Page 47 of Lady of Starfire (Lady of Darkness #5)

“No! Wait!” Scarlett cried, pressing her palms to the glass.

They waited several minutes in silence before Sorin said gently, “I do not think he is coming back, Love.”

She slammed a palm against the smooth surface. “He knew something. He knew about the mirror gates.”

“We can come back.”

Her brow fell against the glass. “I am running out of time, Sorin.”

“We will figure it out, Scarlett.”

Then they both went rigid. There was a dragging sound. Claws on stone.

Starfire flared, and Scarlett was holding her spirit sword in her hand. Sorin pulled his short swords, and they both scanned the chamber before starting back to the doors.

The sound came again, and Scarlett had her shadows forming into wolves that surrounded them as they stepped through the onyx doors.

Sorin didn’t know what he was looking at.

Creatures lined the ledges, staring down at them. They were as large as tigers, but they had long canines protruding from their upper gums. The claws on their feet were razor sharp. Their coats were golden, even in the darkness of the crevice, and their eyes glowed white.

That scraping sounded again, and two of the creatures prowled from the shadows to their left.

Scarlett wasted no time, starfire whipping out from her palm.

The creatures snarled as the fire wrapped around their throats before consuming them in their next breath, leaving nothing but scorch marks on the floor.

“Effective,” Sorin said, glancing at the dozens more appearing on the various levels. “But let’s just Travel out.”

“Good plan,” she agreed, grabbing his wrist.

He waited for the pull, but it never came. “Travel, Scarlett,” he gritted out as several of the creatures began hopping among the cliff sides and coming closer.

“I can’t,” she hissed. “I can’t Travel.”

“What do you mean you can’t?” he retorted, raising his sword. Would steel even work against them?

“Exactly what I said,” she snapped. She sheathed her sword before lifting her palms. Starfire flared across several of the ledges, taking out a dozen of the creatures at once. “Maybe it’s the doors,” she said, her breathing slightly labored as her fire died out. “Maybe if we get back to the top?”

“And if not?” he demanded, her shadow wolves beginning to move up the bridge they had come down.

“I guess we’ll figure something else out,” she replied, more starfire appearing in her palms. “Let’s focus on getting up there. Only take them out if we need to.”

They ran, racing up the winding incline as quickly as they could, but it didn’t take long for the creatures to figure out what they were doing. Soon the bridge was shaking as the creatures leapt to it, taking chase.

“Faster, Scarlett,” he muttered, having sheathed his swords long ago.

Her starfire was keeping them at bay behind them, the shadow wolves making short work of those in front.

Blood as golden as their fur splattered across their path.

She’d tried sending orange flames to conserve some of her Avonleyan power, but the creatures were unaffected, which meant his fire would be useless.

“They’re strong,” she rasped, stumbling on a crack in the stone. “It takes a lot of my magic to kill them. If I keep doing this, I won’t be able to Travel out when we reach the top.”

The bridge lurched as several of the creatures landed on it again. They both fell to the side, Sorin gripping Scarlett’s arm before she went over the edge.

“Fuck,” he ground out. “They’re going to bring down the bridge before we get back to the top.”

Another flare of starfire. More snarling and howling as the creatures were destroyed.

“We have to keep going. Run, Sorin!”

They made it another hundred feet before the bridge shook violently again. Sorin pulled a dagger, slicing it clean through his tunic and dragging it across the Source Mark. He could give her more power so they could get to the top. He reached for her hand, still running along beside her.

And then the creatures seemed to collapse in on themselves.

One would still, its white eyes flaring bright in surprise, maw opening and fangs bared, before it became ashes starting from the chest and splintering outward.

The snarls became cries and whines of agony. One by one, they fell. Over and over.

“What is happening?” Scarlett gasped, breathing hard beside him, her hands braced on her knees.

They’d skidded to a halt when it had happened to the first few. Sorin still gripped her arm, dagger still poised to slice across her palm. Blood from his arm was dripping to the ground as he answered. “Rayner is here.”

She straightened at that, silvery-blue eyes darting around, searching.

But Rayner was moving too fast. He was smoke and ashes.

As soon as a creature made a movement toward them, it was ash in the next blink.

Sorin took the opportunity to cut Scarlett’s palm, letting some of his magic flow into her.

She was still looking for Rayner as she stepped into him, fingers flexing around his forearm.

“That’s all I need,” she said after a few moments, pulling her hand away as the last of the creatures were destroyed.

“That can’t be all,” he argued, trying to tug her back.

But then ashes swirled before them, and Rayner stepped into view. His hands were black with soot and ash. Golden blood mixed amongst the blacks and greys, and streaks of the same covered his face. His eyes were swirling slowly as they fixed on them.

Furious.

The Ash Rider was pissed.

“What. The fuck. Were you two thinking?” Rayner demanded. This wasn’t a rage-filled bellow. This was a low, deadly demand for an answer.

This was the Reaper before them, and Scarlett knew it too as she shrank back into Sorin.

“How did you find us?” Sorin asked, tucking Scarlett behind him as his Third worked to leash his fury.

“I’ve been searching for godsdamn hours,” Rayner replied, lethally calm. His gaze moved to Scarlett. “You could have been a little more detailed in your whereabouts, your Majesty. ”

Sorin looked down at her. “You told him?”

“I left him a brief note. In case we weren’t back by a certain time.”

“A very vague note,” Rayner gritted out.

“There are a lot of busybodies in that castle,” she replied, lifting her chin. She gestured towards Rayner. “Besides, you figured it out.”

“Scarlett!” he snarled.

“Let’s discuss this back in Aimonway,” Sorin cut in. “Can you Travel with them gone, Scarlett?”

A moment later, she shook her head. “Something still isn’t right.”

“Maybe we just need to be back at the top like you said,” Sorin replied, taking her hand and beginning to walk up the bridge again. He knew that likely wasn’t the case, but it was their only option right now.

“Where the fuck are we?” Rayner grumbled, falling into step on his right.

Scarlett was on his left, Sorin still not comfortable letting Rayner that close to her while he was riding the edge of control.

“Scarlett found some Marks in the snow, and when she let her blood drip onto them, an entire godsdamn ancient city appeared,” Sorin answered.

“Great,” Rayner muttered.

Scarlett snorted a laugh. “So grumpy, Rayner.”

“I’m not speaking to you right now.”

Another bark of laughter. “At least I left a note this time.”

“I swear to Arius, Scarlett,” Rayner grumbled again.

“Speaking of Arius,” she said, perking up a bit. “Do you know whose symbol this is?”

She drew the triangle in a circle in the air with her fire.

Rayner begrudgingly glanced at it. “No.”

“There was nothing in the Southern Islands with it?”

“No,” Rayner snapped in annoyance. “We can discuss this later, Scarlett. When I don’t want to throttle you.”

“Fine, fine,” she muttered, falling silent in a way that told Sorin she was trying to work something out.

No one spoke again. It took nearly fifteen minutes to make it back to the top of the winding bridge, and when they stepped back onto the flat ground, Scarlett muttered. “Well, that explains it.”

Beings surrounded them. Exactly as she had described them. White as moonlight. Solid, but not. Razor-sharp features. Unearthly grace. Pure white eyes. Gold swords.

“What’s the plan now, your Majesty?” Rayner gritted out. Ashes were spilling from his palms, encasing them in a shield.

“Those won’t work,” she said. “Just like I can’t Travel.”

“Suggestions then?” he retorted, the beings gliding closer. “Or did you leave an unclear note for Kailia, and we just need to survive until she gets here?”

“You know, I think I like this snarky side of you,” she replied. Then she looked up at Sorin. “Try your fire?”

His head whipped to her. “If your power does not work against them, what makes you think mine will?”

“You’re stronger now, right?”

“You are still stronger, Scarlett!”

“Blood of death,” one of the beings breathed, his eerie voice raking along Sorin’s bones.

“Ugh,” Scarlett drawled. “Again with this?”

“Scarlett, this is not the time for your dramatics,” Sorin chided. “You told me you had a plan if they showed up.”

“I do,” she replied, twirling the dagger she had pulled. “Use your fire.”

One being glided closer, his golden sword slicing easily through Rayner’s shield of ashes.

“Now, Sorin,” Scarlett said, her back straightening with the demand.

A command from a Queen.

Rayner glanced at him sidelong, his features tight. He nodded, moving closer to Scarlett, preparing to shield her if necessary.

Sorin stepped away from her before he let his fire out to play. His eyes fell closed as he worked to control the raging wildfires in his veins. He couldn’t let it run wild. Not with her so close.

“All of it, Sorin,” Scarlett demanded.

“Scarlett—” Rayner started.

“He said it himself,” she interrupted. “I’m still stronger. He’s not going to hurt me.”

Then her shadows raked down his soul, calling to his power. Taunting it. Any control he had snapped. His fire exploded out. He felt Rayner’s shield shatter at the impact. In a panic, he opened his eyes.

And found Scarlett smiling wickedly at him.