Page 6 of Lady of Ashes

“Death’s Maiden. I have missed you.”

Darkness swallowed her whole and when she woke again, she found herself still in shackles, her wrists chained to the wall above her head. At least she was able to sit on the ?oor; though her ankles were still shackled as well. Her lips were wet, and the taste of blood ?lled her senses as she slowly cracked her eyes open.

She took in the room around her and immediately recognized it as the Assassin Lord’s dungeon study. She still wore her witch-suit and witch-leathers. All the weapons had, of course, been removed. She twisted her wrists and winced slightly as shirastone dug into her skin.

Shirastone to hold Fae and block their magic. Shirastone to hold her. She tried to summon her shadows, but there was nothing. No ?re or water or ice.

Footsteps outside the door had her gaze swiveling to it as theAssassin Lord entered. He paused for a moment upon seeing her awake, but she couldn’t see his face. His hood was in place as always. She’d never seen it off.

“My Darkest Maiden. You wake,” he said with harsh pleasantry.

Scarlett said nothing, waiting to see what kind of mood he was in. The man had basically raised her and overseen all of her training. His mood would determine how she would interact with him.

“Come now,” he said, walking closer to her but staying out of range of her chained feet. “No greeting after we have been separated for months?”

“How long have you been working with Tarek?” she rasped, her throat dry and hoarse from disuse.

The Assassin Lord walked to a nearby table and poured a glass of water. “How do you think I learned the identity of the Fire Prince?”

“You knew. The whole time he was with me. When I brought him to the Syndicate,” she croaked out.

“Yes, Scarlett,” he answered, crossing back to her. “I knew who he was. Tarek informed me he had entered the city shortly after he arrived three years ago.” He stooped down beside her, bringing the glass of water to her lips. Scarlett twisted her head to the side. “It is only water, Scarlett. You will not accept a drink from me?”

Scarlett huffed out a gravelly laugh. “Only water? I’m sure that’s all it is. There’s not a tonic mixed in there to drug me and quell my magic?”

“I was not the one who started your tonic. Your mother was. She did not want your magic manifesting in the mortal lands. I simply continued it because there was no way to train you in your power here,” he answered, reaching over and placing a ?nger under her chin to turn her head back to him. “Furthermore, your magic is wide awake now. I believe the only way to force it to slumber once more would be to force you to do the same. I would rather not do that. You are of no use to me asleep. Now drink.”

He brought the glass back to her lips and tipped it up. The water was cool against her parched throat, and she gulped it down greedily, draining the entire glass. The Assassin Lord rose and strode to the pitcher once more, re?lling the glass.

“What’s your plan, then?” she drawled. “Keep me chained in shirastone so I cannot access it? What use to you am I in that way?”

He crossed back to her, crouching down once more. “The shirastone will keep your ?re and water contained until we come toan understanding,” he answered, bringing the glass to her lips. She again drank the entire glass down, leaning her head against the wall behind her when she was done. “Is your thirst quenched, or do you need another glass?”

Scarlett closed her eyes. So incredibly … familiar. The Assassin Lord had brutally trained her, yes. He had denied her retribution for Juliette’s death. He had punished her and caged her and tried to break her. But he had also raised her, after her mother had been murdered. He had also cared for her. Just as he was doing now.

When she did not answer, he stood and crossed to his desk. It was smaller than the one upstairs in his much grander main study. There were no chains on the walls in that study.

He perched on the edge of the desk, and Scarlett opened her eyes, feeling his piercing gaze on her from beneath that hood. “Tarek tells me you ?gured out a number of things during your time away.”

Scarlett gritted her teeth. She would wait him out. Force him to reveal his hand ?rst.

The Assassin Lord chuckled. “I taught you well, Death’s Maiden.” He ran his ?ngers along the edge of the desk. “I know that physical punishment will be of no use with you.”

Scarlett stiffened at what he implied, but immediately forced herself to relax. They were all safe. The orphans. Nuri. Cassius. They were all safe behind wards that they could not penetrate.

That the Maraan Lords could not penetrate.

But did the Assassin Lord know where they were?

She kept her face neutral, a mask of carefully trained boredom as she held the Lord’s gaze beneath his hood. He folded his hands and placed them in his lap, and Scarlett worked to control her breathing. That was a mannerism she’d seen him make numerous times. When he was about to reveal exactly what her punishment was to be.

It often involved hurting Cassius or one of the others in front of her and refusing to allow her to tend to them. She had been chained in this very spot numerous times, for hours, with Cassius unconscious before her. “I am surprised that your Fire Prince has not yet attempted to come for you,” he said casually.

Scarlett’s heart constricted with fear and longing. “You are keeping me as bait? For him?”

“Do not be ridiculous,” the Assassin Lord said harshly. “I am keeping you because you are powerful. Him coming to attempt to rescue you will simply be a bonus. But alas, he has yet to do so.”

“How long have I been out?” Scarlett demanded.

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