Astasha came out of a deep sleep, but she didn’t dare open her eyes. She couldn't remember the last time she had slept that peacefully, and waking up meant facing reality again. It had been too perfect of a fantasy for her to leave it now. An arm was wrapped around her, and she felt a gaze upon her, along with the sensation of deep affection flowing through her very being. Perhaps the fantasy wasn’t over after all. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open to find Calder watching her, a small smile upon his lips. "Hello, my beautiful sorceress." She couldn't help but smile back at him. "Well, hello, my handsome Prince." He brushed her hair out of her face and kissed her gently before going back to watching her. "What?" She asked playfully. He shook his head. "I was just thinking about how this was the first time I've gotten to actually sleep next to you undisturbed, to wake up and see your gorgeous face without anything happening." Astasha blushed. "Don't get too used to it." S

The group had begun to disperse, everyone heading in the direction of their assigned duty. Astasha was to gather everything from her room she had found previously on the matter of the demon, and meet the others in the library. Cal had not returned to her side, remaining with his father in a fervent discussion, and so she slipped out the door and headed down the hall. She hadn’t made it very far, before a hand grabbed her arm and pulled her down a small side corridor. She knew who it was before she saw him. She had heard his rushed footsteps and felt his worried haste through their connection. “Why didn’t you tell me?” There was a look in Cal’s eyes she had never seen before as he stood in front of her, her back to the wall. The feeling pouring through their connection was overwhelming and full of doubt and confusion and pain. “Cal—“ she tried to ease his worries but he wouldn't let her. “Do you not trust me? You seem to have forgotten that I spent an insufferable amount of

The realization that Astasha could carry the blood of Dark Sorcerers was not an easy one for any of the group to swallow. But it was immediately determined that the only way to know for sure, was a visit to her mother. If anyone had clues as to whether Tasha’s father or grandmother were involved in the dark arts, it would be her. Errant had wanted an entourage of sorts to go with her into the village, including himself, Narelle, Helia, and a full guard of men. But Astasha knew her mother, and a party of sorcerers and soldiers showing up on her doorstep would send her into a frenzy of worry. If she wanted answers, she needed to be able to speak with her alone and in peace. Calder would hear nothing of her going by herself, however, and so it was that he, Astasha, Talib, and one of the Captain’s most trusted men, made their way down to the village. Not wanting to draw attention to themselves, they went on foot. It wouldn’t be unusual for the Prince to be seen in the streets with a me

**TRIGGER WARNING** There was chaos in the halls as Astasha and Calder raced to find the rest of the Advisory and his Guard. They were exactly where they thought they would be; in position, ready to defend the castle from the battlements. A young man, part of the Prince’s Guard as Astasha could tell from his crest, met them at the opening to the vast walkway between the palace turrets. “What’s happening?” asked Calder. He was no longer a prince or a lover, but a knight and commander. “It’s a single woman, Your Highness. She claims she’s not alone, though our scouts have yet to find anyone in the surrounding forest.” They walked as they spoke. “She said she would only speak with you, and the Fire Sorceress.” The pair quickly exchanged a worried glance. Astasha spotted Errant, who stood with the King, the Captain of the King’s Guard, and Talib. The Grand Sorcerer’s eyes met her own and his voice echoed in her head with a single word. Cordelia. She grabbed Calder’s wrist to stop

Calder stood outside the door to his mother’s chambers… Astasha’s chambers. What would he say? What could he say? He thought he had known the horrors she had faced in that clearing. But deep down, if he was being honest with himself, there was a part of him that had known it was far worse than even the most horrendous things he was aware of. He had just been too afraid to find out for sure. Everything in the War Room had happened so quickly… The second Helia left, he ordered the piece of shit, Argryn, stripped of his title and removed to the cells in the tower. No one, not even his father, dared to disobey. He would deal with that bastard later. Calder had been ready to cut off the asshole’s manhood himself before Astasha snapped, so he understood her rage. But he had never seen her like that before, nor felt the likes of the emotions pouring through their connection. Her pain and anguish and anger had almost taken him to his knees. He tried to tell the guards to stand down whe