Page 32 of Lady for Embers

“Succeed in this matter and I will,” he countered.

Talwyn leaned forward, one hand splaying on the table. “This is not a negotiation. This is not a give-and-take relationship. If we are true allies, you will share any information and knowledge you have with me.”

“I agree,” Alaric replied, his ?ngers drumming once again. “True allies should be able to trust one another, yes?”

“Yes,” she gritted out.

“And yet I ?nd myself wondering why the Royals of the Courts who refuse to side with us are currently on ships sailing west,” Alaric said, his voice tight with rage. “Why are they still breathing, your Majesty?”

“Banishment was suf?cient.”

“Not in this matter it was not. You now send aid to the very people you seek revenge against. Not only that, you send them some of the most powerful aid in this world. Tell me why I owe you any explanations at this point,your Majesty.”

Talwyn sat back in her seat. “If you desire my aid in anything else,” she spat, “you will share what you know. I will not be kept in the dark, or you will not have access to me or my Courts or any of my historical relationships.”

Alaric gave her a pointed smile. “I think you will ?nd, my dear, that you have more need of me than I do of you at this point.”

“I rule over half of this continent,” Talwyn countered.

His smile turned sardonic. “And if you wish that to remain the case, you will not fail at these tasks.”

Wind swirled at her ?ngers where she still had her hand splayed on the table. “Are you threatening me and my kingdom?”

“Of course not, your Majesty,” Alaric said, getting to his feet. “I am simply recommending that you re-evaluate your position on this.” He turned to Mordecai then. “Come. We need to ?nalize preparations.”

The seraph stood, stalking for the exit. “What preparations?” Talwyn demanded.

“Nothing that concerns you, your Majesty,” Alaric replied with a wave of his hand. “Only those you let ?ee to the west.”

Talwyn stood so fast, her chair toppled over behind her. “You are attacking them?”

“I am ?xing a problemyoucreated and getting my weapon back,” Alaric said sharply before he left the council room, Mordecai following him out.

She knew this would happen at some point. She knew that eventually they would be attacked, that she would have to face them on the opposite side of a battle?eld. She just thought she’d have more time to prepare.

She suddenly understood the grace Death’s Shadow offered inher so-called favor by allowing her target time to prepare to face hell.

She whirled on Tarek. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Tarek stared up at her from his seat. “When did I have the chance to do so, Talwyn? When you were sleeping somewhere other than your own bed? Or when you have beenbusyrunning these Courts you suddenly rule?”

She pressed her tongue to her cheek, unable to argue against that. Tarek slowly got to his feet. “Let’s go have dinner, Talwyn. We can discuss matters.”

“Fine.”

“What an interesting relationship you have with your leash,” Nuri said, getting to her feet and pulling her hood up. “If I know my sister at all, she has plans for him too.”

“When Scarlett returns here,” Mikale cut in, “she will have her own matters to deal with. Any plans she has for the queen or Tarek will become obsolete.”

Nuri’s gaze slowly slid to Mikale. “I cannot decide who I am more excited to see her deal with. These two,” she said with a nod of her head in Talwyn and Tarek’s direction. “Or you.”

Mikale smirked. “She has had plenty of opportunities todealwith me. She has failed every time.”

“Because others have rescued you,” Nuri said casually. “What will you do when there is no one around to save your ass or clean up after your mistakes?” When Mikale didn’t say anything in response, Nuri’s lips curved up. “The correct answer, yourMajesty, is that you will die. Just like everyone else in this room. She will spare no one.”

“Even you?” Mikale sneered.

Nuri’s grin fell a fraction, and in a voice Talwyn had never heard from the Wraith, she said, “Especially me.”

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