Page 105 of Lady for Embers

He barked a laugh. “Have I ever mentioned I ?nd you awfully annoying?”

“Funny,” she deadpanned.

“All your questions have answers. I hope you are ready for them.” He smiled broadly then, taking a step back from her. “It is time for dreams and stars to meet.”

Part Two

WHEN STARS & DREAMS COLLIDE

Chapter 22

Scarlett

Her eyes ?uttered open. The rocking of the ship calmed her in the dark quarters. Sorin was curled around her, his knee pressed between her thighs and an arm draped over her middle. She attempted to slip from the bed without disturbing him,but—

“Where are you going, Love?” His voice was thick with sleep, and his grip tightened around her middle. She wasn’t sure when or how they’d been moved to their room. The last thing she remembered was being curled in his lap on the ship deck after falling into the black waters. It had been night then too. Was it the same night? The next? A few days later? She still wore the same clothing, but her cloak and boots had been removed, along with the weapons she’d had on her.

“I think we’re here,” she said, her voice sounding harsh in the quiet of their room.

Sorin stilled for a moment before pushing out a long breath. “And the reason you think we have suddenly arrived at Avonleya in the middle of the night is because...?”

“The Lord of Night told me.”

He sat up at that, golden eyes ?ickering with embers ?nding hers in the dark. Staring down at her, he said, “He was in your dreams again.”

“Mhmm,” she hummed, slipping from his hold easily this time. She began pulling off the old clothing, ?nding new pants and a heavy tunic before slipping her feet into her boots. Sorin was doing the same across the small space. He met her near the door a moment later, swinging a cloak around her shoulders. It was thefur-lined one he’d once brought her in the Fiera Mountains. How he’d known she was freezing down to her bones she didn’t care. She was just grateful for the extra warmth.

“He told you we were close?” he asked, his ?ngers making quick work of the buttons.

“He did. He told me Altaria would be waiting for me. That he would have something to unlock the wards by dumping it into the waters,” she replied.

Sorin had been reaching over her shoulders for her hood, but he froze at her words. “He said you can unlock the wards?”

“He said whatever Altaria has will let us in.”

He nodded, continuing his movements and pulling the hood of the cloak up over her hair. “Like a key, Princess?”

Scarlett clicked her tongue. “Still a queen.”

“My apologies. Like a key, your Majesty?”

She rolled her eyes, moving through the door to the main deck of the ship. She headed for the front of the ship, passing Cyrus and Cassius on the night watch as she went. They called out to her, but she didn’t slow. If they were both on the night watch it had to be a few days after they’d been to Rydeon, especially if Cassius had recovered enough to be sitting up with Cyrus.

She didn’t stop until she was standing at the bow of the ship, hands curling around the edge of the side. The water was as black as the night, and hovering above it all was a heavy mist.

No.

Not a mist. Shadows.

Like her shadows.

She lifted a hand, releasing her darkness from beneath her skin, and her shadows swirled around her. She could feel them vibrating, reaching for the shadows above the waters, and she fought to hold them back.

“Seastar...” Cassius ventured, his tone hushed as though he thought he would disturb the darkness.

“They know where we are,” she answered, her own voice just as faint.

She cut a quick glance at Cass. “You are all right?”

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