Page 48 of Lady of Ashes

“No?” Arianna questioned, arching a brow with a half-grin. “Magic is everywhere. It is all around you, at all times. One could argue that a child being formed in a womb and born into the world is magic. With a skilled partner, one could say fucking is magic. When more than one is involved, it is most certainly magic. And I assure you, there is plenty of touching inthatmagic.” Callan choked on the water he had just taken a sip of, but he stiffened at her next words. “One could say the act of falling in love is magic.” Arianna didn’t seem to notice his change in posture. “One could also say that a young prince stepping into his destiny is … magic,” she said, meeting his gaze.

She threw the energy into the air, and it drifted down like sparkling snow. The children squealed with delight as they attempted to catch it, but it seemed to evaporate as soon as they touched it.

“I do not know what you are implying,” Callan said slowly when the last of the energy had vanished, and the children were wandering back to their games and lessons.

“Tell me, young prince, are you ready to marry?”

“What?” Callan balked at the sudden change of subject. “No.”

“No?” Arianna repeated. “It was my understanding that you wished to marry Queen Scarlett.”

“Well, yes, but that was … different,” he answered, stumbling over his words.

“Because you love her?” she asked.

“Yes,” Callan answered hesitantly. “Because I loved her.”

“Loved or love?”

“Does it matter?” he countered bitterly. He was rather annoyed at the fact that she seemed to know so much about his relationship with Scarlett. “Not to me,” Arianna answered. There was a crackling sound, and this time the Shifter had lightning buzzing about her knuckles, a ring like Scarlett’s nestled onto her middle ?nger. “Your new bride may want to know the answer to that question, though.”

“That is not something that I need to worry about for quite some time,” he replied, unsure as to why he was talking about this with a woman who he would likely never see again once she returned to her territory. He planned to have as little interaction as possible with the magical territories. His focus would stay on the humans in his charge.

“Do you know a woman named Veda?” Arianna asked, and Callan stilled.

“How do you know that name?”

“Do you believe in the Fates?” Arianna asked instead.

“I have never really thought about it,” Callan answered, still stuck on how she knew Veda’s name.

“The gods then?”

“I suppose so.”

Arianna nodded. “I saw the queen today on my visit to the Black Syndicate.” She said it so casually, as if she were telling Callan of something she saw at a shop in the markets.

“I am sure Sorin will be glad to hear that,” Callan said. “What does Veda have to do with this?”

“While I was studying the chains that keep her bound, there were several men there, and you were mentioned. They are seeking your whereabouts,” Arianna answered. “They threatened the queen with Cassius’s life unless she revealed your whereabouts.”

Callan felt the blood drain from his face. He started to get to his feet, to go ?nd Sorin, but the Shifter placed her hand on his arm, pulling him back down onto the bench. “I am not ?nished, young prince. I think you will want to know what I learned before we get the Fire Prince involved.”

Callan nodded at her to continue, lowering back down onto the bench.

“Your father is unhappy you have been gone so long and hasapparently decided it is time for you to marry. They said he seems to think it will make you settle down and take your responsibilities more seriously.”

Callan could not believe what he was hearing. He had left to keep Scarlett’s secrets, to be with a woman who ended up choosing someone else, and he was returning to a forced marriage? But Arianna was not done.

“This Veda person. An agreement has already been made between her family and your father,” she said, her olive eyes watching him closely.

He had followed Scarlett to the Fae Courts to avoid this exact situation. He knew Veda desired to be his queen. She had made her motives clear on more than one occasion, and it had been made more clear by the events that had unfolded the year after Scarlett had stopped coming to him.

“Do you wish to marry her?” Arianna asked.

“No,” Callan said, his objection at the idea clear in his tone.

“So what will you do about it?” she pushed.

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