Page 160 of Lady of Shadows

“This is real,” the man said, seeming to read her thoughts. “And you are right. You have nothing to fear from me.”

“I have to disagree with that statement,” Talwyn muttered, having come to Scarlett’s other side.

“Shehas nothing to fear from me,” the man said. Then with a shrug, he added, “Others are not so lucky when I need to get her attention.”

“You have my attention now,” Scarlett said, before Talwyn could retort. “And this is the most chatty you’ve ever been, by the way.”

“We had to…get to know each other first,” he replied. “But to answer your original question, we are on a spiritual plane for lack of a better explanation. Think of it as a space between worlds.”

“Between worlds?”

“There can be other lands, but not other worlds?” the man asked simply.

“Well, I suppose so…” Scarlett trailed off. Maliq and Shirina had taken up the lead again, and she couldn’t help but wonder at the sight of panther and wolf trotting down a path side-by-side. As they rounded a corner, they came to a clearing, and Scarlett halted. It was the clearing where she had seen Callan reading the first time. Her heart stopped and her stomach lurched.

“Are we in Baylorin?” she breathed.

“No. We are in the spiritual plane nearest that land, though. For you to see,” he answered. He pointed, and there, in the exact spot the prince had fallen asleep reading, the air seemed to shimmer.

Scarlett walked closer, examining the spot. It was as if there was a true rip in the air. It was how the screens looked when she Traveled. She reached to touch it, but cool fingers stopped her.

“What is it?” Talwyn asked, walking around the glimmer slowly.

“Indeed,” was all the man said.

An icy wind blew through the clearing. The eagle at the man’s shoulder let out a sharp cry, flapping into the air. Scarlett jumped at the sound. The man stiffened and drew the dagger from Scarlett’s side. He slashed his palm and then reached for Scarlett’s. She jerked back from him, but Shirina was behind her, nudging her forward.

“You must go,” the man hissed. “But there is more you need to know. This will help you remember.”

Shirina was nudging her hand, and the winds were picking up.

“Fae magic cannot be found here,” Talwyn called over the gusts. “I cannot touch my magic here.”

“Neither of you can,” the man said, reaching once more for Scarlett’s hand. He slashed her palm and allowed his blood to mix with hers. Dipping his finger into the mixed blood, he yanked down the collar of her tunic. The Mark was two inverted triangles, with a swirl between them and two stars at either end. It flared bright white before settling in silver white against her skin, just like the stars on her forearm.

“You are doing well, Lady of Darkness,” he said. Scarlett could have sworn there was fondness in his eyes. “Finish the Trials, find the keys, and come home.”

“Come home?”

But the eagle screeched again, and the man turned to the queens. “You must go. You cannot be seen here.”

“Be seen here? In a spiritual plane?” Talwyn asked doubtfully.

“What did you mean ‘come home’?” Scarlett demanded again.

But silken fur brushed against her hand, and she was pulled into nothingness.

CHAPTER 51

SCARLETT

Shirina and Maliq brought the queens to a large room, and Scarlett turned in a slow circle, taking it all in. There were windows on every wall, and you could see in every direction. There was a large four-poster bed towards the other end of the room. Half of the sheets were thrown back as if they’d just been slept in. A book was face down and open on a page on the other side of the bed.

Scarlett’s gaze landed on Talwyn to find golden light emanating from her palms while she slowly raised them, and she could feel the zing of wards going up around the room. “I suspect your twin flame shall be pounding on the door momentarily,” Talwyn said harshly, walking towards what Scarlett assumed was a dressing room.

“These are your private chambers?” Scarlett asked, taking in the bookcase along the wall and the desk neatly organized near it. She walked to the window and looked out to see they were high above the ground in a tower of some sort.

“Yes,” Talwyn replied, emerging from the dressing room a moment later in her usual brown pants, white tunic, and boots. There was a swirl of wind around her, and she was bedecked in her weaponry.“If you would bother to reside where you are meant to in the Black Halls, you would find similar accommodations there.”

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