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“Which Court is the current queen from then?

“The Fae Queen possesses both gifts of Silas, god of the earth, and Sefarina, goddess of the winds,” he answered.

“So the Queen of the Western Courts had fire and water magic?”

“Precisely,” Sorin answered, reaching over and twirling a piece of her hair around his finger while propping his other arm on the back of the couch.

“What kind of magic do I have then?” she asked.

Sorin sucked in a breath. This was the first time she had asked any question about her own power. He was about to answer when there was a knock at the door. He stood, leaving her studying the map, and crossed to the door. “I am sure it is Cassius,” he said.

“Mmhmm,” Scarlett hummed, clearly only half-listening, and Sorin found himself smiling softly at the casualness of this moment.

A moment he found himself wishing he could experience many more times.

He pulled the door open to find not Cassius, but the Crown Prince standing at his door, flanked by two of his personal guards. Finn and Sloan, he assumed. The Crown Prince’s face was hard as he took in Sorin, and Sorin noted his guards had their hands on their swords. They did not look pleased to be there. The taller one looked like he wanted to punch someone to let out some of his aggression.

“Scarlett,” Sorin said, keeping his voice neutral and bored.

“Mmhmm?” she hummed again, not even looking up, and taking a sip of her tea.

“Apparently,” the larger of the two guards drawled, the trio pushing their way into the room, “when there are not notes and books to be exchanged, she forgets her need to flatter His Highness.” Scarlett stiffened at the voice. She slowly set her tea cup down on the side table as she stood and turned to face them all. Her face had gone pale, and her eyes were wide. “No time to change into your costume?” the same guard crooned, noting her attire of loose pants that hung low on her hips and top that barely grazed the band of the pants.

Sorin took a casual step back and towards her, positioning himself between them, but the surprise on her face morphed into an arrogant smirk as she said, “My dear Sloan, have you missed me so much you had to drag poor Callan all the way down here so you could see my pretty face?”

She was quickly and efficiently rolling up the map as she spoke and tossed it nonchalantly to Sorin, who caught it with one hand. Her eyes held his for a fraction of a second, but he read what she wanted as her eyes slid to the Crown Prince. “Tell me, Prince, are you classifying this visit as brave or incredibly stupid? Because I’m fairly certain it’s the latter of the two. What are you doing here before the godsdamn sun has even finished setting?” Her eyes were narrowed as she spoke to him, and Sorin couldn’t help but wonder whethershewas brave or stupid to speak to royalty as such.Then again, she had told the Assassin Lord to fuck off, so this shouldn’t really surprise him, he supposed.

“Scarlett,” the shorter one said, his voice wary.

“Hello, Finn,” she said genuinely. “Glad to see you’re still playing the peacekeeper among us all.”

Finn just sighed as Callan finally spoke. “I went to the soldiers’ training barracks today and learned thathe,” he said with a jerk of his chin to Sorin, who had moved closer to the table, “had taken the day off. I feared something had happened after the information you learned last night.”

Sorin reached the table where he laid the map down and discreetly scooped up two daggers that were lying on it.

“You thought he hurt me?” she asked, raising a brow at Callan. “And if he had, what were you three going to do about it?”

“I was and am prepared to take him in for questioning at the castle,” Callan said, his face turning challenging. “I am still tempted to do so.”

“Whatever for?” she asked now, finally moving from behind the sofa. Finn and Sloan tightened their grips on their swords at their waists. She came to stand beside Sorin. “I assure you, my methods of obtaining information are far better than your own, Prince. You, of all people, know how persuasive I can be.”

Sorin passed the daggers to her. She had positioned herself perfectly. Hardly any movement was needed to make the handoff.

“You—” Callan stopped, and Sorin found himself gritting his teeth as Callan looked Scarlett up and down. Her casual attire. Their closeness. “You trust him? You trust him enough not to be armed around him?”

A chilling smile spread across her face, and Sorin felt a thrum in his blood as he watched her work and adapt so quickly. “I trust him to arm me should I need it,” she replied, pulling the daggers from behind her back.

“Shit,” Finn muttered, pulling his short sword while Sloan drew his own blade.

“I’m not going to hurt him, you buffoons,” Scarlett snapped, rolling her eyes.

“Then why would you need daggers?” Sloan growled.

“You caught me unprepared. He rectified that situation,” she answered with a tilt of her head to Sorin.

Callan took a step toward her, and Finn grabbed his arm. “She is not going to hurt me,” Callan reiterated, wrenching his arm free. He stopped a few feet from her. “You need to explain some things to me,” he said to Scarlett.

Sorin gave him an amused look as Scarlett purred, “My dear Prince, I do notneedto do anything.”