Scars of Gold

Chapter Nineteen

Ash remained at Mari's side for the next few hours. This was less by choice, from what I could gather, and more because of the iron-tight grip Mari kept on his arm. She walked him from group to group, greeting each of her friends, a beaming smile on her face.

The future king and queen of Lathria. My stomach felt queasy at the thought.

Perhaps the twins would be able to stop that from happening. Although that would rely on me getting them the information they wanted.

"Ready to go?" a voice asked from beside me. It was Ash, massaging his arm and shooting furtive glances around the room.

"Mari's letting you leave? It doesn't look like the party is over yet." If anything, it was just hitting its stride. Drink was flowing freely, laughter filled the room, and Lathrians in bright dresses were flocking to the dance floor.

"She's distracted. One of her friends turned up with a new hair style. I complimented her on it. I think Mari's tearing her to shreds for daring to try and look prettier than her."

"Can't she just change her own hair?"

"Of course, but she doesn't like descent in the ranks. It makes her feel uneasy."

"Sounds like you threw this girl to the wolves."

He shrugged, steering us through the crowds towards the door. "She's one of Mari's circle, so she brought this on herself."

"That's cold, Ash."

As the door swung shut behind us, he gave me the closest thing I'd seen his mouth get to a smile. "That's why they call me the ice prince."

"What do you have against Mari, anyway?" I asked as we walked back along the path. "On paper, you seen like the perfect match. If she's so popular, wouldn't marrying her solve all your stepfather's problems?"

Ash sighed. "That was his first idea - before Raza arrived and gave him another option. But Mum and I fought him against it. She dislikes Mari as much as I do.

"If I married Mari, I'd be stuck with her all the time. She'd never leave me alone."

I almost laughed. "Is that really so different to the situation you're in now? Just stuck with me, instead of her."

Ash's gaze darkened. "I see your point, but no, spending all of my time with Mari would be infinitely worse than spending it with a-" He broke off and I reeled on him, more furious than I expected. Why couldn't we have one civil conversation without him insulting me?

"A what, Ash? Finish the sentence." When he didn't, I supplied the answers for him. "In what way am I not good enough this time?"

Instead of replying, Ash took a step back. He wasn't even looking at me. He was looking right past me at a point over my left shoulder.

"Kacia," he said, his voice a low growl of warning. "Don't move."

It was then that I spotted the dagger glinting in his right hand.

Fear and fury flooded my veins and I lunged towards him, but instead of striking out with the dagger, he grabbed my arm, yanking me behind him. My muscles tore. I was about to yell in protest when I saw what had diverted his attention.

A long tendril of water was floating along the ground towards us. Almost two metres long and as thick as a drainpipe. It seemed three-dimensional, somehow. Not a leak from the river beyond but a living, moving creature. It snaked towards us, its body forming lazy coils on the ground, moving with a silence from beyond the grave. I took a step forwards, only to have Ash yank me back.

"Do you have a death wish?" he hissed at me. "That's a serpensaquae. If its venom touches your skin, you'll be dead before you hit the floor." He kept his arm out in front of me, as if he expected me to lunge forwards even after his last statement.