Page 144 of Lady for Embers

“Which means his hold on her is all mental,” Cassius said quietly, his eyes shuttering closed as he tipped his head back, hurting for her not as her Guardian but as her soulmate.

“What do I do?” Sorin demanded. “I cannot just sit here.”

“Keep trying to reach her down the bond,” Cethin said. “I have some books at home I can look through. See if there is anything.”

Sorin did not bother responding. He’d summoned Cethin here for help, and he’d given him nothing. He did not give a shit what he did at this point. If he wasn’t going to help her, he could get out.

“I can stay,” Razik was saying. “Be the go-between in case they need something.”

“We do not need you,” Cassius said coldly, refusing to look at his cousin. Sorin was certain that had not been addressed yet, despite Scarlett telling Razik that Cassius knew everything.

“You came to us for help,” Razik retorted.

“And you can give us none,” Cassius snapped.

“Hey,” Cyrus interjected, stepping between the two. “Let’s just...” He sighed deeply. “It will be better if he stays, Cass. Cethin can send him messages if he ?nds something, and if something changes here, Razik will know how to reach Cethin.”

“Fine.”

“Cass—”

“I said ?ne,” Cassius bit out, angling his body away from them and focusing on Scarlett. “Are you still trying to reach her?”

“I have not stopped,” Sorin said, not caring what the rest of them did anymore.

Scarlett. Love. You are stronger than he is. You can ?ght this.

Nothing.

“Come on, Seastar,” Cassius was muttering.

And Sorin was ?ashing back to another time, in another room, when Cassius had been trying to wake her. When shadows had drifted from her palms as she had thrashed atop her bed, sweat matting her hair to her forehead. When her dreams had been of nightmares past. He’d been able to reach her that time, had pulled her from that dark place. He’d reached her that time and so many others, promising to never leave her alone in the dark. He wouldn’t leave her alone now either.

Scarlett Aditya, listen to me and hear me well. He does not get any piece of you. He does not get to keep any of what he has taken from you. He does not get to keep you from me. You are all mine. Every bright star and darkest crevice of your soul is mine. Do you understand me? You are mine. All the way through the darkness. Now, wake the fuck up.

There was a strangled gasp as she bolted upright, her cheeks already wet from tears suddenly coursing down her face. He was pulling her into his chest, her nails scraping against his ?esh as she tried to grasp any part of him.

“Sorin.”

His name was a cry and a plea. He already knew what she was asking for.

“Everyone get out,” he said tightly, clutching her to him with one arm banded around her waist. His other hand was already at her throat, ?ngers tracing where Mikale had touched her in his dream.

No one said a word, and Cassius slowly rose from the bed. “If you need something... ”

“I won’t.”

Cassius nodded once before turning and following the rest of them out.

And as he went about replacing Mikale’s touch with his own, reclaiming what Mikale thought he could take from them, a vow settled deep in his being.

Scarlett could have Alaric. She could claim his kill and make it as tortuous as possible. She could have Alaric and Lord Tyndell and every other Maraan Lord and seraph. But Mikale? He was claiming that death, even if all he had when the time came was a sword and his bare hands.

Chapter 28

Cyrus

"Scarlett can never see this place,” Cyrus said the minute they opened the doors.

---