1. Sorin

Chapter 1

Sorin

F or the first twelve hours he was home, the Prince of the Fire Court did not leave his private bedroom. Beatrix had to summon additional Healers to help keep Scarlett comfortable and asleep. She vomited often as her body detoxed and went through withdrawal from the tonic. Sorin and Briar were exhausted from having to counter her magic as it surfaced over and over again. Finally, the vomiting ceased. Finally, a slight color returned to her cheeks. Finally, flames and ice stopped appearing. Finally, she slept.

Shadows still swirled around her, but they seemed to have lessened. Then again, maybe he was just hoping they had lessened. They wouldn't let anyone touch her. Anyone who tried was burned by them. The Healers had gotten creative, using old spells to keep her asleep rather than relying solely on their healing magic. He forced his way past them a few times to try and comfort her in any way possible, but her darkness only allowed it for a few minutes at a time before he was forced back out.

When Scarlett hadn't so much as sighed in her sleep in the last hour, he slipped from the room and found Prince Briar Drayce sprawled on the couch in his sitting room, his eyes closed. He opened one eye when he heard Sorin's approach. Sorin flopped into one of the chairs and groaned.

"Well, that was delightful," Briar drawled, thick with sarcasm.

Sorin grunted in reply, closing his own eyes. He hadn't been this drained since before he went to the human kingdoms. He wasn't sure he could summon enough flame to light a candle at this point. He had been drained when they arrived, and every time he managed to fill a little of his magic reserves, it was immediately depleted once more.

"So you're back," Briar said after several minutes of silence.

Sorin grunted in reply again.

"Did you lose the ability to speak in the mortal lands?"

Sorin threw him a vulgar gesture and heard him bark his laughter.

After a few more minutes of silence, Briar tried again. "You're back for good?"

"I'm back for good," Sorin replied, opening his eyes. Briar was still sprawled on the couch, ice crackling at his fingertips. "How do you have any magic left?"

"I haven't spent the last three years in magic deprived kingdoms?" Briar offered.

"Valid point."

"So the female?"

"The female."

"She's strong."

"She is."

"She's Fae."

"She is."

"I'm going to need a little more here, Sorin," Briar said, annoyance creeping into his tone. "You bring power like that into our Courts, I'm going to need some sort of explanation as to who she is."

"She's my twin flame."

"You're kidding." Briar sat up, the crackling ice disappearing.

"Nope."

"You're sure? "

Sorin held up his left hand to show him the Mark that adorned it, closing his eyes again. Briar swore under his breath. "She doesn't bear a companion Mark."

"No, she doesn't."

"Normally both parties choose the Mark," Briar proceeded cautiously.

"She is not normal," Sorin replied simply.

"Clearly." When silence filled the space again, Briar said, "Sorin, who is she?"

Sorin opened his eyes and found his friend watching him carefully. He snapped a shield into place around his quarters. Briar straightened at the action, and Sorin felt an icy shield snap into place as well. After another minute, he took a deep breath before saying, "She is Eliné's daughter."

"Bullshit," Briar exclaimed. "How is that even possible?"

"I have no idea."

"How can you be sure?"

"I can't, but she has this," he held up his right hand that was still adorned by the Semiria ring. He heard Briar swear again. "She also clearly has both fire and water magic. Something unique to Eliné."

"Who is her father?"

"I have no idea," Sorin answered. "She doesn't either. Scarlett didn't even know she was Fae, let alone that her mother was a queen."

"Who?"

"Scarlett," Sorin answered. When Briar continued with the confused look, he added, "The female in my bed."

"Ah," Briar said, understanding passing over his face. "So…you brought her here?"

"Where else was I supposed to take her? This is where she belongs. This is her home."

"Talwyn will be livid," Briar warned, the ice returning to his fingertips.

"Hence the extra shields," Sorin muttered.

"Shadows dance around her," Briar remarked casually.

"That they do. "

"Who are the others? That Cyrus and Rayner escorted to the guest wing?"

"A mortal prince who is in love with the female in my bed and his personal guards," Sorin answered, his head falling into his hands.

"Because we didn't have enough drama with Talwyn and Azrael, you decided to bring more?" Briar asked.

Sorin lifted his head from his hands to find Briar smirking at him.

"I am glad you find this so entertaining," Sorin ground out.

"Is there anything else I should know?" Briar asked.

"Yes, but it can wait until tomorrow. I will tell you everything then. I need to sleep. I haven't had a proper night's sleep in three years," Sorin answered, swiping a hand down his face.

"It shows," Briar quipped.

Sorin glared at his friend, throwing him another vulgar gesture.

"Send word if you need me," Briar said, standing from the couch, and stretching his arms above his head. "Although maybe use a fire message rather than your damn bird."

Sorin chuckled and stood himself, facing Briar. "Thank you."

Briar clasped him on the shoulder. "Welcome home, Aditya. It's good to have you back."

"It's good to be back," Sorin admitted. Then he added, "I'm locking them out until she wakes up. They will not be happy."

"I will take care of it," Briar said as a portal of water appeared.

"And make sure they don't torture the mortals too much," Sorin said with a grimace. Cyrus was going to be outraged to learn he had to babysit humans for a time.

"Done," Briar said. He stepped through the water portal, and it snapped shut behind him.

Sorin took a deep breath and took it all in. He was finally home. His magic, although nearly depleted, simmered in his veins. He walked to his bedroom, found Scarlett hadn't moved, and continued on to the bathing room. His bathtub was more of a bathing pool. It was ten feet long and three feet deep. It was already full, and he had just enough magic left to heat the water. As he passed a hand over the top of the water, steam began to rise. He was still in his fighting leathers from their two-day trek to the border. Those events seemed as though they'd happened weeks ago. He peeled his sweat-laden clothes from himself and eased into the pool. Benches lined the edges of the tub, and he collapsed onto one.

A half hour later, he was so relaxed he could hardly keep his eyes open. He slid on loose pants and walked out to his room.

And stopped short.

Lying at the foot of the bed was a panther as dark as the shadows that swirled around Scarlett. The panther lifted its head as Sorin came into the room, a low growl escaping from it.

"Shirina," he breathed, bowing low. The goddess Saylah's spirit animal had not been seen in… Sorin actually had no idea when the goddess' panther had last been seen.

The panther cocked its head to the side, her silver eyes glowing as they studied him. Then, with a slight nod of her head, she settled back down, closing her eyes. Sorin slowly made his way to Scarlett, giving the panther a wide berth. She had shifted slightly in her sleep, and the color had left her cheeks. He grimaced as he pushed through the biting shadows to feel her forehead and found it icy to the touch.

"Shit," he muttered under his breath.

As if in answer, there was a soft knocking on the bedroom door. He turned to find Beatrix standing in the doorway. She was older, her hair with more grey than not, but being an immortal, she did not look her age. She looked past him to Scarlett, and a frown formed.

"You must be exhausted," Sorin said quietly.

"As are you, Prince," she replied with a curt nod of her head.

Beatrix came to Sorin's side, unfazed by the panther sleeping at the foot of the bed, and held her hands over Scarlett. White light flowed from them as she passed them over her body. The light pushed through the shadows, and he could see the effort Beatrix was having to exert to do so. She paused for a moment and reached for the bowl on the nightstand—just in time for Scarlett to lurch forward and vomit. His very soul ached for her. His twin flame. Sorin reached into the shadows once more and held her hair back. When she was done, she settled back into the pillows. Her eyes were half open, but they locked onto Sorin. She studied him, her eyes seeming to search his. Beatrix muttered a spell low under her breath, and her eyes fluttered shut once more.

"She should sleep for a few hours again," Beatrix said, pulling Sorin from his thoughts.

"Good," Sorin mustered, not taking his eyes from Scarlett, an idea forming in his mind.

"Summon me if needed. Do not let her get up if she wakes," Beatrix warned.

"If she wakes?" Sorin repeated, his eyes snapping to the Healer. "I thought you were keeping her asleep until the withdrawal is over."

"I am trying, Sorin," Beatrix replied. "She is strong. I cannot say how long I can keep her in this state."

Sorin nodded in understanding, his eyes going back to Scarlett. If he could communicate down the twin flame connection…

He felt a delicate hand on his arm, and he turned to find kind, violet eyes studying him with tender understanding.

"Do not go into her mind right now, Sorin," Beatrix said softly. "Her mind and body and soul are in great turmoil. You must not add to it."

"But I could help her through it," Sorin argued, his eyes returning to the female in his bed.

"No," Beatrix answered, shaking her head. "You do not know what you will discover there. It would be a great breach of trust. She has not yet accepted the bond. And with her magic? I do not know if you would come back. She could unknowingly trap you there."

Sorin did not respond. The twin flame connection would give him access to everything she was feeling and experiencing right now. If he could go in for just a moment, see where she was struggling, he could take a little of the burden.

"Sorin Aditya," Beatrix said, her voice more authoritative and commanding than it had been a moment ago. He turned again to look at her and found her violet eyes severe with disapproval. "I may be a dominant Healer, but I can still access the crafts of my sisters. She will change the course of history."

"No," Sorin interrupted. "I know Talwyn wants to use her. She cannot have her."

"We will need her, Sorin. And you," the Healer continued. "We will need what you two will become together, as well as what she will become on her own. Until she can control her magic and we know the extent of her power, you must act with diligence."

"I hear you, Beatrix," Sorin conceded. "Thank you. For everything."

Beatrix gave a slight nod of her head as she began walking to the bedroom door. "Summon me immediately if she wakes or if something appears wrong."

"I will."

When Beatrix had left, Sorin grabbed an extra blanket from the chaise lounge near the balcony doors and settled into one of the overstuffed chairs. The panther, seeming to accept that someone else was now present to watch over Scarlett, leapt to the floor, stretched with a wide yawn, and vanished in a flash of silver light. Sorin was asleep within minutes.