Page 198 of Lady of Ashes

“I am a queen.”

“I am the Oracle. Oracle trumps queen,” Juliette said with a shrug.

“You are truly the Wraiths of Death?” Auberon said, his mouth slightly agape as he watched the females bicker.

“How did you three ever actually accomplish anything?” Cyrus asked, settling an arm along the back of the sofa.

“Careful, Darling,” Scarlett crooned. “You really do not want to know the answer to that.”

“I really kind of do,” he challenged.

And Sorin could swear three sets of female eyes darkened.

“You want to use Blood Magic to ?nd the Contessa?” Talwyn said after a moment of tense silence.

“Unless you have a better idea,” Scarlett replied, crossing her arms and leaning against the doorframe.

Talwyn’s lips pursed, her eyes narrowing.

“We should check in with Rayner. See if he has any updated information,” Sorin said.

“Her Second hasn’t been able to ?nd her for months, Sorin,” Scarlett said. “What makes you think Rayner is going to ?nd her?”

“We are not using Blood Magic, Scarlett.” She said nothing.

“Scarlett.”

“Sorin,” she parroted.

“Sometimes they throw down when they argue,” he heard Nuri muttering gleefully to Juliette. “If they do, my money is on Scarlett.”

“Fifty gold marks on Sorin,” Juliette replied.

“Deal.”

“By the gods,” Luan muttered from his chair. “This is a godsdamn spectacle. How are you three possibly the Wraiths of Death?”

“You’ll ?nd out tomorrow when we track down the Contessa,” Scarlett said, pushing off the doorway. “Which room can I sleep in, Auberon?”

Auberon glanced at the Fae.

“We are not using Blood Magic to do this, Scarlett,” Sorin said, working to keep his tone calm as he pushed to his feet.

“Fine, ?ne.Wedo not have to do anything,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

Let’s take a walk,he gritted out down the bond.

I’m good. Thanks.

A ?re portal appeared directly to her left, and Sorin began stalking towards her.

“Let us know who wins so we know who has to pay up,” Nuri called after him while he waited for Scarlett to go through. She huffed a dramatic sigh before making a big show of stepping through the portal.

“What?” she demanded, turning to face him under the cloudy night sky near the stables. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself. It wasn’t the winter chill of Solembra, but the night was still cool.

“You know what,” Sorin retorted. “We arenotusing Blood Magic.”

“I do not have the time to spend traipsing all over this territory, Sorin. This needs to be taken care of. Preferably tomorrow,” she argued.

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