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October 24 - October 27, 2025
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.
“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.
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.
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.
“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.
“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. “There it is,” she purred. Flames of red and orange, yellow and blue, reflected in her silver irises. “Keep them burning, Prince.”
she was tossing starfire and freezing it in the air. Godsdamn steps that went higher...
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He’d seen her use this before with her own fire. Shadowfire she had called it, but she’d had to split her power between shadows and flames. Now, though? Now she could put her full strength into her shadows, and their twin flame bond let her combine them with his fire. His fire magic was now more powerful than an Avonleyan. “Holy gods,” Rayner murmured.
She let him have control of the shadowfire, giving him free rein of her shadows, and as he dragged it around and finished off the few remaining beings, she spun atop her stage of frozen starfire, dancing to a dark song only she could hear.
The air was filled with ash that did not belong to Rayner. It drifted down to the ground like gently falling snow, and Scarlett was floating amongst it all atop one of her frozen flames. She was still ten feet in the air when she leapt from the ice and into his arms.
They were covered in a fine layer of ash, but her mouth crashed into his. Her legs wound around his waist, and she was pure darkness as her tongue met with his.
“I knew you’d only access it around me if my life was in danger.” Cunning, wicked goddess, he sent down the bond, feeling her desire spike at the words.
“That was …” Rayner trailed off, still surveying the destruction they’d wrought. Finally, his grey eyes settled back on them. “The two of you can bring this world to its knees.” “This world doesn’t have to worry,” Scarlett said darkly. “Only those who should have never come here.”
“Does she? Talk to you, I mean?” he asked curiously. “Not like she should,” he answered roughly. “Legacy and their Sources are not meant to be separated by thousands of miles.”
“We killed some of those floating beings with the gold swords,” Scarlett said with a smirk. “Only Kailia can kill them,” Razik retorted. “If you think they are dead, you are wrong. They will come back.” Then his eyes widened. “Wait. Is that what is all over you? You think you burned them to ash?” “Those and some other creatures,” she answered with a shrug. “Is there food? I’m starving.” Razik cursed colorfully. “You brought them back here? Do you know how hard we have worked to keep them from this side of the Nightmist Mountains?”
Only the dark stone Kailia can conjure kills them.” “Dark stone?” Rayner asked. “Nightstone?” Razik shook his head. “This is different.”
“Moranna had some deathstone. Not much. A few items at most.” “What does it do?” Scarlett asked, her tone soft. Cyrus shrugged. “She said it was like nightstone in that it suppressed and drained power, but when the power was gone, it drained your life-force. Never actually killed you. Just held you in the in-between.”
“Kailia can conjure deathstone?” Rayner asked, and when Cyrus glanced at him, he looked as if he’d just put something together. “Yes,” Razik said. “It is the only thing we have found that truly kills the things that come for Cethin. And apparently Scarlett.”
“You’re talking about the Hunters, right?” Cyrus asked,
“Achaz created them. Their sole purpose, according to her, is to hunt the bloodline of Arius, and any beings created by him or Serafina. She said there are some here, and when they can leave, they will report back to Achaz what they discovered. She wouldn’t tell me anything else about them.”
Cyrus moved out of the way, swiping up his drink. “But there are no twin flames over here, right?” Scarlett piped up. “That is random,” Razik muttered. “It’s not though,” she said, pushing up onto her knees and leaning over the back of the sofa to see him better. “You said you’ve tried everything, but if there are no twin flames over here, you wouldn’t know if our combined power could kill them. And Sorin’s magic is … Well, it’s stronger now.” “There are not twin flames here because we are separated from the Fae,”
“Because a twin flame bond occurs between a Legacy and a Fae.”
“The basic history is that the twin flame bond was given to the Legacy and Fae as a gift. A gift to the children of the gods, and a gift to the Fae who watch over them and provide them with power.”
“Finding your twin flame is still rare, but not as uncommon as it is here in this world. It was another cost of the Wards.” “But you wouldn’t need to be full-blooded Avonleyan, right? To have a twin flame.”
Any amount of Avonleyan blood would allow one to have a twin flame.”
“I just want you to know that if I had met Rayner first, you and I would likely not be together.” Everyone’s head whipped to her. She was looking up at Sorin, batting her lashes. Sorin blinked back at her. “All I am saying,” she went on, “is that Death’s Maiden and The Reaper sound like they belong together.”
“Maybe after we save the realm, I’m ready to explore more of your experiences, Prince,” she replied innocently. Sorin’s amber eyes darkened, and Cyrus saw Rayner’s lips twitch as he took a sip of his liquor.
“So do you have Avonleyan blood then? Or did Thia?”
“No? Here’s a truth for you,” Cyrus sneered with a cruel curl of his lip. He took a few steps forward, embers left in his wake. “I never had a twin flame. I’m Fae. Thia was Fae. I was a fool to think I was deserving of such a thing. The Fates would never find me worthy of such a gift.”
He turned to walk away from him, done with this conversation, but a large hand clamped around the nape of his neck and hauled him back. Then there were lips on his, and he was so startled, he froze. Cassius pulled back, his brow resting against Cyrus’s.
“Reminding you what you are deserving of,” he answered, his voice rough.
He was smoke and heat and a warmth that had been missing from his soul. His hand was still clasped around the back of his neck, and his other dropped to Cyrus’s side. His fingers brushed along his bare torso, calluses from years of training rough against his flesh. Cyrus gripped his tunic, keeping him close, and the rumble that came from Cassius had him echoing with a low groan of his own.
“You are deserving of being wanted, Cyrus. You are wanted.” The hand at his hip began moving, sliding along his abdomen. “I’ll tell you as often as you need to hear it.” His hand dipped beneath the band of his pants, and Cyrus stopped breathing entirely. “And when words aren’t enough, I’ll show you.”
Cass took him deep again, and Cyrus slammed his palm back against the wall. He was so fucking close. “Godsdamnit, Cass,” he rasped. Cassius’s hand squeezed his thigh where he held him, a glimmer of male triumph in his eye.
“I’m serious, Cass,” he ground out, thrusting again out of pure need. “I’m about to lose it.” Cassius gave him a wicked grin around his cock as he pulled back and swirled his tongue around the head before he sank back down on him again. And that was it. Any shred of control Cyrus was clinging to was shattered. His other hand slid into Cass’s hair, his hips snapping forward. He tried—gods, did he try—to take it easy on him, but Cassius had steadily worked his way through every layer and defense Cyrus had. And damn it all to hell, Cass took it all when release found Cyrus. His head tipped back
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“Don’t ever tell me to get the fuck out again.” “Don’t tell me to sleep in another room again,” Cassius retorted. “Don’t sleep in the armchair anymore,” he tossed back. Cassius’s amber eyes flared brighter, and Cyrus flicked his gaze over his shoulder. “Are your wings about to appear?”
“It will not matter, Cyrus. We have all done things to survive.” Cyrus didn’t reply, and it was minutes later when Cassius said, “Cyrus?” “Yeah?” “If you break, we clean it up together.”
The flames that had started on the seraph’s wings were suddenly out, his body twitching on the ground. He would heal. They healed faster than the Fae.
She locked eyes with Sawyer. “They do not get near her.” Sawyer nodded.
And then sagged in relief as they all went up in black flames. She knew those flames, and while she could have held her own, she was really fucking glad when she felt him land behind her. “Make sure that one is dead,” she said between gasping breaths, pointing to the one who had forced her to her knees. “As you wish, Milady,” came his taunting drawl.
His black wings were out and splayed wide, the talons at the end sharp and deadly. Brown hair was a mess from flying, falling into his glowing sapphire eyes that raked over her, pausing at the blood splatters. His nostrils flared as he scented whether it was her blood. Then the corner of his mouth tipped up in a taunt, and he spat black flames onto the seraph she had pointed to.
Razik looked her over one more time, before he was back in the sky to combat the few seraphs that had been able to get airborne and were raining arrows on their company.
Eliza immediately recognized one as Arantxa. The dark-skinned Witch was the High Witch’s Second. The Witch rolled when she hit the sand, two daggers flying as she flipped to her feet then drew her swords. The other was Talwyn Semiria. Leathers in place, hair braided back, and the same impassive mask she always wore, Talwyn drew her blade and fought alongside the Witch. The female may not have a drop of magic in her veins anymore, but she had trained with weapons longer than she had trained with power. She was as deadly as the Witch beside her, even if she was no longer as quick or graceful.
Because there was a dagger at her throat and one poised at her rounded belly. And Death’s Shadow was holding both of the blades. A seraph stood next to Nuri, and this one Eliza recognized. Mordecai. The commander of the seraph forces.
Eliza’s mouth fell open as she watched Mordecai draw his own blade. He drew it across the throats of the seraphs faster than Eliza could track, and as the males slumped to their knees, his blade sliced the wings from their backs. He looked over his shoulder at her and Razik. “Some flame.” Then his gaze swept over all the fallen seraphs, and he added, “All of them.”
Mordecai and I were to come after to speak with the Alpha and the Beta about relations. I was not told until right before we were to leave that should the outcome not be in our favor, I was to kill Ashtine. As a message to Scarlett and to the realm.” “No,” Eliza gasped, shaking her head in denial. “No. You don’t have to—” “She does,” Mordecai said solemnly. “It was an order given through the Blood Bond. She has no choice but to obey it.” The sound of his boots in the muddy sand was the only sound as he moved back to Nuri’s side. “We sent word as soon as we heard. Talwyn and the Witch were to
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Eliza could see Nuri’s hands trembling with restraint as the magic of the Blood Bond tried to force her to fulfill what had been ordered of her.
“Am I to understand the two of you are on our side?” Stellan asked, eyes narrowed on Nuri and Mordecai. “Yes,” Talwyn said. “They always have been, but they’ve had to work within the constraints of their positions.”
“Then me,” Sawyer insisted. “Those babes are not yet born. I am the current heir to the Water Court as Briar’s brother.” Ashtine loosed a shuddering breath, and Eliza realized she’d known. She’d known the entire time that this moment would come. I hope the winds are wrong about many things, but they rarely are.
Her eyes opened, filled with sorrow and tears. “It will work,” Sawyer said softly. “The winds told you.” Ashtine swallowed thickly before she nodded. “I did not know when. Only that a choice would be made. A Prince of Water would fall. There were three.” Her hand rubbed at her stomach. “I didn’t know …” “Then I am glad it is me, Ashtine,” he said gently.
