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“Like all the times he’s summoned me this past year?” Scarlett asked indifferently.

Nuri’s face darkened. “You’ve been pushing him to his limit for far too long, Scarlett. Complete your assignment before he snaps.”

Scarlett snorted this time. “I’m already so broken there’s not much more he can do to me.”

Nuri went silent for a moment and then said in a hushed tone, “We both know that’s not true.”

Scarlett’s eyes snapped to hers. “Did he tell you what he threatened?”

“I heard. That day we were there, and he dragged you out of the tumbling room. I followed.”

Of course she did.

Scarlett sighed. “As I’m sure you’ll be glad to know, my wellbeing doesn’t really matter to me at this point.”

Nuri’s lips thinned. “Scarlett, Cassius is worried. You have—” She stopped herself, her eyes flicking to Sorin. “I am sorry if sending you to Callan has undone any…progress. I am sorry for the other night.”

“We’re fine,” Scarlett replied shortly.

Nuri’s lips remained thin, clearly not believing her. “The usual are stationed throughout. He sent them to positions when you were reported approaching.” She drained the last of her ale. “You will fill me in later?”

“Sure.”

Nuri stood, pulling up her hood and crossing the room. Right before she opened the window, Scarlett said quietly, “That spark has been smoldering long enough, Nuri.”

A grin as dark as a moonless night spread across Nuri’s pale face. “Then fan the flame, Sister. And for Juliette, for you, let it godsdamn burn.”

She slipped out the window, and Sorin closed it behind her. “She really is terrifying, you know,” he said casually, coming to sit beside Scarlett on the bench. “I would pay good money to see her interact with some of those in my Court.”

“Is she different from other Night Children?” Scarlett asked, sipping at her ale now.

“Most definitely, although in other ways, she’s exactly like them.” There was a swirl of flames on the table and a mug of ale appeared before him. Scarlett raised her brows. “If you two are drinking this early in the morning, something tells me I should be, too.”

Scarlett huffed a laugh, and she swiveled to face him, drawing one leg up onto the bench. He was studying her, an air of curiosity around him. “I did not realize you were given an assignment.”

“The Assassin Lord offered me something I greatly covet as payment for this job once completed,” she answered.

“You do not get along with the Assassin Lord?”

“We always butted heads, but after last year… No. We do not get along.”

“Last night, Cassius and Nuri seemed…concerned,” Sorin said carefully. “About you.”

Scarlett didn’t say anything. She just toyed with her mug of ale.

After another beat of silence, she said, “Sorin, I need to know. Are you… Are you part of what is going on with our children here?”

Sorin set his own mug down on the table. “I swear to you, I had no idea what the High Force was doing, Scarlett.”

“If you did, if you knew…” she swallowed. “Please just tell me, and I will let you leave and go home if you promise not to come back. I will tell the others a lie, but I cannot show you what I am going to show you today if you are involved…”

She trailed off as he stared at her, a small smile tugging up on his lips. He leaned in, looking into her eyes. Her heart skipped a beat and her face felt hot, and for a moment she let herself get lost in his golden eyes.

Then she mentally slapped herself.

She pulled back slightly and snarled, “Stop doing that.”

“Stop doing what?”