Page 61 of Lady of Ashes

“Yes, we were all quite surprised by it. Especially Balam,” Alaric continued. “Considering he is betrothed to Tava Tyndell.”

Scarlett couldn’t help the bubble of hollow laughter that escaped from her lips. Somehow, some way, they had learned of the plans to force Callan into a marriage to Veda and had saved him from that fate.

And Tava. Brilliant godsdamn Tava.

Tava would be on the inside, next to a man who felt nothing but contempt for Scarlett these days. She would be a source of information for the others.

“I am failing to see the humor here, Death’s Maiden,” Alaric said coldly.

Another breath of laughter escaped her. “You’ve spent centuries putting things into motion, carefully laying plans, and then Lord Tyndell’s own daughter derails them. The humor is the irony. One would think Lord Tyndell would be thrilled.”

Without warning, that dagger in his hand went into Cassius’s thigh, right atop the place he had been stabbed by Veda nearly two years ago. Cassius bellowed around the gag in his mouth, andScarlett screamed, lurching forward only to be halted violently by the chains.

“Stop!” she cried. “Stop!”

But he didn’t. Instead, Alaric twisted that dagger in deeper. Cassius was jerking against his chains, the veins in his neck straining as he endured the pain.

Alaric left the dagger in his leg and dropped down to a crouch before her, taking her chin in his hand and tilting her face up to his. “I have given you time. I told you what the consequences of continued disobedience would be. This is your fault, Scarlett.Youhave caused this fate.”

Scarlett tried to shake her head in denial. She tried to look at Cassius over Alaric’s shoulder, but he refused to allow her such movement. “We will work around this thing with Tava and Callan. That is not a be-all, end-all issue. But while I am dealing with that, I need to know where the Black Syndicate orphans are.” She tried to jerk back from him at the words, but his grip on her chin only tightened, becoming bruising. “You will tell me, Scarlett. I am through playing games. For every hour you do not tell me, you bestow more pain upon your Guardian.”

Alaric shoved her away from him as he stood, and she fell back, catching herself on her elbows. He jerked the dagger roughly from Cassius’s thigh, causing another bellow of pain. He pulled the gag from his mouth in the next breath.

“Maybe you can talk some sense into your charge,” he snarled at Cassius. “Your life depends on it. I will be back in an hour.”

Alaric wrenched the door open, stalking out, but before it swung closed, Tarek strolled in.

“What are you doing here?” Scarlett demanded.

Tarek tsked under his breath. “You didn’t really think he would leave you two alone in here, did you?”

“We have never been alone, Scarlett,” Cassius said from between gritted teeth, drawing her attention back to him. “Someone was always here while you were out.”

“I am so sorry, Cassius,” she whispered, her voice catching.

“Look at me, Seastar.”

But she couldn’t. She couldn’t meet his gaze.

“Now, Scarlett,” he commanded.

Blue eyes met brown ones brimming with intensity. “This is not your fault. Do you understand me?”

“This is Juliette all over again, Cass,” she breathed. “I cannot do this. Losing you—” She swallowed down the sob that cracked her voice. “I will not come back from this, Cassius.”

“You will, Scarlett. You will have Sorin and the others from—”

“They are not you!” she cried. “Yes, I love Sorin. Yes, he is my twin ?ame. But you are as much a part of me as he is. I will not survive this.”

“You will, Scarlett,” Cassius repeated. “You will survive this because you must. You will survive this because others depend on you. You will survive this because when it is all over, I know Sorin will give you a place to rest. To heal. To live. Hang on, Seastar. Hang on just a little longer. Promise me you will hang on.”

She was shaking her head, tears streaming down her face.

“I will make the choice for you, Scarlett. You do not need to make it. I choose the innocents. I choose the children. Let me do this for them. Letmemake this choice,” he begged.

She reached for him again, wishing she could just fucking touch him. Blood continued to spread from the wound, soaking into his pants. “What difference will it make?” she asked. “When you are gone, he will just ?nd another thing to threaten me with.”

“You know he will not leave you behind, right? That he will come for you,” Cassius said, his voice so quiet she almost didn’t hear him. His features had softened slightly, and a small smile graced his lips as he looked down at her.

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