Page 186 of Lady for Embers

“How could they have imprisoned the daughter of a goddess? They were powerful, but not that powerful,” Sorin argued.

“You are correct. They are not the ones who imprisoned her. My mother did. The cost to do so was her life,” she replied. “It took a descendant of Zinta to imprison one of the same.”

“Your mother was—Youare a descendant of Zinta? Are you an Avonleyan?”

“No, Sorin. My mother was already carrying me when she came here. While I am a descendant of Zinta, my mother was her daughter. Taika and Zinta each had one set of twins before they realized the curse from Achaz was real. My mother was the Sorceress’s sister,” Beatrix said calmly.

“Why would you keep all this from us? From me?” Sorin asked quietly.

He couldn’t help but feel bitter and slighted.

“A Mark of loyalty to the Fire Court is not the only Mark I bear, young prince,” she answered. “You once told me I answered to your father.”

“And your reply was ‘Do I?’” Sorin said.

Beatrix nodded. “I was sent to serve the Fire Court by Sidora. Well, my mother was. She served Arius. She joined Sidora’s coven, one of the daughters of Taika herself. I traveled with her and took over when she gave her life to imprison the Sorceress. Without that sacri?ce, this world would look very different.”

“Did you know the Maraans were already here?”

“No. Despite what you are likely thinking, I do not have all the answers or some vast knowledge to help you, Sorin. I was, however, given a task that I have waited centuries to complete,” she said.

Sorin was at a loss for words, so he just sat back and waited for her to continue.

“You know the rest of the story of two sisters,” she said. “My mother helped trap and imprison the Sorceress. By the time she was imprisoned, the Wards were already up around Avonleya. My mother stripped her of her gifts, creating the Witches and Shifters in this world to aid the Fae. How or when the Sorceress found her way to this world, I do not know. What other havoc she created in other realms, I do not know. She became one of Achaz’s favorites.”

So much time had passed since Sorin had found himself in this small courtyard, the sun was beginning to set, casting the space in soft oranges and pinks.

“Why now?” he asked. “Why are you telling me all of this now?” “Because knowledge is power, young prince,” Beatrix answered. “I am considered a Sage among the Witches, a keeper of knowledge.” She pulled back the sleeve of her robe, revealing a gold Mark on her arm. This was not a Fae Marking in black nor an Avonleyan Marking in silver. This was something different all together. “­Certain knowledge I was bound to keep until the day I crossed the Veil.”

His eyes ?ew to hers. “What are you talking about?”

Her smile was the one she always gave him. Warm and patient.

“Death comes for us all in one way or another, Sorin. I have long known that when I returned to these lands, my days would reach their end.” She gestured at the statue before them. “It was foretold by Sidora herself.”

“You can’t... I cannot do this without you,” he said, ?ghting the emotion swarming up his throat.

This female had been there for him through everything. He had known her his entire life. She taught him, guided him. She had been there when he’d watched his parents be killed by Esmeray. She had been there when he’d been at his lowest, had told him to trust the Fates when he wanted to give up on everything. She had cried tears of happiness when he and Scarlett had asked her to perform a marriage ceremony. She had Anointed their twin ?ame bond. She was family. The only constant in his life. And now she was telling him she was going to be leaving him? In the middle of losing his gifts, his twin ?ame bond, he was going to lose her too?

He swallowed back his emotion. “When?”

“Tonight,” she answered. “When the sun sets, I will Fade.”

“Tonight?” he balked. “I... Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

She reached up and cupped his cheek. “You have enough weight to bear these days, Fire Prince. This was knowledge you did not need to carry.”

“I am not ready for this,” he said, not caring that two tears slipped free. She had seen him cry more than most.

“We have had centuries together, Sorin,” she replied, her hand falling from his face.

“You cannot leave me when I am about to lose everything. My power. My bond. There has to be something—”

“Sorin Aditya,” she said sternly, taking his hands in hers. “I lived a long and good life. And you? You are not left defenseless. She will not leave you simply because you no longer carry ?re in your veins or because your bond will look different.”

“Our bond will be nonexistent,” he argued, pushing down the hysteria of facing this on top of everything else.

Her brow arched. “You are beginning to sound like that young child who climbed up to my worktable and groused about this orthat.”

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