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With a smirk, she twisted it to give him a vulgar gesture and replied, “I’ve been awake for a few hours, thank you.”

His unamused glare went back to Eliza. “I told you to let me know when she woke up.”

“Did you?” she asked with mock surprise, raising her eyebrows. “Oops.”

“It took nearly five years to get you to say more than three words at a time to Cyrus and Rayner,but you and Scarlett are thicker than thieves in a few hours?” Sorin asked, his tone conveying just how unlikely he found this to be.

Eliza shrugged. “She doesn’t have a cock. That makes a big difference. I’ve been telling you for years we needed another female in the family.”

Sorin closed his eyes in a slow blink at the reply, then drawled sarcastically, “We could hardly handle one of you, dear Eliza. Two ought to be most enjoyable.”

CHAPTER 21

SCARLETT

Scarlett lay awake, staring at the ceiling. Sorin was sleeping beside her, as he had been every night since she had asked him to stay. Nothing else had happened since that night either, which both relieved and slightly disappointed Scarlett. He had let her and Eliza have time to themselves nearly the entire afternoon, and Eliza had helped her bathe since she had still been in the clothes from the courtyard.

When Sorin had returned, he had hovered like a mother hen. And had continued to do so for the last two days. He brought her meals and wouldn’t let her out of the bed unless she had to see to her needs, at which point she had to shut the door in his face.

He had tried to explain it to her, that Fae males felt an instinctive drive to serve and protect. Guilt, she had realized. He had felt guilt at what had happened to her in the courtyard.

“Sorin, in this very room, you looked at me and told me none of what happened was my fault,” she had said quietly.

“It wasn’t,” he had replied quickly, worry flickering across his face.

“Nor was any of it yours,” she had answered gently.

“Not being able to protect you—”

“I do not need protecting, Sorin,” she had cut in.

“That is not what I mean, Scarlett. You do not need protecting or rescuing.”

“Read to me?” she had asked then.

He had, for nearly two hours, until she could tell he was exhausted. He had fallen asleep almost immediately, and here she was, going more than a little stir crazy. She needed to get up, to move around. She needed to get out of these rooms. She was trained in the damned Black Syndicate. She could be stealthy, even with an injured arm and ribs. They were healing quickly anyway. She was mostly just sore at this point.

She sucked in a breath, bracing herself as she gently eased herself to a sitting position. She slid from the bed with expert quiet. She was in loose fitting training clothes, which were fine for walking around the palace. She slid her feet into slippers. Sorin hardly stirred. She supposed he was used to her waking screaming or thrashing from nightmares, not from her silently slipping from bed. Now to get out the door.

She pulled the door, grimacing at the abdominal muscles she had to use to do so. The door mercifully was silent as it slid open, and she slipped out. She braided her long hair back while she crossed the sitting room and strapped a dagger she found near the door to her thigh. She was in the hallway a moment later, and she let out a long breath. It had been a long while since she had had to sneak anywhere.

She silently padded down the hallway. The palace was silent at this hour, everyone asleep, save for the night watch guards stationed here and there. They nodded to her as she passed. She moved slowly across the bridges, not really wanting to tackle stairs tonight. Another left and a right, and she found herself before the level’s library entrance.

As she walked along the balconies of the massive library, she could see various levels below, lit by torches and candles. She heard a noise ahead among the stacks and froze. She did not really want to interact much with anyone, but it was too late as a figure emerged from between the shelves.She instinctively protected her healing ribs as they nearly collided.

“My apologies,” a man yelped, dropping the books he was carrying. “I did not know anyone else was in here.” He had stooped to grab his books, but Scarlett knew who it was before he stood upright.

Callan’s eyes widened at who stood before him. “Scarlett.” He scanned her, noting her wrapped middle and arm. “What are you doing here?”

“It’s a library,” she said with an eye roll. “I’m here to get a book.” She realized a moment later that with that sarcastic comment, she had not put on the mask she usually wore with the prince. Then again, he’d been seeing plenty of things that went far beyond that mask these days.

“Of course.” He shifted on his feet. “How are you?”

“I’ve been better,” she admitted with a weak smile. “Are you okay? Did Talwyn hurt you?”

“No. Nothing like that,” he said in a rush of words and a peculiar look.

They stood awkwardly together in the silence, neither knowing what to say. “Well, this is stupid, hmm?” she finally murmured.