Page 31 of Lady of Darkness

“You sure?” Drake asked, a knowing look passing between him, Tava, and Cassius.

“She will be fine,” Cassius said. “I just want to check on her.”

“That would seem most inappropriate,” Mikale scowled. “Why has a healer not been summoned?”

“Miss Scarlett has her own demons she deals with that a healer cannot fix, Lairwood,” Cassius growled. “You, of all people, should know such things.”

Mikale sneered, but Drake stepped between them. “Let’s go,” he ordered.Then added, “Renwell, stay with Cassius. We will meet you at the usual tavern.” He pushed Mikale roughly towards the door.

As soon as the door clicked shut behind them, Tava grabbed Cassius by the hand. “Hurry,” was all she said as she pulled him to the stairs.

The three of them raced up the staircase, and Sorin followed them down the hall. They stopped at the third door down on the left. The door across from it was opened wide, and Sorin assumed it was Tava’s room from the various personal effects he could see.

Tava made to knock on the closed door, but Cassius pushed her hand aside and pushed into the room. Tava followed him in, Sorin on her heels, and shut the door behind them.

“Gods,” Cassius breathed, as they took in the room.

Scarlett was sleeping in her bed, but she was drenched in sweat. Her silver hair was matted to her forehead, and she thrashed among the sheets. Low moans escaped from her, and her skin was leached of color.

“I came to check on her and found her like this. I cannot wake her,” Tava whispered, fear in her voice.

Cassius walked to the edge of the bed. He had gone pale. He gripped Scarlett’s shoulders and shook them. Hard. “Scarlett.” His voice quivered. Sorin could hear the fear in it. She thrashed beneath him. His voice became louder, commanding, panic creeping in. “Scarlett. I’m here. Wake up.”

“Is that smoke?” Tava breathed.

“What?” Cassius asked, turning to her.

Tava pointed to Scarlett’s hands twisted in the sheets. Where her left hand curled into a fist, wisps of dark smoke indeed furled up.

“We need to call for Mora,” Cassius breathed.

“You said yourself a healer cannot fix this,” Tava hissed. “If we call for anyone, we call—” she paused, glancing at Sorin, “heror Sybil.”

“I cannot help her through this if she will not wake up. Sybil would take too long to get here.Shewould be here immediately if we could track her down, but I have no idea where she is right now,” Cassius answered.

“A healer cannot help her,” Sorin cut in, stepping to the side of the bed. “And I doubt whoeversheis would be able to help her either.”

Sorin reached for Scarlett’s hand. It was indeed burning. This was impossible. When she had frozen those branches in the clearing weeks ago, he had thought she was a daughter of Anahita, the goddess of the seas and water, but this display of power? This was Anala, the goddess of the sun and fire. Scarlett was water and fire. No one but the Fae Queens displayed powers from more than one Court.

“What do you mean a healer cannot help her?” Cassius demanded.

“I mean a healerherecannot help her,” Sorin said, his eyes scanning the room.

“Where exactly can a healer help her?” Tava demanded.

“Where I am from,” Sorin answered, his eyes still searching.

“Stop with the fucking riddles, Renwell!” Cassius hissed. “What the hell are you looking for?”

Sorin’s eyes settled on Scarlett’s dresser…and the Semiria ring. “This,” he said, striding to the dresser and picking it up. He slid it onto his finger.

“A ring?” Cassius said. “How is a ring going to help her?”

“The ring will allowmeto help her.”

He jolted slightly as his magic sparked. Then he sighed deep as he felt his veins crackle to life with embers he had not felt in nearly three years. Heat rushed through his body. With barely a thought, a shield of thin, nearly invisible flame encompassed the room. Tava cried out, and Cassius swore.

“What did you do?” Cassius gasped.

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