As promised. Heres a snippet from #Dandelions. It sets up the revelation that Ash is related to Luke Grayson, a wolf who is first introduced in #TheWinterPrincess. All in revealed in its entirety in later chapters. Of course, at this point in time Scarlett just thinks Ash is being mean, when in actual fact its his wolf awakening. --- “It was only for like a split second.” “What was?” “That I wanted to kill you,” I tell Ash. “Okay, inside,” Ash says ushering me further into the apartment, his hand on the small of my back. “Oh and Red don’t make a habit of it. This sworn enemy’s thing works both ways you know.” “Yeah, I know,” I say sullenly, sinking into the couch. “I don’t get you,” Ash says looking down at me. “There’s nothing to get,” I shrug, sitting on the edge of the sofa. “I kept a few secrets while I was in Juvie, so what, I had no other choice. You would have done the same thing. In fact I’m pretty sure you did when you neglected to tell me you were the King of the Summer Court.” “Oh Bravo Red, really, epic speech,” Ash spits his words at me. “You lied to me. First about your parentage and then about the child you had by Liam! Yet you just sit there acting all innocent like none of it matters.” “Because none of it does!” I shout. “I can’t change who my parents are. I can’t change the fact that I was raped at fifteen. I wish I could, believe me. I tried to make it go away but pretty soon my conscience caught up with me,” I pause for a moment trying to catch Ash’s eye, but he refuses to meet my gaze. “So, yeah… I have a child by a man I have hated for the better part of nine years. But guess what Ash; you don’t get to condemn me for it okay. If I wanted to be condemned for all the wrong choices I’ve made in my life, I’d go visit Sister Bernadette.” Ash combs his fingers through his hair, sighing as he laces his fingers behind his head. He looked down at the floor for a moment and then slowly back up at me. Suddenly he didn’t seem his age anymore. In fact he didn’t really seem like the Ash I knew at all. I take a step back, while Ash proceeds to walk around me in a circle, putting my wolf on edge. “What more do you want you want from me?” “I want the truth!” “I gave you the truth! I had a child… a little girl with hair the same colour as Liam’s. Mercedes Em Quinn. I named her after my Mom, she’ll be three in—” “Your mother’s name was Macha, not Em, it never was. She used Em to fool Liam, not that he was fooled for very long.” “If you’re trying to hurt me Ash, congratulations you have just succeeded and we’re now two for two.” “No, if I wanted to hurt you – really hurt you – I’d just torture you like they used to before the treaty was enacted and the games ceased,” he smiles wickedly. “After all isn’t that how Liam used to keep you in line. With iron?” I gasp aloud in shock. How did he figure it out? “Stop it!” “Bet he was mad when the fire poker went missing, or did he just move onto a weapon made of silver? I bet he thought he hit the jackpot when he discovered that huh?” No! God, why are you punishing me? My wolf whines. This isn’t Ash. Not the Ash I know. I can’t help but agree with her. I pull on my ponytail and feel the smooth metallic scalpel blade fall into the palm of my hand. The sharp edge bites into the heel of my left hand. I scream, but not because I’ve cut myself. I draw my hands up over my ears, shutting out the sound of Ash’s voice, while the scalpel slips through my fingers. I think I hear it hit the carpeted floor, but I can’t be sure. “Scarlett, you’re bleeding,” Zooey, Queen of the Winter Court takes hold of my left wrist, so I can see the trickle of blood running down my forearm. “You cut yourself?” I shrug, wrenching myself out of her grasp and look down. “My past was as horrible and it was painful. It’s something I don’t like to relive,” I say flicking my eyes in Ash’s direction. “I watched my mother die. A moment too long I think, because when Liam was done with her, he came after me. I locked myself in the pantry cupboard, and stayed there until I thought it was safe to come out. Her body was cold by then, but I still curled up next to her until the police came.” “Red, I—” “Shut up. For God’s sake, Ash, just shut up,” my tone is icy. “You want to throw stones, go ahead, but believe me when I tell you that if you continue to do so then I am out. I don’t care what it costs or what I loose I’m not going to trade one prison for another. I killed one man, don’t make me kill another.” The room is quiet for a little bit. “We should probably tend to that cut. Get you cleaned up,” Zooey says retaining a level head, while I am quickly losing mine. I shake my head. “I’m fine.” “If you were fine, Scarlett, you wouldn’t have cut yourself,” Ash says. “Go tend to your hand; you’re getting blood on the carpet. Bathroom’s past the kitchen and down the hall to the left.” “You sound like my shrink,” I say softly, rising from the sofa. Zooey comes with me, probably to make sure I actually do as I’m told. In the bathroom, I wash and dry my hand, before bandaging it up, while Zooey watches me. “I am capable of fending for myself you know,” I tell her. “Oh, I know,” she smiles. “I figured this would give us a way to chat, away from prying eyes. Tristan didn’t understand why I wanted to come.” “Why did you?” I look at her through the mirror. She frowns, knitting her eyebrows together. “Mab said you were family. I didn’t even know that my mother had any siblings. She never really spoke about her life in Arcadia.” “Arcadia?” “Ash hasn’t explained things has he?” I shake my head. “We’re an ill fit anyway.” “That’s what I thought about Tristan at first.” “He hates the fact that I’m a wolf.” “He doesn’t know you. Once he does—” “Yes he does. Kind of. I was six when Ash and I were first introduced. He wasn’t mean like he is now.” “Maybe you’re remembering wrong.” “I don’t think so.” “Just give it time. He’ll come round in the end. He has to. He’s King of the Summer Court.” Somehow I don’t think so. “He will you’ll see,” Zooey says, as if responding to my silent thought. “Sorry,” she says sheepishly. “I’m a telepath.” “Must be annoying,” I say as we exit the bathroom. “You have no idea.”
Posted on: Wed, 06 Aug 2014 03:01:29 +0000
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