Page 241 of Lady of Ashes

“But I really think you are going to want to be there to see the new king take his throne,” Tarek countered.

“What are you talking about?” Callan demanded.

He was still holding Tava to his side. Drake, Finn, and Sloan had closed ranks around them.

“And you, Crown Prince? You are de?nitely going to want to come with me to say your goodbyes.”

They all filed silently into the castle, having had no choice but to let this play out. It was that or watch the mortals be slaughtered in front of her. Tarek had forced her and Sorin apart, not allowing her to continue drawing from him to refill her power. She now walkedbeside Tarek, the wolf at his side. Sorin was in the middle of the company, ten Night Children escorting him.

They spoke down their bond though. There was nothing Tarek could do to stop that. They’d discussed possible escape plans, ways to ?ght their way out, but with this many vampyres surrounding them? There was no way to do so without risking the lives of Callan, Tava, and the others.

But Sorin had also informed her of another little problem. Only it wasn’t a ‘little’ problem in the slightest.

Talwyn is the wolf,he’d told her while they’d passed silently through the Elite District.

Obviously it is one of her wolves.

No, Love. Talwynisthe wolf. She has shifted.

She can do that?

Apparently, she can now. I would recognize her eyes anywhere. And Queen Henna could shift. Into a wolf.

Scarlett did not even want to entertain what it meant that Talwyn was here, with Tarek, escorting them to the castle. It obviously couldn’t mean anything good for them and wasn’t that just fantastic.

Tarek led them to the throne room, where he took Scarlett to the foot of the dais. The others were herded off to the side.

“I thought there’d be a bigger welcoming party,” Scarlett drawled, looking dramatically around the room.

“They will be here momentarily,” Tarek said, a hand gliding down Talwyn’s fur. “But to be sure we are not interrupted by anything unnecessary …” He crossed to Sorin and held out his hand. “I will take that ring from you.”

Sorin pressed his tongue to his cheek before slipping it off his ?nger and slamming it into his palm. Tarek immediately slid it onto his own digit, sighing deeply as his magic clearly sprang to life. “You have no idea how long I have waited for this moment,” Tarek murmured.

“I would venture to guess it has been around ten years,” Sorin said. “Oh no, Prince of Fire. Far longer,” Tarek replied, turning his back on him and moving back to the dais. He sat down on the edge, seeming to get comfortable, stretching his legs out in front of him. Talwyn moved to sit at his side. “This is going to be quite the show,” he quipped. “And I am so delighted to have a front-row seat.”

Footsteps echoed a moment before the double doors of the throneroom were opened and Mikale Lairwood came strolling through. He paused a moment, looking around at everyone gathered.

“You are supposed to be gone with my father,” Tava said, shock and fear in her voice.

Mikale nodded in acknowledgement. “And I was,” he agreed. “But apparently your allies failed to inform you that some of the Maraans can Travel. It takes but a heartbeat to cross the continent.”

Callan’s gaze swung to Scarlett. “Is that true?” he demanded.

“I … Alaric can Travel. He is the only one I know that can for sure,” she admitted. “But I didn’t know your plans hinged on them being gone. I would have told you, Callan. I would have—”

But he just turned away from her, shifting more to block Tava from view.

“Anyway,” Mikale went on, striding forward, “when I was alerted that some special visitors had crossed the wards of my property, we came straight home.” He stopped in front of Scarlett, glancing over his shoulder at Sorin as he reached out to ?nger a strand of her hair. Sorin went rigid, a hand sliding to the sword at his waist.

“Don’t,” Tarek said as though he was bored, vines immediately snaking along Sorin’s wrists before yanking them behind his back.

Mikale’s gaze settled back onto Scarlett, a cruel smirk pulling on his lips. “What happened to me seeing my death the next time you saw my face, my pet?”

Scarlett tilted her head, pretending to contemplate his question. “Did I sayyourdeath? I meant your sister’s.” Her voice went icy with the words.

He went still. “You lie.”

“I really don’t,” she simpered. “The Crown Prince was there. So was Tarek. They all saw it,” she added, gesturing in Callan’s direction.

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