Page 102 of Lady of Shadows

“I’m exhausted,” she admitted.

He stood, extending a hand to help her up. She carefully picked up the two ancient books that were lying on the floor and reached for his hand.

“Can I take these out of the library?” she asked.

“Princess, I don’t know that anybody even knows these books are down here. No one will know if they are taken from the library,” he said with a laugh.

“They might be older than you, Prince. I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t stealing priceless antiques of some sort.”

“Some day, Love, we will find another use for that wicked tongue of yours,” he sighed as they emerged into the first level of the library. He shoved his hands into his pockets, mainly to keep himself from reaching for her. They exited and began the trek to the bridges and up to their quarters. He created a portal for them, but she shook her head.

“Can we just walk and…be together?”

“Of course.” They crossed the bridges and headed for the stairs. She carried the books protectively in her arms, and he could not see the titles. “Can I ask what you felt the need to be reading well into the night?”

“Research.”

“Regarding?”

“Some things Mikale said,” she answered darkly. He waited for her to explain more, but instead she said, “How did you get to the apartment today? In Baylorin.”

“I found a work around to be able to get to you,” he answered.

“What was the work around?”

“Old ancient magic.”

“Mikale is not mortal.”

“No, he is not,” Sorin confirmed, thinking back on the Sorceress’s words.

“Can you portal to other continents?”

“That is random.”

“I suppose it would seem so,” she mused quietly, lost in her own thoughts.

“You have to know where you are going to portal,” Sorin explained. “You have to have been there before, or be able to see where you are going somehow.”

She fell quiet again as they climbed the stairs. They were halfway up when she said, “What of blood magic?”

“What?” he asked, jerking around to look at her.

“Blood magic. Could one use blood magic to cross the seas? To cross the worlds?”

“Blood magic is ancient and powerful, Scarlett.”

“Yes, yes. I know. Twin flames and soulmates,” she said, waving her hand dismissively. “But is it powerful enough to do such a thing? To transport beings from other continents? Other worlds?”

“I suppose it might be, but the cost would be… Magic is always a give and take. The cost of doing something like that would be abominable.”

“Hmm,” was all she hummed in response.

“What did he say that made you start looking into this?” Again he tried to see the books she held, but she had them clutched to her chest.

“Nothing,” she said, waving her hand again as they started down the corridor to their suite. “It’s just research. To learn more about our history.”

He wanted to ask more. He wanted to push her. He could tell she knew more than that. He could tell she had figured something out. Two days ago he wouldn’t have hesitated to do so. But now? After everything they’d just gone through, he didn’t dare.

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