Page 13 of Ashes to Ashes

“He asked me,” Ashe breathed out softly, “to be his.”

Evelyn’s mouth dropped open. “He did not. The Demon Prince does not ask for anything. He takes. He makes others envious. He doesn’t ask.”

Ashe tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I have no need to make this up.”

“Unless your aim is to make me envy you and your encounter.” Evelyn snickered. “You wouldn’t even know you were doing it. It’s what happens when you become part of the realm.”

Ashe frowned but didn’t say anything. Was it possible she insisted because it would gain her something?No, it happened that way.

“I told him no.”

“You fucking idiot,” Evelyn snapped, shaking her head in disbelief. “You had one shot at returning home, and you blew it.”

“I don’t want to owe anyone anything,” Ashe whispered sadly, rubbing at her temples as if it could ease the ache within them. Her cheek burned from the open wound. “If my stepmother sold me for a bargain, I don’t want to know what the price for accepting help might be.

Evelyn sighed heavily before continuing her work on the rug. “Be careful what you wish for,” she warned darkly. “There are worse things than slavery. You could escape from here and find yourself in another realm with far worse masters.”

A shiver went down her spine, but Ashe had no intentions of getting caught should she escape.

“You know,” Evelyn continued, her eyes staying on her work. “If you did get out, you could use the demon prince as a safety net. Tit for tat and all that. I’m certain there’s something he envies in you if he took you aside.”

“I have no intentions of getting caught.” Ashe repeated.

Shrugging, Evelyn resumed her silent work, heavily implying Ashe could and should leave her be.

Sighing, Ashe left the room to find what task Belial insisted she do next.One day, someone will slip and I’ll find a way to escape. Until then, I keep my ear to the wall.

CHAPTER 7

Glancing around, Ashe took note of the guards in the courtyard.Seven guards, all placed across the cardinal directions and the middle. All armed.

She knew they all had more than the visible sword, but had to hope not all were heavily armed.

This was the first time she’d found herself working alongside so many others and outside. Their task was tedious, but it meant the guards would likely grow bored and pay less attention as time went by. There were just only so many hours in the day they could watch creatures move gray stone bricks from one end to the other as they rebuild the ground’s foundation after Belial angered a thunder demon, destroying the ground.

Determined to find a way out of this infernal situation, Ashe worked in silence, ignoring the pull on her muscles and the way her body screamed to bend her knees and relax. She kept her head down and her voice low, hoping to blend in. If she looked like she had thoughts in her head, they’d send her to Belial.

Again.

The light grew dimmer, the only indication that day slipped closer to night, and Ashe knew her time to escape would soonrun out. Each guard appeared to stare straight ahead, but she had to start somewhere.

Looking to her left, she whispered toward a strange purple male with eye stalks and four arms.

“P-please, I-I need to know,” she stuttered, her hands trembling as she clutched the next stone, “have you heard any way to escape?”

His voice was gruff and unfeeling. “You? Sweetheart, you’d need more than the Gates of Hell to free yourself from Belial. He likes to play with humans. You break easier.” He laughed, and a guard stomped against the ground to hush them.

Ashe’s heart sank, but she fought to keep a cool expression on her face. Instead, she thanked the demon, her lips pressed into a tight line, and moved on to the next stall. “Excuse me, I was wondering if you knew?—”

Turning to her right, Ashe knew there was no way the frail older man with snow white hair and thin frame could know or else he’d have gone.

You have to try. Maybe he just needs someone to help him. Maybe he does know.

“Have you ever seen a way to escape?”

Ashe’s heart raced as she waited for the man to face her. She could feel the guards’ eyes on her, but she pushed down the fear and focused on the frail man next to her.

He slowly turned to face her, his wrinkled face revealing years of hardship and pain. But there was something in his eyes that gave Ashe hope.

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