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October 3 - October 4, 2025
“Everything’s about to change, isn’t it?” “Yes, Seastar, nothing will be the same again.”
There was a scent that lingered in the room. A scent of cinnamon and fire and something sweet. Apple maybe? Whatever. She didn’t care who Sorin brought home or who he shared his bed with.
“Then you owe me five questions.” Sorin chuckled under his breath. “I suppose I do, Princess.”
“Your ring is the sister to another. It belonged to a powerful Fae Queen, and it was enchanted at the end of the Great War to allow the wearer to access their magic in lands where magic is otherwise nonexistent.”
“Yes. When I wear your ring in this realm, I can access my magic.”
Sorin’s eyes shone in a way Scarlett had never seen, almost as if flames themselves glowed in them. He seemed more alive than she’d ever seen him, like his magic gave him life. Scarlett slowly opened her palm and closed her eyes tight. She heard Sorin chuckle softly again as he whispered, “Open your eyes.”
“Do all Fae have magic?” Sorin nodded. “Yes, but they do not all possess fire magic. Fae are blessed by the elemental gods — fire, water, wind, and earth. The strength of their gifts vary.”
settling onto the couch beside her. His leg pressed against her folded knees, and she stiffened slightly at his closeness, but her soul seemed to sigh as the scent of cloves and cedar enveloped her.
“The Great War was fought between King Deimas and Queen Esmeray of these lands and the continent of Avonleya across the sea. Avonleya and the Fae Courts were allies and wanted to enslave the humans that resided in the kingdoms under Deimas and Esmeray. The king and queen sacrificed their lives to enact some powerful enchantments. One to lock away Avonleya and keep them sequestered across the sea. The other to render magic useless and enact wards to keep the Fae from entering our lands…which are clearly faulty.”
The Avonleyans cannot leave their continent. The Fae cannot leave their Courts without the risk of being caught and tortured by vicious, albeit very attractive, women,” Sorin countered.
“Who rules over them, then? The mortal kings?” “No. They have since created hierarchies like the other lands. There is a Contessa in the land of the Night Children. The Witch Kingdoms are ruled by the High Witch. The Shifters are ruled by an Alpha and Beta, and, of course, the three mortal kings rule the human lands here,”
The Fae have elemental magic and can do some spell work. The Witches have Healers, Seers, and other powerful magic. Shifters can shift not only their physical forms, but some can shift matter and energy as well,” Sorin replied, rolling the map up gingerly. “The Night Children don’t have magic?” “They are excellent at tracking. They are incredibly stealthy and can heal quickly. They are apex predators and their gifts enable such things, but raw, tangible magic they do not possess.”
“Do you know the Prince of Fire?” “I know who he is, yes,” Sorin answered. “Is he the one oppressing your people? The one you seek this weapon for to help free them?” Sorin was quiet for so long that Scarlett turned to look at him. “The Prince of Fire has done many dark things. Some say he did them for his people. Others say his actions have only caused things to escalate for his people.”
“No. I do not think he should be entrusted with the wellbeing of an entire Court of people,” Sorin answered, “but it is also not his choice.”
Then he asked, his tone a touch softer, “Have I not yet earned your trust?” “It is not that I do not trust you, Sorin,” Scarlett said after a beat of silence. “It is that I have done some atrocious things, so much worse than allowing a prince to fall in love with me. And I fear… I fear how you will look at me when you hear that story.” “I have lived for centuries, Scarlett. I assure you, I have done things far more horrid in my time,” he answered darkly.
“Despite what many think, Cassius and I are not lovers, nor have we ever been. To Cassius… I am his place to pause and breathe in a world of malice and struggle, and he is mine.”
“He’s falling for you, you know.” “I know,” she said.
His head turned to where she sat, and he closed the space between them quickly, as if he feared she would slip away. He found her lounging in the armchair and braced his hands on the armrests on either side of it, leaning in close to her. “Dangerous territory, Prince,” she whispered. “Do not call me that,” he snarled softly. “Do not call you by your title?” she asked with a tilt of her head. “Just…no,” he whispered. And without realizing she was doing it, she brought her hand to his perfect face. Callan froze, and she brushed her thumb along his cheekbone. She studied those hazel eyes, the
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She didn’t notice that Callan had stepped closer to her, not until he gripped her elbow gently. She whirled, instinctively grabbing a dagger from her hip and bringing it to his throat. He froze, but a small smirk spread across his face. “I’m sorry,” she said, panic in her voice. She quickly lowered the dagger, “I didn’t— I wasn’t attacking you.” “I know,” Callan said, and as she sheathed the dagger, he tugged her close to him.
“More demands tonight, Prince?” “Only one,” he said, and he lowered his mouth to hers. He pulled back a fraction of an inch, and she whispered softly, “Dangerous territory indeed, Prince. This is a dark path you should not travel down.” “Do not tell me what to do,” he snarled onto her mouth, “and do not call me that.” This time when he brought his mouth to hers, she kissed him back. He tasted of something sweet that she could not place, and his spring rain and pine scent wrapped around her. She parted for him when he ran his tongue along her lips. And so they stood in the dark, kissing in the
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“I wish to protect those I love. I wish to be in a place where I can protect those who cannot protect themselves and help those who cannot help themselves. I wish to be in a position where I can free those who find themselves locked in cages they do not want to be in.”
“Because sometimes we just need someone to sit with us in the darkness in the middle of the mess,” Sorin replied.
“I gave much of myself to Callan,” she whispered, “but he doesn’t understand that sometimes the darkness is more comforting than the light. When I play, it comes from the part of me that grew in the darkness. Callan is all light. There is no room for my darkness.” “You are not all darkness,” Sorin said softly. “Sometimes I do not think that is true,” she answered, turning away from him, but his fingers gently gripped her chin, bringing her eyes back to his. “Darkness is not a bad thing, Scarlett, but do not let it overtake the stars.”
laughed under her breath. “Nothing is wrong. Just a full bladder.” When she returned, there were several candles lit around the room, and Sorin was coming from the kitchen with a plate of fruit, bread, and more tea. Scarlett made for the table, where books and papers littered every surface. Sorin cleared a spot and set the plate down, handing her the cup of fresh tea.
“How much sleep do Fae actually need?” Scarlett asked. “It depends on how much energy is expended on magic,” Sorin answered, shrugging. “When I do not have regular access to it, very little.”
Where are your pointed ears and longer canines?” “There are spells that can glamour one’s appearance, but there is always a cost,”
“What is the cost of the glamour to change your appearance?” “My Fae senses are muted here,” Sorin answered. “They are still better than humans, but not nearly as strong as they are when I am in my full Fae form.”
“Shifters can shift form and matter. Witches possess raw magic and work in spells and potions. My best guess is that his mother was a Witch. His father, I am not sure. I cannot truly speculate on that without seeing the extent of his powers.”
magic always has a cost. Witches, Fae, and Shifters were gifted with the strongest magic. As such, we have a difficult time passing on our gifts in our bloodline. It is balance. It is why a Royal in my realm, for example, generally only has one child.”
“We may not see eye-to-eye on things, but we are currently united against a common threat.” Sorin’s gaze remained on the map. “The one who is oppressing your people?” “Yes.” “The Prince of Fire?” “The Fire Prince does not want to be under the queen’s rule and does not believe she should decide the fate of all the Courts, but no, Scarlett, he is not the one oppressing our people. Even he and the queen have managed to somewhat set aside their differences for those in their care. Although once we have secured the weapon, how and when it will be wielded is an argument that has not yet been
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“I am sure some would agree with you,” Sorin answered. “Others would argue that living under the rule of kings who locked away entire races of people would be far worse and totalitarian.”
Sorin answered, reaching up and tucking her hair behind her ear this time. “Did you know silver hair is incredibly rare here?” “What?” Scarlett asked, startled by the change in subject. “Your hair. I have never seen silver hair in the mortal lands. Grey in old age, yes, but never silver.”
“It is beautiful but not nearly as fascinating as your eyes.” At his words, her gaze flew to his. There was a small tilt to his lips as he watched her. “Are you…flirting with me?” Scarlett asked incredulously. “Would you be upset if I am?” “Yes,” she cried, but her pulse quickened and her stomach dipped. “Liar,” he purred. “I said my Fae senses were diminished here, but they are not entirely gone.”
She broke the stare as she said it. The thought of him going back to the Fire Court made her inexplicably want to vomit. She felt him hook a finger under her chin, bringing her eyes back to his. He kissed her again, then said, “I will not leave you alone.”
“I…” She blew out a huff of frustration. “I haven’t fed since yesterday and can’t leave.” Sorin raised a brow, a smirk creeping over his mouth. “I don’t know what tonight will lead to,” she snapped. “I need to be at the top of my game.” “Whatever you need to tell yourself, Nuri dear,” Sorin said, rolling up his sleeve. Nuri gave him a vulgar gesture as he extended his arm. She drank for a good minute or two before leaning back, visibly more relaxed. There was even slight color to her pale cheeks.
“The light can always be found in the darkness, Scarlett, even if you have to make your own,”
“In the Fae lands, amongst the four Courts, one particular Court is said to be…darker than the others,” he said. “One would even say their prince is wicked and cunning and cruel.” Slowly, Scarlett’s head turned to him. “The people of the Fire Court could be said to be the same. “It is expected of them as it is expected of those who come from the Black Syndicate. We are a feared Court, probably only rivaled by one other, but there are still areas of light there. The people of the Fire Court know what they guard and protect so valiantly and do not mind being called such things. There is still
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“I will find the light, Scarlett,” he said softly.
She struck with her fist, landing a blow to his jaw. His lip split and a drop of blood appeared. “That was a nice distraction,” he said, his tongue flicking out to lick up the drop of blood. “But all you would have had to do to distract me is find a better use for your tongue.”
She brought her knee up to strike him in the groin, but he rolled her before she made contact, until he was on top of her, pinning her hands above her head.
Another shirastone dagger. She raised it above her head, but as she brought it down, aiming for his chest, a band of flames wrapped around her wrist abruptly halting her movement. “Stop it, Scarlett,” Sorin growled. Scarlett found herself baring her teeth at him. “You’re a coward using your magic,” she hissed. “No, Love,” he panted. “I am smart to use what I have at my disposal. If you would give me a chance to actually speak with you, I would tell you that I could teach you how to access your own magic so that you could do some actual damage to me when you are angry with me.” “I did do damage
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“No, Love. I have not lied to you about everything. Actually, almost everything I have ever said to you has been a truth. The only lie I have ever told you, aside from denying my queen’s identity, was that training you would be annoying and not worth my time. It has been somewhat annoying at times, but since you are currently lying underneath me, I would say it was definitely worth my time.” Scarlett let out a scream of frustration. “I cannot believe you are flirting with me right now.” “Why? I think I have made it pretty clear I find you attractive,” Sorin replied with a shrug.
“Will you explain to me why the hell Callan told me you are the one ordering our children to be kidnapped and then shipped across the borders to the Fae Courts?” “What?”
Fae. She was Fae. She couldn’t possibly be. Her mother had been a healer. Her father had been a sailor. She grew up here, not in the Fae lands. Here. In the Black Syndicate, with the other children. She was one of them, dark and wild and different.
She pulled back slightly and snarled, “Stop doing that.” “Stop doing what?” “Looking at me like that. Acting like you’re going to kiss me,” she snapped. “But it’s so fun,” he answered with a smirk.
“It matters because I like kissing you. It matters because I do not know if I am just another person you are using to gain information. It matters because your friends are concerned about you and that makes me concerned about you. It matters because I have to return home soon, and the thought of not seeing you any more is as unpleasant as it was for me to hear you tell the mortal prince you will go to him tomorrow night.”
“You are not just a means to an end, and I am not using you to gain information,” she said. She turned back to the door, not waiting for a response, but before she pushed it open, she said over her shoulder, “It is why I do not know if I can bear it if you are part of this. Please don’t be part of this, because if you are, it will crush me to gut you.”
“Because we take tonics for that. To mute our scents,” Scarlett answered. “Mine is in my nightly tonic.” “But you did not know she was a vampyre,” Sorin said. “No, but I’m venturing to guess our daily tonics do more than we were originally told since mine seems to.
“It does not matter. He does not desire such things from me so he will not care,” she replied through gritted teeth. The Lord chuckled again. He stepped towards her and brought a hand to her cheek. She flinched away from his touch. “I raised you, Scarlett. And while I know you did not parade boys and men through your bed like your sisters did, I know you are not that naïve.”
“I know that you will endure any physical punishment I bestow upon you, but should you speak to me like that again, those archers will release their arrows, and we both know they are not trained on you. Do we understand each other?”
