Page 216 of Lady for Embers

“Yes, Darling,” Cyrus purred. “Just tell me where to drop her.”

“At my feet,” Scarlett snarled.

“As you wish, my queen.”

Scarlett paced a few steps before whirling back on him. “You and Razik go. Cassius can stay back with me.”

“He’s the only one who can Travel us there,” Cyrus argued. “Razik has only been to the Necropolis.”

“You’re not taking Cassius with you.”

“Then how else do you propose we get there?” Scarlett pursed her lips, but before she could say anything, Cyrus warned, “And don’t even think of suggesting you going, or I’m telling Sorin everything. That we’re going to get Talwyn so you can exact revenge.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” she hissed.

Cyrus stepped closer, bringing his face right up to hers. “I would dare.”

“This is an interesting dynamic,” Razik quipped, watching everything with bored amusement.

Scarlett sent him a droll look before turning back to Cyrus. “I swear to Arius, Cyrus, if you take him with you and something happens to him—”

“Nothing is going to happen to him, Darling. I’ll be there, and Razik will be there with his fancy dragon tricks.”

Scarlett bit her lip, still not entirely on board with this plan.

“Don’t either of you ?nd it a little ridiculous that you are debating my safety when I am, in fact, a Guardian and an actual descendent of Sargon? With the same dragon magic as Razik?” Cassius cut in.

Scarlett and Cyrus both glanced at him brie?y before she turned back to Cyrus. “Ifanythinghappens to him, the things I will do to you will make what I did to the man who choked on his balls—”

“Gods! Stop!” Cyrus snapped with a grimace. “I got it. Don’t let anything happen to the Witch child.”

“Fuck both of you,” Cassius said, ?ipping them off.

“So we’re doing this then?” Razik asked, pushing off the wall he’d been leaning against.

“My queen?” Cyrus asked, a wicked grin curving up on the corner of his lips.

Shadows ?itted across her eyes and more curled around her arms. “Bring me Talwyn.”

“Directly on the High Witch’s front step?” Cyrus asked, looking around when they stepped from the air. “Bold move.”

“Stupid move,” another voice sneered. “Three males showing up unattended by a female? You must wish for death.”

“Not death. Just a word with Hazel,” Cassius replied, his chin lifting.

“How dare you call her by her name,” the Witch snarled, the sword she’d drawn rising and leveling at Cassius’s throat.

“Believe me, there are plenty of other things I could call her,” Cassius retorted, and damn. He might have forgiven his father for not being there while he’d grown up, but that evidently did not extend to his mother.

Before the Witch could reply, the front door opened and the High Witch herself stood there. Cyrus immediately bowed low. Razik crossed his arms, looking her up and down once, while Cassius just stared back at her. She seemed to peer around them before she asked, “You travel alone?”

“If you are asking if Scarlett is here, the answer is no,” Cassius replied. Then his head tilted to the side. “Unless you are inquiring after Tybalt?”

The High Witch’s lips pursed, her sharp features hardening even more. “Come with me.” She looked at the other Witch. “I do not require assistance, Arantaxa.”

The other looked like she wanted to argue, but wisely nodded in agreement, turning her back on them.

They stepped into the High Witch’s home. It was the ?rst time Cyrus had ever done so. Cassius had come here one other time with Scarlett. It had not gone well. They’d had to be discreet andsecretive because Hazel had not wanted the other Witches to know of his existence yet, and Cyrus was sure that was what upset Cassius most of all. Tybalt was ecstatic to have a son, introduced him as such every chance he got. The High Witch kept his identity a secret under the guise of protecting him. She gave the same explanation for having abandoned him in the mortal kingdoms.

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