Page 118 of Lady of Starfire (Lady of Darkness #5)

They’d been informed what Scarlett had done for the Earth Prince and Talwyn after the Earth Court battle two days ago. It was odd to look back and think about how much had changed in a year. That they were all on the same side. That Scarlett had saved Talwyn after everything.

Fuck, after everything Scarlett had been through in her short life, they were lucky she didn’t just burn their world to nothing at this point. He didn’t think he would blame her if she had.

Her ringing laughter pulled him from his thoughts as the main doors opened behind them and a group strolled in. Cethin, Kailia, and Tybalt. Rayner and Sorin. And there was Scarlett, hand-in-hand with Tula while the child chattered on about something or other.

“You brought Tula back?” Eliza asked, her brow arching.

“She will be just as safe here as she would be across the Edria,” Rayner answered, tracking the child as she ran full speed to look at the Tana River. “Plus, I am pretty sure she would have found her own way back if I had left her behind again. This was the safer option.”

“Did you bring any of the other children back?” Cyrus asked.

“No,” Scarlett answered. “Only because it’s something we could not oversee right now. We need to get to Callan and figure out this life-binding thing. That is it?”

She took the ring from Eliza, and the obsidian crest seemed to pulse.

“What was that?” Cassius asked.

“The portal key. Talwyn’s ring did the same thing when I took it off Tarek’s corpse,” Scarlett answered. She looked at Hazel. “We can do this now?”

“Wait,” Cassius interjected, and Scarlett tilted her head in question. He glanced at his mother. “Hazel said there are some things we need to consider before destroying the portal key.”

Sorin had come to stand beside Scarlett, and he asked, “Such as?”

“Just that this could have repercussions we are unaware of. We might not know what they are right away,” Cass answered.

“That can be said about every move we make,” Scarlett argued. “The mortal kings are bound to Maraan Lords because we took down wards without knowing the full extent of those actions. We will face them like we do everything else.”

“The High Witch makes a good argument,” Tybalt said, and Hazel’s violet eyes flicked to him, holding his stare for a moment.

Cyrus had not seen Hazel and Tybalt interact much.

If they’d had any conversation or discussion of their past, he had not been around for it.

The little he had seen them converse was simple, polite conversation.

Then again, polite conversation was odd for a Witch, so maybe they had spoken at some point.

“You think we should leave a way into this world?” Scarlett asked.

“If you have the portal key, what difference would it make?” Cethin countered.

“Me,” Cyrus said quietly. “I’m the difference. We have to give the ring to Gehenna, or my bargain isn’t fulfilled.”

Everyone turned to him, and Cassius was reaching for his hand.

“When the portal key is out of the ring though,” Sorin said thoughtfully. “We can still give the Sorceress the ring. Would we need to destroy the portal key?”

“Portal keys are like the mirror gates,” Razik said. “At least, that’s what my research has led me to believe. They can be connected in a way. Drawn to each other.”

“Someone could essentially use a portal key to activate another portal key?” Scarlett asked, her nose scrunching.

“It would stand to reason that items keyed to the same lock would call to each other,” Razik answered with a shrug.

Scarlett made a disgusted noise. “Do not speak to me of locks.”

“I do not know why we are debating this,” Eliza said. “We destroy any foothold Achaz could have into the realm.”

Spoken like a true war general.

“I agree,” said Cethin. “We are doing all of this to keep Achaz out and protect the realm. Scarlett will be the guardian of the mirror gates. The only way in or out. Leaving a potential crack in that defense is foolish.”

“So it is settled, then?” Scarlett asked, looking around at everyone. “Cass?”

Cassius nodded. “It just seemed like something that should be discussed.”

“Then let’s take care of it,” Scarlett said. “What do we need to do?”

“We should be outside,” Hazel said, speaking for the first time since they had arrived back at the Fiera Palace. “The power needed to destroy it will be great.”

They all filed out to the back gardens, Rayner staying behind with Tula. Sorin led them to a large clearing. “Will this do?”

Hazel and Tybalt were at the back of the group, speaking so low Cyrus couldn’t even hear them with his Fae hearing.

But then there was a swirl of black flames, and Tybalt was pulling a book from a pocket realm.

It was worn and weathered, the cover black and faded.

Hazel took it from him, flipping it open to a page already marked, and Cyrus realized it was her spell book.

She ran a finger down the page, eyes moving as she skimmed it before she snapped it shut once more.

“I can pull the fragments from the rings and reform the key,” the High Witch said, moving forward. “But you should destroy it immediately. The realms will sense it has been reforged. If there is anything connected to it, it will seek it out.”

“Understood,” Scarlett answered, pulling the other two rings from a pocket realm of her own.

Hazel stopped in front of Cyrus and Cassius, her violet eyes seeming to search for something. Then she held out the spell book to Cass. “Hold this for me.”

Cassius took it without a word, turning it over in his hands as Hazel made her way over to stand by Scarlett in the center of the clearing.

“You have enough control to keep the others safe?” Hazel demanded in her usual sharp tone as she pushed back the sleeves of her witchsuit.

“Yes,” Scarlett answered. “But they are prepared to Travel out if necessary.”

Hazel nodded, and Scarlett dropped the three keys into her palm.

Cyrus watched as the High Witch drew an upside-down triangle in the dirt, placing one ring at each point.

Then she drew a small knife from her belt, slicing her palm and holding it out to drip into the center of the triangle.

She began chanting a language Cyrus didn’t know, but a moment later, the rings rose into the air until they hovered nearly eye level with the Witch before a light sprang from each one, meeting in the center.

Scarlett had started pacing back and forth, holding up her hand to stay Sorin, who had clearly expressed concern down their bond. Cethin and Kailia were watching with interest, while Eliza and Razik had guarded looks, as if waiting for something to go wrong. Tybalt, however, was watching Hazel.

A white object of some sort was taking form where the lights were merging. Cyrus couldn’t make out the shape, and he’d never get the chance to as Hazel gritted out, “Now, Scarlett.”

Darkness exploded out of her, but she managed to keep it contained.

Cyrus suddenly realized why she’d been pacing.

The Chaos in her was being drawn to the magic in the portal key, being drawn to its own kind.

Shadows and white embers swirled so thickly that he couldn’t see the portal key, the High Witch, or Scarlett, and Cassius was clutching at his arm, dragging him back from the storm of Chaos before them.

But Scarlett was right. She did have control over it.

It did not spread or strike out at any of them, but that was because it was drawn to the portal key more.

Either way, when the darkness finally dissipated after several minutes, there was no portal key in the center of the triangle.

The rings were on the ground a few feet away, as if tossed to the side.

The precious gems were cracked and dull.

Scarlett was on her knees, chest heaving, and Sorin was rushing forward, dropping down beside her at the same time he was slicing across the Source Mark on his forearm.

And the High Witch was …gone.

“Hazel?” Cassius’s voice was a confused rasp as he looked around.

Scarlett’s head snapped up, eyes looking around frantically.

“No,” she said, shaking her head and trying to shove off Sorin.

She tried to stand, but her legs buckled, sending her back to her knees.

Sorin caught her, and she struggled against him some more.

“I didn’t … I had control over it. I kept it away from her.

” Her eyes went to Cassius, tears shining in them. “I didn’t, Cass. I swear it.”

Cassius wasn’t saying anything. He was just staring at the spot the High Witch had been standing.

“You did not kill her, Scarlett,” came Tybalt’s voice as he strode forward.

He stopped between Cassius and Scarlett, looking between them.

“Hazel’s mother was relatively young for a Witch when she Faded.

Hazel assumed the role of High Witch when she was scarcely a few centuries old.

Her mother Faded so young because that was the cost of separating the portal key.

It took so much of her power, she did not have enough left to maintain her Staying.

The cost to put the portal key back together took even more power. ”

“Are you …” Cassius took a step forward, his mother’s spell book held limply at his side. “Are you saying she …”

Cyrus was reaching for him, but he shrugged him off, taking another step towards Tybalt.

With a sympathetic look, Tybalt said, “She Faded, Cassius. I am sorry.”

“No,” Cassius said, shaking his head. A hand came up, raking through his shaggy strands. “She can’t just Fade away. Just be gone like that.”

“That is how Fading happens,” Sorin said gently from where he was holding Scarlett to his chest. She was silently crying, tears streaming down her face. “Beatrix Faded while I was embracing her.”

“Cass—” Scarlett said, a sob escaping. “Cassius, I am sorry. I didn’t know. We didn’t know.”

“She knew,” Cassius exclaimed in a harsh whisper. “She knew, didn’t she?”