22. Ash
Ash
“If my son controls his element, then they don’t.”
This tells me that the Stormcrest Alpha is playing a dangerous game with humans.
He’s allied with them, knowing that they’re controlling his son’s element with their alchemy the same way they’re controlling mine and Blade’s.
He’s aware of how much control humans have over us, and yet he’s willing to play in their favor anyway.
Woven basket full of food and drinks in hand, I walk by Maren’s quarters so that the housekeeping staff spots me in this part of the castle.
They’ll spread rumors that will reach the Alpha and his wife.
The Alpha couple will rest well, thinking their treaty with me is secure, despite the humans being rattled by the mystery nobody can solve: how Runa escaped death by elemental fire.
A phenomenon that could fade away in the near future, maybe even today.
At the end of the long hallway, there’s a small iron door. I barely squeeze past it, curious where it leads. It leads to a spiral stairway affixed to the side of the castle. An emergency escape, it seems. Nothing fancy or exciting.
On this end of the castle, the storm blows as if someone’s chasing it. Although my blood is on fire, the wind might freeze me in place. I don’t have many choices. I need to find a place to hunker down for the night.
I rush down the steps. I knew this territory was cold, but this is brutal, even for me.
I could never live here.
Fuck this.
I take the first door back into the castle and enter a space that smells like food. A male wearing all black under a white apron startles at my entry, turns, and holds up a water hose from the sink. In seconds, I’m drenched.
Once I’m thoroughly soaked, he shuts off the water.
I twist my T-shirt and wring out some of the water. “I guess that’s one way to put out the fire.”
The male looks like he might pee himself. “Ash Fireborn?”
“Mmhm.”
“You can’t be.”
“I can.”
“No, they said you’re ugly.”
“Who said that?”
“Runa Stormcrest.”
I smirk. “She’s not a they, is she?”
“No.” The male swallows. “Can I offer you some dry clothes?”
I nod and drop the basket on the counter. The basket’s dry because I stretched out my hand when the water came at me, so the worker didn’t soak it. I peel off my sodden clothes and look up, expecting a set of dry garments, but the male is just standing there, a slow blush crawling up his cheeks.
“I forgot what I was supposed to do,” he stammers.
“Bring me clothes?”
With a nod, he walks away and returns with the pressed black kimono-style uniform worn by the kitchen staff.
“Perfect fit,” he says after I slide into it.
“Absolutely.”
“Was the basket not adequate?” he asks.
I frown. Oh, right. “We seem to be missing a sausage.”
His lips pinch.
I smile.
The male laughs. “I didn’t think you had a sense of humor.”
“Why not? Did she say I’m broody?”
“Boring was the word she used.”
“Do you only snitch on her or on everyone?” I ask.
“I’m trying to survive your visit, Alpha.”
“Ah. Smart fella.” I need an excuse for being here, and I come up with something on the fly. “Listen, I’m looking for some kind of food I could bring on my own other than what’s already packed in the basket. That’s why I’m down here in the kitchens.”
“Like an extra-special gesture. I get it. What do you have in mind?”
“Not sure really. I was wondering if there’s a specific food she favors.”
“Follow me.” The male leads me through the clean kitchen and then opens a massive walk-in pantry.
Cold air coils around my feet. I shiver. Thousands of shelves are packed with perishables. “Is this why they say Stormcrest Castle can withstand a siege longer than any other place in the world?”
The male laughs. “Yes, and we’re accustomed to temperatures most people can’t withstand longer than a week or so.” He spins on his heel. “You’re not here to spy on our supplies, are you?”
“You know I’m here about a girl.”
“I wouldn’t know, actually, because I’m not into girls, but that nice piece of man ass waiting for me at the party would appreciate it if we never speak of this to anyone. Please.”
“Absolutely.”
“Thank you. Here.” The male points. “Maren likes chocolate-covered cherries.”
I grab those and bring them to my nose. They smell like Runa. “She never comes here, does she?”
“Runa brings them up for Maren. That’s why the Frozennts are almost all gone. Runa eats in the closet.”
I pick up a Frozennt and take a sniff. “Chocolate-covered mint?”
“Runa’s favorite. If we were under siege, Runa would be found in the pantry hoarding them.”
“Are you good friends with her?”
“We hang out when she’s on kitchen duty.”
As we walk away, I sneak out a handful of the chocolate-covered mints. “How often is that?” Runa does a lot of work around the castle.
“Pretty often. She has labor duty when she gets in trouble. Which is often.”
“What for?”
“Sneaking out and partying.”
We reach the exit, and the man smiles broadly. “I never thought I’d get to say this to the Fireborn Alpha, but happy fire moon.”
“Happy fire moon.” I exit the kitchen as if I’m going back to the main parts of the castle, but slip into the exit staircase again. I sit on the stairs and let the storm chill my bones. I have no idea what I’m doing out here or what I’m supposed to do, but I’m here now. I’ll eat and figure it out.
From the basket, I grab the box of chocolate-covered cherries. I inhale Runa’s scent. When I put the box back, I look up and around the bend of the castle. Is that another tower? I scoot as close as I can to the edge and confirm that yes, there’s a tower out there near the volcano.
It’s probably a watchtower.
A light flickers at the very top of it, telling me someone might be inside. Maybe stoking a fire to keep warm.
Inexplicably, I want to go there. It feels like an invisible tug at my heart, but the heart is a muscle and nobody could pull on it unless they were holding it in their hands and trying to rip it out of my chest. Nobody is holding my heart, or I’d already have fried them, but the strange tug persists.
I rub my chest and howl at the fire moon.
Within the castle, the wolves howl back, but the ones in the tower snuff out the light. I wait a little longer for the light to come back, but the watchtower remains dark. Whoever is in there might freeze without the fire. The winds are that brutal.
I wait for the light…for over an hour. The room remains dark. Maybe they left. Why do I care? I should find Runa, see if I have to kill anyone during this moon, when I know she’s in heat for me.
Unless I set myself on fire, my body can’t stand the cold any longer. I have to get back inside.
Runa wouldn’t nest all the way up there where she thinks I couldn’t reach her, would she?
She abso-fucking-lutely would.