18. Ash
Chapter 18
Ash
We strolled past the entryway we arrived in on our way to a large reception hall at the far end of the building, and I noted every twist and turn that could lead to my escape.
Diesel pulled me to a stop outside the doors, holding my hands in his own. He furrowed his brows. “Maximus has invited all his advisors to attend tonight. Some have traveled weeks to get here for your arrival… They are not happy with his decision because they think he is giving blondes a chance. The only people that know of our deal are us and the King.”
“So to everyone else, it will appear as though he found his long-lost granddaughter and discovered that she is blonde, and now he’s suddenly overcome with love and a soft spot for blondes? Got it,” I grumbled .
He adjusted a strand of my hair where it lay on my shoulder. “Be careful tonight, okay? If I’m not with you, stay with Jerek.” He glowered at the name.
He turned, and the guards pulled the great wooden doors open, and the room stretched out in front of us to reveal more people than I expected. Grand arches and artistry adorned the high ceilings, and the familiar marble floor echoed beneath our feet. This room held more color than the whole mansion combined. Red curtains lined the large windows, and ornate paintings covered the walls.
All eyes turned to us as we entered. The roar of the crowd dulled down to a soft murmur. I despised being the center of attention—the peach-colored dress made me stand out among the sea of darkly dressed soldiers and men, and the few women in the room wore dark colors as well. I guess I missed the memo. Not only that, but I was the only blonde in the room—my hair shining like a beacon in dark waters. Faces went from joyful to downright angry. Furtive whispers broke out among the crowd, and I wished I couldn’t hear some of them.
I ducked my head in embarrassment and held on to Diesel’s arm. He squeezed my hand and wove us through the crowd up to the front of the room, where Maximus sat. He was atop a dais, gazing over the crowd like some sort of dark god. Peters sat to his left and a woman I assumed was Queen Regina sat to his right. Della stood behind the gleaming throne. Several guards positioned themselves all around the raised platform, protecting their King. The same four I had seen with him the night before, including Barrett and Carter. Maximus wore a dark suit coat like Diesel’s, and he whispered something to Della as we made our way up the stairs toward him. Della vanished from behind the King as we stepped in front of him.
Diesel bowed his head. “Sir. Ma’am.”
Maximus looked us over, his eyes analyzing—missing nothing. He peered at where my hand grasped Diesel’s arm, then his eyes slowly slid over me. I did not bow—he didn’t deserve my respect. His face turned bored as he looked away once more, but the Queen’s eyes stayed, glaring into mine. Her nostrils flared in disgust before she finally looked away.
“Peters,” Maximus said.
Peters stood and stepped to the edge of the dais. “Welcome everyone!” he shouted over the crowd that was still quiet from our entrance. “The King would like to introduce the Prince and Princess of Novum. As you may know, our great King Maximus Broderick has decided to honor the promise of his ancestor Leon Broderick, who was the second King after the one and only Titus Etan, the founder of our great country. With that, he has selected King Etan’s seventh-great-grandson to follow in his footsteps and take over the throne when Maximus considers him ready for the obligations that come with the crown. It is also my great pleasure to announce that King Maximus has found his long-lost granddaughter at last.”
I shook my head… Like he didn’t know where I was the whole time. We remained standing in front of the crowd so they could all gawk at us.
“They are to be wed in the spring, as soon as the snow clears. Please let me introduce to you… Prince Diesel Etan and his fiancée, Princess Asha Broderick.” Peters finished .
There was a round of tentative and scarce clapping as I scanned the faces in the room—none of which I recognized. Maximus stood, and the space descended into silence once more.
“By uniting these two in marriage, we will bring together the two great lines of leaders: the Etans and the Brodericks. However, as you can see, my granddaughter bears the weight of blonde hair.”
Bears the weight? Like I had some sort of deformity. Like I was…defective. No. I wouldn’t think about myself that way. The only problem here was the fear that these people had for blondes. It was their fear that drove the segregation and oppression of blondes.
“This is also the first step in uniting our people once more. Many of you have heard rumors of a rebellion, and I wish to address those rumors now. With my granddaughter’s marriage to Gabriel, let all rebels know that I am on their side. I wish to bring change to this country and find peace with the blondes. I know many of you do not agree with my decision, but we will give my granddaughter a chance to prove there is hope for the blonde people to integrate into our world.”
Lies.
There was another round of polite clapping and a few gasps, but some faces turned angry. The King returned to his seat, and Regina looked angrier than ever.
“Dinner will now be served!” Peters called.
Most of the people in the room looked like soldiers, bounty hunters, or older gentlemen dressed in elegant clothing that I assumed were the King’s advisors from around the country. The few women that were in the room clung to the arms of the men they were with. I caught the attention of one man in particular in the front of the room that gave me a look that promised violence. His dark, bald head glistened from the lights above, and the hand wrapped around his glass gripped so hard I was sure the cup would break. He glanced angrily at the King before turning and storming away through the crowd. I pegged him as an advisor; he wasn’t wearing the typical uniform of a soldier. Obviously, he wasn’t happy with the King’s decision to bring me here. I would have to be wary of him and all the others if Diesel’s warning was any indication.
Elegant chairs and immaculately decorated tables draped in white cloth stretched across the back of the room. Tables lined the outskirts, full of steaming hot piles of food waiting to be devoured. The food appeared bright and colorful with all manner of fruits, vegetables, and meat strewn about the tables. Many of the dishes I had never seen before. Servers and maids stood next to the tables, waiting to serve the crowd. Ryan stood in the sea of gray uniforms, looking unusually bored as she stared straight ahead.
We approached the table that had been placed on the dias, where the King and Queen sat. Diesel sat to the left of the King a good distance away, pulling me into the chair next to him. With no chairs across from us, our only option was to watch the crowd before us. Silverware clinked, and servers rushed food to all the tables, including our own. They set an array of food in front of us to devour. We remained in silence as we piled food onto our plates. I watched Ryan serve the guests without so much as a glance in my direction. Jerek and Davis sat at a table not far away, watching my every move.
Halfway through dinner, the doors in the back of the room clanged open loudly, drawing the attention of every person in the room .
Kane—looking like he just emerged from hell itself. I knew he’d be coming at some point, but I’d pushed it from my mind. Now that he was here, standing before me, there was no pushing him from my mind. My stomach fluttered in a strange sensation that made me feel sick and…alive at the same time. It was hatred. It had to be hatred—my fight or flight instincts kicking in, and in his case, I wanted to fight. He wore pristine black clothing, like everyone else in this damn mansion. Maybe it reflected their souls. He was too polished, too perfect, too ruggedly handsome with all his scars. I tried to get a read on his age. He had to be in his mid to late twenties at the most. A look of boredom covered his face, and he looked nothing like the man I met in the rain, beautiful, broken, and blonde, with eyes that held so much feeling. But he was toying with me that night, plotting to take me in, only his men got to me first. He would have taken me to the King, to certain death if Will and Diesel hadn’t been there to stop him. Diesel. He was the one that stopped Kane—he saved me.
Kane strode up to our table, full of grace and swagger, with all eyes on him. The King looked him over, bored as ever. I gripped the fork in my hand with white knuckles as he approached. Did the King know about his golden locks? He had to—I imagined Kane only kept it dyed for appearances.
He stood in front of the King and bowed his head. “Sorry, I’m late, Highness.” His low voice penetrated to the very depths of my soul and made my toes curl under the table.
Maximus waved him off. “Kane, this is Gabriel Etan, heir to the throne.” A look of indifference covered Kane’s face as he nodded at Diesel. “Etan, this is Kane.” They nodded to each other, and then Kane’s eyes slid to me. My skin bristled under his harsh stare which elicited the same reaction as it had the other times I had met him. I gripped the fork impossibly tighter.
“And the girl who got away.” His face was a puzzle that I couldn’t figure out. I could see the deeper depths of his slate eyes swirling with familiarity. Diesel had never met Kane…but I had.
“You were there?” Diesel snarled and pushed his chair back, his eyes flicking to me for an instant.
Maximus gestured for Diesel to take it easy, and he settled back into his seat, still grinding his teeth together, with a pained look on his face directed at me. I could feel his stare, but I kept my eyes on Kane. Diesel would know now that I’d lied to him about more than just the color of my hair last spring.
“Yes, well—I only met her for a moment before that treacherous doctor helped her escape. A shame too because he was one of the best doctors around, but I found out that wasn’t the first time he’d helped a blonde escape.” Kane’s eyes moved from me to the King. “We found him, sir. It’s been handled.”
Will. My already uneasy stomach lurched, and my eyes felt like they might water. I could only stare at the table in front of me. Not Will. He was too good. If Kane had caught him, that only meant one thing. I sucked in a breath to steady myself. I couldn’t fall apart now.
“Is something wrong with the food, Blondie?” I peered up, and Kane’s eyes were back on me. I was sure my eyes were red and slightly watery as I tried to hold myself together. Diesel happened to glance and notice the fork that I was about ready to hurl at Kane’s eyes. He wrapped his hand around mine, making me drop the fork and pull my hand away. Kane raised an eyebrow at the movement. He had done the very same thing back when I was captured. Forks were my weapons of choice lately, and I hated that they were all I had. I could see Diesel glancing between Kane and me in my peripheral vision—mine and Kane’s eyes were locked together in a battle of wills.
“Get out of my face, Kane,” Maximus said, dismissing him completely.
Kane didn’t look away, but his face remained the same until right before departing. His eyebrows sunk slightly, and the corners of his lips barely tipped up. It looked as if he almost felt…sorry for me. He glanced at me one last time before finding a table to sit and eat his meal. I didn’t look up from my plate again, but I could feel his eyes on me.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Diesel asked under his breath.
“Not now.” It was the only reply I could muster with the cogs turning in my mind and Will’s probable death heavy in my heart.