Page 118 of Lady for Embers

“Do not say a word, you bloodsucker,” Eliza hissed, her ?nger pointed at Auberon. Warning laced every word, and Cyrus knew she would carry out the underlying threat.

Auberon apparently didn’t give a shit.

“He thought she was one of the queen’s Ladies-in-Wait.”

Fire was ?aring from Eliza’s palm right at the vampyre, who was ducking under the table with a curse amid his snigger.

Cyrus was ?ghting back his own laughter. Eliza must have wanted to gut the male.

“I assume that was Razik?” Cassius asked, a polite smile on his face.

“Yes, it was,” Eliza replied through clenched teeth.

“Oh, come on, Eliza. Maybe their females aren’t in the armies like they are back home,” Cyrus said, shoveling eggs into his mouth to keep the laughter from spilling out. “I’m sure it was an honest mistake.”

“Chew your food and then speak, Cyrus. You do not need to act like a buffoon all the godsdamn time,” she retorted.

“Sorry to offend your delicate sensibilities, milady,” he volleyed back after swallowing his eggs.

“I am going to take my boot, start it on ?re, and shove it so far up your—”

“Well, good morning,” Scarlett said loudly.

They all turned to ?nd the king and queen in the doorway. Sorin’s brow was furrowed as he observed his Court, while Scarlett looked amused and ready to join in the bantering.

“What are we shoving where and why exactly?” she asked, plopping down beside Cassius.

“Apparently the King’s Hand thought Eliza was— Fuck!” Cyrus yelled, dropping his fork as he lurched back from his plate of food that had gone up in ?ames, nearly singeing his face. He wouldn’t have felt the burn of the ?ames, but that didn’t mean his hair and godsdamn eyebrows wouldn’t have caught alight. “Eliza!” hegrowled, picking up the few eggs that had ?own from his fork and splattered across the table.

“Kindly remember we areguestshere,” Sorin said, his voice rising to be heard over the top of his Second and general.

“Scarlett’s the princess. She outranks any Lord here,” Cyrus muttered, putting out Eliza’s ?ames and frowning at his now burnt food.

“Cyrus... ” Sorin said, already sounding exasperated.

“No, no. He’s right,” Scarlett cut in. “I say we let this play out. I can play the princess card if necessary.”

Cyrus’s head snapped up to ?nd her grinning like a cat that got the cream as she chewed on a pastry. Sorin was rubbing his brow in that way he always did when he felt like he was refereeing children. Cassius was placing bacon on her plate.

“Perhaps introductions should be a top priority at lunch,” ­Cassius said, passing Scarlett the bowl of scrambled eggs next. “Lord Razik, apparently, did not realize that Eliza is part of your Inner Court.”

“I am sure Eliza took care of any misunderstandings,” Scarlett said carefully, reaching for the glass of juice Sorin had poured forher.

“Lord Razik,” Eliza grumbled under her breath. “He is not even the Lord of this house. He is the son of the Lord.”

“Wait,” Scarlett said, her glass landing back on the table with a faint clunk. “He’sthe son of the Avonleyan Commander of the armies?”

“Apparently,” Eliza said, looking put out by the fact. “When Magdalena asked him of Lord Tybalt, he said his father was doing well and would be stopping by later today.”

“What did you say?” Cassius demanded.

Cyrus turned to look at him, startled to ?nd both him and Scarlett frozen, eyes wide as they stared back at Eliza.

Eliza, confused as the rest of them, said slowly, “Razik said his father would stop by later today. To check in and take care of any pressing matters.”

“The Commander’s name,” Scarlett rasped. “What did you say his name was?”

“Tybalt. She called him Lord Tybalt,” Eliza answered.

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