Ash

Chapter 21

Reedrick ushered Ash into the war room. Ash looked around and saw several men and women he wasn't familiar with, most in military uniforms. A man whose skin had a mint green tint to it sat with his booted feet on the table and his hands laced behind his head. "There you are Reedrick!" He grinned.

"Have you been formally introduced?" Reedrick ushered Ash over to Puck. "Ever changing."

"As the wind." Puck winked. "No, not formally." Puck stood and offered a hand. "I've known your king for a very, very long time."

"Pleasure." Ash shook, unsure how else to react. Was he meant to be a guest? Was he meant to already understand what was going on?

"I knew your mother, boy." Puck offered in a somber tone. "She was a noble lady, and I would very much like to aid you."

"Me?" Ash was confused. "Why me?"

"Because of who and what you are. I have many names, but you may call me Puck."

"Ash."

Reedrick cleared his throat. "Very well, now let's get down to business." Puck yielded the seat at the head to the table for Reedrick and chose the one directly to the right. After the king was seated everyone else took their seats. There were thirteen in the room altogether. "What news?"

"Are you feeling better, your majesty?" One of the men in an officer's uniform asked.

Reedrick didn't acknowledge the question. "Well? What have you to report?"

Puck's playful demeanor was gone in the blink of an eye. In his place was a man focused and determined with a gaze sharper than any razor. Gone was the mirth that he'd showed at the feast. Ash was surprised and impressed by how quickly his energy shifted.

"The one we captured alive said he serves the Red Queen's heir."

Stuffy silence filled the room and Ash felt more suffocated than he had in the ballroom.

"As far as I knew she was locked away and had no heir, and even if she did how could she get out of her prison?" Reedrick questioned.

"We don't believe he was referring to the true queen. Not a true heir at least, but a protege, someone who studied her magic and wanted to duplicate it."

"Is that even possible?" Asked a balding, white haired general. "Wasn't all of that locked away and forbidden a millennia ago?"

"You forget how patient the Sidhe can be." Puck shrugged.

"Do you think it's her?" Reedrick asked his eyes locked on Puck.

"I know better than to make such speculations." Puck declined. "There are others who were around during that time. To say all of her sympathizers have been destroyed would be words I would not swear by. That's the thing about martyrs, when you assume they're well and truly dead is when they rise again."

"Who knows the details of this attack?"

"Your wife forced silence via curse. Anyone who tries to divulge information will lose his tongue." Puck offered. "But even still, whispers abound."

"What information have you extracted?"

"He'd rather die than give information. He's afraid of the one who he serves." One of the generals voiced, his eyes down. "We don't have answers, your majesty."

"I see. Do we have any information? Are we any closer to discovering the assassins?"

"No, your majesty."

"I see. You're all dismissed." Reedrick dismissed as he stood and turned his back on the room.

Ash had never seen the king so despondent. The generals filed out one by one until Ash and Puck were the only two with Reedrick. "Puck, you're more competent than those buffoons. What's more your lips are for much more than kissing my own posterior. What can you do?"