Page 46 of Lady of Ashes

“And how did you come across this information, Cassius?” Alaric asked slowly, repeating Lord Tyndell’s question.

“I heard it being spoken of among the castle guards,” Cassius replied smoothly. “I assumed it was common knowledge.”

Scarlett squirmed, biting down on her cry of surprise as that damn mouse scuttled out from behind her along the wall. It would meet its death if any of the men saw it, but they were all focused on Cassius.

Except Tarek.

His eyes were set on her, a slight smirk on his lips.

“You are not to leave the Fellowship until this has been con?rmed. If you are lying, boy, expect consequences,” Alaric snarled, striding for the door. “And you are not to enter this room. Tarek, stay with her. You know what to do if she shows signs of weakening.”

Mikale and Lord Tyndell followed him out of the of?ce, Cassius trailing after them, glancing back at her over his shoulder. Shecould see the longing in his eyes. She was sure they were a mirror of her own.

“How do you always seem to pull babysitting duty?” Scarlett asked when the door was closed and locked once more, her gaze shifting to Tarek.

“The Assassin Lord trusts me to ensure his property is properly cared for,” Tarek answered. His fucking dagger was back in his hand, and he was idly flipping it again, just like he had that day he took her from Toreall.

“He trusts a Fae over his Maraan Lords?” Scarlett questioned, her head tilting to the side.

“Did you forget his mother was Fae?” Tarek countered. He stretched his long legs before him, crossing them at the ankles.

“And what did he promise you, Tarek?” she asked instead. “What made you turn your back on your entire race of people? What was so great, so irresistible, that you sacri?ced yourtwin ?ame?”

“You act as though we are so different, your Majesty,” he replied, a light amusement ?ickering in his pale, green eyes.

“We are nothing alike,” she said, leaning her head back against the wall. She had a constant headache these days, the dull throbbing never seeming to cease.

“No?” She could hear the in?ection in his tone. “Did you not sacri?ce your own twin ?ame that day you came to meet the Night Children at the Earth Court border?”

“That is different. I did that to save him, to protect him,” she argued, glancing at the Mark on her left hand.

“I did not realize you knew my motives,” he retorted harshly.

She slid her gaze back to his, blinking slowly. “Are you saying you have let Talwyn think you are dead all this time to protect her?”

He stopped ?ipping the dagger at her name. A sneer curled onto his lips. “Tell me, your Majesty, does the Fae Queen not have another in her bed these days?”

“She believes you aredead,” Scarlett replied incredulously. “Since you are not, how did the twin ?ame Mark fade?”

His sneer morphed into that slight smirk once more, and he resumed the ?ipping of his dagger. “So many questions today.”

Scarlett rolled her eyes, leaning her head back against the wall once more and closing her eyes, assuming the conversation was over. But he spoke again.

“Did Aditya ever tell you why there is such con?ict between the Fire and Earth Courts?”

“No,” Scarlett sighed, keeping her eyes closed. The throbbing in her temples was growing again.

“He likely doesn’t know what truly started it all. Relations were not always strained. In fact, the two Courts got along ?ne until my family was challenged for the Royal title, long before either of us were born into this world,” Tarek said.

She opened her eyes at that. “Why would the Fire Court care if the Earth Prince was challenged? Isn’t that how the Fae work? The most powerful takes the throne?”

“I suppose so,” Tarek answered, his dagger ?ips becoming more forceful.

“And do you believe yourself more powerful than the current Earth Prince?” Scarlett asked. “If that is the case, challenge him for his place. It’s not that complicated, is it?”

Tarek’s teeth clenched. “Here I was, trying to have a pleasant conversation, and you had to become nasty.”

“That happens when you’re chained to a wall for days on end,” Scarlett replied, shifting again, her shoulders aching.

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