Page 26 of Lady of Ashes

“What?” Mikale bit back in obvious shock. “I took care of her, just as you ordered. She was bathed and given water, and she slept soundly on a soft bed beneath blankets. That is not the issue—”

“It is the only issue that matters right now,” Alaric barked.

Scarlett!

The voice was so faint in her mind Scarlett was sure she hadn’t actually heard it. It had to be the dehydration causing some sort of delirium, but she didn’t care at this point. She needed to hear him, even if it was all in her head.

“Sorin,” she rasped again.

“No!” Alaric snarled, dropping to his knees in front of her. “Go and get Tarek. Now!” he barked at Mikale. If she hadn’t been half-conscious, Scarlett likely would have marveled at the idea of the Assassin Lord being on his knees in a panic before her.

Scarlett! Love, where are you?

“This is hardly my fault,” Mikale was arguing with Alaric.

“She is so weak that her magic is taking over to keep her alive. Soon she will be weak enough that her Blood Magic will shatter. It is already cracking,” Alaric snapped. “Go and get Tarek!”

Mikale turned and stalked for the door, but Scarlett couldn’t even lift her head to watch him go.

“Sorin.”

Mikale had dropped the chain for her wrist shackles to the ?oor, and Scarlett curled in on herself, her stomach aching from dry heaving, and her head throbbing.

“Scarlett, open your eyes,” Alaric demanded.

I am here, Love. I’m here. Tell me where you are.

So much desperation in the words swirling in her mind. She tried to form a thought to answer him, but someone was shaking her shoulders, moving her body.

“Open your eyes, dammit,” Alaric snarled again. “Now.”

Scarlett cracked her eyes open, seeing two of the Assassin Lord before her as her vision continued to blur. He was cradling her in his lap. “Good. Good, Scarlett,” he praised, a look of relief passing over his face. “Drink.” A glass was pressed to her lips, and she tried to turn her head from it.

She attempted to crawl from his lap, but Alaric held her ?rm. “It is water, Scarlett. Drink,” he ordered again.

She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts, but the movement just made the nausea rise again. She lurched forward, convulsing once more.

“That useless son of a bitch,” Alaric muttered under his breath. When she was done heaving, he pulled her back into his lap. “This could all be avoided if you would just make a decision, Scarlett.” He brought the glass of water back to her mouth, tipping it up so it wet her dry lips. “Drink.”

But Scarlett pressed her lips into a ?rm line. She’d learned a long time ago that if he was acting this way, it was a ruse. Something much worse than what she was currently enduring was to follow. She closed her eyes, breathing in deep. Darkness reached for her, and she sighed at the familiarity of it.

I am coming for you, Love. We are coming for you. Tell me where you are.

“No.” Alaric’s sharp command reached through the fog in her mind. “Stay awake, Scarlett. Look at me.”

But she didn’t want to. Here in the darkness she could hear him. She could almost see his face.

“More,” she whispered to the darkness.

“No!” Alaric bellowed. She felt the glass press to her lips again, but she still refused.

Scarlett, please. One word, Love. That’s all I need.

There was yelling and cursing around her, but she couldn’t process what was being said or who was saying it. Something warm and sticky was pressed to her mouth, but she clamped her lips shut tighter.

There was clanging and more cursing as the warmth withdrew from her mouth.

“Scarlett, open your damn eyes!”

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