Page 156 of Lady for Embers

She had nothing to say because she had no idea what was going on here.

Cassius, however, seemed to have a pretty good idea. “Did you take my mugweed?”

Cyrus sat up a little straighter. “Do you have some you’ve been keeping from me?”

“You know I have some for my leg when it gets too bad,” Cassius said, his eye narrowing.

“Mugweed,” Scarlett repeated. “Like the plant people smoke?” Cassius nodded, eyeing the males warily.

“Sorin!” she admonished, whirling back to face him. “We have dinner in an hour. With my brother and our Court and everyone else, and you two are... ” She waved a hand at their current state, words failing her.

“We’re relaxed and ?ne, Darling,” Cyrus drawled lazily.

“This is all your doing.” She glared angrily at the Fire CourtSecond. Cyrus just laughed. “It’s not though.Hebrought it to me.”

“I did,” Sorin said matter-of-factly.

And Scarlett didn’t know what to do or think. Sorin Aditya, responsible and steadfast Prince of the Fire Court, sitting here high on mugweed before dinner with a foreign kingdom.

For the love of Arius,Sorin,she sighed down the bond.

“Did you tell her about the Tyndells?” Cyrus asked.

“What about them?” she demanded, turning to Cassius.

Cassius pushed out an exasperated breath. “We went to the castle library earlier today, and we found a book of mortal bloodlines. There is a picture in there of the last Queen of Rydeon. She looks like Tava and Drake’s mother.”

“Sheistheir mother,” Cyrus cut in.

“She cannot be,” Cassius gritted out.

“You went to a library without me?” Scarlett asked in outrage.

“I just told you that Drake and Tava are likely related to Rydeon royalty, andthatis the ?rst thing you say?” Cassius asked in disbelief. “Are you sureyoudidn’t smoke any mugweed while you were off with Cethin?”

“What?” Sorin demanded, pushing to his feet, his eyes instantly darkening. “You were with him by yourself?”

Scarlett glared up at Cassius. “Yes, Sorin,” she answered. “Cassius needed some time alone with his daddy.”

“Fuck off,” Cassius snapped.

“You deserve it for telling him that,” Scarlett retorted.

“Wait. You left Cassius alone with his father that he just met? What the fuck, Scarlett?” Cyrus barked, now on his feet and glowering down at her.

“Oh my gods,” she moaned, dragging a hand down her face. She turned back to Cassius. “This is your fault.”

“Can we focus on what is actually important here?” Cassius asked.

“Which is what? The fact that Sorin and Cyrus are apparently smoking mugweed while we were being emotionally pummeled?”

Sorin’s brows knitted together, worry creeping across his features. “What happened?”

“Nothing,” she snapped.

“Psh,” Cyrus said, waving him off. “She’s just mad we didn’t save any mugweed for her.”

“Of course I am upset about that,” Scarlett said. “But that is not the point here.”

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