Page 140 of Lady for Embers

Because that was Rayner across the arena. He held a female before him, one hand holding her wrists behind her back. She had hair as black as the night and amber eyes that shone brightly, but even from this distance, Sorin could see the smoke and ash swirling in them.

She was an Ash Rider.

“He has three seconds to release my wife,” Cethin said, his voice so lethal it had the hair on the back of Sorin’s neck standing on end.

The female had a look on her face that was somewhere between amused and irritated, but Sorin quickly jerked his chin at Rayner. As soon as her hands were free, she was striding gracefully across the arena, almost seeming to ?oat above the ground. She was short, her head barely coming to Cethin’s chest. Her black dress had deep slits up the sides, and a bow was slung across her back. She was barefoot, and she left ashy footprints with each step.

“I told you she wouldn’t be able to keep herself out of sight for long,” Razik muttered.

Those amber eyes darted to him, and she sent him a simpering smile as an arrow appeared amidst a puff of smoke at her hand.

“It has been a while since we’ve played, Lia,” Razik crooned and... was that smoke coming out of his nostrils?

“Fuck me,” Cethin muttered, ?ngers rubbing at his brow. “Can you two knock it off for ?ve godsdamn minutes?”

“Do you think this is what we are like? Is this what others see when they watch us and our Courts?” Scarlett whispered, her head cocked as she watched the Avonleyans.

“I... do not know,” he replied, his muscles tense as he waited to see if Razik and the female were actually going to ?ght.

The female came to a stop in front of Cethin, and he reached out and snatched the arrow from her hand. “Tiny ?end,” Cethin sighed, ?ngering a lock of her black hair. “What am I to do with you?”

“I told you last night he was on to me, Cethin,” the female answered. “It was only a matter of time.”

“You could have just stayed away,” he argued.

“I am getting bored, Cethin.”

“Dear gods, nothing good ever comes from that,” Razik muttered.

The female was already reaching for the arrow Cethin still held. “Let me introduce you then,” Cethin said quickly, holding the arrow out of her reach and gesturing to the rest of them. The female turned, calculating eyes sweeping over them. “This is my wife, Kailia, Queen of Avonleya.”

“I already know all your names,” she replied far too sweetly. “Cethin has been having me follow you.”

“Really? After all the trust talk last night?” Scarlett asked, her brow arched.

“As if you have not been snooping around wherever you can since you arrived,” Cethin retorted.

He had a point. They had been doing that, and Rayner had been learning as much as he could. His reserves were still fairly depleted, but his eyes were swirling a little faster these days.

“You are an Ash Rider?” Scarlett asked. “Like Rayner?”

Kailia looked back to where Rayner still stood halfway across the arena, watching everything closely. When she turned back, she said, “I suppose so. In some ways.”

“Are there more of you here? More Ash Riders?”

“There are a few others with the gift to move among smoke and ashes, but the gifts of the descendants of Anala vary,” Cethin answered.

“Descendants of Anala?” Scarlett repeated slowly, and Sorin could already hear the satisfaction creeping into her tone. He knew exactly what was going to come from her mouth next. “So Ash Riders are Avonleyan?”

Cethin’s brow creased. “Of course they are Avonleyan. Some are stronger than others, of course, depending on lineage, just likethe Fae. But to move among the smoke and ashes like they do, Anala’s bloodline would be strong.” Then his silver eyes widened. “You all do realize the Fae and Avonleyans co-existed until they were separated. There are many on your continent who would be able to claim some type of Avonleyan heritage.”

“Anyone with rare gifts then,” Scarlett continued. “Like a Wind Walker or...” Her gaze cut to Briar and Sawyer. “Water Gazers.”

“That is not possible,” Briar said. Everyone had moved closer when Kalia had arrived, a sort of impromptu meeting taking place in the center of the training arena.

“Yes,” Cethin said. “You truly did not know? Why do you think they rule the Fae Courts? When the Courts were originally established, they were ruled by an Avonleyan and Fae couple, usually an Avonleyan and their Source. Of course, after we were separated, Fae bloodlines would have become more dominant as the Avonleyan lineage was diluted.”

“But Sorin is not an Avonleyan,” Eliza cut in, then seemed to hesitate. “Right?”

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