Page 232 of Lady for Embers

There was silence for a long moment, the two staring at each other, before he said, “Is there anything else we need to know about Ashtine?”

“I told Briar everything I know. I am assuming he has already gone for her?”

“They are discussing matters now. Making a plan.”

Talwyn lurched forward, then hissed between her teeth as the manacles singed her wrists and ankles, reopening small wounds from Scarlett’s damn shadow snakes. The shackles around her ankles were attached to the ?oor. The ones on her wrist were anchored to the wall, but both sets had some give, allowing her to move a bit. Not enough to get near the bars though. “What do you mean they are discussing matters? He needs to go now. They are already searching for her.”

“You said Abrax was with her.”

“You cannot be serious. Briar is not going to her?”

“He is going to get her, Talwyn,” Azrael said. “But it is unwise to go there without proper planning. Drayce knows this.”

“It is foolish not to go right now,” Talwyn spat back. “Did you fools miss the part where I told you she is with child? She is not well, Az. She has been unwell since Nasima left her, and now she carries twins. You know how taxing Fae pregnancies are. He needs to go now!”

“Calm down,” he ordered. “You are injuring yourself further.”

She looked down to ?nd the manacles digging into her wrists, blood welling around them. She hadn’t felt it, hadn’t realized she’d been straining against them. She was too panicked. She came here to get help for Ashtine, and they were still only planning?

“I want to talk to Scarlett,” she said, sitting back to relieve the strain on her wrists.

“Scarlett will kill you if she lays eyes on you,” Azrael said dryly.

“She is apparently the only one who truly understands what Alaric is capable of,” Talwyn snapped in reply. “None of us knew, did not realize...Idid not understand.”

More silent seconds ticked by.

“How did Sorin survive?” she ?nally asked.

“You did not know?”

“How would I have possibly known Sorin was alive?”

“Because they knew,” Azrael said pointedly. “They have known since they attacked us at sea. Lord Tyndell. Mikale. Alaric. They all saw him. He fought against them.”

She did laugh now, her head tipping back against the wall she was seated against. And she couldn’t stop because it was all just so godsdamn poetic. She brie?y wondered if this was how Nuri became so insane. If life and guilt and Alaric had chipped away at her sanity little by little until she became what she was. How had Scarlett survived him? How had Scarlett survived his mind games and power struggles?

Azrael stepped closer, concern etched onto his features. His arms uncrossed as if he were going to reach for the bars, but then thought better of it, hands falling to his sides.

“Look at me, Talwyn,” he said, his voice a low, rough command.

She lowered her chin, meeting his stare once more. The laughter died at the way he was looking at her.

A way she no longer deserved to be looked at.

She cleared her throat. “I do not know that there is anything I can tell you that you do not already know,” she said. “Clearly I was kept in the dark about much. Alaric made that clear enough as well.”

“What did he do?”

“What did he not do? You were right, Az. Right about all of it. Letting me believe I was still ruling the Courts. Using my people to get what he wants. Using me...”

“Where was Ordos during all of this?” Azrael ground out.

His features were his usual mask of indifference, but Talwyn still knew him. Knew the nearly invisible twitch of his left eye when he was livid. Knew without looking that his ?ngers were curling ever-so-slightly into ?sts at his sides. Knew that small, unnoticeable vibration was his earth magic being siphoned off in the smallest increment possible.

She barked a humorless laugh this time. “Tarek? You were right about him too. Have to give him credit though. It was a brilliant, long-game plan.”

“The only thing I will give to him is death,” Azrael muttered.

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