Queen of Ash

Night Incarnate

Rye

I had a massive headache. Between the assassin down the hall from me, my nagging Mother, and the pushback from the bloodlines over Emerson it was a surprise that my head hadn't exploded. I opened the door to my office and walked upstairs to Emerson's room. Dinner was in ten minutes, and if Emerson or I were late Mother would chew into me and quite possible kill Emerson.

    I stopped outside her door, my palms were sweating. I wiped them down on my black suit jacket. I took a deep breath. Being in her presence I could feel her power intertwine with mine, the energy was so thick in the air. I took a deep breath and reminded myself that she was just another person. I slipped into my indifferent personality, the one that I tried to make look effortless.  I lifted my fist to her door, and I knocked three times. The knocks rang through the empty hallway, ringing like a death bell.

I looked down and the watched the shadows underneath her door move towards closer and then pause. I lifted my hand to the handle and I could feel the raw power that filtered through the handle. She was holding the handle on the other side, probably wondering if she should even bother to open the door. I took a deep breath and let my hand fall back to my side. I could feel her power coiling and recoiling inside of her, the feeling of indecision, to open the door or to not open the door. Right as I was about to leave without her, the door to her room flung open.

    "I was just about to—" I felt my mouth dry up as I took her in. She was wearing an all black dress that came up to her collar bone. There was a metal corset over her dress, fitted tightly like a chest plate. There were two long slits up either side of her leg revealing long black boots and I swore I could see the straps that held her knives. Which had to be empty because I had her knives and her Bow in my office downstairs. I could feel my cheeks heat up, I made an awkward cough. "And just as I was staring to think that maybe you weren't so blood-thirsty after all." She swept all of her hair to the side.

    "Then I guess you are as dumb as you look. I am an assassin for gods-sake. And these might be empty, but don't think for a second that I won't try to kill you." She moved her slit again revealing the empty holsters on her inner thigh.

    "I am almost positive I would win that fight, love. Also don't speak like that around Jase tonight, because he is looking for a reason to beat you up." I held out my arm to her, we were about to be late for dinner. She took it gently. "Whatever you did in the sewers made him pretty pissy." She snorted a laugh.

    "I would kick his ass again, so let him be pissy." We started to ascend down the stairs. "Speaking of fighting people, when can I get my knives and bow back. I promise you, if Ashwood is messed up I will personally kill you."

    "Ashwood?" I stopped on one of the stairs and faced her. Her face flushed a bright red for a second.

    "That's the name of my bow," Her words curt. She tugged on my arm and I resumed walking.

    "I just didn't know that assassins named their weapons."

    "Like I said early, then I guess you are so dumb as you look." I shook my head slowly.

    "I hope you have prepared for dinner. My Mother hates people with no manners." I gave her slight pat on her arm. She just glared at me with daggers in her eyes. 

    "I'm always prepared," she did that little smirk she always does. The one that looks like she's one second away from stabbing you.

  When we got to the bottom of the stairs, I turned back to face her, her arm dropping from mine. My arm was cold from the absence of her touch. I took a deep breath and tried to find someway to prepare her for what might happen in there.