Page 201 of Lady of Starfire

She shrugged. “The Light King thinks they’re all his.”

The small box in her hand suddenly lit up, and she glanced down at it. Her smile fell, replaced with something akin to dread. Her thumb moved quickly across the box again. Then she held it back up, showing him the screen once more.

“This one. It will call her to this gate,” she said. “But hurry. He knows too.”

“How do I know I can trust you?”

That manic grin returned. “You don’t, but you called me here, so…”

“How did we do that?” Sorin asked, his brow furrowing. “How do you know all this?”

“Not important. Whatisimportant is that more than her blood will be needed to call her back.”

Then with a wink, she was gone, as though she had Traveled. His own reflection once again stared back at him. He turned back to the others. What the fuck did that mean?

“She could be lying. What if she works for Achaz?” Rayner said immediately.

“I do not think we have much of a choice,” Sorin replied, turning back to the mirror. It took a moment, but he found the symbol near the bottom on the left side of the mirror.

“And if you summon something else?” Cethin asked.

Sorin glanced at him as he pulled the vial of blood from his pocket. “I suppose you have experience with that. We’d have to figure something out.”

“Anyone ever tell you that you are an ass?” Cethin deadpanned.

“Your sister. Daily,” Sorin answered, tipping some blood into his palm. He could smell her in it. Embers. Citrus. Lavender. Jasmine. Taking a deep breath, he crouched before the mirror. He didn’t let himself second guess it as he traced the symbol with her blood.

They were silent, waiting. For what, he had no idea. Would she appear in the mirror? Out of the air like Traveling?

“Your blood too,” Cethin said after a moment.

Sorin glanced at Rayner, who shrugged. “It couldn’t hurt.”

Sorin sliced his finger before tracing over her blood on the symbol.

“She said it would take more,” Kailia chimed in, still perched on the table. “Blood of the same blood perhaps?”

Cethin lowered beside him, taking the dagger and slicing his finger to trace the symbol.

Still they waited, and still there was nothing.

“Family blood too,” Kailia said, jerking her chin at Rayner.

“But I am not blooded family,” he argued.

“Chosen family is often stronger than blood,” Kailia countered. “You know this, Ash Rider. Love, blood, and family.”

Sorin pushed to his feet, stepping back to give Rayner room. “How do you know of this?” he asked the Avonleyan Queen.

She shifted cool amber eyes to him. “Some knowledge is learned. Some is innate. Some is both.”

She spoke as nonsensically as an Oracle at times.

“Sorin.”

Rayner’s voice was tight and drew his attention back to the mirror.

Where all the symbols and glyphs around it were now glowing.

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