Page 129 of Lady of Starfire (Lady of Darkness #5)

Eliza

“I cannot believe you said that in that meeting,” Eliza said, throwing a ball of flames at Sorin.

He laughed as he caught it, the flame going out in his fist. “But you wear a crown so well, Eliza, dear,” he replied with a wink, a crown of flame appearing above her head.

“I swear to Anala, Sorin, if you do not take back your title,” she grumbled, crossing her arms and glaring at him as she immediately put out the crown of fire.

The prick could have taken the title back days ago, before this war had even ended.

But no. He kept coming up with reasons to wait, but now everything was over.

Things were settling down. He could take it back right now, for fuck’s sake.

They were just standing around, waiting for Razik to come back and let them know Cethin was ready for the Wards to come down.

He’d gone back to Avonleya with Cethin and Kailia two days ago.

“You don’t enjoy having all that power even just a little bit?” Cyrus asked from where he sat on a sofa with Cassius.

“I am more powerful than you either way, Cyrus. I don’t need a godsdamn crown for it.”

Cyrus huffed a laugh. “Admit it though. You sat on the throne, even if only for a moment.”

“No, I did not.”

“Do you think something is wrong?” she heard Scarlett ask, and she shifted her attention to her friend.

Scarlett had been quiet since the meeting with the other royals.

She’d rested for a few days like the rest of them.

Sorin had said Scarlett had slept for nearly three days straight.

The moment she had woken though, she’d thrown herself head first into rebuilding tasks.

She was constantly Traveling to the mortal lands or the other Courts.

Quite simply, Scarlett needed a break, and worrying over her brother now was not helping matters.

Sorin reached out, tugging her into him. “Everything is fine, Love,” he replied, guiding her head to his chest. “Are you sure you are up for taking down the Wards today? It will be draining on you.”

“Yes,” Scarlett sighed. “It needs to happen sooner than later. I’m sick of giving my blood to everyone and constantly traveling through mirror gates. Plus, the mortal coronations start tomorrow. Cethin should be here for those. Unity and all that.”

Sorin dropped a kiss to the top of her head, and Eliza shifted impatiently.

“You appear restless, your Highness,” Cyrus quipped.

Eliza was ready to lunge at him when Razik appeared in the den. Sapphire eyes instantly found her, and his brow furrowed. “Why do you look like that?”

She dragged incredulous eyes to him. “Look like what?”

“Like you are about to become excessively violent.”

“The Fire Princess is agitated,” Cyrus called out, stretching his long legs and interlocking his hands behind his head. “But since you’re here … She sat on the throne, didn’t she?”

The crease between Razik’s brows deepened. “I don’t think I would consider it sitting.”

Instead of tackling Cyrus, she was launching herself at Razik, who let out a grunt as he caught her.

“I know you missed me, mai dragocen , but—”

“Is Cethin ready?” she asked, speaking over him.

His lips twitched. “Yes.”

“Then let’s get on with this.”

“At the top of the hour,” Razik answered, his thumb beginning to drag back and forth along her hip where his arm was still looped around her waist. “We have a few minutes.”

She twisted out of his hold, ignoring the flash of heat at feeling his touch after two incredibly long days. Turning to Sorin, she said, “Perfect. Just enough time for you to take back the royal seat.”

“Eliza, it can wait—” Sorin started.

“I do not want it, Sorin,” she interrupted.

“The only reason I challenged Bastien was to take the Court back until you could get here. I have only kept it this long because I knew you needed to focus on other tasks, but those are done now. The Fire Prince needs to be at those coronations. He is the one that will be working with the other leaders of the realm. I do not wish to be something Varlis wanted for me, even if it is fire instead of earth. I do not want it for one second longer.”

Sorin’s features had softened, and Scarlett had stepped away from him so he could move closer to her.

“I am sorry, Eliza,” he said. “I did not realize—”

She held up a hand to stop him. “I do not regret it. If it was the only way, I would gladly keep the title and throne. But it is not the only way. It is yours by birthright and by power. You are the most powerful Fire Fae. A sword belongs in my hand more than a crown belongs on my head.”

“That it does, General,” Sorin answered with a small smile.

“I abdicate the royal seat of the Fire Court to you, Sorin Aditya. Do you accept?”

Cyrus and Rayner were already on their feet, having moved to her side so they stood before him.

“I do,” Sorin answered, his smile widening.

The three of them bowed in unison, palms over the Marks on their chests that signified the loyalty to their Court and to Sorin. The Fire Prince and his Inner Court. The way it was almost meant to be.

Sorin reached out, pulling her into an embrace. “Thank you for stepping up when needed, Eliza. Your loyalty to this Court knows no bounds,” he murmured into her ear.

“Thank you for saving me all those years ago and for giving me a chance.”

He gave her an extra squeeze before releasing her.

“If you are all ready, we can go to the island,” Razik said, eyes watching her intensely, despite speaking to everyone else in the room.

There were murmurs of agreement, and moments later, they were standing on an island just outside the Avonleyan Wards. It was the calmest the island had ever been. The winds and waves were always unbearable every time she’d been here. Now there was a light breeze, waves gently lapping at the shore.

“You are sure this is going to work?” Scarlett asked, beginning to push back her sleeves. “Cethin will survive?”

“Yes,” Razik answered, sounding bored, but Eliza could feel his trepidation down their bond. He wasn’t as confident in this as he was portraying.

She reached over and ran her fingers along his arm, and he instantly snagged her wrist, pulling her into his side.

Raz?

This will be fine.

But he was rigid beside her, and there was nothing she could really do about it.

Scarlett was drawing Marks in the sand, and each one had Razik’s arm tensing more and more around her.

So this cave …

Razik slid his gaze to her. What about it?

If we wanted to spend some nights there, I wouldn’t be entirely opposed.

She could swear his eyes darkened. And the rest of the time?

They hadn’t really discussed this much. Where they would live at the end of this.

She would need to be in the Fire Court, and he would need to be in Avonleya.

Logistically, it made more sense for Razik to stay in the Fire Court with her.

He was the one who could easily Travel, and with the Wards about to come down, it wouldn’t be complicated anymore. But …

She hadn’t been back to that cave since they’d accepted the twin flame bond, and she found herself missing the stupid place.

A godsdamn cave.

I guess we split our time between the two. As long as we’re together.

So you did miss me.

She gave him a flat look, but before she could respond, Scarlett drew both their attention back to her as she began calling Chaos to her palms, darkness growing and pooling.

“So she just has to funnel Chaos into the Marks? That’s it?” Eliza asked, head tilting as she watched.

“That’s it?” Razik repeated. “Everything has been leading up to this moment, and you say ‘that’s it?’”

He had a point. If they hadn’t found this lock, Scarlett wouldn’t have this power, and the Wards wouldn’t be coming down.

She sighed. “Will there be more required of the High Queen to take down these Wards, or will she finally catch a godsdamn break?”

“This will work. If anyone has to give anything more for this, it will be Cethin.”

“This will work, Razik,” she said quietly.

His lips just pressed into a thin line, and he gave a tight nod.

Scarlett was pouring Chaos into the Marks she’d drawn, and it was taking more power than Eliza had expected. These Wards were extraordinary. It wasn’t hard to believe they came from gods and goddesses as Scarlett gave and gave.

Finally, minutes later, she dropped to her knees, the power flaring out. Sorin was instantly there, tilting her face up to his. She was pale, her silver eyes dull and more blue than silver. Eliza hadn’t seen her this drained since she had become a World Walker.

“We should be able to see it,” Razik muttered.

“See what?” Eliza asked, still distracted by her friend.

“There is always mist along the shores, but we should be able to see the Nightmist Mountains.”

“Can you Travel in?”

“That was not the agreement. I was to wait here until Cethin and Kailia Traveled out and crossed where the Wards had been.”

“But what if—”

She stopped speaking when the air shifted in front of them, ashes swirling and Kailia appearing.

Razik’s eyes narrowed. “Where is Cethin?”

“He is coming,” she said. “But I …”

Her amber gaze cut to Eliza, and she wasn’t sure what was happening. She’d never seen the female so unsure. Razik clearly understood what was happening though. He brushed a light kiss to Eliza’s temple before he unwound his arm from her and reached for the Avonleyan Queen. “Come here, Lia.”

Kailia was instantly in his arms. She was tiny and petite the way it was, but next to Razik, she appeared even smaller. This fierce female who could summon deathstone at will was clinging to Razik as she waited to see if her husband survived this.

His family. He had told her that he, Cethin, and Kailia were close, but she had never realized that they were a unit as much as the Fire Court Inner Court was. A small smile tilted on her lips as she watched Razik comfort Kailia while they both waited for their king to appear.