Queen of Ash

Maybe we Exist to Burn

Emerson

The breakfast table was unusually quiet, unlike the rest of the room. The rest of the Heirs and their betrothed continued on their normal conversations, unaware of the unrest in the other Regions. The map of the riots was flashing in and out of my thoughts. Something felt off, it didn't make sense that the bloodlines would riot. There spending did get cut, but it had also gotten cut in the past, it didn't make sense they would riot now. I looked around at my empty round table and sighed, there wasn't even anyone here to share my thoughts with.

Rye was off handling the guards with Jase. Which I couldn't say I was too disappointed that he wasn't eating here. After that conversation I would need at least a few more hours before I dealt with him again. When I said everything else is pretend right. I wanted him to tell me no. I wanted him to scream that it wasn't the case, but I was wrong. I knew he didn't feel it too, that he was just using me too. Nina and Isla were with each other, taking their morning walk. They had been spending so much time together recently that I hadn't seen either of them since we had arrived. It made me miss my closest friend. I guess I would be eating breakfast alone, with myself as my company. I had been alone of a job for hours on end, I knew how to pass the time.

I used to play a game with Lelon were we would count how many weapons some had stashed on their person. I glanced around the room letting my eyes wonder, getting lost in the white noise of the room. My eyes scanned along the room until my eye caught on a girl with beautifully tanned skin that provided a stark opposition from the white of her dress. I recognized her from the Ball from the first night, she was girl talking to Rye, the fiancée to the Heir of the Metallum Region, Autumn was her name. I watched as she was absently checking to see if her dagger was still on her leg.

One.

There was a slight ripple in the side of her dress on the bodice. The stitching wasn't in a straight line. Considering she was competing for the title of High Goddess that ripple wouldn't be there unless it was for a reason.

Two.

The way that her legs were crossed made me a little cautious. The top of her leg was sitting flush to the bottom leg. From the knee down they were flush tighter, but at the top the fabric rippled inward suggesting that they weren't sitting flush. I was guessing she had another knife there too.

Three.

Since she was from the Metallum region having metal attached to you was practically a must have at all times. I watched as she used her powers to twist the fork into animals, the other guests around her watched intently. From the way she looked so effortless in doing so told me that twisting the fork was the least she could do. I would be sure to keep her on my list of competitors to watch out for.

"You are staring pretty hard." A voice next to me shocked me out of my trance. I had been so focused on Autumn; I didn't notice Gale had sat next to me. "Are you planning your revenge for her talking to Rye last night." I groaned.

"I was playing a game I used to play when I was being trained." I turned away from the Metallum girl and back to my now, table of two.

"And what game was that?" He said smirking that smile that always told me when he was in a flirting mood, which seemed to be all the time.

"I was trying to count how many weapons someone has on them. See that girl there," I pointed to the Autumn. "She has four on her." He looked away from me and squinted his eyes on her. He shook his head in slow deliberation.

"No, no way. She has no more than one on her, if that." He faced back to me with a smile on his face.

"I've never lost this game." I smiled and leaned back in my chair, maybe it was my attention to detail or maybe it was the fact that humans are so very predictable.