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October 24 - October 27, 2025
“Stop it,” Cyrus grumbled, brushing her hands away. “Sorin’s mother hen tendencies are wearing off on you.” “Fuck off. They are not,” she admonished, instantly dropping her hands to her side. “Darling, you were just fretting.” “Fret this,” she retorted, flipping him her middle finger.
“Can you do this? Help them find this missing Semiria ring?” “Yes,” Hazel answered. “There is a spell in my mother’s spell book that will work.” “Then we need to get the other two. To destroy this portal key, correct?” “Eventually, yes,” Mordecai said. “Not eventually,” Scarlett replied. “I want all ways into this world closed. Anyone who wants in, will need to go through me. The mirror gates are taken care of. We find these rings and destroy this portal key.” Her gaze went to Hale. “And we figure out what to do about the kings.”
“You want to kill Mikale.” A slow, malicious grin tilted on Sorin’s lips. “You can have Alaric, Love, but Mikale’s death is mine.” “You cannot kill him, Sorin. Callan’s life and his are bound together.” “I am aware,” he said, settling back in his seat. “There are so many things worse than death.”
“You realize if you hadn’t made that bargain with the Sorceress, we would have never learned of this portal key, right?” Cyrus’s fingers paused for half a second before he pulled out another piece of grass. “If you’re trying to make me feel better about this mess, it is not necessary.” “I am not trying to do that,” Sorin replied. “Just stating facts.” “These rings could have been dealt with later. Fuck, we could have destroyed them after the Maraans were dead. It would have been a lot easier to track them down, that’s for sure.”
“Not until Cass,” Sorin said in understanding. “I get it, Cyrus.” “He doesn’t fix me or whatever, but he grounds me. When I need it most.”
“But that aside, she is mine to defend. Mine to consume. Mine to avenge. And you touched what is mine.”
“What is important is that they will accomplish two things. They will drain your magic, keeping you from healing and replenishing, but they will also keep you from dying, which keeps King Callan alive.”
And when he was done, when every part of the male that had touched Scarlett was either charred flesh or burned away to nothing, he shoved a deathstone dagger into Mikale’s side to hold him in the space between life and death until he could come back and finish the
Tarek’s hands were bloody and ripped to shreds as he clawed at the vines around his throat. There were slices on his face and neck where he’d tried to cut them away with the dagger in his hand. When he saw Azrael advancing, something flickered in his eyes. So much malice shone in them, and as if understanding he would not survive this, he spun.
Tarek was ripped away from her, and then he was hanging on the wall with two stakes shoved through his chest, his feet dangling off the ground.
“I’ll meet you on a battlefield beyond the Veil, Az.”
Az was nodding, and then Scarlett’s silvery, glowing gaze connected with Talwyn’s. Her features were softer than Talwyn had ever seen them as she said, “You’ve given enough, Talwyn.” Darkness engulfed her, but it wasn’t the darkness of the After. Or maybe it was. She really had no way of knowing in the chaos that danced around her. A sudden flare of bright white light had her slamming her eyes shut, and when she blinked them open, Azrael was hovering over her.
Azrael huffed a breath of laughter, bringing his brow to hers. His eyes fell closed, and this close, she realized there were tear tracks cutting through the grime on his face. She lifted a hand to cup his cheek, but froze when she saw the black Mark on the back of her hand. Her right hand. Directly in the center. No bigger than a coin.
But it is a Binding Mark of a sort. I didn’t know if it would work. I sort of had to combine some elements from other Marks to make this one, but …” Her eyes darted to Azrael. “He wanted to risk it.” “What is the cost?” Talwyn demanded. Scarlett gave her a small, soft smile. “It binds your lives together, Talwyn.” “No,” she said, shaking her head. “Absolutely not. His life does not get cut short because of me. No.” “It was a cost I am willing to pay, Talwyn,” Azrael said, trying to guide her face to his.
“I may have taken some liberties with the creation of this particular Mark,” Scarlett cut in, and they both turned back to her. She was studying Tarek’s corpse as if it were a fine piece of art as she continued. “It binds your life to his, Talwyn. As long as Azrael lives, you cannot die.”
“Which is why your Staying will not fade. I ensured it,” Scarlett answered.
Scarlett simply shrugged, reaching up and slipping the ring from Tarek’s finger before his body went up in white flames. “I have enough Chaos to share a spark. It will not give her magic, and it will not restore any of her other gifts. That sacrifice must remain for Sorin’s sake, but it will allow her to maintain her Staying. A gift of thanks. To both of you. For what you sacrificed and lost in all of this.”
“Say something, Talwyn.” “I love you, Az.” It was the first time she’d said those words to him.
“Destroying one wouldn’t be the end of the world.” “Perhaps not this one,” Hazel said. Cassius and Cyrus both paused to look at her. “Would it?” Cass asked. “Affect other worlds?” “Everything we do has an effect somewhere down the line,” she answered. “A seemingly innocent action can change the course of history, for good or bad. I would imagine destroying something of great power will have a great impact.”
“If Scarlett does not destroy it, it leaves an opening for Achaz to come to this world,” Cassius argued.
“Scarlett always said the Avonleyan keys were always trying to find their way home.” Hazel nodded, an almost smile forming. “Yes. This is the same concept. Magic always has its own agenda, guided by Chaos and Fate.
“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.
“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
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I could have found an enchantment to find you, so I forced Arantxa to charm my spell book. I could not retrieve it until the day of my Fading. To pass it on to you.
Live well, Cassius. But know that I would have come for you.
Cyrus wrapped an arm around his waist, tugging him back against his chest, and whispered, “You break, and we clean it up together, Cass.” Cyrus held him close all through the night.
And a few moments later, Ashtine stepped into view. The Sorceress’s gaze immediately went to her rounded belly, a hunger shining there that had Cyrus shifting in front of the Fae Queen. For that’s what she was now. The Courts had come together and pledged loyalty to her and Briar, now Fae King of the Courts. It was temporary. Until the babes were in a position to take the thrones, because those babes would be the most powerful Fae in the realm. Some of the most powerful Fae in all the realms if what Saylah had said was true. “Princess of Wind. Fae Queen of the Courts,” Gehenna sang, fingers
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“You must speak Fate’s name.” “The Fates have a name?” Scarlett asked. “Of course the Fates have names,” Gehenna said sharply. “But you must speak her name.” “Where do I find it?” “It is lost among the stars.”
“You are not a goddess.” Scarlett’s smile was pure poison. “Think again.” “How?” the Sorceress rasped, clawing at the shadows. “How did I not know?” “I guess it was hidden by deceit,” Scarlett replied, another wave of darkness slamming into the Sorceress. “You are a World Walker,” Gehenna cried, eyes wide with understanding. “They deceived us all!”
“A sacrifice of blood.” “No!” Gehenna screamed. “A sacrifice of betrayal.” Scarlett shoved her into the cell, Chaos surrounding the bars. He could feel her magic holding, caging, imprisoning.
So Callan kept fighting beside his people as the sun sank lower in the sky, knowing he would not see it rise, and he hoped Tava would forgive him for breaking his promise to her.
She was a goddess. Sorin was basically a god.
“The Fates’ names are not known.” “Gehenna said her name,” Scarlett said, turning to Sorin. “That is not possible,” Mordecai argued. “Her name has been lost since the time of the World Walkers.” “But I know it,” Sorin said as understanding dawned. “Beatrix told me the name. Their family had been keeping it a secret for centuries.”
“That’s what Gehenna said. A Mark spoken with the name of Fate.” “Avana.” The name was scarcely past his lips when the Mark radiated with such force it shoved them all back. Sorin caught Scarlett before she hit the wall. When she turned back, Mordecai was already back at Nuri’s side, holding her hand in his own and inspecting her palm. “Did it work?” Scarlett asked, and when Nuri met her gaze, there were tears glimmering there. Scarlett gave her a wicked smile. “What shall we burn first, Sister?” Nuri’s features darkened, fangs snapping out. “We burn it all.”
All of them. A panther as dark as the night. A dragon who had fought in the Wind Court. A phoenix with flames like the one he was bonded to. A silver hawk who could command the winds. A red stag of the earth. A horse of water. An eagle of the wild and untamed. A wolf of the moon.
World Walkers. There was a female around Eliza’s size. Not small, but one could tell her body was honed from decades of training. Her sleek black hair hung down her back like a sheet of night, and she had several small gold hoops running up the curve of her rounded ear. But it was her silver eyes that Scarlett recognized. Shirina.
Here were two beings so ethereal, Scarlett knew instantly they were gods. One was a female with silver hair flowing past her navel. A crown of white flames as bright as starlight sat upon her head. Thick kohl lined her eyes, dark red on her lips. She wore a black, nearly sheer gown that stood out against her bronze skin. Serafina. Which meant that the male beside her was … He was devastatingly beautiful in the same way that Cethin was. Angular features with a chiseled jawline. His black hair curled around his ears and a lock of it fell forward, brushing his cheekbone. Eyes as green as emeralds
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There was a sword strapped down his back, but Scarlett couldn’t imagine why the God of Endings would ever need such a thing. There was no crown atop his head. He did not need it. Not with the darkness that swirled in his eyes and drifted around him. There was no mistaking who he was.
There was a female who appeared to be around her own age. Scarlett couldn’t tell if she had gone through her Staying. Her golden hair was dull and limp as she appeared to be sneaking away from the large estate of buildings behind her. Scarlett watched as she took one last look behind her before darting off and disappearing into the night.
Arius was here once more, this time with another. The male beside him was the same height, but his hair was as golden as the sun and nearly reached his chin. His complexion was darker than Arius’s, more golden and tan. His features weren’t quite as sharp, but he was just as beautiful. His eyes were blue with brilliant flecks of gold, and he seemed to glow, as if light swirled around him the way darkness followed Arius. With a start, she realized it was Achaz.
No sounds of battle. No seraphs in the sky, just a black dragon circling above them. Cassius and Sorin were hovering over her, but a feline was also there.
All of the spirit animals were gathered around her. Some pacing. Some laying down.
“You dragged me all over the battlefield. We appeared next to each one of the spirit animals, and they … They shifted to their human forms, and the two of you decimated everyone within range that our people were not shielding.”
“What did you just say?” Cyrus gave her a quizzical look. “That if the Maraan Lords had been here, the losses would have likely been higher.” “None of the Maraans were here,” Cassius repeated slowly, dread filling his eyes as they connected with Scarlett’s. And the obviousness of this now was like a slap to the face. None of the Maraans were here.
This entire battle had been a distraction to keep them busy and their focus elsewhere. And it had worked.
But from what I have been told by Mordecai, what was done here today was more than half his forces.”
Scarlett glanced at Callan, and he could see it in her eyes. The hesitation to carry out the plan they’d devised mere hours ago. The plan that would truly end all of this. He gave her a soft smile before he subtly nodded his head. They’d already said their goodbyes.
This was the only part of the plan he’d regret in the After. Knowing that Tava would understand, but she didn’t know it was coming. She wasn’t prepared to watch him die again after watching him nearly do so in a throne room months ago. She’d have Drake though. At the end of this, she would have her brother. But giving his life to save his people? To keep the mortal kingdoms from being used yet again in a war that had never been about them? That choice had been easy.
What if there was only one mortal king like there had been long ago? Wasn’t that what Arianna had once said to him? The three mortal kingdoms were once ruled by one. I am merely suggesting that perhaps your destiny is another path, but it is not one that can be chosen for you. You must choose it yourself.
But for now, he was the only mortal king. Hale and Drake had abdicated to him, signing formal documents an hour before they’d come to the Necropolis. The only mortal king now tied to three Maraan Lords. One sacrifice instead of three.
