22. Ash
Chapter 22
Ash
When the smooth light of dawn cut through the windows, Kane finally told me I could stop. I hadn’t quit once—he didn’t deserve the satisfaction of seeing me fail. It was out of pure hatred that I didn’t collapse onto the ground when I left, Davis escorting me back to my room.
When we got back to my door, Ryan waited outside. “The Queen requested breakfast with you, and between us…she doesn’t seem very happy.”
“Am I allowed to change first?” I asked, my hair sticking to my sweaty forehead.
“Yes, please do. You stink.” She laughed.
I shook my head, a slight smile cracking at my upper lip. I’d never met anybody like Ryan. I quickly took a shower and changed before we descended a flight of stairs down another hallway and entered a room next to the kitchen…or a kitchen. I wasn’t sure how many the mansion held.
I walked into a room where the Queen sat at a table with a plethora of food in front of her. The morning light streamed in from the windows, but the neutral-colored curtains and bland decor did nothing to liven up the space. The smell of cooked meat and fresh fruit wafted into my nostrils. She glanced up at my entrance, her demeanor cold and uninviting. Her eyes moved up and down my form before she spoke.
“Sit,” she said.
I ground my teeth together; she didn’t like me, that much was obvious. I pulled out a chair and sat across from her, not moving to touch the food.
She inspected me carefully, her brown eyes partially hidden underneath hooded eyelids and carefully crafted makeup. The emerald dress with gold edging that she wore seemed to be the only color livening up the room.
“Grandmother,” I addressed her.
“Do not call me that,” she spat. “As far as I am concerned, we are of no relation. You are a filthy reject of a blonde whore who coerced my son into doing the unthinkable.”
I snorted. “I guess that’s better than a mother who only loves her son conditionally.”
She slammed her hands down onto the table, and the guards around the room watched with wary eyes. “You will not speak to me that way.”
“Then tell me what you want, so I can leave.”
“Gabriel insisted that I meet you.”
“Is that all? You only wanted to meet me so you could sling insults in my face about my parents?”
“I was hoping I wouldn’t have to have this conversation at all. I was hoping that my husband’s game last night would have taken you.”
I shook my head in utter disgust. I had never done anything to this woman, and yet she still abhorred me, simply because of my hair. Was there nothing to be said for judging a person on their character rather than the color of their hair? A revelation passed over me then. Isn’t that what I was doing too? I hated the soldiers as a general group, but were all of them bad? Were Jerek or Davis part of that? Did they deserve my hatred? Did they commit atrocities that I wasn’t aware of that were large enough to earn my hatred? Was I like the Queen? Was I adding fuel to this war rather than being a source of change? The revelation had me pulling at my fingers underneath the table.
“Unfortunately for you, I’m still alive,” I muttered.
She did nothing but scowl at me from across the table. The door opened, and Diesel strode inside, looking too chipper for the occasion. He walked right over to me and placed a kiss on my cheek. I stiffened at the contact of his skin against mine.
“Good morning,” he murmured, then took the seat to my right. Silence filled the room except for the clinking of silverware against plates as Diesel filled his plate and mine with food.
“So, what have you ladies been discussing without me?” he finally asked, shoving a forkful of fruit into his mouth.
“We were just talking about last night,” I said, looking at Regina.
Diesel stilled.
“Yes, what an unfortunate thing for Asha to have to endure,“ the Queen said. “I, of course, am not privy to such events, but I’m sure it was quite unpleasant. ”
That was one word for it. Not to mention the fact that she already told me she wanted me to die last night, as did the King. The only person that wanted me to live was Kane, and he might be the only reason I was still breathing. I had been contemplating all night what I would have done if Kane didn’t help. Would I have died before showing them my ability so they could use it against me?
“It was awful, Regina, but Ash has proven herself and we can move on,” Diesel said.
Regina nodded, and Diesel went back to eating.
“It reminds me of the time when you were a boy and…” Regina started.
Her words quickly faded away, and I stopped listening as a gray haze settled over my mind. I watched both of my eating companions as they smiled and joked with each other. The animosity that Regina showed me disappeared when she spoke to Diesel. She spoke to him like he was…her son. And he looked at her with eyes full of compassion, like a son would at a mother.
It reminded me of my own adoptive parents, and I imagined the bond between Diesel and Regina was the same. Except, Nan loved Diesel, and Regina wanted me dead. After a bit, I got tired of looking at the smiles and stared at the food on my plate instead, pushing it around with my fork.
My heart hurt. No matter how badly Diesel wanted it, I’d never belong here. I didn’t fit in to this life. Fancy tables, food, and clothes. Having formal, pleasant conversations but ignoring the real problems. I hated every single second of it. I was suddenly grateful for my father and the life he gave me with Nan and Pop, grateful for the real love, conversations, and joy that they showed me. If I ever got out of here alive, that was what I wanted. I didn’t care about comfort and the niceties of this life. I wanted a simple life and real connections with people, where they wouldn’t overlook the fact that I sat at this table, more miserable than I had ever been.