Page 55 of Dreams of Ash and Smoke

A grating voice, like metal scraping against metal, assaults my eardrums. It is a feminine voice, one that I know but not in a way that makes me comfortable.

My blood turns to ice and my back becomes slick with sweat. Something warm and thick runs down my thigh, causing me to flinch in disgust.

What the hell is happening?

“Stop your whining,” the voice spits out. “It’s like you want me to stab you! Just tell me about your brother. The king. Is he really going to marry that shrew?” I hear no words in response, only the sound of a sharp slap and then an eerie silence. “Ruelle, don’t make me hurt you. You were always like a little sister to me, okay? I just need answers and this is the quickest way to get them.” Frustration oozes from her tone and I freeze, unable to move or speak.

How does Mya have ties to the royal family? How could she possibly know them so intimately? She was just my maid!

I search through my memories of her, which are few and far between. Shewas always vague when speaking about her past before coming to the castle, just before Hadeon arrived. I never thought much of it — just assumed she was from a small town near the border like Hadeon.

But now it all makes sense.

“She’s Khyrelian,” I whisper to myself, finally understanding why she has such a strong connection to the royal family.

“I loved him,” Mya’s voice quivers with emotion. “I only killed your father because he was trying to keep me from Eryx, okay? I never meant to harm your family. But he wasn’t even a good person!” Her tone grows louder and more desperate, bordering on deranged. And then her words strike a chord within me.

No.

It can’t be.

Is Mya the ex-betrothed of Eryx? I thought she died? Didn’t she have a different name? Gods, what was it?

I try to pull on my mating bond. It’s faint. Could be from the blood loss? I needed to stop this bleeding. What did she even do to me?

“Ruelle!” I whisper. Her eyes widen at seeing me awake. A tear escapes her eye for a brief moment in relief.

“Look who’s awake! Honestly, I thought you’d die from the little stab wound I gave you.” She laughs maniacally as I look into the deranged females brown eyes. With a malevolent grin, Mya leans over me. Her brown eyes were wild and frenzied, reflecting the madness within her. The pain from her stab wound radiates through my body as I struggle to focus on her presence.

“You are such a bitch,” I groan out of pain. “Who even are you?” I watch her carefully as she strolls around the place.

“Who am I?” Another laugh from her echoes as she revels in my helplessness. “Honey, I am the original. I am the love of Eryx’s life. Has he not mentioned me? Boo, that’s disappointing.” She rolls her eyes dramatically.

“Verena, don’t tell her anything.” Ruelle says finally, letting me know she’s conscious at the moment, despite the bruised face, cut lip and cut eyebrow. Mya slaps her once more with the back of her hand and suddenly my faceis red from anger.

“Leave her alone, Mya!” I yell, trying to move closer to them.

“Mya?” Ruelle questions and both of the women look at me.

A laugh leaves the brunette, “Oh, right. Amaelya is my birth name. Of course, when Hadeon showed up in the Court of Dawn, I couldn’t let him blow my cover. So I changed my face shape a bit and my name.”

Amaelyastalks toward me, gripping my chin within her bony fingers and squeezing hard enough to bruise. She tilts my head over to the left, then the right. “What does he even see in you? You are nothing.” She spits with disgust. “You couldn’t even handle Dryston and he is pathetic!” She mockingly laughs. “But I will say he is handsome, even if his head is empty.”

With a sudden jerk, she throws my head back and it collides with the hard cave wall, sending waves of agonizing pain through me. “You do not deserve Eryx,” she whispers venomously in my ear. “He’s too good for you - too strong for you.”

“No,” I protest, refusing to believe her cruel words.

“You are delusional if you think he’ll stay with you in the long run,” Mya taunts, her face inches from mine. “He’s just using you, darling.”

“He doesn’t even know you’re alive. You betrayed his country, he will never forgive that.” Ruelle spits back at her.

“Isavedthis country!” She’s screams in anger. “Your father was a menace to everything and everyone. I Know that together Eryx and I would rule side by side, happily. I am his first love and I will be his last.” As she speaks, I try and feel for my surroundings. My hands are tied with rope and without seeing the knot, I could never undo it. But the cave wall digging into my skin might help.

“Eryx is-” I go to tell her he’s my mate but Ruelle shakes her head at me in my peripheral and I know she has a good reason why. “-in love with me. He wouldn’t leave me.” I finish.

She laughs, not even responding to me and turning away toward the entrance. “I’ll be back. Hang out, don’t go anywhere.” She leaves Ruelle and I alone.

“She’s the anger I felt in the garden.” The youngest Ashwood explains. “Ifyou tell her Eryx is… you know what… she’ll kill you immediately. I had to buy us some time.” I nod in understanding, trying to help wrack my brain on how we’re getting out. Eryx has to know we’re missing by now.

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