Page 101 of Lady of Ashes

“Drinking my blood?” he supplied.

“Drinking any Fae blood,” she replied.

His ?nger stilled, and he tugged sharply on the lock of hair wrapped around it. “Let me be very clear about this: If you need to do that before we ?gure this Source thing out, you come to me.”

Scarlett rolled her eyes. “I’m not sure why you think you can give me orders lately.”

He ?icked her nose. “You and this godsdamn tongue,” he muttered.

They’d sat in that den for another hour, just him and her, and he ?nally felt like he could breathe fully. After having her last night, sleeping beside her, having her close all day, sitting and casually conversing, the tension in his limbs had greatly abated, and he felt like he could focus on something other than her. He wasn’t letting her out of his sight anytime soon, but he wasn’t wrapped up in ?nding her, seeing her, consuming her.

He’d sent word to Talwyn that they would meet with her tomorrow. Scarlett would need a break from having to defend herself and dealing with her own Courts all day. Talwyn had been surprisingly amenable to waiting another day.

Now they were making their way down a back passageway to the great hall that had become the main room for all the children. He’d been told they’d all been given rooms, dividing the children into pairs. Some of the older ones, like Lynnea and Malachi, were given their own rooms. It was likely the ?rst time they’d ever had such a thing.

He pulled open the door for her and let her step through. They emerged at the far end of the room, the door blending in with thestonework to look just like the wall. She stood still, looking around the room.

“They’ve found food and clothing and—”

“They have everything they need, Love,” Sorin said, cutting her off. “If they don’t, the help ?nds it for them.”

She looked up at him. “I know you didn’t think we should bring them all …”

She trailed off as he started shaking his head. “My sole focus these last few weeks was you. Nothing else mattered to me, Scarlett. I wanted to get you out of there. Taking the time to move all these children was delaying that. I know it was sel?sh and made me look like a prick for not caring, but Ididn’tcare. I needed you out. I needed you safe. The gods know I was an uncooperative dick these last few weeks, but I don’t care. I needed you and that was it.”

“That’s oddly … charismatic,” she quipped, her head tilting to the side. “In a completely insane, over-possessive, mother hen sort of way.”

“I swear to the Fates, Scarlett,” he muttered as she turned away from him and began making her way into the room, stopping to greet several of the children along her way.

He started to follow after her, when his name was called out into the hall.

“Prince Aditya.”

Sorin turned to see a tall, dark-skinned male striding through the sea of children. His olive-green eyes were narrowed and set on him. A golden-skinned female was trailing him, along with a light brown wolf. He reached him in a few more long strides, and faster than Sorin could brace for it, a ?st slammed into his jaw.

“Sorin!” Scarlett cried, beside him in an instant with a hand raised and shadows leaping from her ?ngertips.

“It is ?ne, Love,” Sorin said, rubbing at his jaw with his hand. “I deserved that.”

“You deserve more than that,” the Alpha growled, his ?st drawing back again.

And then Scarlett was stepping in front of him, her shadows morphing into white ?ames as her head tilted up, and she locked eyes with the Shifter. “I’m going to need to at least know your name before you set about trying to throw down with my husband,” she said sweetly, shadows pooling around her feet and twisting into snakes poised to strike.

“Relax, Love,” Sorin said, reaching out and pushing her hand down. “This is Stellan Renatus. Alpha of the Shifters and Arianna’s brother. Stellan, meet Queen Scarlett, my wife and twin ?ame.”

Scarlett looked back over her shoulder at him, her brows arching in surprise. “And why does the Alpha deserve to punch you in your face?”

“Because he went behind my back to recruit my sister for his little rescue mission,” Stellan cut in.

“Of course he did,” came Arianna’s sultry drawl as she sauntered up behind her brother. “Temural knows you would never have let me go otherwise,” she added. Her gaze shifted to Scarlett. “It is wonderful to see you up and about, your Majesty.”

“I owe you a debt, my Lady,” Scarlett answered with a bow of her head. “I am sure without your aide I would still be chained to a wall, and Cassius would be dead. Thank you will never be nearly enough.”

Arianna’s gaze slid to Sorin’s, and a coy smile made its way on to her lips. “Have you asked her yet, Prince?”

“We have had much to discuss, my Lady, but as I mentioned weeks ago, she is not one to share,” he replied, knowing exactly what she was referencing.

“She may surprise you,” Arianna countered, glancing at Scarlett. “People change. After all, you used to enjoy partaking in our group activities in Siofra. Jamahl and I can be very convincing.”

---