Page 166 of Lady of Ashes

He gave her a pointed look from where he still sat on the sofa, angled to face her over the back of it.

She blew out a long breath. “I lived years without any control over my own choices and decisions. I do not like that this forces me to do something that I ?nd abhorrent.”

It was not entirely lost on her that she found drinking blood to be more abhorrent than taking life for payment. She tried not to let her thoughts linger on what that said about her.

“You never seemed upset about Nuri having to do so.”

“I suppose not,” she agreed, ?ddling with a crease on the blanket.

“It is no different than your body requiring food or water, Scarlett,” he added. “Do you feel as though those things control you?”

“No,” she replied. “Although the necessity is rather a nuisance at times.”

He huffed a laugh under his breath. “Only you would ?nd eating a nuisance.”

“Think about all the other things one could accomplish if you didn’t need to eat, sleep, or even use the bathing room.”

Sorin blinked at her. “I can honestly say, in all my years, I have never contemplated such a thing.”

Scarlett shrugged, her eyes dropping back to her lap. “Anyway, if you put it in a glass …”

“I have offered a glass before, and you still refused.”

“As I have already said, I ?nd all of this … I am not a Night Child. I do not like the idea of doing this, and having it forced upon me makes me want to resist it even more.”

“Fair enough.”

“That’s it? After all of this, that’s all you have to say.”

Sorin shrugged. “I understand why you have been resisting this so adamantly. I can also only assume the Avonleyans outlawed it and found an alternative for a reason.” He stood, crossing the distance to her. He planted his hands on either side of her on the bed, the mattress dipping under his extra weight. He leaned forward, nearly nose-to-nose with her. “I swear to you we will ?nd another way, Scarlett, but until then, you need to do this. I need you to be at your strongest. I need your magic to protect you. I need you able to ?ght when required.I need you. And if you are ever taken from me again, I cannot promise I will not burn everything and everyone to the ground until I ?nd you. It will not matter if they are enemy or innocent, friend or family. It will not matter if the entire world is nothing but ash by the time I get to you. None of it will matter because my need for you is all-consuming.”

She cupped his face in her hands. “Thank you for loving me like the stars love the night, Sorin.”

His forehead fell forward, resting against hers. “All the way through the darkness, Love.”

CHAPTER 36

TALWYN

“Who is that?” Talwyn demanded when she entered the council room at the Black Halls.

Azrael was at her side, but today was the ?rst day she’d seen him since Siofra. They had conversed by earth messages, nothing more. When she’d arrived at the gates of the Black Halls a few minutes ago, he had been waiting for her. He’d looked her over carefully before asking if anything needed to be discussed before they entered.

She’d spent the last few days alone. Ashtine rarely left her Citadel as of late and only when absolutely necessary. She was here now, though, standing near the far wall conversing quietly with Prince Briar. She recognized Death’s Shadow. She’d been pointed out when Azrael had arrived with all the children a few weeks ago. There was a Witch standing among them, although not one she recognized, and sitting at the table was a male with brown hair that reached past his shoulders. One eye was a deep brown. The other was hidden behind a silver patch. Scarlett was sitting on the table next to him, her feet swinging. She was leaning in close, speaking quietly with the male. Sorin was with his Court nearby, clearly comfortable with his wife speaking so intimately with the male.

“That is Cassius,” Azrael answered. “I am surprised he lives. He was nearly in the After when we retrieved Scarlett.”

“But who is he to her?”

“He is a Witch. We sought him out as soon as we arrived. He created powerful wards around several places in the Windonelle capital.”

“Then what is he doing here if he works for the Maraan Lords?”

“He is important to Scarlett,” Azrael replied.

“That does not mean he should behere,” Talwyn retorted.

“Since these are my halls and not yours,” Scarlett suddenly quipped, “that is not your call to make.” She turned to look at Talwyn, her lips curved into a wicked smile. “Welcome back, your Majesty.”

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