Page 67 of Lady for Embers

“I need to access the Underwater Prison,” Talwyn ?nally said. Because she was a shitty friend and couldn’t bring herself to ask Ashtine about Briar or why Abrax was here or what was bothering her. She supposed that’s what happened when you no longer had a heart.

“Nakoa is dead,” Ashtine said, her usual lilt hushed. Talwyn turned to look at her. Her arms were tightly curled around herself now, and for the ?rst time, Talwyn noticed a piece of parchment gripped in her hand. She could see the looping handwriting and recognized it as Prince Briar’s.

“Can I see?” Talwyn asked, nodding at the paper.

“No.” Ashtine’s ?ngers tightened around the note. And Talwyn understood. It was one of her only connections to Briar right now. A piece of him she could hold on to, even if it was only a handwritten note.

“How?” Talwyn asked instead.

And Ashtine ?nally turned to look at her.

Talwyn wished she hadn’t. An eerie fury stared back at her— calm and lethal, like Talwyn knew the princess could be. But there was something new there too, and Talwyn couldn’t decipher what it was. Protectiveness maybe? Renewed determination?

“Seraphs attacked them.”

“Already?” Talwyn blurted.

“You knew?” Ashtine asked, her head tilting in question.

“It was mentioned, but I did not think it would happen so quickly. I thought I would have more time to... ” She trailed off, looking away from her.

“So you could what, Talwyn?” Her tone held more curiosity than accusation.

“So I could... I do not know,” Talwyn snapped, failing to keep the harshness from her voice. “I just did not expect this.”

“You did not expect battles? Fighting? Death? That is not what you thought would happen when you banished our allies?”

Talwyn hated this about Ashtine. How she could make her question everything with simple questions. Her tone rarely changed, rarely accused, rarely ?lled with anger. It was always this innocent lilt of calm and serenity, whether she was asking about dinner plans or discussing the meaning of life.

She wished she’d rage at her rather than ask her these questions. “I never wanted them dead,” Talwyn muttered.

“Interesting.”

“I need to access the Underwater Prison.”

“Do you ever wonder about their story?”

“What?” Talwyn shoved the prickle of irritation down at Ashtine again ignoring her request.

“We know our side of the story, but have you ever wondered about their side?” Her hand came up again, stroking down Abrax’s shining coat. The horse had been so still, Talwyn had nearly forgotten he was still standing there. “However this war ends, there will be two sides to the story. If you win, will their story paint you as the villain? Will they someday come and seek the same revenge you are seeking?”

“I... ”

“Will we even still be alive? Or will our own children be the ones to suffer the consequences of our choices today?” Ashtine mused, absent-mindedly gliding her ?ngers through Abrax’s ?owing mane.

Talwyn shifted on her feet, boots sinking deeper into the sand. Fuck these questions.

“I can only assume I will not live long enough to have any children,” she answered. “We both know Scarlett will come for me.”

“Revenge can obscure so much truth, even when it is right in front of us.”

“Do you speak of my revenge or hers?”

“Does it matter? It is a curse that plagues you both,” Ashtine replied.

“As for your children, you are a queen, Talwyn. Your Courts are your children. Your Courts are your legacy. They may not share your blood, but you leave them to live among what happens when your story ends.”

Talwyn took a deep breath, that knot in her stomach tightening with each word Ashtine spoke. Cautiously, she ventured, “Have the winds begun whispering to you again?”

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