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“I came to speak with you. We are certainly not going to do so down here,” he answered, fitting the key into the cell door. It creaked loudly as it swung open. Sorin stepped into the cell and produced another key. She watched, too stunned to do anything else, as he crouched before her and removed the ankle shackles. He was wearing a thick grey tunic. He only wore long-sleeves for formal occasions when it was required, and this was the farthest thing from that one could get.

He brought his gaze back to hers. “My agreement with Scarlett was that the wrist shackles stay in place.” Talwyn nodded, and Sorin reached for her hands, gently pulling her to her feet.

He waited, making sure she was well enough to stand, before he motioned for her to follow him out of the cell. She followed him up the steps. Down some halls. Still unsure how or why this was happening. When they neared another door with two guards standing on either side, Sorin nodded to one who bowed and left down a side hall. Talwyn briefly wondered what that was about, but then Sorin pushed open the door. The sunlight that poured in drove all thoughts from her mind, and she couldn’t keep the tears from pooling in her eyes.

Sorin glanced at her, that small smile forming once again, before he retrieved something from a bench near the door. A pair of shoes.

“I thought we could walk,” he said, holding the shoes out to her. “I would offer to help you put them on, but—”

“I can put shoes on,” she grumbled. His smile widened as she reached for the footwear. “What?”

He shook his head, handing the silk shoes over, but the smile slipped from his face when she winced against the wrist shackles as she worked the shoes onto her feet. When she finished, he stepped forward as if to help her up, then stopped himself. Ever the protector, trying to take care of those in his charge.

Except for the time he hadn’t.

She cleared her throat, adjusting the shackles carefully, anxious to step outside.

“Thank you,” Sorin said.

She turned to find him taking two bowls from the guard that had left a few moments earlier. She hadn’t heard him approach, too excited at the thought of being outside. Despite her power continuously draining, she could feel the wolf prowling beneath her skin, as tired of being caged as she was. It was faint, but it was there.

Sorin passed her a bowl, and she looked down to find—

Chocolate frozen cream.

She slowly brought her eyes back to his, and he gestured to the open door. “Shall we?”

Talwyn glanced down at the bowl of frozen cream in her hands again.

“I won’t melt it,” Sorin said.

Her head snapped up to find a half-smile on his mouth. Her eyes narrowed on him a bit, but she moved towards the doorway and beyond.

Inhaling deeply, crisp mountain air filled her lungs, drowning out the stale air she’d been sitting in for days. A breeze caressed her face, stray hair escaping from her messy plait and fluttering across her brow.

Talwyn slowly took in her surroundings. They were at the base of towering black mountains. She’d been Traveled to a sparring ring when she was first brought to Avonleya. Then the Avonleyan King had taken her directly to the cells. Dark fog drifted along the ground, reminding her of the shadows that often trailed Scarlett. It was morning, but later than she had expected it to be.

“I have this for you.”

She turned to find Sorin with a cloak in one hand, his bowl of frozen cream in the other.

“I did not know if you would need it or not,” he added.

It was not overly warm, but it was mild out for a spring morning, even in the mountains. “I am fine,” she answered slowly.

He nodded, looping it over his arm before bringing a spoonful of his own frozen cream to his mouth. Unsure of what exactly this outing was, she tentatively brought a bite to her lips, nearly moaning at the taste. She’d had nothing but bread, cheese, and apples for days. Still better than what Alaric had been serving her, but a sweet? It had been ages.

They moved down a rocky path, silent and side-by-side. No guards followed them, but she felt eyes on her nonetheless. She was sure there was someone watching them at all times. The Ash Rider perhaps.

“Have Azrael and Ashtine returned?” she asked after several minutes.

“Not yet. We expect them any time,” Sorin answered, scraping his spoon along the bottom of his bowl.

Talwyn nodded, bringing another bite to her mouth. She was trying to savor it, not knowing when she’d be offered such a thing again. They walked on for another several minutes, and she took in more of the surroundings. A large castle loomed behind her. They’d come out of some side door. The path they were following had low stone walls on either side, and it led straight to the mountains. There were no side paths. You either went back in the same door or into the mountains. One could traverse the wall, she supposed, but she also assumed there were guards patrolling it.

“I am working on better…accommodations for you,” Sorin said after more silent minutes passed between them.

“Why?” she asked. “I deserve to be in a cell.”