Page 10 of Lady of Starfire
Scarlett scoffed.Let her. But she said, “More or less.”
“Scarlett…” he said, dragging out her name in a way that said he knew there was more to this.
She tossed her sandwich back onto her plate. “This was not some joyous reunion, Sorin,” she said, her irritation rising.
He had moved to the space beside her, and he reached over, gripping her fingers in his hand. “I am not implying that it was, Love.” He jerked his chin at her food. “Eat. You are cranky.”
She made a face. “I am not.”
“You are,” he said, sitting back and picking up his own sandwich. “Rightfully so with no sleep and so much to tend to,” he added. “But cranky nevertheless.”
“I’ll show you cranky,” she muttered under her breath.
“What was that?” he asked, arching a brow again.
“Nothing,” she mumbled, shoving a piece of cheese into her mouth.
They ate in silence for the next several minutes before Sorin said carefully, “Am I safe to speak again?”
“Yes,” she sighed, admittedly feeling slightly better with some food in her belly.
“Are you still bonded to Shirina? In the way that I was bonded to Amaré?”
“You are still bonded to Amaré, Sorin,” she answered, reaching for her water glass.
“I should not be.”
“Why?”
“Because the spirit animals bond to the most powerful. I am no longer that.”
“You are still technically the Fire Prince,” Scarlett countered, taking a drink.
“I am not.”
“Oh? Did you abdicate the position in the hours I was gone?”
“No, but—”
“Was there a challenge for the position that I am unaware of?”
“Stop being a smartass.”
Scarlett smirked at him. “Then, from my understanding of Fae politics, you are still the Fire Prince, and you will remain so, Sorin. Saylah will figure out a way to restore your magic.”
“And if she cannot?”
“She does not have that option.”
Sorin sat back, wiping his mouth with his napkin, before he turned his full attention on her. “What did you do, Scarlett?”
“I already told you. I gave her an ultimatum.”
“You will give her to Alaric.”
“Mhmm,” she hummed, spearing a piece of melon on her fork.
“To what end, Scarlett? You will truly give him the thing this entire war has been about?”