Page 157 of Lady for Embers

“No,” Cassius said, his voice rising to be heard over the squabbling. “The point is that Drake is likely the heir to the Rydeon Kingdom, even if Queen Octavia was his aunt. They are likely the closest living relatives of King Dalton.”

“That is not the—” She grabbed Cassius’s forearm, gripping tightly, her nails digging in. “Drake is the rightful heir to the Rydeon throne?”

“We cannot know for certain, but it would seem that way,” Cassius said slowly. “If, by some chance of the Fates, they are direct descendants of Dalton and Octavia, he would be the prince. If Octavia is of another relation, most likely an aunt, he would still likely be the next in line.”

“Callan in Windonelle. Hale in Toreall. Drake in Rydeon,” she breathed. “A mortal king for each of the mortal thrones.”

“Yes. I suppose that would be the case,” Cassius said.

She turned back to Cyrus, a grin spreading across her face. “Darling, I expect a very nice summer solstice gift for what I am about to give you.”

“Darling, your twin ?ame is right here,” Cyrus said slyly with a wink. Sorin immediately reached out and punched him in the arm.

“Jackass.”

Scarlett snapped her ?ngers twice in their faces. “Can you two focus for two seconds?”

“Literally no,” Cyrus answered. “Why do you think the cards are on the ?oor?”

She gave a frustrated growl, turning to leave the room. Before she left, she looked over her shoulder and said, “Fine. When I go to take down the wards around the mortal lands, you two can stay here and enjoy your mugweed.”

“What?” Cyrus said, his face falling slack at the same time that Sorin yelled, “Scarlett!”

She shut the door in their faces and looked up at Cassius. “You need to work with Razik and get that magic under control. We’re going to make a move against Alaric.”

“There is no way they are going to let you go without them,” Cassius replied, the door ?ying open behind them, Cyrus and Sorin practically falling out of the doorway. They were both demanding explanations, but she ignored them.

“Show me this book you found,” she said to Cassius, following him across the hall and into his room. Her shadows shoved Cyrus and Sorin back so she could shut the door, but not before she said, “Next time, save some for me, you pricks.”

Chapter 30

Callan

"I’m going to win,” Scarlett announced, bouncing on her toes in the yard.

“Not everything is a competition, Love,” Sorin sighed, rubbing at his temples as if he had a headache.

“Don’t be stupid,” Eliza retorted. “Of course everything is a competition.”

“In that case, I am going to win,” Razik drawled lazily.

“I will do anything and everything in my power to make sure that is not the case,” Eliza spat back.

Razik’s gaze shifted to her, a half-grin forming that was sure to rile the general. “Anything?”

Callan choked on a laugh at the colorful words that came from Eliza’s mouth while Razik’s grin became a full one, a clear challenge alighting in his eyes.

“They are a riveting group,” Hale said from a few feet away, observing all the Fae and Avonleyans gathered about.

“I often marvel at the fact that they are the leaders of such powerful Courts and Kingdoms,” Callan said, watching Scarlett and Prince Azrael bicker about where the starting point should be.

They were all gathered at Hale Coventry’s estate around the huge hedge maze. Everyone outside of Rayner, who was with Tula, and Kailia, who was presumably watching Rayner. Hale had had the maze modi?ed over the past few days, just as he’d said he would. It had been brought up at dinner this evening, immediately intriguing the queen, and now here they all stood outside the maze as the sun was setting. At some point after they’d arrived, it had become a competition as to who would reach the center ?rst.

“No magic,” Cassius was saying. “That’s an unfair advantage over the mortals.”

“And those of us who cannot get airborne,” Auberon agreed.

“There are four entrance points,” Azrael said. “We draw to see who starts from which spot.”

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