The Queen's Red Lake

XXII

San Francisco is just as I remembered it.

However, Sasha, Atlas, and Iris cannot control their fascination with everything. We cross the Golden Gate bridge after stepping off the subway. Sasha tries to keep her face neutral, but I can tell that she is over-whelm by the spike in the population.

The city is booming in excitement. It's Dragonkon—thankfully, Sasha doesn't have to explain the massive sword attached to her back and Atlas—with his bow and arrow. However, people stop and throw themselves at Sasha and Atlas, commenting on their warrior attire. I watch, and where I expect Sasha to stand with pride and cockiness, she does not enjoy the extra attention.

She shifts from side to side, flinches when they touch her sword—Athene, and blush when they comment on her tonearms and beautiful skin. She tries to pull away from the numerous touches, whispers, and eyes that the men and women throw her way. She makes eye contact with me and I sigh, annoyed, and pull her away.

We spot fried desserts next. Sasha's eyes go big as I witness the sugar rush she gets from stuffing her face with funnel cakes and fried Oreos, Atlas is more spectacle of the dessert as he picks at it slowly, and Iris throws most of hers away—she is not fond of all the toppings and how its gets all over her clothing.

We cross the street and Sasha stop in her tracks as the screams and sounds of rollercoasters catch her attention. I nudge her shoulder gaining her attention, "Wanna try it?" I ask. She chews on her bottom lip in deep thought—and I want to be upset with her still, but I also don't want to take away this opportunity.

This is a suicide mission.

I can see Atlas on the side of us about to give his opinion, but I beat him to it. I grab Sasha's hand and drag her forward into the amusement park I knew like the back of my hand. "Just one ride." I inform them as we head towards the biggest rollercoaster in the park.

My father—I didn't want to think about him—partly owned this amusement park. So, we didn't need passes, wristbands, or to stand in the long line immediately jumping to the front. The employees strap us in tightly and our feet dangle below us. "This is my favorite ride." I voice with excitement. There is the typical huge drop at the top before yanking us aggressively through the twists and turns at top speed and then ending with the final loops.

I look to Sasha as the employees clear the way, signaling that it is safe to continue. She's nervous. I'm shocked. She fights with amusement, climbs thirty-feet trees without fearing for her life, and jokes about how death is not the end. But, at this moment she is—petrified.

I could feel it radiating off her.

"Are you scared?" I tease.

"Man wasn't created to fly—" That is the last thing I hear before we are shooting forward and dropping.

Atlas throws up, Iris cannot walk straight, but Sasha's eyes are shining with thrill and her smile is wide with excitement. "Let's go again." It's a rare moment.

"One more." I tell her—my voice firm.

We ride every ride in the park—twice.

The moon is full and bright by the time we reach my home. We walk through the sliding doors and the security and staff at the front doors nod their heads in greeting, "Welcome home Ms. Ashes." They all say in a unison. We head toward the golden elevators with a burgundy theme exterior in the inside which makes sense to me now. The elevator scans my finger and we ride all the way up to the top floor and it slides open revealing my home.

It reveals a wide-open floor with barrel-vaulted ceilings, velvet upholstery, and custom-designed furniture that was all to my father's liking.

A tall woman walks around the corner and my heart instantly stops. Her smile becomes huge and she approaches me before pulling me into a hug. I inhale her scent and squeeze her tighter before laying my head on her chest, listening to her heartbeat.