Page 20 of Lady of Darkness

“Tava,” Scarlett hissed, glaring at her friend.

“Well you are. You have been acting strange for days now, and you said you have not been sleeping. And then you ditched Kiara’s tea today—”

“I always ditch Kiara’s tea,” Scarlett interrupted pointedly.

“True,” Tava mused, “but still. There is something going on, and if you are not going to talk to me about it, talk to one of the guys you seem to be involved with.” She gestured towards Cassius and Ryker still standing in the doorway as she stood from her chair. Both men gaped a little at what she implied. “Or talk about it with…her.” She winced, glancing at Ryker. “Avoiding tea at Kiara’s may be normal for you,but you are different, like you were months ago. I do not care who you talk to, Scarlett, but talk to someone. Before my father takes notice.”

She left the sunroom, giving Ryker and Cassius pointed looks as she brushed past them.

“Your father is looking for you,” Cassius said to Tava as she passed. “That’s why we are here.”

Tava only nodded and left the two alone with Scarlett. Ryker and Cassius stood awkwardly in the doorway, clearly trying to decide if they should stay or go, worry written on Cassius’s face.

“Well, don’t just stand there like idiots,” Scarlett snapped, gesturing to the chairs around the sunroom.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Cassius asked, not moving from the doorway.

“Not really, no,” Scarlett answered, her eyes fixed on the book. She wasn’t reading. She just didn’t want to look at either of them.

“When you’re ready…” Cassius trailed off.

“I will find you,” she answered, her voice quiet.

Silence, then she heard the sound of footsteps leaving down the hall. She let out a sigh and turned the page of the book.

“What kind of dreams, Scarlett?”

Scarlett jumped, the book flying from her lap. She swore as she realized Ryker was at her side. How had she not heard him? Gods, he was nearly as stealthy as Nuri sometimes.

“I thought you left with Cassius,” she said, scowling. “I heard you leave.”

“Then listen harder next time. You heard one set of footsteps, not two,” Ryker replied, picking up the book and handing it to her. “Is this the book you told me about last week? The one about the war with Avonleya?”

“Yes,” she said, taking the book from him. She leaned her head back in the chair and closed her eyes. She was so damn tired. The dreams had woken her every night since they started a week ago. She was always drenched in sweat. The maids probably thought she was ill. She was surprised theyhadn’tsaid anything to Lord Tyndell yet.

“Why aren’t you sleeping?” Ryker asked softly.

“Idosleep. Just not well,” Scarlett answered, not bothering to open her eyes.

“You are crankier than usual when you do not sleep well,” he mused.

Scarlett opened her eyes to glare at him. “At least I have an excuse. You’re just an ass all the time.”

“Ah, that is probably true.” Ryker reached across the distance between them and pulled the book from her hands. He studied it for a moment and then said, “You can read this?”

“Of course I can read it. What kind of question is that?”

“You do know it is in a different language, do you not?” Ryker asked, angling his head.

“What are you talking about?” She snatched the book back from him, studying the title. “It’s in the common tongue.”

“Interesting,” he said, settling back in his chair.

Scarlett rolled her eyes. Massaging her temples, she muttered under her breath, “What’sinterestingis that I’m going crazy because I’m reliving hell while you think a book is literally written in a different language.”

“You are having nightmares?” Ryker asked quietly.

“I…” Scarlett hesitated. She hadn’t spoken loud enough for him to hear her. How did he do that? This wasn’t like their little sharing sessions after training. This was a reminder she entirely deserved. This was not something she would let herself work through. These nightmares were the least of what she should be experiencing. “They’re nothing. I’m fine. But I should skip training tonight and try to get some decent sleep.”

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