Page 35 of Lady of Starfire (Lady of Darkness #5)

Her tone had gone icy and vicious when she spoke again, ignoring his outburst. “And tonight? This is the start of the final game. I have already set things in motion.”

Alaric’s hand snapped out, but Cassius was before her in the next blink, gripping Alaric’s wrist with a growl.

The Assassin Lord’s lip curled up in disgust. “If I had known what blood ran in your veins, I would have killed you the day I found you. Before this is over, I will make sure I have rectified that mistake.”

“Instead, you trained us to kill, and in the end, that will be your greatest regret,” Cassius returned, releasing Alaric’s wrist with a shove that had the male stumbling back a few steps.

Alaric smirked at him. “You will not be the one to end me, Cassius. You were always one of the weak ones. It is why the girls were the Wraiths, and you were just there so they had something to practice with.”

“You’ve wasted enough of my time,” Scarlett snarled, shoving Cassius to the side. “Name your cost for Briar’s freedom.”

The Water Prince started, but he still said nothing. Alaric was straightening his tunic as he answered, “A Blood Bond from you, my Wraith. That is the only price I will accept.”

Scarlett locked eyes with Briar, some unspoken agreement being said between them, and Briar dipped his chin the smallest amount in acknowledgment.

“Let me know when that changes,” she replied, turning and making her way to the door.

“It won’t,” Alaric snarled.

Scarlett stepped to the side as she held the door open. “We will see, won’t we? Rayner, release Talwyn and bring Neve,” she said, an obvious dismissal of the Maraan Prince.

“Mordecai will escort you out,” Alaric said, not even bothering to look at Talwyn as she traded places with Neve.

Scarlett batted her lashes at him. “No trust in your favored students, Alaric?”

“I am not stupid, Scarlett. I know we seek the same thing at the moment. I will not give you an opportunity to get to it before me,” Alaric said.

“I have absolutely no idea what you’re referring to,” she replied so innocently Cyrus almost laughed. Almost. He wondered if the Sorceress had ensured he’d forgotten how to do so. Her attention flicked to Cassius. “Let’s go.”

Cassius matched Cyrus’s pace, their arms brushing once, and Cyrus moved a step away from him.

If Cassius noticed, he didn’t show it. Scarlett followed them out, the door clicking shut behind her.

The moment she crossed the threshold, her shadow armor appeared, along with half a dozen shadow wolves that prowled around them.

She moved to the front of the group along with Rayner, and Cyrus found himself herded beside Neve with Cassius behind them.

No one looked at him or Neve. No one spoke to them.

Rayner and Scarlett were murmuring softly between themselves as Mordecai led them to the stairs and down the ten levels.

After sitting on a cold stone floor for days, the trek up those stairs had been godsdamn miserable.

The descent wasn’t much better. But he knew they wouldn’t be able to Travel within the cliffs.

They needed to get outside to the beach.

The only sound as they crossed the cavernous main hall was the boots of the others.

Rayner’s ashes were moving subtly throughout the space.

Cyrus had no idea what the fuck he was doing, but it seemed risky as fuck with Mordecai still in their presence.

As terrible as it was to admit though, he also didn’t particularly care at the moment.

He just wanted out of here. Wanted to bathe and eat something that wasn’t stale and sleep in a soft bed.

Really, any bed would do as long as he wasn’t curled up on a stone floor.

He’d take the thin mattress and thread-bare blanket from the flat in Aelyndee for all he cared.

They finally stepped through the archway that appeared, Cyrus just catching the faint glow of the brand beneath Rayner’s skin. Mordecai didn’t say a word to them. Only turned and headed back into the belly of the cliffs.

It was dark, and the sand was cold beneath his bare feet. His fire instantly reacted, flooding him with heat, and he released a shuddering breath at feeling his magic again. He rubbed at his raw wrists, looking around and trying to get his bearings. He took in another sharp breath—

And the scent of the sea assaulted him.

He ran both of his hands through his hair, pushing out another harsh breath. If it wasn’t the Sorceress, it was the sea. He was just exchanging one form of torture for another at this point.

“Just a little farther,” Cassius muttered. “We want to make sure we’re not being followed.”

Cyrus didn’t bother acknowledging him. Rayner led them up the beach and into trees so thick they blocked out the stars.

And when he was sure his legs were going to give out after days of sitting and so little food, they finally stopped.

Shadows and ashes speared out as if searching for something, and they all stood waiting.

“I sense nothing,” Rayner said.

Scarlett sighed. “Same. But you got what you needed?”

“I gathered enough,” Rayner returned. “Let’s get the fuck out of here.”

She turned to Cyrus and Neve. “Show me your palms,” she ordered gently.

Neve glanced at the others before holding them out to her.

Scarlett inspected them closely before turning to Cyrus.

“Are there are any Marks we need to be aware of before we go?” she asked, and Cyrus realized she was checking for Blood Bond Marks.

She was making sure neither of them were sworn to Alaric as Nuri was. No surprises. Not this time.

“No,” Neve whispered, and Cyrus shook his head. They didn’t need to know about the bargain with the Sorceress. He couldn’t face telling them yet.

The queen grabbed Rayner’s hand and reached for Neve’s. Rayner reached out a hand for Cyrus, and then Cassius grabbed his other, fingers flexing tightly around Cyrus’s. Before Cyrus could do anything, they pulled him through the air.

They reappeared on one of the entrance islands off the coast of Avonleya. They were points that had been set up for those who knew how to enter the Wards. Scarlett pulled a vial from her pocket and dumped the contents into the black waters around them. Then they were Traveling once more.

This time when they reappeared, it was directly in the main room of her suite at the castle. The five of them stood there for a moment, just looking at each other, before Scarlett spoke, her voice thick with emotion.

“Hello, Darling.”

Cyrus tried to smile, tried to work up any emotion really, but there was nothing.

Just the numbness he’d clung to since Gehenna had started playing with his demons.

Scarlett was in front of him in the next breath, her arms wrapping tightly around him, and he was clutching her back. A lifeline. A tether to who he was.

At least until she learned what he’d done.

“Sorin is resting,” she whispered. “He wanted to be here when you returned. But something happened, and he—”

“It’s fine, Scarlett,” he murmured into her hair.

Another few moments passed before she said softly, “I’ll drown with you, Cyrus. Whatever he let her do to you … I’ll dive in and drown with you on the hard days.”

He swallowed thickly. He didn’t deserve a queen, a friend, like her. He didn’t deserve to serve in her Court, let alone call her family.

He gently eased back, swiping a tear away that trailed down her cheek. “I need to bathe. It’s been days. I smell like piss and vomit and nightmares.”

A half-sob, half-laugh came from her. “You idiot,” she muttered. “Food? I can see what I can make in the kitchens.”

Cyrus winced. “Please don’t.”

Her face fell a little. “You’re not hungry?”

“I’m fucking starving,” he replied. “But I’ve cooked with you before. That cake was not edible.”

“That was the middle of the night! We were both drunk after playing billiards,” she said in outrage.

“Mhmm.”

This felt …good. This was good. Some normalcy. At least for the moment.

“I won’t cook,” she promised. “Cold meats. Cheese. Warm bread.”

He gave her a fake smile that he knew she could see through, but she didn’t call him out on it. She worried her bottom lip for a moment, before giving him a weak smile of her own and heading for the doors. Cyrus moved to follow and go to his own rooms, but a hand gripped his arm.

Turning, he found the Ash Rider’s swirling eyes fixed on him. His other arm was around Neve in a comforting hold. She looked as exhausted and haunted as Cyrus felt. Then again, he probably looked that way too, and that’s why everyone was giving him these pitying comments and looks.

“We’re here,” Rayner said in a low tone. “You are not alone. Remember that.”

Cyrus nodded, so many emotions beginning to swirl in his gut that he averted his eyes. “Neve, I’ll walk you to your rooms.”

“I can do it,” Rayner said. “Go bathe. I’ll stop by in a bit.”

He nodded again and stepped from the room, heading down the long hall from the princess’s rooms to the guest suites. Cassius was silent beside him, hands shoved deep into his pockets.

When they came to their rooms, directly across from each other, Cassius hesitated when Cyrus reached for the handle of his door.

“Tell me what you need, Cyrus.”

“Nothing,” he answered, keeping his back to him and eyes fixed on the wood door. “I just want to bathe, eat, and sleep.”

He felt him step closer. Cassius leaned a shoulder against the wall. “I know what he does, Cyrus,” he said, voice low and rough. “I know how he breaks someone.”

Cyrus finally looked at him. “I was already broken. He just made sure I remembered how thoroughly.”

“Cyrus—”