Page 221 of Lady for Embers

Scarlett hoped that when she did sleep, it was her that haunted her nightmares.

The two stared at each other, the silence thickening in the air with every passing second. Scarlett was trying to get her breathing under control, her chest tight and each breath labored as she soaked in this moment.

“Give her a sword,” Scarlett said, her voice eerily calm.

Talwyn said nothing, her mouth set in a thin line as she held Scarlett’s gaze from her knees.

Cassius brought a blade forward, handing it to Talwyn. The Fae Queen took it, holding it at her side, waiting for Scarlett.

“You took him from me,” Scarlett said, each word carefully controlled. “You sent him to ?nd me in the mortal lands, set this all into motion, and then you took him from me. When I kill you this night, I want you to know it is because I am better than you. In every godsdamn way. While you are toiling away in the Pits of Torment, I do not want you to think you could have won if only you’d had a weapon.”

Talwyn stared up at her, face as unreadable as always.

“You have nothing to say to me?” Scarlett demanded, her control beginning to slip. “After you attempted to take everything from me?”

“Nothing I have to say will change this outcome. You do not wish to hear excuses, and there is no justi?cation for what happened that night. I only wish to speak to Prince Briar before we do this,” Talwyn said, her chin lifting slightly.

“You do not get to askanythingof me,” Scarlett hissed. “You do not deserve a last request.”

“You are correct,” Talwyn conceded. “I do not deserve that, but it is not for me.”

Scarlett glanced at Cassius and Cyrus, who still stood a few feet behind Talwyn. They were not going to move until Scarlett was ready to end her.

“When we found her, she said she would come with us if she could speak to Briar before we delivered her to you. When we refused, that is when she fought. Or rather, ran. The High Witch gave us a potion to nullify her magic,” Cyrus explained.

“And do you have your magic back now?” Scarlett sneered, attention going back to Talwyn. “I do not want that to be your next excuse.”

“I do,” Talwyn answered, and Scarlett saw her ?ngers ?ex around the hilt of the sword she’d been given. “But if you let me speak to Briar ?rst, I will not ?ght you on this, Scar— Your Majesty.”

“Oh, Talwyn,” Scarlett crooned mockingly, letting her shadow panthers stalk closer, tendrils of darkness reaching out and sliding along Talwyn’s arms. She ?inched back when Scarlett let them bite. “I want you to ?ght. I want to revel in each drop of blood I draw from you. I want to feel it on my skin, bathe in it as I slowly draw your life from you. I want you to beg me to end it, and then I want you to thank me right before I send you to the Pits of Torment because it will be a reprieve from my wrath and a kindness you will never deserve.” She jerked her chin at the sword Talwyn held as she stepped back a few paces. “Get up.”

Her eyes ?icked to Cassius and Cyrus, who understood the silent command to give them space, but Talwyn remained on her knees. “I need to speak to Briar,” she said again.

“I am denying your request,” Scarlett snarled. “Get up.”

“Please, Sc—”

Her panthers snapped and snarled again, and Talwyn lurched up on instinct.

“Better,” Scarlett said, beginning to circle her.

“I will ?ght you. We can have this duel you desire and deserve,” she said, moving with Scarlett. “Just let me talk to Briar ?rst.”

“Briar will not save you,” Scarlett retorted sharply. “One would think you would want to speak to Azrael as your dying wish. Or did you simply use him like you used the rest of us?”

“Shut up,” Talwyn snapped, eyes ?ashing with the ?rst hint of emotion Scarlett had seen.

And she smiled savagely.

“Tell you what,your Majesty, if you manage to draw a single drop of blood from me, I will summon Briar here. You can speak with him before I end your miserable existence,” Scarlett said, twirling her sword once in her hand before taking an offensive stance.

A slight sneer curled on Talwyn’s lip. “You think I will not be able to land a single strike? You will win this,Scarlett, but if I ?ght, it will not simply be handed to you.”

“Good,” Scarlett purred.

Then she lunged, star?re ?aring down her sword. She felt the wind Talwyn threw at her, but Scarlett had been training with an Avonleyan King and a godsdamn dragon. Her shields hardly shuttered at the impact. Talwyn staggered back one step when their blades met, and Scarlett heard the breath she sucked in at the impact. Determination ?ared, and a wooden spear appeared in her other hand.

“That’s more like it,” Scarlett said, circling her once more.

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