Page 110 of Storm of Secrets and Sorrow

“And the white flames?” Luka asked, and Tessa felt Theon’s irritation that his Guardian appeared to be encouraging this.

“From my mother. Or rather, my grandmother, Serafina,” Scarlett answered.

“Now I know you are lying,” Theon cut in impatiently. “Serafina was to be Matched with Achaz.”

“I don’t know what that means,” Scarlett said. “But I do know Arius and Serafina started a war because of their love. Or rather, they caused the continuation of one.”

“You speak of the Everlasting War,” Katya said, speaking for the first time. A faint flush filled her cheeks when all eyes landed on her. “I apologize,” she said softly. “I should not have spoken.”

“Why not?” Scarlett asked.

“She is Fae,” Tessa supplied when no one answered. “She is to be silent in a room full of Legacy.”

That dark and terrifying look filled Scarlett’s features again, and Tessa found herself leaning into Theon a little more.

“Is this why I have seen the Fae treated so…differently here?” Scarlett asked in a too calm voice.

“Different from what?” Axel asked.

“Scarlett,” Sorin warned again. “Remember the agreement with Juliette.”

“Who is Juliette?’ Theon asked.

“My sister,” Scarlett muttered, beginning to pace. Tessa could swear the temperature in the room dropped again.

“The sister that didn’t try to kill you?” Theon said dubiously.

“No, the other one.”

“Two sisters. A brother. How many siblings do you have?” Luka asked.

Scarlett stopped her pacing, meeting his stare. “How many doyouhave?”

“The point is,” Sorin cut in again, bringing a hand to Scarlett’s back. She appeared to visibly calm at his touch, rolling her shoulders a little. “We can only say so much. We made a deal with Juliette because revealing too much can alter fate, and Witches are very cautious when it comes to fate.”

“A deal,” Theon repeated. “Like a Bargain?”

“Yes,” Scarlett sighed, tugging at the collar of her suit to reveal a Bargain Mark along her collarbone.

“Your sister is a Witch? Doesn’t that make you one?” Axel asked.

“That wouldn’t make sense if she has Arius magic,” Theon argued.

“But she also has gifts of Serafina,” Axel countered.

“Which shouldn’t be possible. Legacy only get gifts from one bloodline,” Theon said, raking a hand through his hair.

Tessa almost felt bad for him.

Almost.

He was experiencing everything she’d been through these last few months. Everything he’d thought to be true getting flipped around? It was enough to drive a person mad. Then again, Scarlett was probably driving him mad simply in the way she was delivering the information. She always answered Tessa’s questions without fuss, but she was vague and snarky when answering Theon.

“I am not a Witch,” Scarlett said, as if indeed annoyed by their constant questions. “And if I were full Legacy, I would probably only have one set of gifts. My father was an Anahita Legacy, but my mother is a goddess, which alters a few things.”

“Your mother is a goddess? As in a daughter of Arius and Serafina?” Theon asked.

“Yes. Saylah is the goddess of shadows and night,” Scarlett said, sounding exasperated, as if he were dense for not understanding all the realm-altering information she was sharing in a very short period of time.

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