Page 180 of Lady for Embers

“I am going to need you to be more forthcoming with information, Cethin,” she ground out. “I do not enjoy prying it from your lips.”

His ?ngers drummed again at the same time Scarlett drummed hers.

The two locked eyes at the uni?ed mannerism.

“Him or her?” Scarlett asked, bringing her hand to her lap.

“Our father always did that,” Cethin answered. “When he was deep in thought.”

She nodded, resisting the urge to bring her hand back to the table. “Why do you feel the need to take the magical wards down around the mortal lands now? Why not wait until you can properly defend against Alaric?” Cethin asked.

Scarlett bristled at this entire exchange. She hated that she was basically asking her older brother for permission to leave this­continent. She hated even more that him telling her she could not leave made her feel trapped, even if the cage was as large as the continent the kingdom spanned. She forced herself to shove her frustration down.

“Because I know Alaric and you don’t,” she answered. “They are getting smarter. I guarantee he has plans for his plans. So do we. But I cannot implement them if I am stuck behind these Wards. If I can take down those magical wards around the mortal lands now, it strikes a blow against him. He will have to take the time to address the issue, buying me more time here to learn to defend against him. And,” she continued, raising her voice when Cethin tried to interrupt. “It will give my allies there the ability to carry out their own attacks.”

Cethin’s ?ngers drummed on the table again. “You speak of the Witches and Shifters.”

“I do,” she agreed. “And Princess Ashtine is still there. I know she stayed for...her, but if I know the princess at all, she will aid us when it matters most. The Fae will be better able to defend themselves.Everyonewill be better able to defend themselves there while I am hiding out here.”

Cethin’s features shifted at her words, softening some. “You are not hiding, Scarlett. You are preparing.”

“And while I sit here, protected behind wardspreparing, my people suffer. You cannot tell me you would not ?ght for the same if roles were reversed. You love your people as much as I do.”

“You understand if you do this and are caught, the fate of this entire world hangs in the balance?” he asked after a long moment of silence.

“It already hangs in the balance, Cethin,” she replied. “And it will continue to do so until someone makes a move. I would prefer that someone be us instead of them, but I guarantee he has already been making small moves that we know nothing about.”

Cethin said nothing, reaching once more for the pastry and taking a bite. It took everything in Scarlett to sit silently while he ate the entire damn thing. He poured himself a glass of juice and took a long drink before he ?nally spoke again.

“The Avonleyan Keys were created as a safeguard for the Fae Queens, but thetruekeys were created by our parents. I control who can enter the Wards, but we learned too late that I can only allow Avonleyans in.”

Scarlett’s nose scrunched in confusion. “Then how did the Fae come with me? And Auberon? And the children?”

“Honestly, I do not know. I was hoping that since they traveled with you that would be enough to get them in. I am assuming since you are... who you are, it made a difference,” he answered, watching her carefully.

“What does that mean?”

“I control who enters the Wards.Youcontrol who leaves, Scarlett.Weare the true keys.”

Scarlett sat back in her chair. “If I control who leaves, why the hell was I stashed away across the sea?”

“A question we would all like an answer to, but one Saylah refuses to give.”

“If you could get me in with your blood, why were you so insistent on me ?nding the keys before I came?” Scarlett asked.

“The work-around needed to be destroyed. As you said, the Maraans are getting smarter, more creative,” Cethin said. “That option needed to be eliminated.”

“Why would they make children the true keys? Why lay that responsibility on our shoulders?” Scarlett asked, more to herself than Cethin, but he answered anyway.

“I do not believe it was their intention. From what I have been able to learn over the decades, they did not completely understand the cost of this.”

“A goddess did not understand the cost?” she asked skeptically.

“She may be a goddess, but she does not control the workings of magic and power. She does not control the balance,” Cethin answered. He held out a bowl of fruit to her. “Did you get enough to eat?”

She swiped a pear, taking a bite as she mulled over everything he’d told her. “I came here for two reasons,” she said when the fruit was nearly gone.

“Oh?”

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