroom. There was no other way to describe the room they were in. Shelves lined the walls and freestanding shelves were throughout the room. It was like being in a library only with vials instead of books.

“What are all these?” Cyrus asked, forgetting he was in the presence of the High Witch. Surprisingly, she answered him.

“Do you think we have not been preparing for war as you have been?” the High Witch demanded.

“These are all for battle?” Razik asked. “Impressive.”

“I do not require the approval of a male,” she snapped. She came to a stop beside some shelves lined with vials that held grey liquid. Pulling one from the shelf, she held it out to Cassius. “Add your blood and his to it. When you use it, throw it to the ground to enact the spell.”

“It will work on Talwyn?” Cassius asked.

“This one will, with your blood added to it,” the High Witch replied. “You are as much Witch as you are Sargon.”

Cassius glared back at her. “One wanted me and one didn’t. Forgive me for embracing the half of me that did.”

“You are both, whether you embrace it or not. It would be stupid not to master all parts of you with war on the horizon.”

“She is not wrong,” Razik said, perusing the other vials on the shelves.

“No one asked you,” Cassius bit out, slipping the vial into his pocket.

“What else do you need?” the High Witch asked.

“Some place to stay until nightfall,” Cassius answered. “You may stay here. No one will bother you.”

Cassius nodded. “Can we take two? Just in case?”

“You can take whatever you need,” the High Witch answered.

“This is all I need.”

Hazel nodded curtly, gesturing for them to follow her back out of the storeroom. They went down two more passages before she pushed open the doors to a large dining area. “I will have some food prepared. So you can eat before you do whatever it is you are here to do this evening.”

She was gone a moment later, the doors thudding shut behind her. “So that was your mother,” Razik commented a heartbeat later.

“In that she birthed me, yes,” Cassius replied.

“She seems to care.”

“Enough to abandon me in the mortal lands and let me fend for myself.”

Cyrus was silent, taking a seat at the table. Cassius stood rigidly near a window, looking out at the Witch lands.

“She did it to keep you safe,” Razik said, something Cyrus couldn’t quite read entering his tone. “She clearly wishes that had not been the case.”

“What do you know of it?” Cassius snapped, rounding on him.

Razik gave him a razor-sharp smile from the chair he’d taken. “I know what it is to be truly and willfully abandoned, Cassius. That was not this.” Silence descended on the room and stayed, even when Hazel returned with food. She did not linger, giving Cassius one last look, before she left them to themselves until night.

They emerged just after sunset, the sky so cloudy they couldn’t see the stars or the moon.

Perfect for sneaking up on an unsuspecting Fae Queen.

They’d spent the afternoon planning, getting Razik up to speed on Talwyn and her powers, and sharpening weapons.

Cyrus wasn’t sure what to expect from her. Would they be able to surprise her? How much would she ?ght them? Were there others with her that they would have to ?ght as well? Would she be able to summon one of the Maraans?

Admittedly, this wasn’t the best planned mission, and he tried not to remember the last mission that hadn’t been properly planned. This was different. There were two who could Travel them out of there if needed, and both of them had dragon ?re. Razik could literally shift into a dragon. This would be ?ne. That’s what he kept telling himself anyway.

Cassius and Cyrus both had ?ghting leathers on, while Razik apparently felt his scales were enough, along with his usual twin short-swords. Save for a few knives down his boots, those were the only weapons he had on him. Cyrus and Cassius had at least a dozen more weapons on them each, but Razik said if he needed to shift fully, the weapons just got in his way. Neither of them were about to argue with him.

Anahita’s Springs were located northwest of the House of Water, and Cassius had Traveled as close to the spot as he’d been able to. It was still a good hour of moving across the dry plains of the Water Court. Three warriors stalking unknowing prey. If she only knew what was coming for her.

Cyrus had wanted this for years, ever since Talwyn had turned her back on them. Sure, one could argue Sorin had failed her in some fundamental way when he lost himself after Eliné left, but Talwyn’s sins had been just as grave. She’d needlessly isolated the Fire and Water Courts, and then wondered why there was such animosity. She acted as if she was the only one who had faced hardship and loss.

She didn’t know what hardship was, but she was about to ?nd out. His queen would make sure of that.

He could still remember what it felt like to rip apart those Night Children who had taken Thia from him. The bloodlust he had descended into, relishing every kill. More than ?re had burned that night, and the embers of that bloodletting still burned hot in the depths of his soul. It had been a long time since he’d let his darkness out to play, and he was more than glad to fan those ?ames a little bit.

And playing was exactly what he intended to do before turning her over to Scarlett.

When the vegetation started getting denser, he knew they were getting close. They had maybe a mile to go before they’d be at the edge of the Springs. They slowed to make their approach soundless, each pulling a vial from their pocket and knocking back the contents. The High Witch had offered the tonics to them before they’d left, saying it would mask their scents.

They heard the waters cascading down the small rock formations before they saw it. They were all crouched down, peering between foliage. A black wolf sat at the edge of the pond. Azrael and Scarlett had told them she had learned to Shift. Queen Henna had been able to Shift too, into a beautiful white wolf.

“Will she run?” Razik asked quietly, studying the wolf before them. “I hope so. And when she does, you stop her,” Cyrus answered.

Cassius and Razik nodded, each moving in a separate direction so they could surround her. Cyrus waited a full ?fteen minutes to give them time to get into position before he straightened. The wolf ’s ears cocked, and she stood, turning to face him as he stepped from the surrounding trees. His hand was in his pocket, ?ngering the potion from Hazel. It would nullify his magic too, but he wasn’t worried about that. He could overpower her in hand-to-hand combat if neither of them could access their magic.

There was a ?ash of faint green light, and the Fae Queen of the Eastern Courts stood before him. She looked like she always did. Brown pants. White tunic. Brown boots. Hair braided down her back. There were no swords peeking over her shoulders, but hard jade green eyes stared at him, the same emotionless mask on her face as always.

“Cyrus?”

“Talwyn,” he returned, casually prowling forward.

She looked around, as though she had been expecting someone else, and he immediately tensed, wondering who else would be out here with her.

“What are you doing here?” she asked sharply when she didn’t appear to ?nd who she was looking for.

“My queen wants a word,” he replied darkly, ?ames winding up his legs.

She noted the movement, winds beginning to disrupt the surrounding vegetation. “So she sends you to retrieve me like a good dog?”

“Says the wolf,” Cyrus returned. “I assure you, those who came with me say more than ‘woof.’”

Her eyes darted around the space again. “Who else is here?”

“No one who will save you.”

“I did not ask to be saved,” she retorted sharply. “I will even go with you, but only if I can see Briar before you deliver me to Scarlett.”

“You are really not in any place to be making demands,” he said, pulling the vial from his pocket.

He sent a burst of ?ames in her direction, forcing her to react and ?inch away so she did not see the vial coming. It landed at her feet, smoke billowing up around them. His ?ames instantly died, his veins going cold. It sucked, but at least he was prepared for it. Talwyn was not.

She blinked, staggering as she backed away from him. “What did you do?” she asked in horror.

“Made sure you didn’t get any crazy ideas about escaping this fate.”

“I cannot ?ght without my magic,” she gasped, holding her palms in front of her. She stared down at them as if she couldn’t comprehend what had happened when no magic appeared at her ?ngertips.

“No,” Cyrus agreed. He was only about a foot away from her now. He leaned in as he whispered the next words. “But you can run.”

Her eyes went wide. He could see the dilemma in those jade irises. Face him and ?ght, or try to ?ee. He saw the moment her resolve took over. She didn’t run, but she did take a step back from him.

“Who is out here with you?” Cyrus asked, following her as she retreated backwards.

“No one. I was being held in the Baylorin cells. Nuri helped me escape.”

“You expect me to believe that? After you fought against us? Nuri wouldn’t help you.”

“But she did,” Talwyn insisted, panic ?lling her gaze now. “I swear I will come with you, Cyrus. Just take me to Briar ?rst. It is important.”

“I promised my queen I would drop you at her feet, and that is exactly what I intend to do.”

“Please, Cyrus.”

“It is not me you need to beg for mercy.”

“I am not begging for mercy,” she spat, frustration overtaking her panic. “If you will not permit me to see Briar ?rst, then I will ?ght you on this. I will run.”

Cyrus smirked at her, a wicked thing that ?lled his entire face. “I wonder, can wolves run faster than dragons can ?y?”

“What?”

“Make your choice, Talwyn.”

She turned without another moment of hesitation, sprinting away from him into the trees. He stalked after her, not in too much of a hurry, knowing Razik and Cassius had eyes on her. The rustling of the trees told him they’d already launched into the sky.

It was a few minutes later when he heard her muf?ed scream. A few moments after that when he found her, Cassius holding her wrists as she struggled to free herself. His wings were out, eyes glowing.

“What are you doing out here without weapons anyway?” Cyrus drawled, lazily moving towards her.

“I was not able to take any with me. I told you, Nuri helped me escape. I have been hiding here, trying to reach Briar. Instead I got you,” she spat. She looked over her shoulder and sneered, “And some sort of hybrid, I guess.”

“If you want the full thing, just ask,” said a voice as dark as the night he dropped out of. Dragon ?re ?ared, casting everything in eerie shadows that danced around them. His scaled ?esh glis tened, and the ground shook slightly when he landed before them. Talwyn shrank back into Cassius.

“Rumor is you want revenge against my kingdom,” Razik purred, a sharp smile on his lips, sapphire eyes glowing brightly in the night.

“Who are you?” Talwyn demanded. Cyrus had to give her some credit. She almost sounded like the feared queen she’d once been, but the quiver in her voice gave her away.

“I am many different things. Son of the Commander of the Avonleyan forces. Grandson of Sargon, god of war and courage. Hand to the King of Avonleya.”

Talwyn slumped to her knees, and Cassius let her go. The three of them closed in around her, looking down at the Fae Queen who had nearly broken Scarlett. Who had tried to take everything from her, from them. She was visibly trembling below them, and Cyrus had never felt so satis?ed at seeing tears glimmer in someone’s eyes.

“But to you,” Razik continued, “I am a messenger of my -princess.”

“Your princess?” she repeated, her chin still de?antly raised, despite the meekness of her voice.

“I believe you know her better as Queen Scarlett Aditya, but I know her as the sister of my king,” Razik replied. “And she is waiting for you.”