Page 254 of Lady of Starfire

“A mortal body cannot survive for decades longer than it should,” Talwyn argued.

“Which is why your Staying will not fade. I ensured it,” Scarlett answered.

“How?” Azrael demanded, his mouth slack in as much shock as Talwyn was feeling.

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.”

Scarlett was gone in the next blink, and Talwyn found herself crushed in Azrael’s embrace against his hard chest. She was numb with shock, nearly limp against him.

He tilted her chin up to look down into her eyes. “Say something, Talwyn.”

“I love you, Az.”

It was the first time she’d said those words to him. She wished that wasn’t the case. She wished he’d heard them from her so many times, he could never doubt the truth behind them.

She’d make sure he knew now. For the rest of their years together.

His mouth crashed into hers, somehow intense and calming all at once. Just as he had always been for her.

And as she clung to him, she remembered how to dream.

Chapter45

Cyrus

“This had better be the last time I am digging through piles of rock and body parts,” Cyrus muttered, tossing aside another chunk of stone. He couldn’t believe he actually wished Luan was here to take care of this for them.

“In theory, if this works, it should be,” Cassius answered, chucking his own piece of debris to the side.

They had been beneath the Fellowship for an hour now, Hazel having used some enchantment to guide her to where this last ring supposedly was. At least the Sorceress had been right about that. It was here. If this worked anyway.

“So if we find it here, then what?” Cyrus asked.

“It is here,” Hazel said from where she was hauling away as much rubble as they were. “Once found, it will be up to the queen what she desires to do with it.”

“Destroy it,” Cassius said, digging out another large piece of debris. He hadn’t said much to his mother. He’d be cordial and polite because that’s who Cassius was, but he only spoke to her when needed. And the High Witch was respectful of that, even if Cyrus did catch her eyes flicking to her son every so often.

“I will help her do so if that is her wish,” Hazel answered.

“Is there a reason she wouldn’t want to destroy it?” Cyrus asked.

“All options should be evaluated when dealing with something of such great power,” Hazel replied. “The portal keys were made so that such magic would not be taken from existence.”

“But there are more of them,” Cassius interrupted. “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.”

Cassius had stopped working, staring at his mother. Cyrus continued to haul away rock, trying to do so unnoticed to give them…whatever this was turning into.

“If Scarlett does not destroy it, it leaves an opening for Achaz to come to this world,” Cassius argued.

“Which is why it will be up to the queen to weigh the costs and make a choice,” Hazel answered.

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