White Roses a.b

chapter 41

'I'm sorry. I'm so sorry,' she said, her voice muffled against Andy's shoulder, her arms like vices around his neck. She didn't know where he was taking her to. She could feel the evening air on her hot skin. She could hear his heavy breathing – he was running, with her and all her crinoline in his arms. 'I thought I could do it. I thought I could marry him and give you what you want, but it's not what I want, Andy, you must know that—'

'It's all right, Ash. It's going to be all right.'

He came to a stop and sank down to his knees, cradling her in his lap.

Untangling her arms, Ashley looked up. At her Joker. Her Rook. Ash pressed her hands against his face and saw it instantly. The openness in his eyes, the tenderness.

'I choose you,' she repeated. The words tasted like sugar.

His jaw twitched and with his free hand he grasped her fingers, keeping them pressed against his face. 'Ash, you have to be sure.' His voice was thick, practically choking. 'Raven gave me the idea. I wouldn't have thought of it otherwise, and I . . . I don't think you're going to like what I have to say. It isn't too late. They already believe I have you under some spell, it would be easy to persuade them—'

'Wait.' Ash's hands slid down his cheeks, reaching for the collar of his tunic instead. 'You said we could be together. We can save Chess and I'll have my bakery and—'

He nodded. 'It's true. I think it will work.'

'You think?'

Tilting forward, Andy buried his face into her neck. He was shaking as hard as she was. 'It won't be easy. And you can still change your mind. The King will still want you, I know he will, and I'll leave you be, you and your heart, I promise. I couldn't do it anyway, Ash. I couldn't take it from you.'

His words dug into her chest. She stared past him, seeing the white rose tree where she'd seen him that first night. He'd brought her to the gardens.

They would be followed. Probably the guards were already searching for them. She doubted it would take long for them to be found.

Stomach twisting, she shoved Andy away and scrambled out of his hold. She tried to stand but her legs were too weak and she collapsed back down to the grass. 'You gave me a choice and I made it. How could you even suggest I change it now?'

Andy tried to string his hands through his hair but found his joker hat in the way. Ripping it off, he threw it on the ground. The bells clinked once, dejectedly, before falling silent. 'Because you have to be sure. Because it will kill me if you come to regret this, to know that you gave up everything the King was offering and it was my fault.'

The cold air stung her throat, but she couldn't stop gasping for breath. Clenching her jaw, she shoved him as hard as she could. Andy fell on to his side in the grass.

'You idiot. I don't want him or what he's offered me, and I never have. I don't want to be the stupid Queen!'

'I know. I know that, Ash. That's why you might regret this.'

She gaped at him and started to shake her head. 'It won't take them long to find us here. Just tell me. What was this idea Raven had?'

Andy glanced up and Ash startled upon spying Raven among the roses.

'There is a law in Chess,' Andy said, drawing her attention back to him, 'that a pawn who can make it through the enemy's territory, all the way to the border, can become a queen.'

She frowned.

'Come back with me.' Andy pushed himself back to his knees and wrapped Ash's hands in his. 'We can get you to the border – Hatta, Raven, and I – and you can be a queen, and you can lead us to victory, Ash, I know it.'