Page 13 of Lady of Ashes

Azrael studied her face, and she made herself withstand his scrutinizing glare. “You are sending me because I am your greatest resource in this matter, Talwyn.” His tone had softened just a touch. “You are sending me because I will be your eyes among the Courts we are no longer part of. We cannot trust them to share everything they will see and hear while they are there. Do not feel guilty for asking this of me and utilizing me.”

Talwyn didn’t know what to say as he stepped around her once more to continue his preparations. He was right. She knew he was right. Even Ashtine had been unable to ?nd out vital information from the winds. She did need eyes and ears on the inside if Sorin and his new queen were unwilling to share them with her.

“You will …” She swallowed, looking out the window of his rooms at the sky that was quickly losing sunlight. They were to meet at the Fiera Palace at sundown. “You will keep me informed of things? So that I know when to expect you home.”

“I will send updates as I am able,” he con?rmed, hefting his pack onto a shoulder.

“That is not a good enough answer, Prince,” she retorted.

Azrael stilled once more and slowly set his pack back down on his bed. “What is this really about, Talwyn?”

“It is about making sure one of the few people in my life I can depend on is returned to me in one fucking piece,” she snarled, locking eyes with him once more.

Azrael was silent for a long moment before he said, “This is very different from ten years ago, Talwyn.”

“Is it? Is it not a mission led by Sorin to retrieve someone important to him, no matter who is lost in the process?”

“Talwyn.” He said her name with a thoughtful sadness that had her turning away from him.

“Forget it. Just forget it.”

She turned, striding for the door out to his living area. “Talwyn.”

“I said forget it, Az. We need to go. Grab your pack.”

She wrenched the door open and crossed the sitting room straight out to the terrace, gulping down the cool night air. She glanced down at her left hand where a Mark had once stood stark against her skin. A Mark that had faded over time. A hawk soared across the sky, and she tracked it as it dove to the earth after some prey or another.

She scented him, soil and forest and ?r, before she heard him come out onto the terrace. She knew if she glanced over her shoulder he’d be leaning against the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest. Her hair was blowing on the winds she was siphoning off, releasing her emotions that were making her magic roar up inside her. The hawk reemerged, and with her Fae sight, she could make out a shape dangling from its talons.

She felt a tickling sensation at her wrist, and she looked down to ?nd a piece of ivy growing, tiny purple wisteria blooming along it. A peace offering from the Earth Prince. Still, she did not turn to look back at him.

This was no place for emotions. He was right. This was a mission like any other. They needed information. They needed to retrieve the Fae Queen of the Western Courts. Without Scarlett, they could not track down these keys. She could not move forward with her plans without those keys.

Taking a steadying breath, she ?nally turned to face Azrael. His pack was on the ground beside him. “Are you ready?” she asked. Her tone was frank and cold. The voice of the Fae Queen.

“I did not consider how you would feel about this undertaking, Talwyn,” he replied, his hard voice softened in a way he only spoke to her.

“Feelings have no place in this undertaking,” she said, closing the distance between them and looking pointedly at his pack. “If you are ready, let’s go. I want to talk to Sorin more before you all leave.”

“Aditya will not make the same mistakes, Talwyn. His entire Court journeys with us. He knows the lands we are going to. He knows the people who have her, and he knows allies.” He was watching her carefully as she reached down and picked up his pack, extending it towards him.

“Good. Then you should not be gone long. Is there anything else you need to grab, or can we go?”

“Talwyn.”

“What?” she snapped, ?nally meeting his gaze once more.

“I swear to you that I will come back to you,” he replied, holding her stare. “Nothing there will keep me from returning to your side.”

There was a beat of silence before she said, “Good. Building relations with a new prince would be annoying, and I doubt his distractions would be as effective.”

The corner of his mouth twitched, as if a smile were about to form, but it never did. Smiles rarely found their way to his harsh face. He took the pack from her ?ngers where she held it out to him and set it back on the ground. Then he took that outstretched hand and pulled her towards him.

“I will send Rinji with updates as often as I can, and will Travel to you whenever possible,” he said, tilting her face up towards his.

“It is ?ne, Prince Luan. Whenever you can be spared will be ?ne. I appreciate your willingness to do this.”

His ever-present scowl deepened. “Do not do that, Talwyn.”

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