Page 131 of Lady for Embers

“Irrational?” he’d repeated. “As opposed to every other thing we face? When you act... rationally?”

“I hate you,” she’d grumbled, ?opping onto her back on the bed, tossing her arm over her eyes.

He’d chuckled lightly, and a moment later, the bed had dipped as he’d stretched out beside her, his head propped on his ?st as he looked down at her. “Talk to me, Love. You only get this unnecessarily dramatic when you are truly anxious.”

“Unnecessarily dramatic,” she’d mimicked.

“Words instead of violence. Look at you, Princess.” He’d caught the ?st swinging for his face with a dramatic sigh of his own. “And here I thought we were making progress.”

He’d kissed her knuckles before interlacing their ?ngers, waiting for her to start speaking.

“I am yours and you are mine,” she’d whispered.

“Nothing will change that. No matter what... what we learn tonight.”

She didn’t know why she’d needed this reassurance. Maybe she’d just needed to hear the words, let them settle into her soul.

He’d said the same thing to her then that he whispered to her now while they waited for Cethin at the entrance of his castle home. “All the way through darkness, my love, no matter what we discover in the shadows.”

Rustling on the stairs had her looking up to ?nd Cethin descending, Razik at his side, heads together in deep discussion. Was Razik joining them too? She’d been under the impression that it was only going to be the three of them.

“Scarlett. Sorin,” Cethin greeted when he reached the bottom. “We can go in a moment.” He turned back to Razik. “She is monitoring the east, but she is upset enough with me right now that—”

“She’ll be brash and impulsive? Imagine that,” Razik said dryly. “Do you want me here or there, Cethin? I am a being of many talents, but I cannot be in two places at once.”

Scarlett watched her brother’s jaw tense, a hand carving through silver hair. “Stay here. Let me know if you need anything.”

“Go, Cethin. All will be well,” Razik answered, jerking his chin at Scarlett and Sorin. “Rather let me know ifyouneed anything.”

Then Razik was gone, stepping through the air, and Cethin turned to face them. “My apologies,” he said, a warm smile ?lling his face. “Drinks before dinner? I was hoping you would let me Travel us somewhere.”

“Somewhere else? For drinks?” Scarlett asked, Sorin’s hand coming to rest on the small of her back.

“Two on one. I think you will be safe if my intentions are untoward, don’t you think?” Cethin asked with a wink, extending a hand to her.

“Fine,” she conceded, placing her hand in his waiting palm.

They were pulled through the air, and when they emerged in their new location, she went still. The air smelled like night and starlight, and she didn’t know how that was even possible. The grass felt too soft beneath the slippers she wore, the stars and moon bright overhead.

She turned to Cethin. “This is where you would always bring me in the dreams.”

“It is,” he agreed almost tenderly. “I thought it might be comforting to be in somewhat familiar surroundings for this conversation.” He pointed to one side. “Back that way is Aimonway, across the Nightmist Mountains.” He shifted, pointing in another direction. “That way is Elshira and the Shira Forest.”

“And where are we now?” she asked, already sliding her feet from her slippers. She bent down and scooped them up with her ?ngers, Sorin immediately taking them from her.

“A countryside,” Cethin answered. “There is a small path a short way away that would lead to a small estate. It was where... ” He paused, shifting on his feet beside her. “It is a private residence of the king and queen.”

“So it is your residence then?”

“Yes, but I rarely go there,” Cethin answered. “There are too many memories. I spent a lot of time there with...”

“With our parents,” she ?nished for him.

She could just make out his nod in the glow of the stars above them, and she tossed some white ?ames up to illuminate the area further. “What were their names?”

“Our father’s name was Tethys.”

Was. Just as she’d expected, but it didn’t stop the ache that tightened in her chest.

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