The docks had become home, a resting place. A comfort zone for Cinna when she found herself back in Rhy'din. With the return came the realization that there would be Silver, there would be Sybella, and there would be Tom.

Only Sybella knew the truth and she convinced the Mistress of the Straits to hold the secret.

Plans had altered. Cinna despite it all found herself acknowledging others. The Bird for one. Grantedly it would seem a lifetime of apologies to Regulus to admit to one even strangely found as friend that Cinna was not used to hugs.

Don't let them get too close it had become her life rule. They couldn't know.

Not of the disease. Not of the infliction.

There was the Fox though.

The Fox would perhaps not understand the disease or the infliction or even Cinna. Cinna didn't even expect him to. Hell he was a raveled up twist of a mystery.

A game of secrets, corruption, and twisted paths. That was what her life was becoming. They all were falling into the tangled veins of the choices.

It was beyond even Tom's determination. Nothing could save her.

The past could not be changed. All that was left was to accept the fate with the ways of a Lion's undisputable pride

There had been fear. There had been blood. There had been fury.

Everything had curled through her senses as she stood there to face the judgement, the price to save Sybella. Shackled and chained she had no chance to struggle or even to put up a fight. Not that she damn near wouldn't try.

The struggle though....if she fought it they would kill Sybella. Sybella had been the first choice, they had told her that much....because of Sybella's gift....because of what Sybella was, but what they planned for Sybella, Cinna knew would kill her sister.

Never by blood but Cinna had sworn that she would protect the orphan girl with her strange ocean glass eyes and her constant look of wonder and curiousity. Ever since they had been children and Sybella had saved Cinna from drowning when she became a bit more daring then a child should be.

Course then....Cinna thought she was immortal and believed Sybella a mermaid. She learned well enough Sybella was something far more magnificent and impressive then just a mermaid. Oh she was so much more.

Standing there knowing that pain or death was coming the inkling of fear spilled away and became acceptance. This was better then leaving Sybella to that eternal torment. Cinna had no idea what was coming for her but had no desire for Sybella to be a part of it.

Honey golds flickered over to the tall pair of men that had never spoken, they were different from those that had kidnapped Sybella and Cinna. These men kept to the shadows, one as pale as mist and phantom lure....the other dark as night itself.

Something about the pair made her shiver with excitement and uncertainty. Never able to shake that feeling of....knowing.

There had been no family for Cinna. Renegade rebel from the start when her family decided she was too much of a handful and abandoned her there was no one to rely on or trust save for Sybella. And Tom....but Tom.

Her lips twisted briefly as the image of Tom flickered through her mind. Right now she should have been having dinner with him. Right now she should have been in his embrace....but instead she was here ensnared like a prisoner waiting for judgement and damnation.

Thoughts were torn apart as one of the men spoke to her, the kidnapper's voice like harsh stone on stone, scraping over her senses and leaving her cringing with annoyance. Her expression showed it was nothing more then a pain in the ass to be here.

"Let's get this over with....but....get her out of here."

The honey thick husky way of her voice was embers even then a jerking gesture of head towards Sybella. Sybella was still so young, so fresh, vulnerable and impressionable. She did not need to see this. No matter what would be done.

Much to Cinna's surprise they agreed. She understood why moments later.

There was so much blood.

So much pain and unimaginable violence to alter all that Cinna was.

She never would be the same.

Her mind near snapped and shattered with the pain, but part of her...had stirred and awakened, burning light in her eyes that she felt was nothing more then a reflection within herself staring back to show her what....who....she really was.

All it took was a nudge to send her over the edge of her control and she was falling into darkness.

Somewhere in that shadow thick and haze of cloudy pain she swore she saw lions in the mists. Heard their claiming snarls as they walked through the night like ghosts within the darkness.

Another Night. Another Hour. The hours they ticked on by. Her mind was split with that sinking awareness that lingered like a thick stone in the bottom of her stomach. Opium induced till it was almost too much.

And she saw everything, felt everything, knew everything. Something in her blood craved the bond of the Fox.

But there was something more. The Darkness and the Ghost. The brothers that had watched in the dark as she was torn apart and taken over and restored.

Nothing but a shell of flesh for who....what she really was. She was like them.

And she knew them....felt them....was drawn to them.

They called her the Light.

And they knew her. The likeness was striking and left her staring up at the clouds as they contorted and changed colors around her, over her, everywhere by her.

Near she could feel their touch upon her skin. Those clouds. The shadow dark.

Till in the distance, off down that pier she saw the Darkness. Watching her, remembering her.

The resemblance was striking and the tears spilled before she knew they were even there.

She was confessing her love to a man that was a shadow imprint of the one she had known before.

"What have I done."

A whisper as her hands covered her eyes.

Her world was falling apart.

The burn, the smolder, the Burning Light of her ways had been sated. Fed to the shadows and the Darkness.

Offered with an exchange of names. The bonds that would bind and the nature of the beast to know a calling of like to like.

To truly understand all that had become of her she had let herself become briefly blind to everything around her. Leaving instinct and senses to take over.

The trial and test of it had only made her stronger, had awakened the beast, and called that demonic energy to catch fire and ignite her soul.

She was ablaze and alive in her power.

The Fox knew it. Could taste it. Could sense it.

Just as the Darkness had known.

The powerful draw and pull of that burning light.

All of it would be shared and offered with a pretty word of Please. Like a sharing of other words of power.

So well known.

Would the hour be claimed intimate or savage? Unholy or Sacred....none of it would matter but the taste of that power on her tongue.

The possession and play of the game.

How easily the way of words and a territorial mockery of claiming with the word 'Mine' would shy away the fragile and the weak.

The amusement of the chase away thrilled her. Private indulgences would be lost within the Darkness, or known only behind closed doors....where one could just be....what...and who they really were.

Her name would never be on the books.

Dear sweet, savage Cinna.

It was only in the Light that her name would be scrawled.

Blinding and Brutal in its Beauty.

That Burning Light would ignite the souls of those she touched....and set them on fire....leaving nothing more then the unsatiable hunger within.

Oh the way of the Light.

It would call, claim, and it....in its hunger....was a merciless beast.