Page 252 of Lady of Ashes

“Talwyn, Alaric will not let them live if they do not join our cause.”

“That is not his choice to make.”

“He will not risk letting them live to start up a secret rebellion. To ?nd ways to work against him and thwart his efforts. He has waited too long. There will be no room for mercy. Not any more,” Tarek said.

“They are my Courts, not his,” Talwyn said again, pushing to her feet so she no longer needed to look up at him. Annoyingly,Azrael’s words chose that moment to emerge at the forefront of her thoughts.

They will let you believe you are ruling them, just as they have let mortal kings believe they have been ruling in the human lands for centuries.

“If the Water and Fire Courts will not fall in line, Ashtine can handle matters in the Water Court until we can take the time to ?nd a new Royal properly. Ermir will watch over the Wind Court in her absence, and I will handle the Fire Court personally,” she ?nally said, her voice as icy as a bitter wind.

“And the Earth Court?” Tarek asked, his head tilting to the side as he watched her.

“What of it?”

Tarek scoffed. “Luan clearly does not side with you, Talwyn. He cannot be left in his position.”

“And I supposeyouwant it? Is that truly what this has all been about? You taking back the Earth Court?”

Tarek’s brow arched. “Someone has been talking. Was it the false queen or the false prince?”

“How I learned of it is none of your concern. Answer the question,” she demanded.

Tarek’s hands shot out, snatching her waist and dragging her into him. His nose was nearly touching hers and when he next spoke, she could feel his breath on her lips. “My sole focus these last ten years has been you, Talwyn. Always you. What was best for you, your Courts, and the revenge you deserve to take. I do not care about petty rivalries among the Courts nor who is sitting on a throne, as long as you are the queen of it all.”

“And as long as you are at my side, right?” She’d meant it to come out cold and sharp, but there was an edge of something else in her tone that made it sound almost broken.

Because everything had a cost, and she was just now ?guring out what the cost of his love was likely to be.

“Do you not wish me to be at your side?” Tarek asked, his hands on her hips beginning to roam. “We are twin ?ames, Talwyn.”

“Are we?”

His movements stopped, and he leaned back to see her face better. “You doubt us? What we are? What we have?”

“There is a lot that does not add up, Tarek,” she retorted. “A lot that does not make sense.”

Tarek’s arms dropped to his side, and he pushed away from her, stalking to the middle of the room. Then he was spinning back to face her. “You let them whisper lies. Like snakes in the grass, they have planted seeds to destroy what we have. When I have spent the last ten years sacri?cingeverything. For you.”

“Do not act as if I have not sacri?ced just as much for you,” Talwyn sneered in reply. “And I did not ask you to sacri?ce anything for me.”

“Of course not,” Tarek said with a roll of his eyes. “You would never lower yourself enough to let someone do something for you.”

“No,” she said, taking a few steps to him, then halting. “I know that sacri?ces are never given freely. There is always a cost, and I do not like to have debts hanging over my head.”

Tarek stilled, seeming to consider this, before he closed the distance between them and took her hand. “And if the only payment I ask is your heart, Talwyn?”

The corner of her mouth curled up into a sardonic half-smile. “I know that notion is too pretty to be true,” she replied. “And even if it were not, there is nothing left of my heart to give to you. That cost was paid long ago.”

CHAPTER 51

SCARLETT

Scarlett sat at a desk, her feet propped on top, ankles crossed. She leaned back, her hands clenching around the ends of the armrests so tightly it hurt. But that was good. It grounded her. Kept her in this place. Kept her focused.

She glanced down, seeing her bare skin. Her bare left hand.

No dark mark against her skin, swirling down around her ?ngers. No diamond and ruby ring on her ?nger.

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