Page 12 of Lady for Embers

“Talwyn plans to allow them to enter the wards.”

“She does not have the authority to do that for the Western Courts,” Cyrus growled.

“She does,” Briar said. “The wards were enacted by both Fae Queens. As such, both queens have the authority to allow others to cross, just as the ruling royal can grant access to their individual Courts. The queens have never been at odds with one another, save for Esmeray, so it has never been an issue.”

Luan turned to Cyrus. “You were in the Night Children territory when we fought those winged men,” he said. “I do not care how prepared you think your forces are; the truth is none of us are prepared for them. We do not know what they are or what they are capable of.”

No one volunteered the fact that they did in fact know they were seraphs.

Other than that, everything he’d said was true. They had no idea how their magic worked or what it was. Could they do more than fly? Was it only the Maraan Lords that had additional gifts? Or did all the seraphs have that too?

“When?” Rayner asked. “When is this to happen?”

“I do not know,” Luan replied.

“And why should we believe you?” Eliza asked.

Rage crossed the prince’s features. “You think I want to hand my Court over to them? They are my people. It is my duty to protect them.”

“But you are loyal to Talwyn,” the general countered.

A muscle feathered in Luan’s jaw. “I was until she sided against her own people.”

Cyrus pushed off the wall at that. “And if you ?nd yourself in a position that would require you to take her life, would you be able to do it?”

“Would you have been able to kill Thia?” Luan snarled.

“Not if Anala herself had threatened to set me alight with the?res of the sun,” Cyrus said. “But Thia and I were never on opposing sides, and that is precisely why I ask. If it comes down to her life or the lives of your people, who will you choose?”

“I will do whatever is necessary to protect my people, but I am not the one who will kill my queen,” Luan said, glancing at the ceiling as though he knew precisely where Scarlett was. “But I will beg your queen for mercy on her behalf.”

“She will not grant it,” Cyrus said simply.

Luan seemed to ?inch at the words, but all he said in response was, “I know.”

Chapter 4

Scarlett

The murmuring of voices was ?ltering through the fog of sleep. There had been no dreams this time. No Lord of Night. No nightmares. No memories. Just blessed, deep sleep.

But now reality was crashing down on her. Everything that had happened was ?ooding in, and she immediately found it hard to draw breath.

She blinked her eyes open, thoughts hazy for a minute as she worked out where she was. The exposed beams of the ceiling. The comfortable bed beneath her. She turned her head to see a tub across the room, snow-covered mountains out the window.

Home.

She was home.

Well, at the chateau in her home, but she was back in the Fire Court. But that was only home if her twin ?ame lived.

Cassius suddenly ?lled her line of vision, a hand reaching out to brush back hair from her face.

“Scarlett,” he breathed, relief clear in his tone and on his face.

“Sorin,” she rasped.

“He lives.”

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