48. Gabe
Chapter 48
Gabe
I left Kane’s interrogation after the man passed out. I had to see Ash; I’d been away from her for too long. The dark walls of the mansion passed as I strode through the halls to her room late in the afternoon. Maximus was watching my every move as he was hers, but I had to see her.
I knocked on her door, and she pulled it open.
“D—uh…Gabe,” she corrected herself, “you’re back.”
“Can I come in?” I asked.
She nodded and stepped aside, allowing me entrance to her room. I instantly noticed the ring that was missing from her finger. Tendrils of sadness wove their way through my chest. Would she ever love me again? She had to—there were no other options. She would come back around. I only had to give her time .
“How was your trip?” she asked warily as she sat on a chair, giving me no option to sit next to her. My eyes darted to her bare finger again, and she pulled it back and hid it.
“We’re getting closer. Liam is in Hope somewhere—we just have to find him.”
She nodded. “What happens when you find him? The King locks him up and the rebellion dies with him? We get married and live happily ever after, with you as the new King?”
“Yes,” I affirmed. That was all I ever wanted.
“What about the blondes? What about the bounty hunters and soldiers? Will they still hunt blondes and bring them here?”
“We will see what happens after I become King.”
“Gabe. Look at me.”
I turned and met bright blue eyes.
“All blondes are not bad. They are not all murderers who killed your mother.”
She stood and stepped closer to me. I hadn’t felt this much compassion in her words since before we came here. I loved Ash more than I’d ever loved anyone, but every time I saw her blonde hair, a part of me hated her for it. The disapproval of what I was about to say seeped off her already, but I would never offer her anything but the truth ever again.
“Novum is in a delicate state, and if we disrupt that too soon, it could be detrimental.”
She considered my words before she spoke. “Beautiful things can be built in the wake of destruction,” she whispered .
I ran my fingers through my hair. Why couldn’t she see it from my perspective? Why couldn’t she accept things the way they were for now?
“Is it because you are afraid of change, or you still don’t know if you can accept blondes after what happened to your mother?” she asked.
I winced. Her question cut too deep. “Maximus and Regina raised me when my own father wanted nothing to do with me. I can’t turn my back on them and…” I paused, searching for the right words.
“And you still hate blondes.” Ash wrapped her arms around herself as she spoke.
She said the words I couldn’t, and I cast my eyes down for a moment. When I turned them back up, Ash was biting her lip like she had come to a realization about something. I strode over and placed a gentle hand on her cheek.
“But I love you. You’ve already changed so many things for me, and with time, I’m sure you will change more. We can find compromise; we can make the country better like I promised. As long as you’re willing to stay with me. I swear, as your husband I will make you happy.”
She tilted her head into my palm, and I stroked a thumb over her cheek. Ash’s eyes began to water, and she looked at me like I shattered her world. “Hey, it’s okay,” I murmured, wrapping her up in a hug. “I know how much releasing the blondes would mean to you, I do. It’s just, we have to figure out a better way.”
“Gabe,” she whispered into my shoulder. “I need to tell you something.”
“What is it? You can tell me anything,” I said, leaning back and searching her face for whatever was wrong.
“While you were gone, I learned some things…”
I stepped back from her and shook my head. “Ash,” I said sternly .
“Gabe, there is more happening in this city than you realize.” Her face was alert with vulnerability.
“What have you gotten yourself into?” I whispered harshly.
“It’s not like that—“ she stuttered like she wanted to take back her words. “I overheard things.”
“Who? Where? What did you hear? Where was Jerek?” I shot the questions out in quick succession. She wasn’t supposed to encounter anything but her training with Kane, her room, and maybe a tour of the city. How did she hear anything she wasn’t supposed to? Was it about the rebels? Had Liam somehow contacted her?
She took a step away from me with wide eyes. “No, Jerek didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Then where was he? What did you hear?” And why was she defending him? I’d seen them together, laughing on the way to Hope, but she was my fiancée, and if Jerek stepped out of line in any way, he was dead. But something about the look on her face told me that wasn’t it. I stepped closer, my eyes widening. “Liam contacted you didn’t he?” I gasped. He was in the city, and Ash was acting strange. It was the only logical explanation, and I had known it might happen sooner or later.
Her eyes flashed before she backtracked. “No.”
“You’re lying to me,” I said. “Where is he?”
“Gabe, please, you need to listen to me,” she pleaded. I thought we were in this together. I thought we both wanted to find Liam to save Nan or at least that’s what she thought.
“Where is he?” I asked, my voice filled with a rage that even surprised me. “Have you forgotten about Nan?” I seethed. It was a low jab. She still didn’t know of Nan’s demise, and I hadn’t had the heart to tell her yet. I assumed the thought of Nan’s life at stake would keep her in line while I was away, but obviously I thought wrong.
“You need to let me explain. You can’t tell anyone about this…”
“No!” I yelled before she could finish. This was the third time she’d hidden something from me. I didn’t care; I still loved her, and I’d just hold tighter until she saw things my way. I turned to leave her room, and she rushed in front of me.
“Where are you going?” she said frantically.
“I’m going to find Liam, and when I do, he’ll regret the day he ever spoke to you. But first I’m going to find Jerek.” I knew if Liam got in contact with Ash before me, he would sway her opinion that was already teetering on the edge. I walked past her toward the door. My chest heaved in an effort to breathe as I kept my back to her. Liam had gotten to her; he had turned her against me. Pure rage streamed through my body, and all I could see was red.