Page 82 of Lady of Shadows

“No. He does not get that option either. Where is he, Cyrus?”

“He will not let you in.”

“Cyrus!” she snapped, smoke curling in her mouth and her shadows darkening.

“Fine. He has a mountain home up in the highest peaks. He has wards all around it,and he doesn’t let any of us in. He goes there when he wants to be alone.”

“You mean when he wants to throw a fit,” Scarlett said. “Take me to him.”

“He will not let you in,” Cyrus repeated.

“The fuck he won’t. Take me to him.”

Cyrus, finally accepting she would not back down, sighed. “I cannot portal, Scarlett. I have no way to get you there.”

“Then summon Briar. He can make me a portal.”

Without a word, Cyrus reached up and sent a fire message to the Water Prince. A few minutes later, Briar stepped into the room. He bowed slightly to Scarlett. “I saw what happened today,” he said grimly.

“He is at the chalet, and she insists on going to see him,” Cyrus replied.

Briar’s eyes settled on her. “He will likely not let you in,” he said slowly.

“As I have already told Cyrus, he does not get that option. Take me to him,” Scarlett snapped, striding towards them. Cyrus and Briar exchanged a look and a water portal appeared.

All three of them stepped through, and Scarlett blinked at the brightness of the snow-covered mountainside. She had forgotten they were entering the cold winter months, that Winter Solstice was quickly approaching, and wished she’d had the foresight to grab that fur-lined cloak Sorin had gotten for her. Before them, nearly a quarter of a mile away, was indeed a mountain home. It was smaller than she had been expecting, but there was smoke coming from the chimney.

“We cannot portal any closer. His wards prevent it,” Briar said from beside her.

“He will not let you in, Scarlett,” Cyrus said again. “He has never let anyone else into that house.”

“No one?” she asked, turning to him incredulously.

“Only once,” Cyrus said gravely, his eyes studying the chalet.

Scarlett began walking, trudging through the snow. Sorin had come for her. Sorin, who did not leave her alone. Sorin, who had sat in the darkness with her so many times,who had pulled her from the river. She would climb down into his pits with him just as he had done for her.

She could feel Briar and Cyrus watching her as she made her way among the drifts. This was taking too long. She was also not wearing proper footwear for this, she thought as she looked down at her now soaking wet silk shoes. Not trusting her own power yet, she glanced over her shoulder at Cyrus, who sent a small flame ahead of her, melting a path to the front door. For Sorin, she could do this. She felt the zing of the wards push against her magic, but she punched through, picking up her pace on the now clear ground.

She finally reached the front door and knocked tentatively. There was no reply, but she could feel him somehow, on the other side of the door. She could feel his temper and his bleakness and his misery.

She knocked again, more firmly. This time she got a growled response telling whomever was at the door precisely what they could go do to themselves.

Brooding indeed.

She banged on the door with her fist. “If you’re going to throw a temper tantrum, Prince, at least let me drink with you,” she yelled through the door.

She felt him pause. “Tell your escorts nice try, but I will be home tomorrow.”

“I am not your damn messenger, and I demanded they bring me to you. They tried to deter me from coming. Let me in, Sorin,” she replied, wiggling the locked door handle.

“I will be home tomorrow, Scarlett,” he snarled back.

Scarlett.

Not Princess. Not Love.

She looked over her shoulder, biting her lip. Briar and Cyrus still stood, watching her. Cyrus's arms were folded across his chest. With her Fae sight, she could see his ‘I-told-you-so’ expression on his face.

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