Page 113 of Lady of Shadows

“Where are you going?” she said to him now as he buckled on his sword belt. She rubbed her hands down her bare arms, watching him.

“I have a meeting,” he answered.

“That you must be at before the sun rises?”

“That I must be atwhenthe sun rises,” he corrected, sliding on his red jacket.

A burst of flame appeared in the air right next to his head. Sorin reached up a hand and pulled a piece of paper from the flame, reading it. “I must go,” he said, leaning down and brushing a soft kiss to her temple. “Cyrus is waiting in the sitting room, but when I return we need to talk.” She couldn’t read the expression in his eyes as he turned to leave.

“I want to come,” Scarlett said. “I’ll just be a minute.” She started toward the closet, but Sorin caught her arm.

“You cannot come, Scarlett.”

“What? Why not?” she demanded. He had never, not once, told her she couldn’t go somewhere.

“This meeting,” he paused, weighing his words. “It is at the White Halls.”

“It is with Talwyn?”

Sorin nodded.

“About what?”

He hesitated. “Princess Ashtine has news about Mikale and movements in the mortal lands.”

Movements in the mortal lands? He’d never mentioned any of this to her.

“Then I am definitely coming.” She tried to pull her arm free, but Sorin held tight. Some primal part of her bared her teeth at him as she pushed down the memory of someone else holding her tightly and leaving bruises.

“You cannot come, Scarlett. It was a summoning of the Princes and Princess of the Courts. That is it.”

“But Cyrus is going,” Scarlett argued.

“We are allowed to bring one member of our Court with us to these summonings.”

“Then bring me instead of Cyrus,” she cried.

“I can’t do that,” he said, releasing her arm.

“What do you mean you can’t do that? Of course you can. You’re a prince!”

“Meetings like these do not involve just the Courts, Scarlett. They involve dealings with the entirety of the continent. Relationships with the other territory leaders. It is strategizing and planning. They are things you would not understand. They are things you do notwantto be a part of. Cyrus needs to be there as my Second.”

He started to make his way to the bedroom door to leave. She had been secretly working on combining her shadows with her magic, utilizing those incessant shadows that she had come to love. She took those shadows and slammed them into her fire, producing a wall of impassable shadowfire in front of the bedroom door.

“Scarlett.” He turned back to her. She could just make out the shock lining his features in the dark of the room. “How did you do that?”

“That is not your concern right now,” she seethed. “Take me with you.”

“Scarlett, I must go. I cannot be late.”

“I can help with this. I have information that—”

“Scarlett, I do not know how to make this any clearer. My Queen has summoned me. I must go. If I am late, she will collect me herself, and it will not be pleasant for anyone,” he pleaded sharply, frustration coloring his tone. She could tell he was choking down on his temper.

“So because Talwyn says jump, you have to ask how high?” Scarlett spat.

“Yes! That is how this works! She is my Queen, Scarlett.” Sorin’s voice was rising. Angry. He was angry with her. She had never heard him angry like this with her. Worried? Concerned? Irritated? Yes, but never anger directed at her. It only escalated her own fury.

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