Shatter Like Glass-Cinderella Retold

Part Two

Ashen let out a string of curses as blood started oozing from the prince's chest.

"It missed the heart. Pity, I was rather hoping for a quick death."

Emlen slumped forward, but she kept him upright, grabbing him roughly by the front of his shirt.

"I would advise you not to scream," Ashen told him as his blood oozed in between her fingers. Her voice was hushed, as if telling a secret "I have another one of these, remember? If someone comes for you, they too will find out how deadly glass can be."

"Why?" he asked hoarsely, groping at his front. His eyes, no longer tainted with blue, were wide with shock and fear. "Why would you do this?"

He stared petrified as she wretched her blade out of his chest. The glass made a grinding noise as it attempted to pierce the chest plate that had prevented a quick kill. She had anticipated this, as she had anticipated how easy it would be to deceive him.

Her charming spell had done its work, and a good thing, too. She went to a lot of trouble to get the ingredients. Nearly died for them. Then she had to spend an hour spreading it onto her face. It was definitely worth it. Only Peder suspected anything was amiss, and she could kill him too if she had to.

Again, Emlen gasped. Ashen could tell he was near the end of his life. She walked circles around him, admiring her work. Emlen exhaled sharply when Ashen plunged her sword back into the same spot.

"I have waited six years, trained six years, to finally kill you, your majesty," she said with a sneer as she sliced into him. "I wonder, do you prepare so much before your murders? Before your assassinations?"

Emlen started to fall forward again. She was able to catch him, keeping him off the floor. As long as he was still alive, she wanted him, needed him, to understand.

Face contorting in a snarl, she continued, "I heard about your little legislation. Apparently, pirates and criminals are not a challenge to you anymore. You had to start killing innocents too. Your bloodlust forced me to move up my plans. You forced me to throw away six years of careful planning. I hope it was worth it."

She glanced down at the blood spilling freely from his torso and she added, "It's almost midnight. You had better die quickly."

One last time, she thrust the blade through him, allowing it to remain in his chest for a few seconds before sliding it out again.

Emlen tried to cry out, but he had no breath left. Blood gurgled from his mouth before the prince fell forward onto his face.

Ashen grabbed the corner of his cloak and used it to clean the blood off her hands. She wasn't able to get all of it off, but she hoped it was enough not to draw attention. Next, Ashen grabbed the chain around her neck and used it to pull out the small, crystal-like shard of glass hanging from it. Clutching the pendant, she began to whisper another enchantment. Blood trickled from her nose as she chanted. Ashen winced and wiped her face. When the simple concealing enchantment on her sword took effect, she hid the blade from view. She could have hidden her blade elsewhere and avoided using the spell, but not only was she in too much of a hurry to clean it, she worried she might need it.

After a moment's hesitation, she concealed and took Emlen's sword too. She had not seen it since he stole it eight years ago. She had not seen it since the day she vowed to kill him. Unfortunately, holding the sword caused the blood left on her hands to well between her fingers. She barely noticed it, her mind stuck in the past.

Brushing away the memory, Ashen hurried to the doorway. Wiping her blood off her face, she glanced back at the room. Her eyes moved quickly across Emlen's body, dismissing it as quickly as she had killed him. Then she found herself staring into the mirror. She knew that mirror. The idea of it in Viridian hands . . . in his hands . . .