Page 56 of Lady of Darkness

“What?” she demanded, irritation dripping in the word.

He studied her for a moment, eyes sweeping her from head to toe, assessing her. “You did not account for the incline on that final target,” he finally said.

“I did not ask for your critique,” Scarlett snapped, stomping the final few feet to him. She stopped inches from his face, and she could have sworn he sucked in a breath. His scent of ashes, cloves, and cedar wrapped around her, and she had to work to not inhale deeply as well. Something deep in her soul opened an eye. A feeling she hadn’t felt since that night she had played the piano. The awakening of something she hadn’t realized she’d been so desperate for.

She shoved those feelings, those thoughts, back down to the depths of her soul. They could keep her thoughts of Callan company.

“What are you doing here?” she asked now, glaring at Sorin. He was studying her, his face hard and contemplating. “I don’t have any treats on me today, General, so either speak or leave.”

“Are you ready to train again?” Sorin finally asked, looking down at her.

“Ihavebeen training.”

“Don’t be a smart ass,” he growled, irritation written across his face.

“Tell me who the woman is,” Scarlett retorted, her eyes fixed on his.

“It is not possible for it to be the same woman.”

Before she could register what she was doing, she reached up and slapped him hard across the face. “It is one thing not to tell me, but do not continue to lie to my face.”

The momentary shock was quickly wiped from his face, as his bored,unreadable mask replaced it. “You seem different,” he said, eyeing her warily.

“Do I now?” she scoffed. “Different from what? Different from what you first watched in the training quarters? Different from the clever girl you’ve been training? Different from the swaggering wraith of shadows a young prince in the castle loves? Different from the untamed flame of wickedness that Nuri so carelessly unleashed a few weeks ago? There are so many options, aren’t there, General? So many different people I can be,” she purred. She had begun unwittingly circling him now, her eyes fixed on his.

“So many options,” he purred back, “but which one do you choose, Love?”

She stopped her prowling, going completely still. “Don’t call me that,” she snapped. “I don’t get choices like that.”

“No? You prefer to just let people push you and push you until they get the one they are looking for? You prefer to let them decide your fate?”

“Shut your fucking mouth. You know nothing of it,” Scarlett seethed, stepping towards him.

“Then tell me. Tell me why you play so many parts, Scarlett, when it would be so much less exhausting to play one. To just be you.”

“And you, General?” she asked, taking another step towards him. “How many parts doyouplay? You are a general here, for our king, but what are you to your own lands? Who are you in the Fire Court?” When he didn’t answer her, she said with a sneer, “That’s what I thought.” She brought the quiver that was strapped to her back over her head as she prepared to gather her things, stalking over to her items near the entrance of the archery range. “I am assuming,” she said, not bothering to look at him now, “you’ve seen Nuri’s face, so there is no secret to keep on her behalf at this point?”

“I have,” Sorin said cautiously.

“I am also going to assume, then, that you see her on a regular basis?”

“Why would you assume that?”

Scarlett turned to face him, a knowing smile on her lips.“Because I know my sister better than anyone, and Nuri finds you intriguing. She likes to play with things that she finds alluring. Since I am sure she makes it a point to grace your presence almost daily, especially if she hasn’t found her way to your bed yet, please deliver a message to her. Prince Callan has news, and we need to figure out a place and time to meet with him unnoticed.”

“I am not your messenger,” Sorin answered through gritted teeth.

“No,” Scarlett mused, “but you are Nuri’s favorite toy at the moment, so it saves me the time of having to track her down myself.”

Sorin bristled, but instead of retorting, he asked, “Are there not three of you?”

“What?”

“Wraiths of Death. Are there not three of you? You only ever speak of Nuri.”

She couldn’t breathe. Her heart squeezed in her chest. She couldn’t do anything as her fingers tightened around the bow in her hand. “No,” she managed to whisper, “not anymore.”

She turned to leave, but Sorin caught her by the elbow. “Start training with me again.” She could have sworn there was a hint of pleading in his voice.

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