Foreigner of Fire

22 - The Agreement

"You're right. He has lost it..." Hecate mumbled when Lily sat beside her at breakfast. "He tried to rape me."

"What?!" Lily, Aliyah and Gunther all hissed at the same time.

"I'm not joking." Hecate nodded seriously. "I went in there to confront him. He wasn't there. So I started snooping around. He caught me snooping. He was pretty furious and tried to harass me."

"That doesn't sound like him, according to Lily." Aliyah pointed her fork at Lily. It didn't seem like Ash at all. Then again, the confession last night wasn't exactly what she would call 'like Ash' either.

"You never really know a person's true colors." Lily shrugged. Outside the cabin, Ash watched Lily eat with Hecate and his face reddened in anger. So that was what her game was.

Last night had been a mistake. After Lily turned him out, he thought he could drown it out in another girl. But he couldn't stop thinking about her the whole time. Ash took out his phone and dialed a number.

"Hello?" The voice on the other line was coarse, as if sick. They immediately cleared their throats and said again. "Hello?"

"Hello, brother. Have you received my little present?" Ash asked.

"Of course I have. Not a very funny joke, you asshole." His younger brother fumed.

"I sent you a letter. Have you read it?"

"Yeah...?"

"I hope you carry it out." Ash threatened.

"You have my word." He could literally hear the smirk growing on his brother's lips.

• A PEREGRINO IGNIS •

Ash pulled Hecate by the arm as soon as she was out of the cafeteria. His silver eyes burned through her blue ones. She seemed scared, like a rabbit caught in line of fire.

"Hello, Hecate." Ash began, sporting a passive aggressive smile. "Remember Lily's beautiful painting of Jesus? Yeah, the one you shat on." Ash grinned. "I've found a perfect use for the painting." He smiled at her again.

"What...?" Hecate seemed taken aback.

"Have you ever told anyone who you lost your virginity to?" Ash raised his eyebrows.

"That boy in 9th grade – " she blurted.

"That little lie is what everyone else fell for." Ash's eyes darkened. His whole eyes began to turn dark – literally. "It was your own daddy, wasn't it?"

"Shut up!" Hecate shrieked. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You know what I'm talking about. Your precious daddy and his friends messed you up. Stole you of your innocence when you were just 15 years old – "

"They raped me." Hecate announced smugly.

"No, no, darling. You went to them. They didn't rape you. You had fun doing that, didn't you. Rich, old men. Showered you in money." Ash chuckled. "But your father had extra special treatment from his little princess; like that night when you two fucked right as your mother slept on the other side of the bed."

"How – " her eyes widened in horror.

"How do I know this?" He let go of her hand. "I'm clairvoyant." Ash winked and his smile faded. "I know a lot more about you, Hecate. So many scandalous sex stories your career will spiral down faster than you can hop on the next dick you find." He stepped closer to her and Hecate took a step back in fear. "You'll do well in keeping away from Lily, and I will keep my end of the promise."

"O – Okay." She stammered.

"Stay away from us." He threatened. Hecate hurried off, revealing Lily, who stood at the doorway to the cafeteria, staring at him with an expression he couldn't read.

Lily was confused. Last night, he had sounded absolutely deranged – but as she listened to him spill out Hecate's deepest sexual secrets, Lily had to think twice about his claims. She walked towards Ash and inhaled deeply.

"Who is the king of the demons, again?" She raised her eyebrows at him. A wave of relief washed over him as he realized she was talking to him again.

"One of the 7 princes of hell," Ash began. "I am Asmodeus, prince of lust and king of the demons."