Page 7 of Of Vows and War: Special Edition
Cheeks heating, I tried and failed to swallow down the odd sense of pride that swelled within me. “Yes well, you would have made fantastic arm candy. I had thought you were quite handsome that first night.”
His pupils widened slightly, as if he were finally coming back to his current, bleak reality. Instead of looking stricken, the prince laughed once more, the sound bringing a smile to my face.
“Are you kidding me? That would have been a dream. If you wanted me to be a trophy and raise our children while you saved the world and ruled over everyone? Perfect. I would have done so without hesitation.” Thoughts of a future that would never be brought the two of us to the natural end of Sterling’s story—the hard truth and painful epilogue. “That never happened though. No, after a night of us getting lost in conversations of our favorite books and preferences in weather and even some rather impressive jokes on your end, I was not afforded your hand as I thought. Instead, Xavier called the meal’s end and Mia encouraged you off to bed. Too afraid to protest, I had watched as you nodded and turned to me, offering a small smile and a kiss to my cheek before you stood.”
Neither of us could deny the way the air charged with terror, how this part of the tale was the beginning of the end. It was haunting, to watch that emotion play out on the prince’s face. The scrunch of his nose and tight closing of his eyes. The way his hands balled into fists and his jaw ticked. How I wished to rip the blocker off and soothe him, to steal those thoughts and memories away so he might know the peace that was taken from him. All I could do was watch though, as Sterling recalled the day his dreams came crashing down.
“Your power had barely faded from the room before Xavier stood, his face suddenly stern. The empty seat beside me that once held your brightness felt more like a last barrier then, like the only thing standing between me and the monster beneath a king’s crown. But, like I think he often is, Xavier was the distraction, not the danger. Vines had shot so quickly across the table that I had no time to even register the action. Likethe goodbyes from my family, I can still feel the way her vines slithered up my skin and squeezed around my throat—I fear it is something I will never forget. And then, as if a villain in a storybook, a male—Theon—walked in. Forced to watch in horror, I bore witness to a Shifter’s power for the first time as he morphed not into a beast, but intome.It was sickening, seeing him take on my features with that chilling smile. Those vines tightened before I could scream, my vision going black. The last thing I remember hearing before I awoke here was Mia’s melodious voice informing me that it was ‘nothing personal.’ The first time they let Theon beat me sure did feel personal, though.”
Twin tears, one his and one my own, hit the stone floor at the same time, their splashes nearly silent. This boy before me had wanted nothing but to fill his short life with adventure and learning. Such a simple desire, one I understood deeply. Yet, he was instead afforded such pain that he would never be the same. The mere thought of it made my stomach turn.
“Sterling, I am so sorry. I am going to get you out of here. I have met your family, and they are desperate to get you back. If it is the last thing I do, Iwillbring you home.” A shift in the air was all I felt before a voice rang through the dungeons.
“No, Asher. All he can ask for now is a clean death. Perhaps you can give him that.”
Chapter Five
Asher
Malcolm stood beyond the bars, his body clad in Eoforhild blue—the blue of a realm he betrayed. How tragic, to know the love of a family and take it for granted in such a way. To let whatever greed ran through him taint his Ayad blood green.
Staring up into his black eyes now was like seeing the darkness that seemed to haunt us all, as if it had overrun him in his quest for more than he was given. His skin was dull, almost lifeless. His hair was cropped short, though I could tell by the way the curls laid on his cheeks and over his ears that he was in need of a trim.
“How are you feeling?” His soft tone took me by surprise, the genuine kindness coating the words like a slap across theface after his comment moments ago. With a furrow of his brow, Malcolm bent down, letting his elbows rest on his knees and his hands hang. “What is that face for, pretty little thing?”
An involuntary growl barreled through my teeth, rattling my bones and giving me the strength to sit up. Whatever they were poisoning me with had slowed my healing drastically, but that would not stop me from ripping apart the male before me.
“Apologies, scum, I cannot say I am as talented at hiding my feelings as I once was. Perhaps what you see upon my face right now is the utter disgust I feel at your nearness.” My words were more of a hiss than I intended them to be, and I felt that pang of heart-wrenching sadness at the realization that I sounded like a certain creature of death.
Sterling chuckled beside me, his sardonic humor an echo that momentarily left the three of us frozen in place. Malcolm was the first to break from the trance, his answered smack of the bars shaking my cell. His glare could have cut through flesh and bone, but it was not on me. No, he reserved the murderous look for the mortal prince to my left. When his gaze returned to me, it softened slightly, a sort of sadness there in his onyx irises.
I wanted to gouge them out and feed them to him for his utter audacity.
“Asher, there is no reason to be so hostile. Your mother will be coming soon, and it is important that you repent. Apologize for your crimes and then everything can go back to the way it was. That is all she wants.”
With a guttural cry of agony, I forced myself to my feet, that anger that had always simmered within me boiling over and masking the nausea that rolled through me from the blocker. “She isnotmy mother.”
Sterling’s hand reached out, trying and failing to grab hold of me. “Asher, do not—”
“Tell me, what sin have I committed? Was it when I finally opened my eyes and stood up to someone who has abused me for centuries? Was it when I decided that the murder of innocents was not worth the power of a crown upon my head?” I flashed the demon before me a smile, the baring of my teeth a menacing and feral look. On shaky legs I walked towards Malcolm, grabbing the bars and staring up at him with all the hatred of a world held prisoner. “Or is my apology supposed to be for my traitorous ways? Will you get on your knees and apologize to your father? Will you repent for the great atrocities committed by your hand? Will you visit the grave of the demons you slaughtered? How does their blood feel upon your hands, Prince Malcolm Ayad?”
All semblance of kindness left his face then, fury furrowing his brow and tightening his lips. His hand shot through the bars, grabbing my throat just below the blocker and lifting me. I gagged, choking on the way air tried to dig down my throat with no success. My fingers rose, desperately clawing at his grip on my neck.
“Let her go!” Sterling screamed, the sound of him rattling the bars between us fading as my vision speckled with black.
“You know nothing about what I do for my blood. But I promise you will, Asher,” he seethed, the threat so ridiculous that I could not stop the strained chuckles that begged for freedom of my chest. My crackling laughter split the tension, or maybe it doubled it. In his surprise, Malcolm loosened his grip, and I greedily took the chance.
“Would it not be funny if I died here before I could do your queen’s bidding and finally make your miserable existence mean something?” I asked between laughs. And then I was thrown to the ground. I landed hard on my right hip, my body crumpling as I bit down a scream of pain. With a smile far stronger than I felt,I looked up at the mortal prince beyond my iron bars. “I think I struck a nerve.”
For a moment he merely stared at me in horror, but then, as if he could not help himself, Sterling smiled back. “Yes, well, perhaps we can keep score.”
We burst into laughter at that, neither of us quite caring about our empty stomachs or our bruised bodies as we leaned towards the bars that separated us. Malcolm seethed from beyond, clearly not enjoying our comradery. That, or he was irritated by just how right I was.
All I could do was continue laughing, my head lulling forward and my throat burning. It was odd to care so little about my current predicament. For once in my pathetic life, I was not worried about how my actions—or in this case, lack thereof—would affect the world or the realm or those around me. Stress and anxiety did not consume me at the mere thought of the inevitably disastrous future. Maybe it was my faith in Bellamy’s ability to save the world, or it could have been the fact that this heavy life might finally end. Whatever it was, I relished in this newfound liberty.
Though I knew I was never normal, feeling more free than I ever had whilst behind bars was a new version of strange.
“Well, at least I can confirm you still have your fire.” That deep and warm voice was enough to silence me once more. With a gasp, I turned back towards Malcolm, my eyes catching on the approaching figure just beyond him. “Leave them be, Malcolm. I will be taking Ash anyways.”
