Page 226 of Lady of Ashes

“You act as if you’ve never seen me in a dress before,” she continued, her tone teasing. “You seem to have forgotten that dress from the pier.”

“Love, I could never forgetthatdress.”

She cast him a side-long glance, a soft smile gracing her lips. His ?ngers ?exed slightly where they still rested on the small of her back.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“I know you have not had much time to explore the Halls with everything going on,” he replied. “But this room? You should de?nitely know of this room.”

She tsked softly under her breath. “You know how I feel about surprises, Sorin.”

“You will like this one. I promise.”

She pursed her lips slightly but didn’t argue further. Which he found oddly disappointing.

“I have missed you these past days,” he said softly, guiding her around a corner.

Her nose wrinkled, brow bunching. “I have been with you almost every hour of the day.”

“Physically yes, but …”

“Ah,” she said quietly. She lifted a hand, trailing her ?ngertips along the wall. “I …” She sighed heavily. “I do not know what you are asking of me here, Sorin.”

“I am asking nothing,” he answered, motioning for her to descend a small set of stairs. “Just making an observation. Creating an opening.”

A quick lift of lips before that small smile vanished from her mouth. “I have tried to …” She swallowed thickly before trying again. “I have tried to explain, to keep you all updated, but I do not understand what I am trying to ?nd. How am I to explain something I do not understand?”

Sorin kept his posture relaxed, but inside he was sitting up straight. She was actually speaking to him about this. Had it really been this simple all along? Get her alone and just … ask? He was so used to her keeping secrets that it had honestly never occurred to him that she just didn’t knowhowto tell him, how to include him.

“What did the Sorceress say to you that led to all of this?” heasked gently, hoping he’d chosen the right words. She was his twin ?ame. This conversation shouldn’t be this hard, this complicated.

“She said many things,” she answered quietly. “So many things.”

“Tell me one.”

“This thing with the keys and the lock. How they may not go together.”

“She was just trying to gain the upper hand, Scarlett.”

“I don’t think she was, Sorin. I don’t think—”

She stopped short when he pushed open a door, ushering her through. The ?re was burning steadily in the hearth, casting a warm glow around the room. A few candles had been strategically placed to add enough light to see by, but not brighten the room too much. A plush sofa sat in front of the hearth, and two wing-backed chairs were off to the side, a small table between them. A drink cart was on the back wall. But none of that was what had caused Scarlett to pause just over the threshold of the small lounge. No, that was caused by the piano in the center of the room. Black and gleaming, it had clearly been cleaned and polished. The bench was cushioned for comfort, and the keys were uncovered, waiting for her.

He wasn’t entirely sure she was breathing when he nudged her farther into the room so he could shut the door behind them. He brought his hands to her shoulders as he leaned in and whispered, “Go play, Love.”

Her ?ngers were resting delicately on her throat when she said, “I did not know there was a piano here.”

“I ?gured as much,” Sorin said, stepping around her to move to the drink cart. He nodded at the instrument again. “Go play, Love,” he repeated.

“I really should be going through more books,” she said quietly, but her feet moved forward as if she couldn’t help it. Her ?ngers brushed along the tops of the keys.

“You can take one night off, Scarlett,” he answered, ice clinking into his glass. “As you may recall, I once told you it is just as important to take the time to look at the stars. Or in this case, play the piano.”

Her lips twitched, and she looked up to meet his gaze. “You arranged this for me?”

“The piano has always been here. I used to play it every once in a while when Eliné lived here, but I made sure it was cleaned and tuned for you, yes,” he said, taking a sip of the liquor he’d poured.He slid a hand into his pocket, watching her eyes fall back to the piano.

“I have never played on one this grand before.”

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