Shatter Like Glass-Cinderella Retold

Part Forty-Nine

Once they were outside the prison, Ashen found it difficult to leave her father. She wanted to help Jag, and she knew she needed to make sure Peder was alright. But after so long worrying for George, it was hard to stop. Especially while he would be alone with Markael. She had no way to know whether her brother really would take George to The Jolly Roger. Even if he did, what if Markael attacked her crew? Or Alena and Veida? Ashen winced, thinking of what her aunt would think when she saw her husband's murderer.

She frowned. What would Alena think when she saw George? For years she'd thought George kidnapped her sister. Now that she knew the truth, what would she do?

Ashen shook her head. That didn't matter now. She needed to make sure Jag and Peder were alright. They needed to defeat the Kingslayers and leave Calarian before the Council discovered what she'd done at the prison.

Glancing again at Markael, Ashen whispered to George, "Don't let him out of your sight, and be careful."

To her brother, she said, "You won't let anything happen to him?"

He scowled. "Never."

Ashen glanced at George, then tore off in the direction of the palace. The trek through the forest seemed to take longer this time, even though she was running. Ashen's muscles grew weaker with each minute. She'd felt her strength leaving her slowly since she broke George out of his cell. Exhaustion now flooded her. The strength spell she'd cast had worn off completely, taking most of her strength with it. She grimaced. Usually she ended fights before her spells fully drained her. What if Jag needed her help? What if he and his men were dying and she couldn't help them?

She felt a twinge of guilt that she had not been there to help them. She had seen Peder lying unconscious on the ground and had walked past him. She had known that Jag would be in danger—that he was risking his men's lives for her and her father—yet she chose to abandon him. Ashen allowed them to suffer to protect the Weavers while she cut through the Weaver guards. She had to make it up to them. She would do something, anything, to repay them. She'd promised Jag money, but she owed him more than that.

She emerged from the woods in front of the stone wall surrounding the grounds. Peering over it, she saw dozens fighting. More Frost Weavers had joined the palace guards. Still though, the Kingslayers would've outnumbered them if not for the men clad in Emerald, black, and gold. The Viridian reinforcements must have arrived after she left. The Viridians and the Weavers were making quick work of their attackers. The white-haired warriors reminded her of the prison guards she'd killed. The Weavers hadn't been particularly difficult to overpower, so why were they cutting through the Kingslayers so easily?

These men are all human, she realized. Powerless.

Had Smiegal sent his feebler forces? Or had Peder's and Jag's men already cut through the strongest fighters? Perhaps both. Smiegal may have instructed his more powerful fighters to attack first and the humans to follow.

Relieved not to see anyone she recognized lying on the ground amongst the dead, she heaved herself over the wall. Her muscles screamed at the effort. Ashen panted, clutching her side. She blinked several times. She needed to rest. The magic had drained her completely; she couldn't afford to get into another fight. But she couldn't just leave. She needed to find Peder and tell him what she'd done—and her intent to flee the kingdom. Then she needed to go to the stronghold, help Jag and his men, and convince them to escape the capital with her. The Council already didn't like him; she wasn't going to leave him to face their wrath at her betrayal.

Ashen peered around, searching for where she'd seen Peder lying earlier. He wasn't there, but she couldn't see him among the fighters surrounding her. Was he still unconscious, or had something worse happened?