Page 113 of Lady of Starfire (Lady of Darkness #5)

Nuri dropped unceremoniously into a chair that Mordecai pulled out for her. “Is there? It is hard to remember every little thing I have been doing for you, especially as I’ve been recovering from having godsdamn shirastone shoved into my shoulder.”

Scarlett propped her chin in her palm. “You’re welcome, by the way.”

Nuri gave her a snarky sneer as she flipped her off.

“I am assuming since these two are here,” Mordecai cut in, pushing Nuri’s finger down and nodding at Cyrus and Cassius, “this is about the Semiria rings.”

“Why would this be about those?” Scarlett asked, straightening in her seat.

Breakfasts were forgotten as Cassius and Cyrus told them what they had learned, with Mordecai offering clarification when needed. Nuri didn’t say a word, and Sorin had to wonder if she didn’t want to, or if she couldn’t due to some order from the Blood Bond.

When they were done, Scarlett twisted to look at Hazel. “Can you do this? Help them find this missing Semiria ring?”

“Yes,” Hazel answered. “There is a spell in my mother’s spell book that will work.”

“Then we need to get the other two. To destroy this portal key, correct?”

“Eventually, yes,” Mordecai said.

“Not eventually,” Scarlett replied. “I want all ways into this world closed. Anyone who wants in, will need to go through me. The mirror gates are taken care of. We find these rings and destroy this portal key.” Her gaze went to Hale. “And we figure out what to do about the kings.”

That particular detail Nuri and Mordecai had filled them in on. How Drake had learned of the unexpected cost of taking down the wards around the mortal lands. Scarlett had been quiet and lost to her own thoughts ever since.

“Tarek had one of the rings the last I knew,” Talwyn suddenly offered.

“Why?” Rayner asked.

“He retained Eliné’s ring after taking it from Sorin.”

“Alaric would have surely taken it back by now if he wants all three,” Briar argued.

“No,” Scarlett and Cassius said together.

Scarlett nodded at Cass, and he said, “He would have kept them separated until he had all three. If he kept them together, they would be easier to steal.”

“So we think one is in the Earth Court with Tarek. One is lost in the Fellowship remains. And the third?” Cethin asked.

“Would be kept close. Not on Alaric, but likely in Baylorin,” Cassius said.

“Balam?” asked Cyrus.

“No,” Scarlett said softly. “Mikale has one.”

The name alone had Sorin stifling a growl, and Scarlett cast him a quick glance.

“When he trapped me in that dream the last time, it was on his finger. I didn’t realize that’s what it was because the stone is different. Emerald instead of the sapphire my ring was,” she added.

“Which one should we go after first?” Cyrus asked, turning to Cassius.

Cass pushed out a harsh breath, rubbing at the back of his neck. “While Hazel is working on the missing one, we can go after one of the other two. I know Baylorin to get the one Mikale has, but the Earth Court—”

“We will get that one,” Scarlett said. “We were planning on taking back that Court next. Those plans can be escalated. Are the Witches restored enough to fight?”

“The host that came with me is certainly ready, and we have units waiting at the borders. Jetta can lead them all in my absence,” Hazel replied.

“Cass and I will go after the other one then,” Cyrus said, gaze fixed on the table as he picked at a chip in the wood.

“I will go with you two,” Sorin said, and Cyrus’s head snapped up.

“Why?”

“I need a reason to help my family?”

“No, but …” Cyrus stared back at him.

“It is not a reflection of you, Cyrus,” Sorin said, knowing his friend too well. “I know you are capable of this, but you are facing a Maraan Lord and possible other unknowns. Additional power would be wise.”

“He has a point,” Cassius said, but he looked at Scarlett. “Seastar?”

She waved him off, clearly already thinking about something else. “We’ll have plenty of help with the rest of the Fae Royalty, the Witches, Shifters, and Avonleyans. If he wants to go—” She stopped abruptly, turning to face him fully. “You want to kill Mikale.”

A slow, malicious grin tilted on Sorin’s lips. “You can have Alaric, Love, but Mikale’s death is mine.”

“You cannot kill him, Sorin. Callan’s life and his are bound together.”

“I am aware,” he said, settling back in his seat. “There are so many things worse than death.”

The three of them stood on a rooftop across the street from the Tyndell manor in the dead of night. The same rooftop where Scarlett and Nuri had found him one night. The same night he had learned who Scarlett really was.

“He had the wards altered,” Cassius said. “I can feel them from here. They are not the same ones I put up.”

They had expected as much, which is why they were here, figuring out what additional measures and protections had been added since they had been here last. Whatever had been done to the Tyndell manor would surely have been done to the Lairwood estate and castle.

“Can you get past them?” Sorin asked.

“Yes, but it will take some time,” Cass answered, brows furrowed as he tried to work through something he and Cyrus could not feel.

“Maybe we should figure out where Mikale actually is first,” Cyrus said. “So we don’t spend all our time finding our way into one place, only to learn he’s at another.”

“How do we figure that out?” Cassius said.

“He’ll be at his estate if he’s not required at the castle,” Sorin answered.

Cyrus glanced at him. “The reason behind that assumption?”

“He likes power and to feel in control. With the Fellowship gone, Alaric has taken up residence in the castle. Mikale will only be there when needed. At his estate, he holds all the power and is the most important man in the place,” Sorin said.

“That’s …a really valid point,” Cassius agreed.

“And even if he’s not there right away,” Sorin went on, “we can use the time to get in and wait for him. That might actually be better for us in the end.”

Cyrus shrugged. “Works for me.”

Sorin Traveled them so Cassius could maintain as much of his magic as possible to break through the wards. They were as close to the estate as they dared get, hidden in the shadows of a copse of trees near the east wall that ran the perimeter.

“It’ll take a while,” Cassius said again.

“Do your witchy thing,” Cyrus said, plopping down onto the ground to wait. “Let us know if you need anything.”

Sorin heard the muttered cursing beneath his breath as Cassius turned away from them. He lowered down next to his Second, leaning back against a tree while constantly listening for any sign that someone or something might be coming.

“How are you doing, Cyrus?” he asked in a hushed tone so as not to disturb Cassius.

“Great,” Cyrus muttered, plucking at some blades of grass.

“You realize if you hadn’t made that bargain with the Sorceress, we would have never learned of this portal key, right?”

Cyrus’s fingers paused for half a second before he pulled out another piece of grass. “If you’re trying to make me feel better about this mess, it is not necessary.”

“I am not trying to do that,” Sorin replied. “Just stating facts.”

“These rings could have been dealt with later. Fuck, we could have destroyed them after the Maraans were dead. It would have been a lot easier to track them down, that’s for sure.”

“That’s a fair point,” Sorin conceded. After a long stint of silence, he said, “You know no one blames you for any of this.”

“Yep. I know I am the only one doing that,” Cyrus said. “But I can’t … Or I couldn’t. Not until—” He paused, struggling for the words.

“Not until Cass,” Sorin said in understanding. “I get it, Cyrus.”

“He doesn’t fix me or whatever, but he grounds me. When I need it most.”

“I am happy for you, my friend.”

“I think …” He paused again, and Sorin knew if he could see him clearly, his features would be tight, lips rolled together as he gathered his thoughts. “I think I’m happy for me too, despite all the shit right now. I think I’m happy.”

“Good, Cyrus. You deserve happiness.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I do,” he agreed, and the way he said it had this air of almost awe to it. As though he couldn’t believe he’d voiced the words.

They fell silent after that, letting Cassius steadily work his way through the wards. It took hours, and dawn was breaking when he announced he was done. He looked utterly exhausted, and Cyrus shot to his feet.

“Are you all right?”

“I’ll be fine,” Cass said. “It took longer because I had to be careful not to set anything off while I worked, but we’ll be fine to go in.”

“Maybe you should wait out here,” Cyrus said.

“No.”

“Cass—”

“No, Cyrus,” he repeated, and Cyrus sent Sorin a look as he got to his feet.

“He can Travel out if needed, right, Cassius? Your reserves are fine?” Sorin asked.

They should be. Witch gifts shouldn’t drain his magic like his dragon gifts would. This was more mentally taxing.

Cass nodded, and Cyrus looked like he wanted to argue, but begrudgingly kept his mouth shut.

“The front foyer?” Sorin asked.

“No better place to start,” Cassius replied with a shrug.

They both knew the house well. Cassius had been to the estate a handful of times, and Sorin had studied a makeshift map of the place for hours on end before he’d come here to rescue Scarlett.

Sorin Traveled them in. They were prepared to take out guards the moment they appeared, but the house was oddly empty.

“Shouldn’t there be …people?” Cyrus asked, looking around the stately foyer.

“There used to be, but maybe with Veda and the true Lord Lairwood gone, he didn’t need as much staff?” Cassius said, his eyes having shifted to see better.

“Let’s just take the gift,” Sorin said.

They searched the main floor fairly quickly, only seeing a few maids bustling about.

They were quiet enough with their Fae abilities to move unseen, and they made their way to the second floor.

This level would have the wing with Mikale’s rooms as well as his study, so Sorin wasn’t surprised to hear movement.