Page 225 of Lady for Embers

She tsked. “Of course he did.”

“Scarlett, we will have this conversation, but it is time to be a queen. We can have it out later. You need to be there for your Court right now. You need to be there for Briar. Both as his queen and as his friend.”

He was right. She knew that. She’d just needed a minute to breathe, but she’d left Briar to suffocate. Sorin was right to call her out on this.

“Where is everyone?”

“At the castle.”

She didn’t reply. Just grabbed his hand and Traveled them back to her suite in the castle. She was already reaching for the door when an arm reached over the top of her, holding it shut. She turned to snap something at him, but he had her back against the door in the next moment, ?ngers gripping her chin and tilting her face up to his.

“All the way through the darkness, Scarlett. Even when you do not want to look at me.”

“Stop it. I hate it when you’re sweet when I’m cranky and angry,” she hissed, irritated by the soft look he was giving her.

He huffed a laugh, bending down to press a kiss to her cheek before he released her. She stepped away, and he opened the door for her. His hand settled on her lower back, and she ground her molars at the bond soothing her anger. She wanted to be mad at him right now, damn it.

He led her down to the same lounge she’d met Tybalt in, her Court along with Cethin, Kailia, and Razik scattered throughout. As soon as she came through the door, Briar was before her.

“Take me to the Water Court now, Scarlett,” he demanded, something crazed in his eyes that had Scarlett stepping into Sorin.

“We will take you, my friend,” Sorin said, clamping a hand ontohis shoulder. “We need a plan ?rst. Not having one will only put her in more danger.”

Briar jerked back, stalking a few steps away before turning back to face them. “We know where she is. The Southern Islands.”

“That as far as we know have been uninhabited for centuries,” Sorin countered. “No one goes there, Briar. You know why.”

“Sorin!” Briar snapped, and that was frost left in his wake as he began to pace in front of them. That was ice creeping across the ?oor, the temperature of the room dropping so quickly, Scarlett’s breath was a puff in front of her. She used her own ice magic to counter his, the memory of him doing this when she ?rst arrived at the Fire Court ?itting through her mind.

“I get it, Briar. When we went to Baylorin to get Scarlett months ago, I knew where she was. I knew who had her. I had to sit on my ass and wait, not knowing what was being done to her. Fearing the worst. Nothing about it was easy, but if I had gone in without a plan, I can almost guarantee we would not be standing here today,” Sorin replied. He somehow sounded both like a king taking control and a friend concerned for a fellow prince, but he got through to Briar, the Water Prince nodding once before moving to a spot before the window.

Scarlett cleared her throat, still ?ghting to balance out Briar’s magic. “Where is she?”

She couldn’t bring herself to say her name.

“I had her escorted to our cells,” Cethin answered. “I have four guards watching her, and she is in nightstone manacles.”

“Nightstone? Not shirastone?” Scarlett asked.

Cethin shook his head. He was on one of the sofas, Kailia tucked in beside him. Her features were still as ashen as her power. Cethin was tense beside her, a protective arm around her, his ?ngers making soothing strokes up and down her arm. “We only have nightstone. It is stronger than shirastone. Dragon ?re and star?re can melt through shirastone.”

“Did she say anything else?”

“No,” Sorin answered, nudging her towards an armchair.

“I can go talk to her,” Azrael said. He was standing off to the side, arms crossed.

Scarlett arched a brow as she lowered into the chair.

“She will talk to me. Out of everyone here, she will talk to me. I can take another Blood Vow if you need me—”

Scarlett waved her hand, cutting him off. “I trust you, Azrael. It is her I do not trust.”

“I will get information for you and report back every word she says,” he promised, arms falling to his sides.

“And you will tell her nothing of our plans and knowledge.”

He nodded in understanding, and Scarlett jerked her chin, ­dismissing him to do just that. Orson was summoned to take him to the cells.

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