Queen of Ash

Fear

Now you might be wondering where I have been. I wanted to release the final two chapters together so I have been finishing them before I posted them. Here they both are, there is also an acknowledgement page at the end with a Q&A section. Following that there is a sneak peak from book 2. I hope you enjoy and thank you all so much for reading. 

Rye

 I walked into the room expecting to find Emerson, but Jase was sitting on the couch, his brows in a deep furrow. I stared into the fireplace and watched as the flames flickered back in forth. He was lost deep in thought. I sat down in the chair in front of him and kicked up my legs onto the table.

All day I had been running around making sure things were in order for the coronation and the wedding. Not to mention I had to try to get to the bottom of whatever was happening in all the Regions. Most of the heirs were happy for us, but Rin seemed to be making it extra difficult for us to find out what was happening in the Glacios Region.

"What's wrong?" I could tell something was bothering him. For Jase to be this distracted meant that something had gone seriously wrong. He looked over at me as if he just now realized I was there. His shirt was dishelved and it looked like he hadn't slept last night. Worry crept up my spine and I couldn't help but think the worse.

"Nothing—There's a— It's nothing really." He turned away from me again and I could see the muscles in his jaw working.

"Jase you can't lie to me, I've known you for too long." I placed my feet on the floor and braced my elbows on my knees. "I can tell something is bothering you."

Growing up as boys I had seen Jase stressed on numerous occasions. When he took his final guard test, the night before his placement, but I had never seen him like this. Jase was the kind of person who hid everything from everyone. He was private and he didn't let his emotions get the better of his judgement.

"I don't want to worry you, I know you are busy." I could see the guilt in his eyes. My fire started to burn hotter through my veins.

"Jase," I said sternly, "Tell me." I ran a hand through my hair. Jase sighed and turned to face me once more. The hue from the fire turning his dark skin to deeper brown.

"Someone threatened your life again. This time they sent the letter to me. Like they are trying to taunt me." I could see the worry in his eyes, as if he looked away from me for one moment someone would manage to slit my throat. "They know that it's my job to ensure your safety and they are saying they will kill you."

"What did the letter say exactly and where is it?"

"I burned it." He looked toward the fireplace as if he looked hard enough he could still see the letter as if the threat still loomed. "They have—" he paused and it sounded like he was trying to choke back a sob. "They said that if you don't cancel the wedding they will kill you. They don't want you as High God and the hate Emerson."

"Jase where did you find this letter?"

"It was in my room on my bed." He paused for a moment and the crackling of the wood was the only sound in the room.

'I don't understand, why do they hate Emerson?" It didn't make any sense. At first they claimed they didn't want a half-breed on the throne, but she was the last of the thirteenth bloodline. She was a direct descendant of a goddess.

"I don't know, but I think you need to cancel the wedding." He turned to me slowly, his eyes set in a grim determination.

"You're not serious are you?" I tried to find any hint go a joke, but there was none.

"Someone is trying to kill you Rye. I am being serious. I love Emerson but if it comes between you and her I will pick you. This wedding isn't a good idea and deep down you know that." He stood up from the couch. "You are too blind to see that this will lead to your death." I had never seen him this angry before.

"Jase where is this coming from?" Emerson and Jase were friends I had seen them get along. I knew that he protected her. "This doesn't sound like you. What else is going on. My life has been threatened many times and you have never acted like this."

"This time it's real." He slammed his fists against the fire place mantel. "Please Rye, if you trusted me you wouldn't do this. Just wait, until we find out who is behind this." He hung his hand between his arms. "If you were my closest friend you would do this for me."

Don't let them see you as weak. I could hear my Father's voice clear and loud in my head.

"Jase we can't show them fear. Whoever they are they are going to win if we postpone the wedding. I'm not going to die and nothing is going to happen to me." He was in front of me now both of firmly set in our beliefs.

"Are you willing to take the risk? Are you willing to take the chance that you might die to marry her?" His voice was raised now and I had rarely ever heard Jase yell before.

"Yes." I screamed. "I am willing to do that but I won't because nothing is going to happen to me."

"RYE, someone is coming after you. I don't understand why you won't postpone it's—"

"Because I LOVE HER." The room was silent. I could see the fear in Jase's eye.

"It's that love that is going to get you killed." He took a deep breath and sat back down on the couch. There was something more going on, but Jase wouldn't tell me unless he was ready.

"Jase," I sat back down in the chair, "As soon as the wedding is over I promise you, we will find out who is behind this." He ran a hand over his face. "It will be fine. We will limit the wedding then. To family, close friends, the heirs, and their courts. We check everyone coming in, we have guards posted at every corner. It will be fine Jase, but I refuse to live my life in fear of what might happen."

"Let's just hope by then it's not too late." He gave me a weak smile.

"There is something else I wanted to ask you," After what he just said I wasn't sure if it was the best idea, "I need a best man. I couldn't imagine anyone else doing to job." He seemed relieved once I asked him that. I could almost seem his demeanor change instantly. Gone was the hard set of his eyebrows and the weight on his shoulder. Maybe I had soothed the deep fear that was inside of him.

"Yes." I could almost see him working out whatever was bothering him. "I guess that means I have to do best man stuff. Does that include telling Gale to back the hell up." He leaned back on the couch, whatever once weighed him down was gone. I gave a deep laugh.

"Trust me as much as I would love you to, that might cause some problems since he might be in our Coterie. It doesn't matter I trust Emerson and I know that she picked me." I smiled and tugged on our bond three times. I felt her tug back, a light bloomed in my chest.

"Well is there anything I actually can do for you."

"Make sure I don't get killed," he didn't laugh, "and try to help me finish my vows." He rolled his eyes and sat up all the way, leaning into the coffee table.

"Let's see what you got."