Page 47 of Lady of Ashes

“Andthathappens when you refuse to recognize the greater power.”

“Says the disgruntled wanna-be Fae Prince,” Scarlett scoffed.

A growl emanated from Tarek’s chest that had Scarlett ?ghting the urge to stiffen. Alaric would punish him if he hurt her without permission, but she could tell she was pushing him to an edge.

“You’re just as powerless here as you are there, Tarek,” she sighed. “If you can’t see that Alaric is merely using you as a means to an end, then it’s probably a good thing Talwyn believes you to be dead. You would be useless at her side.”

“Enough.” Tarek’s tone had dropped, low and dangerous. Gone was the smirk. Gone was the slight amusement. He was up and striding across the room towards her. The tip of his dagger was under her chin, forcing her head up to meet his gaze where violence glimmered. Her lips curled into a small antagonizing grin.

“When you ?nally learn what he has planned, when you ?nally realize what you are truly here for, you will see who is being used as a means to an end, your Majesty. Here’s a hint: It is not me.” Heleaned forward, that dagger sliding along her jaw before moving down her neck.

“I know what I am here for,” she replied, swallowing as the blade grazed along the hollow of her throat.

Then he leaned in close to whisper into her ear. “Getting into Avonleya is just the beginning. In the end, it will not matter who is by Talwyn’s side. It will not matter who is by your side. In the end, there will only be one side.”

CHAPTER 13

CALLAN

Callan was in the converted mess hall eating his midday meal with all the Black Syndicate orphans. He could eat in the kitchens where the Fae preferred to eat, he supposed, but then he’d have to actually converse with them. Something he was doing as little as possible.

They’d been back in Baylorin for nearly three weeks. He hadn’t been outside of this warehouse since he’d entered it in the dark of night. The Fae kept insisting they didn’t want him to return to the castle until Mikale was under control, and Scarlett had been retrieved. The ?rst few days, he had tried to convince them that he could handle his own affairs. Sloan and Finn were siding with the Fae, though.Sloanwas siding with the godsdamned Fae. The guard who despised Scarlett thought it was safer for him to remain here until the Fire Prince deemed it safe to return.

Rayner, Cyrus, and Eliza had taken to keeping an eye on him to make sure he didn’t try to return on his own. So here he sat. At a table with children who didn’t know who he was. He had taken to helping wherever he could. He assisted the young woman in the kitchens with prepping meals. Although he was pretty sure she knew who he was. She rarely met his eyes, and while she didn’t call him Highness, she was very formal when she spoke to him. He spent some of his time playing games with the younger children as a way to simply keep himself busy, and sometimes he’d accompany Finn and Sloan to the small training areas that had been set up for the older children. Once most in the building were sleeping, Drake and Tava Tyndell would arrive, sneaking out of their manor at night. They would meetwith the Fae, Cassius, and Nuri in the kitchens to brainstorm and plan.

He didn’t want any part in that, though. At this point, he ?gured he’d be told what he needed to know when he needed to know it. No one seemed to notice he wasn’t there anyway.

Lady Tava was kind enough to bring him books to read when she came, along with papers so he could catch up on everything that had been happening in the months he’d been gone. Drake had tried to keep him informed, but despite his father being the overseer of the kingdom’s armies, the Tyndell heir was kept in the dark about much of what was going on behind closed doors at the castle.

Callan sighed, pushing the beans that remained on his plate around with a fork. He really needed to get home. His father was going to be irate as it was, and he missed his mother and little sister. He didn’t know if or when he’d be returning, when he’d followed Scarlett to the Fire Court. He also thought that if he did, she would be at his side. He didn’t know how he was going to convince the Fire Prince that he needed to return, though. Sorin’s sole focus was Scarlett. If it could somehow affect her in a negative way, it was immediately dismissed. Callan supposed his best bet was likely trying to convince Eliza and having her talk to Sorin, but the general had hardly spoken to him since they’d arrived.

“Good day, young prince.”

Arianna dropped down onto the bench beside him. Her hand landed on his arm, and her ?ngers began brushing back and forth along his skin. He was starting to get used to her liberal touches … Sort of.

He turned slightly, pulling his arm from beneath her hand. “Hello, Lady. I was not aware you had returned.”

He knew that Cassius had been summoned by the Assassin Lord early that morning. They had apparently been waiting for such an opportunity to get the Shifter inside the Black Syndicate, and they had departed shortly after breakfast.

Arianna nodded, leaning back against the table and resting her elbows behind her. She was as informal as Scarlett was. “I have just returned. I have not even seen Sorin yet.”

Callan arched a brow at that. “Was your time away fruitful?”

“Quite,” she con?rmed, bringing one of her hands up in front of her. Some type of ?ne silver mist was glimmering above her hand. It looked like a cloud of shimmering dust.

“What is that?” he asked, leaning forward to study it a bit more. Arianna glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. “It is energy.”

“It is what?”

“Energy,” she answered, the mass of dust beginning to slow, becoming a crackling swirl in her palm. Some of the younger children had taken notice and were beginning to draw closer, attracted by something shiny.

“I can shift the energy and matter around me just as I can shift my physical form,” Arianna said. “Although, admittedly, shifting energy takes a much bigger toll on my power reserves, so I do not do it often.”

“You cannot touch energy,” Callan said skeptically.

“It is magic,” she replied with a shrug.

“You cannot touch magic,” Callan muttered, but, of course, she heard him. She had hearing as exceptional as the Fae.

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