Page 101 of Lady of Shadows

“What time is it?” she asked blearily. It had been late when she’d come down this passageway. Who knows when she’d fallen asleep.

“It is well into the night,” he said. He studied her, as if trying to decide if he should say or do anything.

“How did you find me?”

“Did you not wish to be found?”

“No. I didn’t mean it like that…” She trailed off.

Yes. Tense and awkward. Exactly as she had feared.

He watched her a little longer, and she tried not to flinch under his stare. Finally he said, “I will sleep in the other bedroom, Scarlett. Come to bed. Rest and sleep.”

He made no move to reach for her. Just remained crouched before her.

“I wasn’t hiding from you,” she said quietly. Only partially a lie.

“All right,” he replied doubtfully.

“I was reading.”

“Hmm,” he said, glancing at the books beside her. “With your eyes closed in dark passages of the library I did not even know existed?”

So he didn’t know. Which meant he had no idea about the secret passageway, either.

She smacked his knee as she scowled at him. “I fell asleep while reading, smart ass.”

A flash of relief flickered in his golden eyes, and it softened something in her. Hesitantly, she reached for his hand, interlacing her fingers with his. His fingers tightened around hers, and he sank forward from his crouch onto his knees. She swallowed. She supposed they could have this conversation here, in a dark forgotten passageway of a library.

She gently pushed the ancient books aside as she rose to her own knees before him and took his other hand in her own. She swallowed again before she said softly, “It will take me a little time…”

“I know.” His voice was low and tender. “I hurt you in unacceptable ways, Scarlett. I would not expect you to just be okay after everything. I do not expect it all to be fixed overnight.”

“I can’t…” Scarlett paused, trying to find the words. “I still choose you, Sorin. I can’t picture a world without you in it. I do not want to be in a place where I shut you out. I know—” Her voice caught a little, and she swallowed again to compose herself. Sorin just patiently waited for her, his eyes full of an understanding sorrow. “I know I said I could find the stars with someone else if you did not want this, if you did not want me. That I could find my way in the darkness on my own. But I do not want anyone else. Maybe it is a weakness, but I do not wish to be alone in my darkness. And I still choose you, Sorin. I still want you because… Because I do not hate you. I do not know what exactly that means, but I want no one else to come for me. I want it to always be you.”

There were tears on her cheeks and his as she looked into his golden eyes. He let go of her hands and slowly, giving her time to dismiss him, he brought his hands to her face. “Scarlett Monrhoe.” Her name on his lips caressed something deep in her soul, and it took all of her self-control not to lean forward and kiss him. “My home is wherever you are. There will never be a world where there is not a you and me because should you be ripped from me in this world, I will cross them all to find you. I will always find you. I will always come for you. I will always choose you. I will always want you.” A sob escaped her as he asked, “Can I hold you?”

She almost choked on the laugh that came out of her. “That would seem like a necessity, Prince.”

Then he was pulling her into his arms, and she was wrapping herself around him, breathing in that ash and cedar scent. Everything had been so broken. It had only been two days, but it had felt like an eternity with this chasm that had come between them.

Callan had held her, had helped her keep it together, until she could get to this moment. Not just today, but the last few years. Callan and Cassius had helped her keep the pieces from falling apart so she could get to this place. So she could find the one where her soul could rest, and she could take a breath.

It wasn’t fixed completely. It wasn’t perfect. But it was all she needed.

CHAPTER 31

SORIN

Sorin held her in that dark passageway for long minutes. He had been disappointed when she had not come to dinner. He had become anxious when no one had seen her since she’d disappeared with the mortal prince. He had become downright worried when the clock chimed midnight. And when she still had not come to their rooms two hours later, after he had checked with Eliza to make sure she had not gone there, he knew she was avoiding him.

He had checked with his palace guards, who had said they had seen her enter the library with Callan, but Callan had left alone. That wasn’t to say she couldn’t have snuck out unseen, but she was likely still in the library. He had found a stack of books in an alcove on the first floor and had picked up her scent among the bookshelves. He had followed it down and down and down. Of course she had found long forgotten passages in the library.

He had illuminated a small flame beside him as he navigated the dark passageways until he had found her. Sleeping on the stone floor in front of a bookcase of ancient-looking books, two beside her on the floor. She was covered with dust everywhere. Her clothes. Her face. Her hair.

Sighing, he had woken her, completely expecting an argument about her coming up to bed, which is why he had told her he’d sleep in the other room. Hell, he’d go sleep in the guest wing if that’s what she wanted.

He had not expected the words she had said. He had not expected her to reach for his hand. He had not expected to be holding her close to him as the torchlight nearly burned out. He would have gladly held her there all night, but she eventually pulled back.

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