Page 249 of Lady of Ashes

The Assassin Lord’s face seemed to darken, his eyes narrowing on the Night Child. “I will take care of them myself.” He turned to face the older Lord. “What do you make of Cassius’s powers? How did we not know of them?”

“I have never learned who his father is,” the Lord answered. “Only that his mother is the High Witch.”

“Yes, yes,” Alaric said in annoyance. “We have known that for years. Sybil keeps us well informed on the Witch front. I am surprised she does not know, however.”

“She would not keep such information from us,” the Lord replied. “For her sake, I hope not. But he can Travel.”

“So he must have Avonleyan blood,” the Lord ?nished for him.

“Sepharina?” Alaric mused.

The Lord shook his head. “That was not wind magic.”

Alaric grunted in annoyance before his gaze settled back on Talwyn and the others. “Think on it, Balam,” he said to the Lord. “We can discuss it later. Get Mikale out of my sight.”

“Of course,” Balam said with a small bow of his head before turning and striding from the throne room, Mikale following him out.

“Sorry about that, your Majesty,” Alaric said as he approached. A pleased smile ?lled his features. One that Talwyn was sure few saw. “Inner Court matters. Something I am sure you can relate to.” His gaze swept over Azrael and Ashtine before settling on Tarek. “We have much to go over, Tarek. Finish up here, get someone to clean this place up, and meet us in the Syndicate.”

Tarek nodded in understanding, and Alaric swept from the room, the heavy doors clanging shut behind him. The bodies of the king and queen and Callan’s two guards were still on the ground. She had known the king and queen were not to survive this night. She had not known he had planned to kill Callan and his younger sister as well. Details she would be discussing in length with Tarek when this matter with Azrael and Ashtine was taken care of.

Ashtine cleared her throat. “While I have made the choice to remain loyal toyou, Talwyn, that loyalty is separate from my Court’s loyalty to the Eastern Fae Queen.”

“What?” Talwyn demanded, whirling on the princess.

“I have no desire to be here while you discuss ways to desecrate what has been created in this land, even if much of it has been built upon falsehoods.” She looked up at Azrael. “Will you take me home, please?”

A muscle feathered in Azrael’s jaw. “Yes, but I need to speak with Talwyn ?rst.”

“Understood,” Ashtine replied. “I will wait at the main gates with Rinji.”

After she and the stag had left the room, Azrael turned back to Talwyn. “Speak with me. Alone.”

“There is a private room behind the dais,” Tarek said, nodding to the thrones. “Go there while I get this mess taken care of.”

Azrael didn’t wait, stalking towards the indicated area. He pushed through a door, turning to face her as she followed him through. His arms were folded across his broad chest, watching her as she shut the door behind them.

“What?” she bit out.

“That is all you have to say?” he asked dryly. “What do you want me to say, Prince Luan?”

“Prince Luan,” he scoffed.

Talwyn clenched her jaw before she gritted out, “He says he does not wish to challenge you for your Court.”

“Of course, he doesn’t, Talwyn,” Azrael retorted. “One, he knows he would lose that fight. Two, why would he fight for a Court, when he has a clear path to a throne to rule over two? More if these Maraan pricks get their way.”

“They do not want to rule the Courts,” Talwyn shot back.

“No, they will let you believe you are ruling them, just as they have let the mortal kings believe they have been ruling in the human lands for centuries. Events of tonight clearly prove otherwise.”

A heavy silence fell in the room. “How did you ?nd me?”

“The Ash Rider came for me. Aditya sent him. Said you were in wolf form with Tarek, that you needed me. He was clearly mistaken.”

Talwyn had to work to keep the surprise from her features, to keep her mask in place. He had come simply because he had thought she had needed him? No questions? Just dropped everything and came to her?

“Back in Siofra,” he said suddenly, “when I was telling you of my heritage, I told you that when my parents had been killed and I had assumed the throne, nothing had really changed for me. And that was true. I ran the Earth Court. I worked with Eliné on various matters for the kingdom, but everything I did was always for the betterment of the Earth Court.”

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