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He wasn’t wrong. Sorin would never tell another of what happened the night she had been forced to kill Juliette. Sorin was the only one who knew every detail of that night and the days that followed.
“I will do whatever is necessary to protect her,” Cethin went on. “Explaining the creatures that hunt me would have meant explaining so many other things. How we learned of them to begin with. How Kailia is the only one with the means to end them. And when we were just meeting and learning to trust each other outside of dreams? I could not risk word getting back to Alaric that she is here.”
“Has she met Alaric before?”
Cethin nodded. “He held her captive for a short period of time. She is incredibly adept at escaping. But then she found her way here.” He smiled then, almost wistfully. “To kill me.”
“She mentioned she has tried to do that a few times,” Scarlett said, taking another sip.
Cethin only nodded, as if amused.
“All of that is fine. I understand you wanting to keep Kailia safe. But none of that is the greatest thing you kept from me, Cethin,” she said. “How could you keep from me that I would need to leave this world in order to save it?”
He blew out a harsh breath, shoving a hand through his shoulder-length hair. He studied his empty glass for a long moment before speaking again. “I have known for centuries that I would eventually need to leave this realm. There have been plans in place to do so for just as long. The plans have been altered numerous times over the decades, but it always involved our parents and me, along with Tybalt and Razik as our Guardians. Kailia was added to those plans after a time. For nearly two decades it has just been us. Me, Kailia, and Razik. We do not create other relationships. We do not have other close friends because we know that eventually we will leave.
“I watched you through your dreams, but I could not truly learn of your life. Dreams are often skewed and unreliable. I knew of Sorin, of course. And Cassius, although I did not know his name until you found the mirror gate. I assumed they would come with us when the time came. But then you arrived on these shores with a number of ships. With children who adore you. With friends. With family. And I… I did not know how to tell you that you would need to leave them. Cyrus. Eliza. Rayner. The Water Prince. Juliette and Nuri. I did not know how to tell you that you—who has already been forced to give so much—were going to be forced to give even more. And the more I watched you and got to know you, I thought that maybe, just maybe, you would find another way. That maybe it was a heartbreak I could spare you from. I know you do not need me to protect you, but if I could save you from this pain, I would, Scarlett.”
Her fingertips glided over the tops of the smooth ivory keys before her as she processed everything he’d said. She didn’t like it, but she understood. It was the same reason she hadn’t mentioned it to the others yet. She knew they would be asking after the comments she made to Alaric at the cliffs earlier that evening. Knew she needed to talk to Sorin before that other conversation happened. She just wanted him to have a few moments to enjoy having his power back before she heaped another pile of shit onto their already full plate. She’d wanted to have some sort of solution to offer when she told them. Even if it was scarcely a plan, it would be something instead of just more…impossibilities.
“Why can’t you leave the Wards? How did that happen?” she asked after several minutes.
Cethin had refilled his glass while he’d let her think, and he took a sip before he answered. “When our mother returned from the continent, she was…upset.”
“Saylah bound you to the Wards?” Scarlett said in horror.
“Yes, but she had little choice. My actions had inadvertently opened a rift in the enchantments, allowing other beings to enter. It is how some of the Maraan Lords got here. The cost to close it was my ability to let people in all together. In order for me to still control the Wards, I had to be bound to them. If I leave, the Wards fall and take my life with them. It leaves my people vulnerable. Without being able to refill their reserves quickly, they would not survive long in a war, no matter how well trained they are in combat. Against mortals, yes. But against those with magic? Night Children? Seraphs? They would be slaughtered.”
“But what will happen when the Wards come down? What will happen to you?”
He shrugged. “The Wards will no longer be needed. Since I am not the one taking them down, the binding will be severed.”
Her nose scrunched. “That doesn’t seem right. Are you sure?”
“No,” Cethin said tightly. “It is simply what we are hoping for.”
She blinked, unsure of what to say. “Taking down the Wards could potentially kill you?”
He nodded, bringing his drink back to his lips. “Razik seems confident it won’t. He is very knowledgeable when it comes to ancient magic and Marks, but the possibility still exists.”
After several more beats of silence, she said, “Thank you. For coming to speak to me tonight.”
“I do not know what Saylah shared with you, but know that I am here, Scarlett,” he said. “I will help in whatever way I can. The Avonleyan resources are at your disposal.Iam at your disposal.”
She nodded, fiddling with her empty glass.
“My intention has never been to use you,” he added quietly. “Please know that.”
She nodded again, setting the glass back onto the piano. When she began playing once more, Cethin quietly stood. She could feel him watching her, but after a few moments, he left the den, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
This changed some things. Many of her plans would stay the same, but some of them… Some pieces would need to be moved around.
She played until her fingers hurt. She could hardly keep her eyes open when she dragged herself up to her wing of the castle. Stopping at Cyrus’s rooms first to check on him, she found him fast asleep in bed, and Cassius passed out in the winged armchair he’d claimed. She’d known Cassius wouldn’t leave him tonight, even if he craved the control of his own space and rooms. She could never ask Cassius to leave this realm and leave Cyrus behind.Shecould never leave Cyrus behind. Or Eliza. Or Rayner.
Sighing heavily, she pulled the door shut behind her and made her way to her rooms. After quickly washing up and changing into nightclothes, she slipped into bed. Sorin immediately reached for her, his arm draping over her waist and tugging her into him.
“Love?” he murmured.
“I’m here,” she whispered, brushing dark hair back from his brow.
