Page 1 of Lady of Ashes

PART ONE

OF SECRETS & BETRAYALS

CHAPTER 1

TALWYN

Talwyn Semiria opened her eyes. She was in her large four-poster bed in her chambers at the White Halls. Books were scattered beside her across the comforter. She slid out from under the covers, grabbed a navy blue silk robe and slipped her arms into it. The moon still hung high in the sky, telling her it was the middle of the night. She breathed air into the embers still smoldering in the hearth, and they ?ickered to life. As she stood before the window, she opened her palm. Small purple lavender and white dogwood ?owers appeared in her palm.

Ashtine was gone, ?itting amongst the winds. She had been more distant than usual since Scarlett had mentioned the Maraan Lords. Azrael was at his Desert Alcazar tending to some inner court matters. Sorin and Briar were with their queen preparing for a trip to the mortal kingdoms.

And she was alone. Utterly alone.

She closed her ?st, crushing those little ?owers in her palm. As she did, she shoved the memory she’d just relived down to the depths of her soul.

Little Whirlwind.

Then she threw the window open and tossed the crushed ?owers, sending them ?ying on a gust of wind.

She was climbing back into bed to try to sleep a few more hours, when a breeze that was not hers blew through the room, and Ashtine, Princess of the Wind Court, stepped from the winds.

“Good. You are awake,” the female lilted. Her silver hair was ?owing around her on her own winds. She stood looking out the window Talwyn had just vacated.

“I ?nd sleep hard to come by these days,” Talwyn sighed, getting back out of the bed and crossing to her closet. “To what do I owe the pleasure this night?”

Ashtine was silent while Talwyn slipped on a pair of loose pants and a shirt and re-emerged.

“I thought you would be more upset,” Ashtine mused. Talwyn froze. “Why would I be upset?”

“Queen Scarlett is missing,”she said simply.

Talwyn checked her temper, knowing her friend wouldn’t react to it anyway. “What do you mean Scarlett is missing?”

“I mean no one knows where she is,” Ashtine said, as Nasima, the spirit animal of the goddess of the winds, ?ew through the still open window. The silver hawk came to rest on Ashtine’s shoulder. Ashtine turned and ?xed Talwyn with her sky-blue eyes. “You did not know?”

“No, I did not know,” Talwyn snapped. She drew an earth message in the air, sending it off in a whirl of leaves. “How did this happen? Did Shirina come for her?”

“Perhaps. The winds do not know.”

The winds might not know, but Talwyn had a good idea of someone who would.

“How long has she been missing?” Talwyn demanded, beginning to pace her bedroom.

“The West Court Princes were confronting the Night Children at their borders a few days ago, when she disappeared,” Ashtine said, gracefully lowering to a chaise by the window.

A few days ago?

Talwyn clenched her jaw. “Why were they doing that?”

“Because the Night Children demanded to speak with them.”

“Why were we not informed?”

“Why would they inform us?” Ashtine asked as she stroked Nasima’s head.

“I am the Fae Queen. Sorin should have told me,” Talwyn said tightly.

“You are nottheirFae Queen any longer.” Ashtine’s eyes were ?xed on her in question, her head tilted to the side.

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