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SORIN

“How are you feeling?” Sorin asked when he entered his apartment to find Scarlett laying on the sofa.

When the five minutes had expired, Scarlett had silently let him go and led him out of the Black Syndicate and back to the apartment in utter silence. That had been fine. The entire walk back he had contemplated each and every way he could kill the Assassin Lord, and which way would inflict the most pain.

Watching her today with the orphans had been something he was not prepared for. The arrogant, swaggering, whirlwind of rage he’d been training had transformed into something tender-hearted and beloved. She got on the floor and played jacks and other games with the younger kids, who delighted when she purposely lost and acted as if she had no idea how they had bested her. She had worked in the training room with several of the older kids, patient and gentle, nothing like how she had been trained either by him or her tutors in the Syndicate. Sorin had even stepped in and worked with some on basic sword training and knife throwing. Malachi, the hard and angry boy who had been there to begin with, never returned,and he could tell that weighed on her, though she never voiced it.

And if he thought he’d been unprepared for seeing that side of her, it was nothing compared to the fury that coursed through him the first time that prick struck her in the stomach. It was nothing compared to the self-control he had to exert to keep himself from using his magic and burning them all alive when he kneed her in the ribs and then forced her to kneel before him. It was nothing compared to the madness that clouded his mind when he slapped her across the face and then kissed her cheek, shoving her away from him.

When they got back to his apartment, Scarlett had tried to hide it, but he saw her wince as she climbed the three flights of stairs. He went straight to his bathing room and began drawing a hot bath for her. Once she was settled, he had gone out to get them dinner and give her some privacy.

“For the millionth time, I’m fine, Sorin,” she sighed, staring into the fire. “I assure you, this is not near the worst thing I have endured from him, and it surely will not be the last time his hands are on me.”

It sure as hell would be if he had any say about it.

Sorin walked over to the couch and watched her grimace as she pulled herself into a sitting position. He reached into the sack he was carrying and pulled out a dish. He had walked to a little café in the heart of the city and gotten them some spicy noodle dishes, having paid extra to have the cook wrap up their food to go.

“Thank you,” she said quietly as he opened her dish and handed it over to her.

They ate in silence for the first several minutes until she spoke.

“How did they get here?” Scarlett mused, taking a bite of her dinner.

“How did any of you get here?” Sorin asked. “The wards should technically prevent any of you from being here. How a pure-blooded Shifter or Witch or Night Child got here is a mystery I shall be looking into as soon as I return home.”

Scarlett’s gaze became fixed on her food. He scented the shift in her emotions and watched her.Her jaw tightened as she ate, purposefully not looking at him. She shifted and grimaced, pulling her feet up and tucking them underneath her. She ate slowly, like she wasn’t really hungry, but knew she should eat something.

“Tell me how Cassius outranks Nuri in the Black Syndicate,” Sorin said when he’d finished his dinner. Scarlett seemed to pause a moment, still avoiding his gaze, and ate another bite of noodles.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You will take me there and show me those you are trying to protect, but will not tell me about it?”

Scarlett finally brought her eyes to his. They were hard, the blue a glitter of iciness. “Do not think, General, that I will not be summoned and questioned about my actions today.”

“Were you not already punished?” he growled, his brows rising in surprise.

“I already told you, I was not punished for bringing you there,” she answered quietly, her gaze returning to her food. “But as far as that goes, I figured I’m already pushing my luck by seeing Callan. What did it matter if I dug my grave deeper at this point?”

“Tell me, Scarlett. Tell me what happened a year ago,” he said gently.

She sucked on a tooth as she brought her eyes back to his. She set her fork down on the edge of the dish, lowering it to her lap. “No. It is a story that does not need to ever be told.”

“Maybe I can help with whatever it is,” Sorin started.

“No,” she said simply.

“Then tell me of your assignment.”

“You share nothing of your work with me, General. Why would I share my work with you?”

“I have, though,” he argued. “I have shared what I do with the High Force and what they are currently training on. Every detail about the Black Syndicate and your life there has been revealed to me by accident.”

“We are forbidden to speak of it with outsiders. Taking you there today was a huge risk, and yes, it is one I will likely be punished for. But it will be nothing less than what I deserve, so it is not something to concern yourself with.”She picked her fork back up.

“You think youdeserveto be punished for bringing someone in to help keepchildrensafe?” Sorin said, unable to hide his disbelief.

She returned to her food as she asked, “Did you see any way someone could sneak into that building to get those children?”