Lady of Shadows (Lady of Darkness #2)

Chapter 31 Sorin

CHAPTER 31

SORIN

S orin held her in that dark passageway for long minutes. He had been disappointed when she had not come to dinner. He had become anxious when no one had seen her since she’d disappeared with the mortal prince. He had become downright worried when the clock chimed midnight. And when she still had not come to their rooms two hours later, after he had checked with Eliza to make sure she had not gone there, he knew she was avoiding him.

He had checked with his palace guards, who had said they had seen her enter the library with Callan, but Callan had left alone. That wasn’t to say she couldn’t have snuck out unseen, but she was likely still in the library. He had found a stack of books in an alcove on the first floor and had picked up her scent among the bookshelves. He had followed it down and down and down. Of course she had found long forgotten passages in the library.

He had illuminated a small flame beside him as he navigated the dark passageways until he had found her. Sleeping on the stone floor in front of a bookcase of ancient-looking books, two beside her on the floor. She was covered with dust everywhere. Her clothes. Her face. Her hair.

Sighing, he had woken her, completely expecting an argument about her coming up to bed, which is why he had told her he’d sleep in the other room. Hell, he’d go sleep in the guest wing if that’s what she wanted.

He had not expected the words she had said. He had not expected her to reach for his hand. He had not expected to be holding her close to him as the torchlight nearly burned out. He would have gladly held her there all night, but she eventually pulled back.

“I’m exhausted,” she admitted.

He stood, extending a hand to help her up. She carefully picked up the two ancient books that were lying on the floor and reached for his hand.

“Can I take these out of the library?” she asked.

“Princess, I don’t know that anybody even knows these books are down here. No one will know if they are taken from the library,” he said with a laugh.

“They might be older than you, Prince. I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t stealing priceless antiques of some sort.”

“Some day, Love, we will find another use for that wicked tongue of yours,” he sighed as they emerged into the first level of the library. He shoved his hands into his pockets, mainly to keep himself from reaching for her. They exited and began the trek to the bridges and up to their quarters. He created a portal for them, but she shook her head.

“Can we just walk and…be together?”

“Of course.” They crossed the bridges and headed for the stairs. She carried the books protectively in her arms, and he could not see the titles. “Can I ask what you felt the need to be reading well into the night?”

“Research.”

“Regarding?”

“Some things Mikale said,” she answered darkly. He waited for her to explain more, but instead she said, “How did you get to the apartment today? In Baylorin.”

“I found a work around to be able to get to you,” he answered.

“What was the work around?”

“Old ancient magic.”

“Mikale is not mortal.”

“No, he is not,” Sorin confirmed, thinking back on the Sorceress’s words.

“Can you portal to other continents?”

“That is random.”

“I suppose it would seem so,” she mused quietly, lost in her own thoughts.

“You have to know where you are going to portal,” Sorin explained. “You have to have been there before, or be able to see where you are going somehow.”

She fell quiet again as they climbed the stairs. They were halfway up when she said, “What of blood magic?”

“What?” he asked, jerking around to look at her.

“Blood magic. Could one use blood magic to cross the seas? To cross the worlds?”

“Blood magic is ancient and powerful, Scarlett.”

“Yes, yes. I know. Twin flames and soulmates,” she said, waving her hand dismissively. “But is it powerful enough to do such a thing? To transport beings from other continents? Other worlds?”

“I suppose it might be, but the cost would be… Magic is always a give and take. The cost of doing something like that would be abominable.”

“Hmm,” was all she hummed in response.

“What did he say that made you start looking into this?” Again he tried to see the books she held, but she had them clutched to her chest.

“Nothing,” she said, waving her hand again as they started down the corridor to their suite. “It’s just research. To learn more about our history.”

He wanted to ask more. He wanted to push her. He could tell she knew more than that. He could tell she had figured something out. Two days ago he wouldn’t have hesitated to do so. But now? After everything they’d just gone through, he didn’t dare.

They entered their chambers, and she began to cross the room. “I’m going to bathe real quick,” she said, pushing open the door to their room. Sorin paused, halfway there, waiting.

She looked over her shoulder as she said, almost inaudibly, “I sleep better when you are beside me.”

“You are sure?”

A small smile graced her perfect lips. “It is a necessity, Prince.”

“As you wish, Princess.”

She disappeared into the bedroom, and he exhaled a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. She was back. With him. She was here.

He glanced at the clock on the mantle. It would be nearing dawn soon. If anyone knocked on their door before noon, the ensuing fight would make his match with Eliza a few weeks ago look like swordplay. And after Scarlett finished with them, they’d have to deal with him.

He created fire messages to be waiting for his family once they woke, then he trudged into the bedroom. She was in the bathing room with the door closed. He walked to the dressing room and stripped off his shirt and put on looser pants.

He was walking back out to the bed when he saw the books she had carried up from the library sitting on the chaise. He picked up the top one, finding it written in a language he didn’t recognize. Where did these books come from?

The second book was written in the Old Language and was a spell book, but not like any spell book he had ever seen before. These spells were incredibly complex; something he would expect a Witch to have.

Before he could get any farther in the book, the bathing room door cracked open, and she came out not in one of her nightgowns, but a shirt of his. It was huge on her, and there was no small amount of primal satisfaction at seeing it on her, wrapping her in his scent.

She crossed the space between them and took the ancient book from his hands with a smirk. “Busybody.”

“Can you read the other book?” She could read the Old Language without instruction. Could she read other languages as well?

“Not yet,” she answered, setting the spell book atop the other one and making her way to the bed. He dried her dripping hair with a breath of heat, and she nodded her thanks to him. Then she blew out the candle on her side of the bed before she slipped between the sheets.

“Do you know what language it is?”

“Do you?” she countered.

“No,” he answered, sliding into the bed.

She rolled over to face him, her hand tucked under her cheek. “It seems old. Older than the Old Language,” she mused.

“You plan to learn it? How?”

She clicked her tongue. “So interested in my reading habits suddenly, Prince.”

“What was Mikale talking about today? He mentioned an old alley and your sisters,” he asked softly.

In the dark, he could barely make out her face as it hardened, and she pursed her lips. “That is a tale for another time.”

His stomach dropped at the words. A wall. She had put a wall back up between them. He had expected it but to hear it confirmed…

“Scarlett,” he started.

“No more tonight, Sorin. I cannot do any more tonight,” she said softly. He could hear the wariness in her tone. “I am not training tomorrow.”

“I already sent messages to Cyrus, Rayner, and Eliza that if anyone comes to our rooms before noon, your shadows will throw them off the balcony.”

“Mmm,” she hummed. “I knew you were my new favorite for a reason.”

He reached across the bed and stroked a finger down her cheek. She sighed deeply as she whispered, “I missed you.”

Before he could reply, her breathing shifted, and she was asleep.