Page 172 of Lady of Ashes

She looked at him quickly before ?xing her eyes ahead once more.I am ?ne.

You do not not seem ?ne …

Her lips pressed into a thin line.I am just tired.

His brows rose at that. She had slept soundly all night. He had no doubt about that. She had been asleep well before he had climbed into bed beside her. He had continued combing through her translation notes and trying to read the books they’d brought from Solembra. How she had learned and mastered the language so quickly was beyond him. It was incredibly complicated. That aside, he had only slept a few hours himself, and he woke before her. She hadn’t moved from where he’d pulled her into his chest.

Before he could decide what to say in response, they’d reached doors that would lead out to the Citadel courtyards. Scarlett was already pulling her hood back over head, sighing slightly when the winds blew snow inside the moment the doors were opened. Maybe she just really did not like the cold, and it had put her in a foul mood. They hadn’t even known each other a year. There was still plenty to learn, he supposed.

Her head tipped back as she beheld the winding stairs along the steep cliffside that Ashtine and Briar were leading the way to.

“Can we not portal to the top?” she asked. “Or Travel? I can Travel us up there.”

“Sorry, Sunshine,” Briar said, looking back over his shoulder with a quick grin. “It is warded against portals.”

Scarlett opened her mouth to speak, but Ashtine said ?rst, “And Traveling.”

The princess began climbing the narrow steps, Briar right behind her. The steps weren’t wide enough to walk side-by-side. Sorin ushered Scarlett forward behind the Water Prince and began climbing behind her.

“This trek could take the place of training today,” he said to her lightly.

“Sure,” she replied.

He reached forward, grabbing her hand, and she paused, looking back at him. Shadows ?itted across dull, silvery-blue irises. This was more than the cold weather.

“Do you need to talk about something, Love?” Even a step above him she didn’t reach his full height. She still had to tilt her head back slightly to look into his face.

“Not that I am aware of,” she answered. “Unless there is something you need to talk about? In which case, I ask that we do so when we are not freezing our asses off.”

“Is this delightful mood solely because you are cold?” he asked, sending another wave of heat into her. “You have magic to stay warm, you know.”

“I am well-aware of what my magic is capable of,” she snapped in reply.

His brows ?ew up at her sharp tone.

“I apologize,” she sighed. “As I said, I am tired.”

“Did you have dreams last night?” he asked cautiously.

“No.”

“You are feeling all right?”

“You already asked me that today.”

“But I do not believe your answer, so I feel the need to ask again,” he countered.

She squeezed his ?ngers still wrapped around her hand before she let go and turned back to continue up the stairs. It was a ?fteen minute climb until they ?nally reached the top. Ashtine sent a small whirlwind through an archway, and the arch glowed faintly, recognizing her magic and lowering any wards to allow them to pass.

“It is beautiful up here,” Scarlett said softly, pushing her hood back.

The winds were calm and still in this space. They had climbed through clouds when they neared the top, and he had watched Scarlett trail her ?ngers through them before quickly shoving her hand back into her cloak. Then he’d heard her grumble something about how she should have brought her fur-lined gloves.

“Not quite the song of the sea but serene nonetheless,” Briar said, tossing a wink at Ashtine.

A slight smile graced the princess’s lips, and Sorin recognized Briar doing the same thing he was trying to do— anything that would lighten the mood of the one he loved.

Ashtine turned to Scarlett, gesturing to her pocket. “The amulets.” Scarlett pulled the four necklaces from her cloak, placing them in Ashtine’s palm. She crossed to a small rocky platform in the center of the space. An altar, Sorin realized. He’d only been here once, and it was before he ruled a Court. He’d come with Briar on a tour of sorts. All the heirs to the Courts had been given tours of the other territories.

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