Page 184

“No,” he answered, scanning the small camp before his border quickly. “No one from the High Force is here.”

“What’s the plan here, Prince?” Eliza came striding up to them, Cyrus on her heels.

“Has anyone spoken to them?” Sorin asked, watching Scarlett as she began pacing in front of the border, her eyes fixed on the three Night Children. What was she working out?

“No. They have spoken, but no one has responded,” Eliza answered.

“What did they say?”

“Only that they wanted to talk to you.” Eliza’s eyes were now on the queen as well. She had dropped to the ground and begun drawing in the dirt. She drew and wiped the symbols away and drew again. After the third time, Sorin dropped down beside her.

“Love, what are you doing?”

“Did Briar answer? How many are there?” she asked, beginning to draw the symbols again. They were stars and varying shapes and swirls. They were like Marks but sharper, not as elegant.

“We have not heard back from him. Scarlett, what are you doing?”

But she kept working, kept drawing. “You said the mortals were moving forces around. What about the other borders? The Earth Court?”

“I don’t know. We are not exactly on friendly terms with the Earth Court,” he said slowly, trying to keep the frustration from his voice.

She wiped the symbols away once more as she said, “Do you not have eyes there? Where is Rayner? Doesn’t he know?”

Sorin reached out and put his hands over hers. She finally brought her eyes to his, the icy blue paler and nearly silver. “Love, what are you doing?”

“I need… Can you see this Mark on my arm?” she asked suddenly, extending her left forearm to him. Her bare left forearm.

Sorin shook his head. “I see nothing, Scarlett. There is nothing there.” She peered down at her arm, her other hand coming up and drawing there now, as if indeed tracing a Mark he could not see. “Is there a Mark there?”

But she said nothing. Her eyes turned back to the three Night Children. “Go talk to them. See what they have to say.” She was again extending her hand to him.In her palm lay her Semiria ring. To give him access to his magic across the border.

“You will remain on this side?”

“Yes,” she replied, pushing to her feet.

“Why?”

“That would seem obvious, Prince. I’m what they presumably want,” she said with a raise of her brow.

“Yes, but I would expect you to taunt and tease them about that, not stay safely behind a magical border like I would prefer.”

“If it’s what you’d prefer, why are we arguing about it?” Her hands went to her hips.

A flurry of snowflakes appeared at his shoulder, and he reached up to pluck Briar’s response to his message. “Briar says there are three.”

Her shadows darkened as she shoved her hands in her pockets. “Go talk to them, Sorin,” she said with a jerk of her chin. “Take Cyrus and Eliza with you.”

“Yes, let’s please do something other than stand here,” Eliza drawled, practically hopping from foot to foot with bloodlust shining in her eyes.

“Give me a minute and then we will talk to them,” Sorin said with a pointed look at his Court. Cyrus and Eliza nodded and went to wait for him. Scarlett’s eyes were back on the three vampyres. He reached for her, turning her to face him. When she finally met his gaze, he said softly, “Hey, Love.”

He could have sworn grief flashed across her features, but it was gone instantly as she whispered, “Hey, Prince.”

“You want to tell me what’s going on?”

“Besides the fact that I’ve been a queen for what? Two days? And I have already brought death to our doorstep?”

“Let’s try again,” Sorin replied, reaching up and tucking her hair behind her ear. “What have you been figuring out since Cyrus said they are here for you?”