27. Asher

TWENTY-SEVEN

Asher

S o much for Queen Alexandra dying in an accident.

“Shit…” I breathed, reeling from the severe wallop of info already. But this came in with a mighty boom.

Ember killed our queen?

My sister linked her arms with me, resting her head on my shoulder. A blanket of melancholy smothered the room, this news unpalatable in the extreme.

How would anyone get close enough to the queen to murder her?

Unless the king’s possible affair opened the floodgates.

Shit.

I squeezed Luke’s hand, reveling in this sandwich of him and Eden.

“She killed her?” Carissa spoke for the room.

“Yes.”

“When? What happened?”

Our queen. Murdered.

Our poor queen.

“Those are details I cannot share at this time. However, here is a new amulet.” She slid it across the table.

Luke caught it, slipping it over his head. “Thank you.”

“You are most welcome.”

“Testing, testing,” Luke’s beautiful voice rang in my head.

“Good to hear you in there again,” I replied.

He bumped my knee with his, pressing his body closer to mine. His proximity caressed my desire, temporarily easing the aching in my body from this news.

“Now, please go about your evenings,” Anita said, my longing on mute. “I will call a meeting again should new information come to light.”

Weaver Anita swept out of the room, session officially over now she’d dropped her bombs.

I sat there in the heavy silence, totally lost, unsure of what came next.

Alexandra. Our wonderful, kind queen. I’d met her several times at the London tower—the official royal residence on Earth. She always took the time to thank us for our service, to dish out posh toffees and the kindest words of support.

Until Ember took her light away.

What about the king? Where was he when this went down?

“This can’t be happening,” Dane said. “How can a mote enchanter kill a gargoyle queen? And why does she want to take us out? Who made that rule? The motes? Are motes fucking with destiny now?”

It was a pretty solid theory. The motes might be counteracting our presence after all these years.

Luke spoke up. “She told me she never asked for this.” He detailed their last discussion, their fight, how she hurt him.

My protective instincts rumbled, my fists ready to grind the charcoal beast to dust.

“Are you hurt now?” I asked.

“No. I’m fine.”

I pulled him close to kiss his cheek.

An avalanche of rocks crashed in my head. “Shit.” I slumped forward, holding my skull in my hands.

Luke nestled closer to me, his hand on my thigh. “I’m so sorry.”

I met his sorrowful gaze. “I’m sorry this has been put on you.”

Our savior. Our weapon.

“Us. This is on us. We’re in this together.” A smile tugged at his lips. “I got lumbered with the power, and you got lumbered with me.”

I snorted gently, cupping his chin. “You’re so cute.”

His expression changed. Darkened.

“Luke?”

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. “I know about the Finn thing.”

My ears burned. “What?”

“Seth told me what I did to my brother. How he asked you to keep it a secret.”

I couldn’t breathe, a steel claw closing around my chest. “He…” Seth got in there before me. Tried using it against me. Heard me telling Eden.

I clenched just about everywhere, my throat closing up. “Luke… I… I…”

“It’s okay.”

All eyes were on us, the tension as thick as marmalade. “It’s not. It’s really pissing not.” I wouldn’t let him slip away from me or hate me. I’d right his lie, this secret.

Honestly, I never should’ve trusted Seth. It was obvious he’d use this against me at some point.

“Asher…”

“I’m beyond sorry. Times it by a trillion. What’s more than a trillion?”

“Asher…”

“What can I do to make it better? I was gonna tell you, but that prick got in there first. I’d never do anything to hurt you. He’s?—”

Luke grabbed me by the face, pressing his closer to mine. “It’s okay.”

Gods, I got ready to drown inside those lovely azure eyes. They were both heartbreaking and mesmerizing, wielding a special sort of hammer to smash every wall and leave me exposed and raw and ready for nothing else but him.

“Luke…”

“How can I be mad?” he whispered, tracing his left thumb under my eye. “What would be the point?”

Tears threatened to escape again. “But I kept a secret from you. A big one.”

“And you were going to reveal it.”

“Yeah. But…” Aw, piss. My body trembled, weakening by the minute.

“But nothing.” His eyes glistened. “I’m not angry with you. I get it. I really get it. I won’t say it didn’t shock me or play on my mind, because it did. But seeing you right now, so torn up…” His silent tears speared my heart. “I’m the one who did it to Finn.”

My turn to hold his head, catching tears. “No more secrets. Everything will be laid out on the table from now on. I promise.”

He sniffled. “Sounds good.”

“I’m so sorry about Finn.”

He pulled back, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. “I’ll save him. I’ll make it better. And I’ll do it the right way, without…” He couldn’t finish, his bottom lip trembling.

I held him close, so proud of him, so sorry for lying.

“I’ll be with you every step of the way,” I told him.

“Thank you.”

I kissed his crown.

This determined, amazing human would save his brother. I believed in him.

Thank the gods he wasn’t mad. Man, if things went the other way, I don’t know what I’d do.

Seth. You piece of shit.

Right. Enough of this room and this tower. My brain struggled to keep things smooth and steady, those tumbling rocks relentless. A change of scenery and some fresh air would help process this shit.

Tom came over to comfort his friend, resting his chin on Luke’s shoulder. “Shall we go get a pizza?”

Luke nodded, reaching up to touch Tom’s face. “I’d love to. Wait. There’s nowhere open.”

Tom frowned. “Shite. I might have something in my freezer.”

Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping!

“What’s this?” the cupcake-making human wondered, pulling out his phone. “Oh. My. Goodness.”

A miracle. That royal decree had kicked in, big time.

After every single resident received the information by some form of electronic update, shit got crazy in the good way. Takeaway places sent out alerts of their reopening, along with some pubs and bars. And the pings on Tom’s phone kept on coming. No one wanted to wait for tomorrow to get Brinecrest moving again.

Why should they? Bring on the fun after days of melancholy.

Luke rubbed his eyes in disbelief. “Wow.”

“Pizza it is!” Tom cried, his fist punching the air.

Brinecrest bustled, the night alive with activity. What a difference an hour made.

A fresh set of ugly gargoyle statues sat atop the buildings, a shit load of them also in the streets. This town was properly fortified, what with the constant patrols zooming by above.

Gods bless the king.

“This is amazing,” Tom crooned, skipping along, Dane keeping pace.

“Look at those two,” Luke whispered. “Adorable.”

We walked together with our arms linked, enjoying the town’s rebirth.

But I still wasn’t sure about Luke being alright with me. A kernel the size of canon ball sat in my chest, reminding me of my betrayal. Shaking it off wasn’t gonna be easy, no matter what he said.

I’m no better than Seth…

Green magic pulsed in the night sky. Emerald moonlight filtered into the town, humans amazed by the shift in color. They chatted about it as they waited outside shops deciding to open for a few hours, laughed about other things as they queued for the pubs, the chip shops, all the good stuff.

A monster with a fish head and fox’s body darted into the street. Before any of us reacted, a statue blasted it with green lasers from its eyes. The monster exploded, normality restored.

“Erm…” Luke said. “Okay.”

“The system works,” I added.

“What about this place?” Tom stopped outside a pizza restaurant. “We haven’t tried it yet.”

Luke yawned. “Actually, can we leave it tonight? I’m so tired. It’s been…I just need to rest. I’m sorry.” He shook his head.

Tom scurried over. “Hey, hey, hey. We’ll do it another time. Don’t worry.” He took Luke’s hands. “Friendship time can wait. But you owe me Mario Kart and some Boys’ Love sessions.”

Luke laughed. “Promise.”

“Good.” Tom summoned a cupcake, strawberry creams embedded in the pink icing. “Here you go.”

“You didn’t?” Luke took it. “Wow.”

My sister loomed over Tom. “This is beyond belief.”

The human beamed with pride. “You enjoy, my friend. How about breakfast before your training?”

“I’m in. But’s it on me this time.”

Tom covered his ears. “La, la, la. Can’t hear you.”

“That told me.” Luke shrugged, grinning at the same time.

What a sweet friendship.

Maren joined in. “I hope this breakfast includes me.”

“Of course,” the two humans said together, chuckling.

“Good. At the lighthouse?”

“Yes,” Luke answered.

“I will see you both in the morning. Smoked salmon bagels for me, Tom. No cream cheese. It gets in the way.”

He saluted her.

“Until then.” She bid us all goodbye and swam away.

“I guess she’s not staying over again tonight,” Luke said.

She used to before I showed up.

More to feel guilty about.

“Do you still fancy pizza?” Dane asked Tom, flinging an arm around him. “I’m in the mood for peperoni.” He spoke so huskily, too much emphasis on peperoni .

Tom turned a luminous shade of lobster, his throat bobbing. “Y-Yes. I’d like that.”

Eden tapped her foot, facing the tower. “Wretched place.”

“Do you want my sofa?” Luke asked. “You’re more than welcome.”

Eden gave him one of her brightest smiles. “Aw, you’re a sweetie pie. But I want my ears primed for any potential gossip. Anyway, you need your space.”

“Are you sure?” he asked. “It’s no bother.”

“A hundred percent.”

“Town stroll first thing?” I asked her. “Let them have their buddy time?”

Luke turned to face me. “Oh. Seriously?”

“Yeah. Buddy time is important.”

“It’s a sibling date, Cookie.” My sister cocked an eyebrow. “Did that sound weird?”

I shrugged. “I’m used to it.”

She punched me in the arm. “The cheek.”

Luke giggled, the sound music to bless my ears.

“I’m off to grab myself a bag of chips,” Eden declared. “One cannot resist any longer. K. Bye.” And off she went.

After Luke and Tom hugged, Dane and I exchanging one of our own, we went our separate ways.

Down on the seafront, after Luke inhaled his cupcake, a monster rolled out from beneath a parked car. A weird orange blob with eight octopus tentacles, one of them carrying eyes, not suckers.

“Behold me, gargoyle! Behold greatness.”

Big words for a blob.

It sprang at me, my sword obliterating it before the statue on top of a post box did.

“Behold death, you knobhead,” I returned.

Luke stretched his arms above his head. “What did it think would happen?”

“Beats me. Fancy a ride?”

His sexy eyes looked me up and down. “Always.”

“Get your mind out of the gutter. I meant a ride to the lighthouse.”

“Did you now?”

“This time, yeah.”

He laughed but the flirt fell flat. “That’d be nice.”

He hates me.

That iron ball in my chest heated, pulsating with guilt.

I scooped him up, activating my wings. Gods, it felt so good to hold him like this.

“Ready, Lukey?”

“I’m ready, lemon slice.”

“You what?”

“Something I’m trying out.” He batted his lashes. Again, it wasn’t as flirty as it could’ve been. Too many clouds over our heads, him in denial over wanting to break a vase over my head.

I took to the air, carrying him home.