Chapter 9 Sorin
CHAPTER 9
SORIN
“R enwell? Are you going to join us?” Drake asked, snapping Sorin from his thoughts.
“Yeah. Sure. I do not have anything else to tend to tonight,” Sorin answered, not even knowing what he’d just committed to. It had been an effort to stay focused on dinner conversation as Lord Tyndell had handed out assignments for the week. The ride back with Scarlett had been…interesting. She had been different. Everything from how she had prowled out of the woods to her affection for the horse to her clever questions.
Then there had been the feel of her leaning against him while they’d ridden. He had teased her about knowing methods of distraction, but she had distracted him so much, he could hardly focus on her questions and how carefully he’d needed to answer them. All of it— from her back against his chest to her silver hair brushing his cheek when she turned to look at him to her icy blue eyes seeming to flare in surprise at his answers— had distracted him.
She was so godsdamned unexpected in the disaster this task had become. But she knew now. She knew his name was not Ryker, and he wondered who she would tell or if she would keep it a secret. Inexplicably, he wasn’t as worried about it as he probably should be. He’d wanted to hear his real name on her lips for weeks now, ever since they had started training.
When they were still a few blocks away, Scarlett had told him she couldn’t be seen riding onto the grounds with him. She had slipped from the saddle with the grace of a feline, and before he could protest, she had disappeared into the trees. How and when she’d gotten back to the manor, he didn’t know.
He stood in the foyer with Drake, Cassius, Mikale, Nevin Swanson, and a handful of other commanders. They had just finished the meeting with Lord Tyndell. Tava and Scarlett usually joined them at the weekly dinner, but then left at the end of the meal before business was discussed. Tava had reported to them all that Scarlett was not feeling well and was in her room resting. Sorin knew she had been planning to nap before going off to whatever obligation she had that evening. He hadn’t missed the look Cassius had thrown at Tava, worry in his eyes. He was still trying to figure out what the relationship was between him and Scarlett. They were clearly close, but anytime he brought up them being intimate, it brought about such fury in her he didn’t know what to make of it.
“We can finally celebrate that promotion, General,” Drake said, clapping him on the shoulder.
“Lord Tyndell has kept you quite busy with that new title,” Mikale added, a slight sneer to his tone. “We rarely see you outside of the castle these days.”
Sorin stared at Mikale and said coolly, “Higher rank, more responsibilities.”
The two glared at each other, a mutual dislike tangible between them. He found the Lordling spoiled and pretentious. Mikale also clearly wanted Scarlett for his own. He had not even tried to hide his desire for her that day in the yard outside the training quarters. She clearly did not return the sentiment.
“Who knew some of those responsibilities included tending to the Lord’s household members?” Mikale growled.
“That is enough,” Drake said, pure command rang in his voice. “Not only are you outranked by more than one here, you stand in my house, Lairwood. Show some damn respect.”
“My apologies,” Mikale seethed through gritted teeth.
“Pull your shit together or go home,” was all Drake said as he brushed past him and strode for the door. Sorin made to follow, but a woman’s voice at the top of the stairs had them all turning.
“Cassius!” Tava called. She hurtled down the stairs, nearly tripping on her skirts. Drake was at the bottom of the staircase in a heartbeat, catching his sister by her shoulders.
“Tava? What is wrong?” Drake asked, scanning her for any sign of injury. “Are you all right?”
“I am fine,” she said, panic in her ocean blue eyes. She looked over Drake’s shoulder at Cassius. “Scarlett. She is…not well.”
“Then call for a healer,” Mikale said, pushing forward. Sorin could have sworn he saw slight panic enter his eyes as well. He felt his blood heat at the bastard acting like he actually cared. Where had this protectiveness come from?
“Did you call for Mora?” Drake asked, still holding Tava’s shoulders, but her eyes were locked on Cassius. “Tava?”
Drake shook his sister’s shoulders gently to try to regain her attention, but she shrugged out of them and went to Cassius. It was taking all of Sorin’s willpower not to race up the stairs, but he didn’t know which room was Scarlett’s. Tava stood on her tiptoes, whispering into Cassius’s ear. The Commander’s eyes widened, and he nodded slightly to Tava.
“You guys go,” he said, nodding to Drake. “I’m going to check on Scarlett with Tava and will be along.”
“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, “ her or Sybil.”
“I cannot help her through this if she will not wake up. Sybil would take too long to get here. She would 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 whoever she is 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 healer here cannot 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 allow me to 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.
“I put up a shield to keep others from coming to see what you are shouting about,” Sorin replied calmly.
“Where are you from?” Cassius asked, his voice sharp.
“That is not important now. Whatever happens, do not attempt to wake her again until I say,” Sorin said, stepping back to the side of the bed. He hovered his hand over Scarlett’s, absorbing the heat, but the smoke remained. It almost seemed to thrash against his magic. He bent down to study it and found that it was much darker than smoke. It was dark as night, more shadow than smoke. He had never seen anything like it.
He was aware of Cassius and Tava standing nearby, whispering to each other. Eventually, he needed to figure out who this she was that was constantly being referenced in front of him. They had come close to letting it slip who she was a few times but always caught themselves.
“ What are you?” Tava asked, her voice barely more than a whisper. The young Lady was so quiet but so damn clever. The others didn’t give her enough credit. She was just as dangerous as any soldier with the way she quietly sat back and observed everyone around her.
“I am Fae,” Sorin answered, not even hesitating at the revelation he’d kept a secret for the three years he’d been in these miserable lands. He was solely focused on the female before him.
Female not woman. Because she was Fae, too, and apparently had no idea she was so.
She had caught him off guard the first time he’d seen her with those icy blue eyes, her silver hair, and her scent of the sea and embers and jasmine…and something else he couldn’t place. It seemed almost muted. He’d caught the scent the first night he’d ever seen her at the Tyndell manor. He had been required to attend a dinner there as the Crown Prince and King had also attended. He’d watched her for months whenever she was around, which wasn’t often. It seemed she rarely left the manor, from what he could tell. She had been quiet and withdrawn, only speaking when spoken to. She had been the portrait of a demure Lady which was quite a difference from the female he had been training this last month and wasn’t that…intriguing.
He’d known the first time he had sparred with her that she wasn’t completely human. She was faster than any mortal he had sparred with, both on and off battlefields. She moved with the grace of his kind, not the mortals he’d spent the last three years with. He often had to hold back when training with the men, much like she had done in their first match. She was better than he had expected, even after watching her spar with the Commander. Her movements were precise and strong, but different from how soldiers were trained. She had trained with other types of masters.
Sorin had to put forth actual effort in the second match. He had stirred the pot, pushed her emotions to an edge, just to see if that icy rage he had glimpsed in those piercing blue eyes would come to the surface, but he’d seen nothing. He could have sworn frost had coated her fingertips when she had demanded he let go of her ankle that day in the training quarters, and then her skin had turned as icy as her tone. She had been trained well. Not as well as he could train her, but still rather impressive for a mortal woman.
She wasn’t mortal though. Not with that grace and scent and power he could sense all around her every time she was near.
And not with that fire he had just pulled from her veins.
Scarlett continued to thrash before him, but not nearly as violently since he sucked the heat from her body. He looked over his shoulder at Tava and Cassius. Cassius had his arm around Tava’s shoulders, comforting her.
“She will be fine,” Sorin said quietly, then turned back to Scarlett. He sat gingerly on the bed and leaned close to her. He tried not to notice the tunic that clung to her sweat-laden body. Her tossing and turning had caused it to ride up her torso. Her breasts rose and fell rapidly with her breathing.
“Scarlett,” he whispered into her ear. She stopped thrashing, but her eyes remained closed. She continued with the low moans as he whispered her name again. The moans ceased. He heard Tava suck in a breath. “Scarlett, I’m here,” he murmured into her ear. “Open your eyes.”
Her eyes fluttered open. They were not the piercing blue he had become accustomed to but were molten amber, as gold as his own, with swirls of silver moving among them. She stared at him for a moment, before whispering in disbelief, “Sorin?”
Gods. To hear someone call him by his real name was such a fucking respite.
“You were—” he started, but before he could explain what he was doing in her room, she launched herself into his arms. He tentatively wrapped his own around her as she sobbed into his shoulder. He took no notice of the sweat that dripped from her or the hair that stuck to her head. All he could focus on was the jasmine and sea mist scents that filled his nose. He felt someone approach the bed and drape a blanket along Scarlett’s shoulders. He’d forgotten how inappropriate this whole scene would look should someone walk in. He looked up and found Cassius staring at him, a look of pure protectiveness on his features.
“She will be fine,” Sorin repeated, not breaking the stare. Cassius only nodded, his arms folded across his chest.
After a few minutes, Scarlett pulled back. She looked into Sorin’s eyes and studied him for a moment before whispering, “She was there. The woman from earlier today.”
“It was a dream, Scarlett,” he answered, unable to stop himself from pushing back stray hair that was stuck to her forehead. Unbeknownst to Tava and Cassius, he’d created an invisible second shield around himself and Scarlett. They could not hear what was being said.
“Who is she, Sorin? How was she in my dream?” she pressed, not breaking his gaze.
“It was a dream,” he repeated. “You were probably incorporating what you saw today into it.”
She shook her head. “No. This dream is always the same. Or it has been until the last week. It’s as if someone is… Who is she?”
“It could not have been the same person,” Sorin insisted.
“Don’t do that. Don’t speak to me like I don’t know what I’m talking about. Don’t patronize me as if I’m going crazy,” she said, shaking her head slightly.
“It could not have been her,” Sorin said again.
“She was being tortured,” she snapped. Sorin stilled. “He was torturing her, and she was screaming your name.”
“What?” Impossible. She would never scream his name. Not anymore.
“Tell me who she is,” Scarlett seethed.
“It could not have been the same person, Scarlett. It is not—”
He broke off as Scarlett’s face turned hard, and the gold in her eyes turned to pure flame. He felt his shields blow apart and shuddered as his magic flinched.
“Get out,” she whispered venomously.
“Scarlett, I—” he started.
She held out her right hand. “And leave my godsdamned ring.”
He stood and slid the Semiria ring from his finger. He felt his flames gutter and die out as his magic disappeared and hollowness returned. As he dropped it into her palm, though, he realized her arm was unwrapped, and the wound was completely gone. There wasn’t even a mark where it had been. That had been a deep cut. There was no way it could be completely healed.
“Your arm is healed?” he asked, stretching out his fingers to brush over the place where he had tended to her wound mere hours earlier.
She jerked her arm back. “Get out,” she said more loudly this time.
“Scarlett, there are things you need to know—”
She untangled herself from the sheets and stood, her legs trembling. She rose onto her tiptoes, looking up into his face. “The only thing I want to know from you is who that woman is.”
Sorin said nothing. He just stared back at her, not knowing what to say. It could not have possibly been her.
“Scarlett,” Cassius said quietly from behind her. She held up her other hand to stop him from speaking, and Sorin could have sworn a shadow swirled around her palm before dissipating like ashes on the wind. Her golden eyes were still on his as she said, her voice as quiet as death, “I do not want to see you. I do not want to talk to you. I want nothing to do with you until you are ready to tell me everything, starting with who she is.”
Unable to stop himself, he reached out a hand to her, but she jerked away again. “Get out,” she repeated, turning and going to Cassius.
Cassius caught her as she stumbled the last step, then gripped her face between his hands. “Are you all right?”
Sorin watched as Cassius’s eyes scanned Scarlett’s own. He watched as her slim hands came up, trembling, and wrapped around Cassius’s wrists.
In words he would not have heard had it not been for his Fae hearing, she whispered, “No.”
Sorin took a step back as Cassius wrapped her in his arms and pulled her close, stroking her hair. And as he stood there, he felt something deep in his soul that he shoved down, unwilling to acknowledge it, before he turned and walked from her room.