Page 219 of Lady for Embers

Her eyes darted around the space again. “Who else is here?”

“No one who will save you.”

“I did not ask to be saved,” she retorted sharply. “I will even go with you, but only if I can see Briar before you deliver me to Scarlett.”

“You are really not in any place to be making demands,” he said, pulling the vial from his pocket.

He sent a burst of ?ames in her direction, forcing her to react and ?inch away so she did not see the vial coming. It landed at her feet, smoke billowing up around them. His ?ames instantly died, his veins going cold. It sucked, but at least he was prepared for it. Talwyn was not.

She blinked, staggering as she backed away from him. “What did you do?” she asked in horror.

“Made sure you didn’t get any crazy ideas about escaping this fate.”

“I cannot ?ght without my magic,” she gasped, holding her palms in front of her. She stared down at them as if she couldn’t comprehend what had happened when no magic appeared at her ?ngertips.

“No,” Cyrus agreed. He was only about a foot away from her now. He leaned in as he whispered the next words. “But you can run.”

Her eyes went wide. He could see the dilemma in those jadeirises. Face him and ?ght, or try to ?ee. He saw the moment her resolve took over. She didn’t run, but she did take a step back from him.

“Who is out here with you?” Cyrus asked, following her as she retreated backwards.

“No one. I was being held in the Baylorin cells. Nuri helped me escape.”

“You expect me to believe that? After you fought against us? Nuri wouldn’t help you.”

“But she did,” Talwyn insisted, panic ?lling her gaze now. “I swear I will come with you, Cyrus. Just take me to Briar ?rst. It is important.”

“I promised my queen I would drop you at her feet, and that is exactly what I intend to do.”

“Please, Cyrus.”

“It is not me you need to beg for mercy.”

“I am not begging for mercy,” she spat, frustration overtaking her panic. “If you will not permit me to see Briar ?rst, then I will ?ght you on this. I will run.”

Cyrus smirked at her, a wicked thing that ?lled his entire face. “I wonder, can wolves run faster than dragons can ?y?”

“What?”

“Make your choice, Talwyn.”

She turned without another moment of hesitation, sprinting away from him into the trees. He stalked after her, not in too much of a hurry, knowing Razik and Cassius had eyes on her. The rustling of the trees told him they’d already launched into the sky.

It was a few minutes later when he heard her muf?ed scream. A few moments after that when he found her, Cassius holding her wrists as she struggled to free herself. His wings were out, eyes glowing.

“What are you doing out here without weapons anyway?” Cyrus drawled, lazily moving towards her.

“I was not able to take any with me. I told you, Nuri helped me escape. I have been hiding here, trying to reach Briar. Instead I got you,” she spat. She looked over her shoulder and sneered, “And some sort of hybrid, I guess.”

“If you want the full thing, just ask,” said a voice as dark as the night he dropped out of. Dragon ?re ?ared, casting everything in eerie shadows that danced around them. His scaled ?esh glistened, and the ground shook slightly when he landed before them. Talwyn shrank back into Cassius.

“Rumor is you want revenge against my kingdom,” Razik purred, a sharp smile on his lips, sapphire eyes glowing brightly in the night.

“Who are you?” Talwyn demanded. Cyrus had to give her some credit. She almost sounded like the feared queen she’d once been, but the quiver in her voice gave her away.

“I am many different things. Son of the Commander of the Avonleyan forces. Grandson of Sargon, god of war and courage. Hand to the King of Avonleya.”

Talwyn slumped to her knees, and Cassius let her go. The three of them closed in around her, looking down at the Fae Queen who had nearly broken Scarlett. Who had tried to take everything from her, from them. She was visibly trembling below them, and Cyrus had never felt so satis?ed at seeing tears glimmer in someone’s eyes.

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