Intertwined

Chapter 5 | Ash

This is for Alex Karola and her hauntingly beautiful prose~ Do check out Human Voices Wake us and When You Fall :)

Chapter 5: Ash

She had died. She was sure of it. Who wouldn’t after going through such an excruciating process? Jade winced as unwanted snippets of memories came fluttering back – the feeling of being squeezed into something a hundred times smaller, of not being able to see, feel, or breathe, and of being entirely helpless against the force of the…portal. Her eyelids flew open.

Jade became aware of a few things at once. The light stung her eyes. It hurt. That was good. Okay, maybe not, but at least she was alive. There was a low buzz in the background, which quickly morphed into conversation between two parties.

“…should have done this years ago instead of dragging me into this atrocious plan of yours.” She knew this voice. The boyish one, with a hint of huskiness – her stalker. Lance.

The second voice was slightly deeper. She could hear annoyance in it. “We couldn’t have just kidnapped her and had her tested. She wouldn’t have understood anyway. Arrèdulenn are usually not exposed to their powers because immature children may underestimate their potential power and cause massive destruction in a temper tantrum. They might– ”

 “Ash, I fully know what will happen. I was just saying that you could have gotten someone else far more suited for the job. I have my own matters to attend to.”

“There is no one more suited than you,” said the person Lance had called Ash. Jade’s eyes flicked over to them. They were sitting in chairs, sipping coffee that had a strange tinge to it. She squinted at them. What time of the day was it? Where were they? Neither of them noticed her, not even when she sat up.

“That’s not true,” Lance was saying. “You could have saved me a lot of trouble. For example, the bombing. It wasn’t a human bomb. Someone targeted it at her. Next, the langskèn that was in your apartment. They were supposed to be rare. What in the gods’ name was I supposed to do with the damned thing? It bit half my arm off, the bloody creature. And the Varielu were there too. I had to escape through a window because the humans couldn’t think to install a bloody air exit and she was screaming in my ear the whole time. It’s a miracle I’m not deaf right now.”

Jade gritted her teeth. “Well it’s a miracle I’m not dead now,” she interjected. “considering you pushed me into that suffocating portal or whatever it was. I couldn’t see or feel or breathe! I thought I was going to die!”

“How nice of you.” Ash nodded at Lance. “Always the gentleman, isn’t he?” He grinned amiably at Jade and winked. She decided she liked him immediately. For the first time, she noticed that he had the strangest fashion style – a tuxedo top with dark jeans and converses. Lance, meanwhile, seemed to have survived having his arm nearly bitten off by a Godzilla slash crocodile monster. It was neatly swathed in bandages and cradled close to his chest in a sling. “Anyway,” Ash continued. “It’s nice to see you’re awake now, arrèdulenn. I’m Ash, and I’m sure you have met that gentleman sitting opposite me, Lance.” He coughed theatrically and winked again. Jade stifled a giggle.

Lance shot his friend a murderous look. “Can it, Ash. You bastard.” Ash only laughed. When Jade glanced at him questioningly, he shrugged and gave her a small smile before taking out a smart phone and engrossing himself in it.

Lance ran his good hand through his hair in irritation – a habit, probably. The sunlight played on his dirty blonde hair, streaking it golden in places and forming a soft halo around his head.

“You can stop staring, síerrí. I am fully aware of how devastatingly good-looking I am,” Lance smirked, ruining the moment.

“Did I mention it’s a miracle I’m not blind too?” Jade smiled sweetly back. “It’s a wonder my brain could even process the unpleasant view that greeted me when I woke up. I’m sure it will take its toll on my health if I have to see such a distasteful person every day.” Payback.