Page 3 of Lady for Embers

“I know, Darling,” he murmured into her hair, clutching her tightly. “You are not alone.”

“He promised.”

That became her new chant. Over and over. And all he could do was say, “I know. I know.”

He wanted to ask what the hell had happened. He wanted to hear every detail of what had occurred after Rayner had shown up with Briar and Luan. Luan had given Cassius the fastest lesson possible on Traveling, and thank Anala he was half-Avonleyan or that would have never worked. But how hadthishappened? Where was Scarlett’s Semiria ring? Where was the Earth Prince now? Talwyn and Ashtine? How had Sorin fallen? What were the mortals doing back here?

What the actual fuck had happened?

He didn’t know how long they all sat there. Several minutes maybe?

No one moving. No one speaking. Only Scarlett’s cries of despair ?lling the night. She eventually fell still and silent in his arms, and he didn’t know if she’d ?nally passed out from utter exhaustion or if something far worse was about to happen.

Rayner moved to his side, crouching down beside him. His voice was low, barely audible. “The High Witch says he has not fully crossed the Veil. His heart beats but is... ” His eyes cut to Sorin’s still form, his jaw clenching. “He will not come back like Cassius did.”

“What happened?” Cyrus asked, looking over his shoulder to where Cassius sat, his tired gaze ?xed on Scarlett. He really needed to get the commander some blood.

Rayner glanced at the unmoving queen cradled in Cyrus’s arms before he said, “A lot happened.”

“What happened to... him?” he clari?ed, ?nding himself unable to say his friend’s name.

“Talwyn.”

Cyrus had barely heard Rayner say the name, but he tensed, his hold on Scarlett tightening as she went rigid in his arms.

“Scarlett... ” he ventured cautiously.

Her eyes slowly opened, pale blue irises instantly going to her twin ?ame before her.

Somehow shadows began coiling around her, and Cyrus didn’t understand it because she had nothing left. She should not be able to access any of her magic.

Until he glanced at Cassius and found him grimacing as she pulled the dregs of his own unknown gifts from his very being.

“Scarlett. Stop,” Cyrus said in a low command. “You are hurting Cass. You are— Stop, Scarlett.”

“I am going to kill her.” And her voice. Holy gods. Her voice was cold and eerie and oddly monotone. It was what he imagined a true wraith would speak like. He’d joked with Cassius that the Wraiths of Death weren’t nearly as wicked as they were made out to be.

Seeing and hearing her speak now, he took it all back. She was darkness incarnate.

“I am going to kill her. It will not be quick. It will be long and painful and slow. I am going to kill them all, but her death will make the Pits of Torment feel like a reprieve when I am done with her.”

“Okay,” Cyrus breathed when she fell quiet once more. “I will help you do that, Darling, but I need you to stop drawing from Cassius right now. I need you to stop. I need you to—”

A snarl pierced the night before movement in the shadows had them all tensing.

All of them other than Scarlett.

She just continued to stare at her husband.

Silver eyes glowed in the darkness, and a moment later, a panther as black as the night they stood in emerged. No one dared to move as the feline slunk towards Scarlett who was still drawing from Cassius. The commander was breathing through his teeth, Hazel kneeling beside him with white light ?aring under her hands, trying to ease the strain he was feeling.

Shirina, the spirit animal of the goddess Saylah, came to a stop in front of the queen. The panther’s nose was nearly touching hers.

“I am done with you,” Scarlett said to the feline. “I am done with all of you. The gods can fuck off. The Lord of Night can go tohell. And if the Fates try to direct my path again, I will burn the entirety of the worlds and stars to nothing.”

Shirina only bowed her head for a long moment. And then she pounced.

Massive paws landed on the queen’s shoulders, knocking her to the ground onto her back. A scream of rage left Scarlett, shadows lashing out and Cassius grunting in pain as she pulled and pulled from him. But her rage was quickly cut off as Shirina reared over her. Her maw opened, and a shadowy mist ?owed from the panther into Scarlett’s parted lips and down her throat.

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