“Love makes people do crazy things.” Juleka removed the letter opener from her arm, and raised it, prepared to stab herself with it again. “Things you wouldn’t imagine yourself doing in a million years.”
Shit. Ashe struggled against his bonds. He had no choice. Ashe dislocated the thumb on his right hand, slipped it through the leather restraint around his wrist, reached out, and wrapped his hand around Juleka’s wrist, stopping her. “Stop this madness, Julie!” Ashe said in a firm, chiding tone. “Self-mutilation won’t make me love you! It will only make me hate you.”
Hate? Juleka gasped and the letter opener fell from her limp fingers and clattered to the floor. “Oh, Ashe, please don’t hate me. I’m sorry!” She sobbed and more tears streamed down her face.
Ashe watched as these tears slid off her cheeks, fell down through the air, and transformed into diamonds, which landed on his chest. Ashe’s harsh words had hurt her enough to make her cry diamond tears. Her pain is giving me diamonds. I’m such a shitty bastard.
Ashe reached out and cupped Juleka’s cheek. “Shhh, don’t cry. I’m sorry. I didn’t really mean it. I could never hate you. You’re too cute.” He wiped her tears away with his thumb.
Juleka sniffled. “You don’t want me to cry? But you need the money. I can save you. I can free you.”
“My freedom is not worth your pain.” Ashe sighed. “I may not love you, but…I do consider you to be my friend. You’ve proven your loyalty to me, Julie.”
“I thought you didn’t have friends.” Juleka gave him a watery smile.
“Apparently, I do,” Ashe commented dryly. “Now, go on. Get out of here before Lady Doriana returns. If she finds you here like this…” He shuddered. “There’s no telling what she could do.”
Juleka pulled away from Ashe and his warm touch. “I’m not afraid of her.” She put her unicorn mask back on, and bent over to pick up the fallen letter opener. Juleka walked over to the other side of the bed, and started to cut through Ashe’s bonds using the letter opener. “We’re getting out of here. Together.”
Ashe gave Juleka a skeptical look. “I can’t just leave. I’m a slave, and this is my punishment.”
“Technically, you are Lord Tremaine’s slave. Lady Doriana can’t do this to you. I won’t allow it,” Juleka said in an imperious tone. “Now, hurry up, and get dressed. We’re leaving.”
Ashe moved off the bed and started to reluctantly dress in Lord Tremaine’s old, pinstriped suit. He was still giving Juleka a skeptical look. “We’ll never get past her dogs. How did you get past her dogs anyways?”
“Invisible, enchanted pumpkin carriage, remember?” Juleka reminded with an impish smirk playing on her lips.
Juleka’s words weren’t enough to ease Ashe’s worry, however. To disobey a Master’s orders was a crime punishable by death in Glass Kingdom. Would Lord Tremaine finally just kill him? Shit.
As soon as Ashe finished getting dressed he walked over to Juleka, who was already standing beside the window. They were just about to try and make their escape, when-
A loud knock on the front door echoed throughout the entire estate. “Who the hell would be visiting Lady Doriana at this hour?” Ashe mused aloud.
“Maybe Lord Tremaine had a change of heart about leaving you with Lady Doriana,” Juleka suggested hopefully.
“I highly doubt that,” Ashe scoffed.
“Let’s go see.” Juleka exited the bedroom before Ashe could stop her.
“Julie! Shit.” Ashe followed Juleka out of the bedroom and into the hall.
At that moment, a door down the hall opened, and Lady Doriana emerged, dressed in a red silk robe, and not much else. She yawned widely, and covered her mouth with her hand. When the knocking resumed a muscle beneath her eye ticked in irritation. “Gah! I’m coming! I’m coming! Don’t get your panties in a bunch!”
Juleka and Ashe ducked down behind a large potted plant, and watched as Doriana approached the grand staircase. “Whoever it is better have a good reason for interrupting my beauty sleep,” Doriana grumbled as she began her way down the steps.
As Juleka watched Doriana reach the entrance hall and head towards the front door she couldn’t help but notice the gleaming marble floor. “Did you clean the floor?” she whispered.
“Yeah,” Ashe whispered back.
“Good job,” Juleka praised.
Doriana opened the door wide to reveal Prince Snow Flurris and a couple of wizard guards. There was a tiny male fairy with blue hair sitting on Snow’s shoulder with a smug expression on his face.
Doriana’s jaw dropped at the sight of the unexpected guests. “Prince Snow Flurris! What are you doing here?”
“I’m drunk,” Snow said, flashing her a charming smile. “I sent a note to my friend Ashe by Fairy Post inviting him out for drinks. But he never showed up. As a prince I don’t take ‘no’ for an answer. Where is Ashe, Milady?” he asked, raising a haughty eyebrow at Doriana.
The blood started to drain out of Doriana’s lovely face. “Ashe? Well, I’m afraid he’s…indisposed at the moment. But, perhaps, tomorrow he-”
Ashe stood up from his hiding spot and boldly approached the top of the grand staircase in full view. “I’m right here, Snow,” Ashe called out in a blasé tone.
“How did you get free?” Doriana blurted out in shock, and then covered her mouth with her hand. She shot Snow a guilty look, and inwardly cursed her big mouth.
Snow’s sapphire blue eyes were sparkling with mirth, however. “Free?”
Doriana flushed guiltily and began to panic. “My prince, please allow me to explain. I didn’t know he was your friend. I-”
“A little bondage play, aye?” Snow sent Doriana a roguish wink. “Don’t worry, I understand perfectly. Maybe I’ll let you tie me up sometime, Lady Doriana,” he teased playfully.
Doriana’s shoulders relaxed and she let out a breath of relief. “Prince Snow, it would be both an honor and a pleasure,” she simpered.
“Yes. Another time perhaps,” Snow said casually. “Right now, I want to have a drinking competition with my friend Ashe.”
“Of course,” Doriana readily agreed. “I understand, my prince. I can be…patient.” Doriana’s gray eyes were filled with lust as she looked over Snow’s handsome form. He was wearing his usual blue shirt with puffed sleeves, tight yellow pantaloons, red and blue cape, and shiny, black dress shoes.
Snow’s expression turned smug as he noticed the way Doriana was eyeing him like a piece of meat. “Come along, Ashe. We’re leaving,” he said in an imperious tone.
“Sure.” Ashe descended the stairs followed by Juleka. He was impressed by how well Snow’s charm ability seemed to be working on Lady Doriana Gray. A pink flush had risen to her cheeks, and was she starting to pant as she looked at Prince Snow? It was strange seeing the dominant woman acting so submissive all of a sudden. Unreal. Ashe thought, shaking his head.
And to think that he’d been worried about the possibility of Doriana seducing Snow, but it seemed that things were more likely to happen the other way around. This would mean she only posed a threat to Aurelion.
Ashe walked right past Doriana and out the front door. Lady Doriana was still so focused on the handsome Prince Snow that she barely even noticed Ashe leaving. When Juleka started to pass by Doriana she jumped in surprise since she hadn’t even noticed the strange, dark girl until now. “A ghost!”
Juleka turned to face Doriana slowly and tilted her head in a creepy manner. “If you ever hurt Ashe again…I will haunt you for the rest of your days.”
Doriana let out a squeak and stumbled backwards out of fear. She hated ghosts. Doriana quickly shut the door, ran up the grand staircase, and didn’t stop running until she’d made it inside of her bedroom and locked the door.
***
Meanwhile, outside Doriana’s house…
“You were here too, Julie?” Snow asked with raised eyebrows. “Lady Doriana totally thought you were a ghost just now. Brilliant!” He let out a
n amused chuckle.
“You’re such a dark, strange girl,” Ashe said, shaking his head at Juleka. “I’m not surprised.”
“I hope I frightened her to death,” Juleka said venomously.
Snow rubbed the back of his neck in a shy gesture. “Sorry for just showing up out of the blue like this, but when Blue told me he couldn’t get past Lady Doriana’s wards to deliver a note to you I found that to be incredibly suspicious, and I thought you might need to be rescued. I really hope I didn’t interrupt kinky fun times.” He gave Ashe a worried look.
Juleka and Ashe both blushed at the suggestion of ‘kinky fun times’, and Snow misinterpreted their expressions. “Oh my God, I did. I’m such a cock-block. I’m so sorry, man.”
“No. It’s-it wasn’t…” Ashe stammered out. “I didn’t need to be rescued. Well, I mean I kind of did…but Julie saved me.” He shot Juleka an emotional and grateful look.
“Okay.” Snow scratched his head in confusion. “Your stalker saved you from what exactly?”
Ashe hesitated in how to respond. “She was torturing him,” Juleka began casually.
“Torturing!” Snow exclaimed in alarm and a fierce glint formed in his sapphire-blue eyes. “Shall I have her arrested?”
“No. It was a punishment, really,” Ashe started to explain. “She wasn’t doing anything against the law.”
Snow rubbed at his temples with his index fingers and glared at Ashe. “Explain to me how torture isn’t against the law?”
“When it’s done to a slave, okay?” Ashe snapped in irritation.
Snow staggered back a few steps out of shock. “You’re a…! Wait, are you Lady Doriana’s slave?”
“No,” Ashe said, his expression shuttering. “I am Lord Christian Tremaine’s slave.”
“The nefarious loan shark!” Snow blurted out. “How the hell did that happen?”
“My mother sold me to him to cover her gambling debt,” Ashe further explained in a dull tone. This was it. Prince Snow Flurris finally knew the truth about him. That Ashe was just a lowly slave. Ashe mentally prepared himself for what was inevitably about to happen next - Snow was going to reject their friendship.
The pieces of the puzzle were finally falling into place for Snow, and he nodded. “I get it now. You want money to buy your freedom back from Lord Tremaine.”
“Indeed,” Ashe drawled.
Snow’s expression brightened and he placed a hand over his chest. “Wait. How about I pay off the debt and buy you from Lord Tremaine!”
“You want to buy me?” Ashe asked, giving Snow a suspicious look.
Snow chuckled and waved his hand through the air. “Whoa. Don’t look at me like that. It would be to free you, of course. Not for anything…weird. You know I love the ladies!”
Ashe glanced at the wound that was still bleeding on Juleka’s arm. She wanted to cry diamond tears for him, and Snow wanted to simply buy his freedom. Through their show of loyalty Julie and Snow had both proven themselves to be true friends.
“I appreciate the offer, Snow,” Ashe said, giving his friend a lopsided smile. “But I’m going to have to refuse. This is between Lord Tremaine and I. I want to show him that I can do the impossible and pay the debt all by myself. I want to beat him on my own. If either of you help me…it will be like Lord Tremaine won. Like he bested me. Proved that I really am no better than a worthless slave. This is my fight. That’s why I need to do this on my own. A real man solves his own problems.” Ashe’s golden eyes were blazing as they reflected his passionate inner spirit.
Snow glanced at Juleka before slinging an arm over Ashe’s shoulders and steering him aside. “Look, I respect that, man,” Snow said in a low voice so that Juleka wouldn’t overhear them. “But how are you intending to get that kind of money?”
Ashe blinked. “You know how. I plan to fight in the Glass Coliseum.”
Snow gave Ashe a skeptical look. “Yeah, right, sure, but what about being the Heartbreaker of Glass City?”
Ashe flinched guiltily. “How did you find out?” he asked in a grim tone.
“It doesn’t matter how I found out,” Snow said, raking a hand through his short, wavy black hair. “Look, I won’t buy your freedom as long as you promise me one thing - no more whoring yourself out.”
Ashe flushed, but nodded. “Alright. I won’t. I promise.”
A brilliant grin spread across Snow’s face. “Good. I have the feeling that is what got you into this odd situation in the first place.”
Ashe arched an eyebrow at the frivolous playboy. “When did you get so smart?”
Snow pretended to look offended. “What? I’ve always been a genius. It just took you this long to notice. Anyhow, are you going to go back to Lord Tremaine’s château?”
“Where else would I go?” Ashe gave Snow a bland look.
Snow shrugged carelessly. “You could come live with me at Apple Castle.”
Ashe was touched by the offer, but shook his head. “Legally, I’m still a slave. If I leave Glass Kingdom for good…I would be considered a runaway slave, and the penalty for a slave trying to run away from his or her master is death.”
“I’m a prince,” Snow said, waving his hand flippantly through the air. “Rules don’t really apply to princes, you know? I could just say I ordered you to come with me. Christian may be a Lord, but I’m a Prince. I outrank him.”
“I’m going to go back to Lord Tremaine’s,” Ashe said firmly.
“Is it really safe for you there though?” Snow asked with a concerned expression on his face. “Lord Tremaine…he’s the one who gave you those scars, isn’t he?”
Ashe nodded. “Yes. But I can handle him. I already told you. I need to do this. I need to prove him wrong. I need to beat him.”
“Alright. I understand,” Snow said, letting out a sigh. “Stubborn bastard.”
“Prince Snow, I think you should take Ashe home,” Juleka began casually as she approached the two young men. “If Lord Tremaine sees that Ashe is your friend he is less likely to punish Ashe for this trespass.”
“Good idea, Julie!” Snow said, giving the girl a thumbs-up.
Juleka curtsied. “I’ll take my leave then. Take care, Prince Snow, and thank you.” She turned her attention to Ashe. “Goodbye, Ashe. Stay safe, my love.”
Ashe flushed at Julie’s romantic parting words. “Yeah…bye.”
Snow elbowed Ashe in his side playfully. “Ooo she said ‘my love’.”
“Oh, shut up,” Ashe groused. “How old are you? Four?”
Juleka entered her enchanted carriage that was parked right outside Lady Doriana’s house. As soon as she’d closed the door the legs of the carriage started to move and carry Juleka away. A few yards down the cobbled street the carriage went invisible.
Snow let out an impressed whistle as he saw the carriage seemingly vanish into thin air. “Whoo. That’s one hell of a stalker you have there. I’m jealous. She went into the lioness’s den for you too. She must really love you.”
“She barely knows me,” Ashe said, raking a shaky hand back through his hair. “How can she love me?” he scoffed. “She just thinks she does. It’s a childish fancy. A dream.”
“Harsh,” Snow said with a grimace. “That poor girl. You’re going to end up breaking her heart just like all the others, Heartbreaker of Glass City.”
Ashe gave Snow an irritated look. “If she gets her heart broken…it has nothing to do with me.” Ashe sighed and scrubbed a hand down his face. He felt guilty for his words. “I mean, I do treasure her friendship. She’s definitely proven herself to be a true friend tonight. I don’t know what I would have done without her.”
A jealous pout formed on Snow’s face. “What am I? Chopped liver? I came to save you too, you know. I even brought these guys!” Snow waved his hand at the wizard guards that were standing by.
“This isn’t a rescue competition,” Ashe said, his golden eyes sparkling with amusement.
“Oh, yes it is!” Snow objected. “I wan
t to be your friend too.”
“Shut up.” Ashe rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “You already are, you flashy playboy.”
Snow beamed and hugged Ashe before the other man could dodge his attack of affection. He ruffled Ashe’s hair for good measure. “I knew you’d eventually come around! I am a really likeable guy.”
“Likeable guy?” Ashe scoffed, just to be contrary. “You’re an annoying busybody. And your charm ability is scary. I can’t believe Doriana started to act that way around you. It’s unreal. She’s…” he trailed off.
“She’s what?” Snow prompted, arching a perfectly manicured eyebrow at his friend.
Ashe shot the guards a suspicious look. They were Reginald’s guards. If Ashe was right in his theory, and Reginald was also a member of the League of Villains talking about this in front of those guards would be folly. “No. It’s nothing. She’s usually just so dominant, and you had her acting all submissive. It was quite an odd sight to see.”
“No female in Fantasia can resist my charm ability,” Snow bragged, raising his chin in a haughty pose. His smug expression turned thoughtful. “Unless of course they’re already in love with someone else. And it has to be true love.”
Ashe rolled his eyes. Snow has a big head. I better be careful not to inflate it. Ashe couldn’t help but wonder if the reason why Snow’s charm didn’t appear to affect Julie was because she was already in love with someone. Did that mean her feelings for him were real? Was it really true love?
Ashe felt a wave of panic wash over him, and he shook his head to clear it of such thoughts. No. She can’t love me. That would be impossible. I’m…unlovable. My own mother sold me off. I can’t let my guard down around Julie. If I do…I’ll only get hurt again.
“Let’s blow this joint.” Snow mounted his impressive black stallion, and jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “Get on, Ashe.”
Ashe swung himself up onto the saddle behind Snow. He refused to wrap his arms around Snow’s waist like some bloody damsel in distress though! The wizard guards mounted their horses next.
It only took a couple of hours for them to reach Lord Tremaine’s estate. Snow made sure the riding party was making a lot of noise as they approached the front door of the château so that anyone still asleep inside would definitely be awakened.
Ashe and the Glass Sword Page 19
