Lady of Shadows (Lady of Darkness #2)

Chapter 18 Sorin

CHAPTER 18

SORIN

H e couldn’t see past the blinding rage. All he could feel was fury and terror. Scarlett had been hurt. She had a broken arm, broken ribs, and multiple bruises. She had been fucking bleeding. He hadn’t been able to protect her. She had been shoved into her magical well so deeply, she couldn’t even begin to heal herself.

And it was all because of that fucking mortal prince.

“Sorin!” Eliza cried. “Calm the fuck down!”

She caught his feint and met his blade. He had not sparred with Eliza in years. They had not fought in sixty. Her own flames clashed into his, and the reverberations could be felt in the ground beneath him. Eliza flipped back as he thrust again, and she barely avoided the hit.

“Sorin, you will level this whole damn place!” she ground out between her teeth as he struck again. “She is in there! She is safe! She is healing!”

He knew this. In the back of his mind, he knew what she said was true. He knew he was being irrational, but the savage rage coursing through his veins could not be quelled. He could not quiet it, could not douse it.

“He put her in danger!” he seethed, attacking again.

She caught his blade between her own sword and dagger, shoving him back. “He did not know! Talwyn is cunning and conniving. He was tricked. He is a mortal who knows nothing of the rest of the world, Sorin.”

“He is a mortal who is in love with her and thought Talwyn would help him take her from me,” he snarled.

“She is no one’s damn property,” Eliza growled, and Sorin had to shield against her own attack. He was panting as he dodged her blow, forced to retreat a few steps. “The two of you need to back off and give her space to figure out her own shit.”

“Why do you think I have not told her of the twin flame bond?” Sorin seethed again.

“Because you are a fucking coward,” she sneered.

Sorin felt his power surge up, and with it pain that he blocked out, lunging for her once again. He saw her dredge up her own power, and just before their blades met, her eyes widened in horror. Power emanated from their strike, and he felt a spray of water. Great. Now fucking Drayce was here to try to quell him, too.

He whirled, ready to take them both on with the blinding rage that burned through him at the thought of his twin flame being in such danger, and he froze. The flames along his blades guttered, and his eyes widened.

Briar was not alone. Beatrix stood near him, reproach and disappointment all over her face. Briar’s arm was looped under Scarlett’s shoulders, supporting her as she stood barefoot in the grass. She hugged her arm to her chest. He could see her grimace as she took a breath. The pain against her ribs had to be agony. Her eyes locked onto his, worry filling them.

“Sorin?” Her voice was barely a whisper, but he felt it in his soul. He felt her in his mind, using that bond she didn’t even know existed.

What is going on? They said you were in danger. That I was needed.

“What is she doing here?” he demanded. The rage was there, boiling just beneath his skin, but he couldn’t do anything. Not with her before him. “Get her back to our chambers. She is in pain.”

“You need to stop, Sorin. You are not in a place to be expending this much power. She was the fastest way to reach you,” Briar said. His voice rang with authority.

“That is not your call to make,” Sorin snapped.

“Sorin.” Scarlett said softly again, as though she were awake but still as sedated as possible. She took a step towards him and stifled a cry. She slowly lowered to her knees, Briar easing her down.

Sorin’s chest cracked. He dropped his sword to the ground, rushing to her. “Love,” he whispered, dropping to his own knees before her and taking her face in his hands. Her eyes had returned to their usual icy blue color, but they were dull and filled with pain as she sucked in a shallow breath.

“Make her sleep, Beatrix,” he growled.

“Wait,” Scarlett gasped, thrusting out a hand to stay Beatrix. She studied his eyes. “You are not all right.”

“I am,” he said softly, brushing her hair back. “I am fine, Love.”

She pulled back slightly, glancing around at the others and up at Briar before her eyes came back to his. “Come back with me. I need you.”

“Of course,” he replied. He stood in a fluid motion, gathering her carefully into his arms. She cradled her arm, and tears leaked from the corners of her eyes. “Put her back to sleep.”

“No,” she gasped again. “Not until you are back.”

“I am right here, Scarlett.” He stepped through a fire portal, not caring if the others followed.

“You are not all right. Something is wrong,” she said softly. Despite the exhaustion in her eyes, there was a clarity. He set her gingerly on the bed, flinching at her slight grimace. He stood and saw Cyrus…and the mortal prince.

His lip pulled back from his teeth and a low growl rose in his throat. Cyrus stepped between them, but before he could say a word, she spoke again.

“Sorin, I need you,” she whispered, her hand reaching up and brushing his.

That was all it took. He understood now. He understood on the deepest of levels how Thia had so thoroughly wrapped Cyrus around her finger. He understood why seeing Scarlett in mortal danger had driven him to a brawl with his General. He understood the utter insanity that encompassed Cyrus for years when Thia had died. He understood that it did not matter that the person who put Scarlett in such danger stood in this room. She needed him, and his entire world revolved around that need.

Without a word, without another glance at Callan or his guards, Sorin toed off his boots. Water licked down his body, erasing the blood and sweat courtesy of Briar. He walked to the other side of the bed, laying down beside her. She reached out her hand once more. He took it gently, pressing a soft kiss to her fingertips, and placed it against his chest.

“Your heart is racing,” she said around another grimace.

“Please let Beatrix help you sleep again.”

She turned her head, looking into his eyes. He could hear the question in them.

Are you back?

“You brought me back, Love. Now rest,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her temple.

“You will stay?” she asked cautiously, suspicion etching along her features.

“Always,” he whispered, running his nose down the length of hers.

Beatrix pressed her hand to her cheek, and Scarlett seemed to sigh in relief as she slipped back to sleep.

“Get out. All of you,” he growled to the room. He didn’t look away from the princess sleeping next to him to see if they obeyed or not. It did not matter.