Page 24 of Lady for Embers

She bent and retrieved the crown while he tucked himself away. He left his pants unbuttoned, grabbing his tunic and jacket before taking her hand.

As they were descending a set of steps, she said, “Sorin?”

“Yeah, Love?” He glanced back over his shoulder. Her silver hair was ?uttering around her on the sea breeze, and her eyes were almost glowing, as bright as the stars above them.

“When this is over, where do you want to live? Will we be expected to reside at the Black Halls?”

“Perhaps,” he said, ?ghting the grin when her nose scrunched in annoyance at the word.

“But you love the mountains, and you are still the Fire Prince. Wouldn’t you rather be in Solembra?”

“I wish to be wherever you are, Love.”

“Yes, yes,” she said, waving her hand dismissively. “But what will be expected of us?”

“This is an incredibly random topic.”

“Not really,” she said with a shrug as he led her down the steps that would lead to their cabin. “I never let myself think of the future. I didn’twantto think of the future. It held nothing I desired except the illusion of freedom I never thought I would see. But you... ” Sorin came to a halt outside their door, turning to face her fully. All he could feel down their bond was a deep contentment. “You make me want to plan a future, Sorin,” she ?nished softly.

And then he was pressing her up against the wall, his mouth on hers once more, his hand caressing her cheek. It was a slow kiss, full of all the promises and vows they’d ever made to eachother. When he pulled back, he brushed his lips over the tip of her nose before he said, “Then we will plan a future together, Scarlett. Always together.”

Chapter 6

Callan

Callan Solgard sat on one of the steps descending from the quarterdeck, watching Sorin and Eliza spar with Drake and Cassius. Rayner and Cyrus were monitoring, coaching the non-Fae on adjustments to make. They’d been on this ship for over two weeks. It had been ?ve days since Scarlett and Cassius had appeared on the back of a dragon. Not the shadow dragon she liked to conjure, but an honest-to-the-gods dragon.

Tava had taken his younger sister, Eva, to another ship to spend time with some of the children. Eva had been banging on the door of his cabin before the sun had risen. Tava had been with her, apologizing profusely for waking them. It was good for Eva. After everything she had been through, everything she had witnessed. She’d hardly spoken for an entire week after they had watched Alaric slit the throats of their parents. They’d ?ed to the Black Halls with the Fae before Briar had moved them to the House of Water, and Callan hadn’t left his sister’s side that entire week. Tava had brought them food, water, whatever they’d needed.

He didn’t know what the Lady was thinking or feeling about anything. They’d agreed to explore a real courting rather than the ruse they’d been portraying for the last couple months, and then they’d been pulled into this nightmare. He kept thinking he would wake up at any moment. It was too surreal. The things he’d seen. What he’d endured. A year ago, his biggest problem was a wraith who’d walked away from him without explanation. The Fae were a vague threat to their kingdom, but one kept under control. He’d never truly worried about them. They’d been as mythical to him as the lost Avonleyan Kingdom they were sailing towards.

He didn’t know where to go from here with anything in his life— his throne, his people, his sister, Tava. He certainly wasn’t in any right state of mind to be contemplating a relationship, and it hadn’t exactly been at the forefront of his thoughts lately. He didn’t know what his future would hold anymore. Was he a king? Would a king run from what was threatening his people? His kingdom? That future he was contemplating wasn’t as clear cut and laid out for him as it had been nearly his entire life.

“Good morning, your Majesty,” chirped a voice of darkness. A moment later, Scarlett was plopping down beside him on his step, passing over a steaming cup of tea.

“You detest such titles,” he said, taking the cup from her.

“I detest the cold,” she groused. “But a title should be used when the occasion calls for it.”

“And this occasion calls for it because?”

Scarlett was quiet for a long moment before she said, “You are a king, Callan. You deserve that title and the respect that comes with it. I am sorry I did not always give that to you.”

It was his turn to fall silent for a moment. He took a sip of the tea, and a harsh cough escaped him when it burned on the way down. Not because it was hot, but because it wasn’t just tea. “What is in this?” he asked hoarsely, peering into the cup.

A sly grin tilted her lips. “Tea... and some liquor,” she said, taking a big sip from her own cup.

Callan huffed a laugh, following suit and taking another drink. He nodded toward the deck below. “You are not training this morning?”

She sighed dramatically. “I have been instructed to ‘take it easy today.’”

“By Sorin?”

“Yes.” She rolled her eyes. “Even with bright silver eyes, he still insists on being an overprotective pain in my ass.”

Said pain in her ass glanced over at them as if he’d heard her, and she wiggled her ?ngers at him.

“It is good you ?nally let someone in,” Callan said. “It is good you let someone take care of you every once in a while.”

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