Thats true. Then she would have to make him stop.

,, Ash, stop! ,, She shouts, sick of being ignored. ,, Just leave him alone! All youre doing is making things worse! ,,

Yeah. If she could.




The older prince chuckled, raised his head and spit blood in Ash's face. "Go on then, little brother, or maybe you should listen to you little half-breed," he challenged, as Ash winced but didnt shy away. "Do it. You've betrayed your queen, sided with the enemy, drawn a sword against your own brother--you might as well add slaughtering your family to the list as well. Then you can run off with the half-breed and live out your sordid fantasy. I wonder how Ariella would feel, if she knew how easily shes been replaced."

"Don't talk about her!" Ash snarled, raising the hilt as if he really would thrust the sword through Rowan's throat. "Ariella is gone. Not a day goes by that I dont think of her, but she's gone, and there's nothing I can do about it." He took a deep breath to calm himself, the longing on his face plain to see.

Rowan sneered, narrowing his eyes. "Ariella was too good for you," he hissed, raising himself up on his elbows. "You failed her. If youd really loved her, she would still be here."

Ash flinched, as if struck a physical blow, and Rowan pressed his advantage.

"You never saw what a good thing you had," he continued, sitting up as Ash backed away a step. "She's dead because of you, because you couldn't protect her! And now you disgrace her memory with this half-breed abomination."

Pale, Ash glanced at Isiea, and he saw Rowan's arm move a second too late.

She doesnt say anything more.

Which she probably couldn't, but its fine.

Ash was already moving, the honed reflexes of a fighter kicking in even when his mind was elsewhere. "Your pathetic half-breed has been trying to save you. How sweet." Rowan pulled a dagger out of seemingly nowhere and slashed at Ash with it. Rowan's lunge carried him right onto the point of Ash's blade. Both brothers froze. For a moment, everything ground to an abrupt halt, frozen in time. Rowan blinked and looked down at the blade in his stomach, his eyes wide and confused. Ash was staring at his hand in horror. Then Rowan staggered back, dropping the knife and leaning against a wall, his arms around his gut. Blood streamed between his hands, staining the white fabric crimson.

"Congratulations...little brother." His voice came out choked though his eyes were clear as he nodded at Ash, still frozen in shock. "You finally...managed to kill me."

Pounding footsteps echoed in the hall, and faint shouts carried into the throne room. Ash didn't hear, he was still staring at his brother in a horrified daze.

Eh, I would say she could. Puck isn't that hard to convince.

,, Congratulations. Now we can die together. ,, She grumbles sarcastically.

He was easily convinced to go against his Kings orders for her. So probably.

She snapped him out of his trance.

"Yes, run away with your half-breed, Ash." Rowan coughed, a line of blood trickling from his mouth. "Before Mab comes in and sees that her last son is dead to her. I don't think you can do anything more to betray your court."

The voices were getting louder. Ash shot Rowan one last guilty, agonized look, then gently squeezed Isiea's hand and ran for the door. Ash pulled her along like a madman, running through hallways that all looked the same. It was a miracle they didn't run into anyone, as footsteps and sounds of pursuit echoed all around them. Maybe it wasn't coincidence at all, as Ash seemed to know exactly where he was going. Twice, he yanked her into a corner and pressed his body up against hers, whispering at her to be silent and not move.