Shadows of Demise (The Warrior Angels Trilogy - Book 3)

Chapter Fourteen

Franco lunged forward, snatching Ashton by the collar of his shirt. Then he pulled him closer and spat in his face, demanding to know how Ashton dared to come back here.

Ashton kept his face stoic as he responded. "I was asked for my assistance."

"What kind of assistance could you even offer? You were always the weakest link."

"If that's so, why are you even threatened?"

Franco's right eye twitched. He pushed Ashton backwards and snarled at Richard. "Why am I surprised you betrayed me by asking him to come here?"

Richard sighed and folded his arms across his chest. "You were a fool for ever thinking I would side with you on anything. Captain or not, we do not have the same beliefs, and I will not pretend to impress or satisfy anyone."

"He murdered Captain Alvarez, and I know you helped him bury the body, Richard. I can say the word and the two of you will be hanged."

Ashton removed the hood from his head and snickered. Franco widened his eyes even more—they practically bulged out of his head.

"Why do you believe you have such power?" Ashton asked him. "You're simply a man with a title."

Then Franco paled. Yet he still attempted to grit his teeth. "Ah, so the scared little boy finally found some courage."

"You can go ahead and run to the Queen Mother now, Franco. Tell her everything and feel proud of yourself. But I believe you are going to want to stand down and let me fight this fight with everyone."

"You can't fight. You're clumsy—" Franco choked on his words as Ashton grabbed his arm and flipped him around, pushing him up against the wall. Franco grunted then huffed.

Ashton unsheathed his dagger and held it near the side of Franco's neck. "I've learned a few things during my time away."

"You're going to kill me like you killed Alvarez?"

"No. I came here to speak with you without fighting. You chose to strike first. I'm only defending myself as I had with him."

Franco tried using his free arm to hit him, and Ashton released him entirely. He slid his dagger back into its holster and came face-to-face with Franco again. Although Franco's face remained red and he continued to breathe heavily, he walked into his study. Ashton looked at Richard.

"This is going far differently than I imagined," Richard said.

Ashton entered and nearly tripped over his own feet when he looked down at the floor.

A tear trickled down Ashton's cheek, dripping onto Alvarez's head. He sniffled and pushed Alvarez aside, watching him fall onto the floor with a thud. Alvarez clutched the hilt—the only part of his sword still sticking out of his chest—and then his eyes fluttered shut before he did anything with it.

"Ashton?" Richard addressed, touching his back.

Ashton cleared his throat and straightened up. He then stared forward at Franco.

"This is only your opportunity to convince me not to send you both to the dungeon to rot," Franco warned.

"No matter what happens here, Richard will not be punished for anything," Ashton said.

"He helped you."

"It was wrong of me to ask him to."

"Pardon me." Richard raised his hands, looking back and forth between them. "Do you mind not speaking about me as if I'm not here?"

"He walks free," Ashton said to Franco. "You've allowed him to get this far all these years."

Although Franco puckered his lips like he was disgusted by the whole ordeal, he nodded.

"I want to fight in this war," Ashton continued. "I should've returned the moment I learned about it. The only reason I didn't is because my wife told me she was pregnant."

Franco raised his eyebrows. "Your wife?"

"I decided to stay for her and our daughters. But I knew I couldn't stay any longer when I received the letter from Richard. I can do this. I can fight."

"That is not enough to convince me to forgive a murderer."

Ashton inhaled through his nose. "I did not murder him, Franco. He tried to murder me."

"Or so you say." Franco rose from his chair and smirked at Ashton. "How awful of you to take his life. He was your father's best friend and he loved you like you were his own son."

Ashton clenched his jaw.

"He never had children of his own. You were the closest thing he had to family here. And you betrayed—" Franco paused when Ashton groaned and banged his fists down on the desk, rattling the inkwell and few other trinkets.

"He would've killed me first!" Ashton shouted, pointing to himself. "He would've hurt Beatrice next! What was I supposed to do?"

Franco laughed, and Ashton sneered at him.

"Ah, so this was all because of that whore?"

Ashton wanted to leap over the desk and tackle him to the floor. And perhaps Richard had sensed that for he grabbed Ashton's sleeve. Ashton nodded at Richard then squinted at Franco.

"Do not speak about a lady like that," he hissed. "Your anger with her is that she didn't want you as you had hoped."

"She did not want you either." Franco smiled. "Were you not hopelessly in love with her all those years? She would tell me, too. She thought it was adorable how you looked at her."

Ashton felt his face burn, and he averted his eyes. From his peripheral, he watched Franco move around the desk and stop beside him.

"Even as a married man, do you still think about her?" Franco asked, leaning in closer to Ashton. Then he lowered his voice. "Do you still wonder what it would have been like to taste her lips and touch her bare skin?"

Ashton side-eyed him. "No."

"There are no judgements here—"

"She was my friend, and I was supposed to be her guard. I am here to fulfill my duty."

"How honorable." Franco moved away from him and returned to his chair. He lifted his legs onto the desk, crossing his ankles. "Alright then, Ward. I will give you one chance to prove your worth. Tonight, we shall be marching to the remnants of Celebis Woods. I heard some of those scoundrels were wandering in the area. If you can successfully help us track them and get rid of them, I may allow you to stay."

Richard rolled his eyes. "Not even a guarantee?"

Franco smiled. "He really should impress me to keep my lips sealed." He waved his hands and gestured toward the door. "Now leave me be. I need to finish my preparations."

Ashton attempted to glance at the documents, except Franco shielded them with his arms. Richard nudged Ashton and headed out of the room first. Ashton lingered for a moment, glowering at Franco. He knew how this night would end. Franco wouldn't care either way how well Ashton fought. His decision had already been made. He simply wanted to keep Ashton on the tip of his toes.

Nonetheless, Ashton left with Richard, determined to ready himself for tonight. Whether Franco wanted him to stay or not didn't matter. Ashton would be staying, anyway. He wasn't going home until this was over.

Until Aristol was a safe place for his daughters.