A Thorny Tale

A Thorny Tale: Part five

Chapter Twenty-three

Ashton

I was sitting inside the carriage and I was being subjected to some recalcitrant looks heading my way from the other two occupants of the vehicle. I sighed and looked down at my mate Briar who's head I have laid down in my lap like a pillow on top of my folded jacket to make her more comfortable as she still remains asleep. The crystal was still tinged a dark pink at one end as the other end was beginning to pale.

I bit the inside of my cheek and decided I would try again with my line of questioning for the women who glared angrily at me. It was hard for me to tell if it was because of my close contact with Briar that was riling them up more or my questions that went unanswered. But I decided I was going to try acting reasonably towards these women and show them that we weren't the bad guys here and try to win their trust a little by the end of the day because I was the 'nice' one out of us three.

'I know that where you came from and that of most of the world around us would seize anyone for all their worth if they had even a whiff of being a half Fae about them,' I began to say again and at that point I felt an air of menace at my words and I was beginning to feel drained at having to keep repeating myself here, 'but we're not like that. The place we're heading to will show you that I promise,' I tell Mistress Garnet and Courtesan Ruby but they hold themselves stiffly and their eyes are narrowed in anger towards me.

'You know it's we who should be the angry ones at you for hiding the fact that our mate was seriously ill and nearly died because of your protectiveness and dealing with everything in secret yourselves,' I point out to them a bit snidely and I watch them flinch slightly in response to my words. I feel a little satisfaction now, knowing that my words have hit home and that these two obstinate ladies actually do understand how serious this all was.

When I had carried Briar back to the waiting carriage this morning, Mistress Garnet and Courtesan Ruby had been frantically looking for Briar all over. Raine outright snarled at them not to touch Briar when they rushed towards her and I told him to take a walk to cool off while I explained to them both that we knew everything for certain now about Briar, thanks to our expert mender and her mate Lucas revealing her childhood origins. I also revealed to them our newly discovered mate status to Briar and Mistress Garnet narrowed her eyes in disbelief as she saw my brand but her daughter Ruby just looked at it in confusion obviously not knowing what it was.

'You don't have to do everything now by yourselves, you can ask for our help and we will gladly do so and accept you for who you are and not just because you're our mate's chosen family but because it's our life's goal to help people like Briar and you,' I let that comment hang in the air between us as an invitation to open up to me and Ruby just scoffs and looks away. Her mother just looks at me and continues too until Briar mumbles something and she breaks our stare down for us both as we check Briar over and see if she needs anything but she's still fast asleep.

'You're lucky it's me and not Ryo sitting here as he's in a real bad mood right now because he learnt that his mate was being secretly fed Janus root for five years without her knowledge as a child and it seems to have crippled Briar's gift for mending at the very least,' I drawl at them to emphasise this next part, 'Ryo is re-ally against the use of Janus root.'

Ruby shares an indecipherable look with her mother who faintly frowns too, looking disturbed about something. I decide to press on, discerning the first chink in their armour now. 'We know someone has been looking after Briar, shielding and teaching her how to use her abilities,' I prompt, 'someone who would already know about such things,' I hint at and begin again to stare pointedly at Mistress Garnet to dare her to say something, anything.