Page 182 of Lady of Ashes

“Here,” Cassius said almost an hour later. “It is this one.”

Scarlett had nearly fallen asleep while they’d sat there, but she about fell off the sofa when she tried to get up too quickly at Cassius’s words.

“Easy, Love,” Sorin murmured, saving her from face-planting on the ?oor.

She moved, making room beside her so Cassius could sit, and she found herself squished between him and Sorin.

“It is this one,” Cassius repeated, pointing to a Mark that looked like a triangle with a line through it. It vaguely reminded Scarlet of a bell. “But I can’t read this.”

Scarlett pulled the book into her lap. “This is a draining Mark, just like he said.”

Sorin was looking over her shoulder. “What does this part say?” he asked, pointing at a small description beneath the Mark.

Scarlett skimmed the passage quickly. “It has various uses, but all of them revolve around essentially draining something of its power. It can be done slowly or quickly, depending on how it is drawn. It explains why I’ve been so tired. Why my power has felt off.”

“And you did not say anything sooner because?” Sorin asked tightly.

“Because I thought it was just everything going on, everything we are dealing with. Maybe my body adjusting to Avonelyan gifts,” Scarlett answered, continuing to skim the page. “I was just beginning to question it more.”

Sorin didn’t reply, and she didn’t have it in her to care if he felt slighted right now. Not with the headache and the exhaustion. None of them had experience with Avonleyan gifts. None of them knew if what she’d been experiencing would have been considered abnormal.

“I don’t understand how he hid it from me,” Scarlett went on. “I know why all of you cannot see it, but I should be able to …”

“Forget that,” Cyrus cut in. “How do we reverse it?”

“I’m looking, Darling,” Scarlett retorted. She turned a fewmore pages. “Why are you all in here anyway?” She felt a tense sort of silence settle over the room. Without looking up, she said, “Say it.”

“My spies reported movements of the mortal armies in Toreall and Rydeon,” Rayner said quietly.

“To the Earth Court border?” Scarlett asked, turning another page. “A portion of them, yes,” Rayner con?rmed. “But there is a greater number going north and south in Rydeon.”

Scarlett glanced at the Ash Rider. “To our borders?”

“It would appear so,” he agreed.

“Hmm,” she hummed, her attention returning to the book.

“This is the part where you ?ll us in on your thoughts, Darling,” Cyrus said from down the sofa.

“It would appear they are preparing an attack of some sorts,” she replied.

“Our Courts and the Earth Court?” Eliza cut in. “What of the Wind Court?”

“Talwyn is still a key player in all of this,” Scarlett said, her focus remaining on the spell book in her lap. “If they can sway her, the Wind and Earth Courts will likely follow.”

“What of Windonelle’s forces?” Cassius asked, settling back into the sofa and stretching an arm along the back behind her. “None of them are moving?”

“Not that we have seen,” Rayner replied.

“They are waiting for me,” Scarlett said simply. “And for this thing with Callan and Tava to play out.”

“Waiting for you to what?”

“She was the closely guarded weapon,” Eliza supplied. “She still is one.”

“It would be stupid to center their plans around her,” Sorin argued. “They cannot be doing that.”

“Alaric is always ten steps ahead,” Scarlett muttered.

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