Page 24 of Lady of Ashes

“Lynnea,” he greeted warmly. “Good to see you again.”

“And you,” she answered with a small nod of her head. She shifted her gaze to Nuri. “Take them to the kitchen. I will get some soup and bread warmed up.”

“Thank you,” Sorin said, following Nuri once more. She led them into the moderate kitchen space, and the Fae all collapsed onto chairs around the small table to the left of the space. Lynnea immediately moved to the stove and began adding various vegetables and some meat to a large stock pot, before getting out two loaves of bread and slicing it for them.

“When do you expect Cassius to be here?” Sorin asked Nuri, while she removed her cloak and draped it over a stool. She left her gloves and weapons in place.

“I’m hoping sooner rather than later. I think the message that you’ve returned will hasten his return,” she replied.

Sorin nodded. “Let’s wait until he arrives to ?ll you in on our side of things. Why don’t you catch me up while we eat, and hopefully Cassius and the Tyndells will be here by then.”

Nuri agreed and proceeded to tell him of how Cassius had continued to work tirelessly to constantly reinforce the wards. He had apparently found some new upgrades in the books Sorin had given to him when he had visited the Fire Court. The secret of the warehouse location had been kept quiet by everyone. They hadn’t even revealed it to the Assassin Lord, which is why Nuri hadn’t reported to the Fellowship since Scarlett and Sorin had left the kingdom. Lord Tyndell apparently kept Cassius from the AssassinLord’s wrath somehow, but they were all conscious of how quickly that could change.

Sorin was ?nishing his second bowl of soup when a man with shoulder-length brown hair and rich brown eyes came rushing into the room, followed closely by a man and woman who had matching golden-blonde hair and ocean-blue eyes. Cassius Redding and Drake and Tava Tyndell. Cassius’s eyes scanned over everyone, pausing on Sorin brie?y before continuing to look around the kitchen wildly. “Where is she?” he demanded.

Sorin stood from his place at the table. “She is not with us, Commander.”

“Where the hell is she?”

“We have reason to believe she is in Baylorin, but her exact whereabouts are unknown to us.”

Cassius’s entire body went rigid as he turned to face Sorin. “What do you mean her whereabouts are unknown to you?”

“She was taken. After she defeated several Night Children in Toreall near the Earth Court border.”

“Taken by who?” Violence and rage radiated off the Commander as he held Sorin in his gaze.

“We do not know. We were told Mikale does not currently have her, but we do not know for how long that will remain true,” Sorin answered, swallowing thickly.

“How did you let this happen?” Cassius demanded. “I left her in your care, believing she would be safe with you!”

“She was safe with me,” Sorin retorted. “You know you cannot control her. You know she does things of her own mind, often refusing to let others know her plans until she is in the thick of them.”

Cassius stalked towards Sorin and gripped the front of his tunic in his ?st, and Sorin readied himself to take the hit from the Commander. He was Scarlett’s personal guard, assigned to her in the Black Syndicate. He was so protective of her, Sorin had thought they might be lovers when he’d ?rst met her. He wasn’t surprised by his rage, and he’d allow this hit for failing in his promise to keep her safe.

But the blow never came. Drake and Nuri were behind Cassius, pulling him off of Sorin as he tried to jerk free of their holds.

“For the love of Anala,” Cyrus barked, standing and coming between Cassius and Sorin. “Everyone needs to calm the fuck down. He is the Witch, yes?”

Sorin nodded in con?rmation. “Yes, he has Witch blood along with the girl who fed us.”

“Great. Get them what they need to get started. While they’re brewing the potion, we can ?ll them in on everything that has happened. After they have heard it all, if they still deem you worthy of having your ass kicked, we will let that happen,” Cyrus said.

Sorin clenched his teeth, turning to Cassius. “Is that agreeable to you?”

Cassius nodded curtly. “I haven’t done much with potions. I do not know how much help I will be.”

“You will be able to do it,” Sorin replied, knowing exactly whose Witch-blood ran through the Commander’s veins.

“Then let’s move to the fourth ?oor. There is a small kitchenette on that level to make sure things aren’t disturbed.”

Everyone gathered their things and climbed the stairs once more, Cassius and Sorin walking side-by-side. “Since I left her last, I’ve been experiencing these … episodes,” Cassius said quietly to Sorin.

“What kind of episodes?” He glanced side-long at the Commander.

“I don’t know how to describe it. One time, I had excruciating pain in my arm and along my ribs, like they’d been broken. Other times it’s minor, ?eeting scratches, as if I were sparring. But it all stopped suddenly, a few days ago, which is when you said Scarlett was taken. It can’t be coincidence, can it?” Cassius asked, clearly hoping Sorin had an answer for him.

“Scarlett broke her arm and some ribs in an attack a few months ago,” Sorin answered. “I do not know how you would be able to sense that. None of what you just told me makes any sense.”

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