Power and ash fear and f.., p.1
Power and Ash (Fear and Fire Book 2), page 1
POWER AND ASH
FEAR AND FIRE
BOOK TWO
B.B. SALEM
Power and Ash is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names and events are the products of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously.
Copyright © 2023 by B.B. Salem
All rights reserved. Neither this book, nor any parts within it may be sold or reproduced in any form without permission.
Cover art, end paper art & chapter art by Till & Dill
Formatting and design by B.B. SALEM
Paperback ISBN: 978-9-0832650-3-2
Hardback ISBN: 978-9-0832650-4-9
To my husband (yes, again)
Who I pretend is an elf prince because he treats me like his queen
CONTENTS
Power and Ash
Also by B.B. Salem
Trigger warning
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Epilogue
POWER AND ASH
By B.B. Salem
ALSO BY B.B. SALEM
Fear and Fire duology
Fear and Fire
Power and Ash
TRIGGER WARNING
This book contains mentions of abuse and violence commonly found in fantasy books. There are also actions of assault and unwanted physical touching.
CHAPTER ONE
It has been two weeks since my life took a turn for the worst. Two weeks since Prince Iolas betrayed me, yet again, and got engaged to Princess Tenisa at the King’s Annual Celebration. Pretty and perfect Tenisa wrapped around Iolas’ arm with a charming smile across her porcelain skin. Even her name annoys me. Two weeks since I revealed myself as heir to the throne of Iriha after Reagan tried to release the Vannari back into the realm and failed. But also two weeks since I let fear consume me.
In the last few days, I have become more and more distant, even around my sister Rina. I haven’t even left my quarters and try to avoid everyone as much as I can. Thankfully no one is to see me before my coronation except Rina and my maids, so I don’t have to pretend to enjoy any of my new duties just yet.
Pushing my head off my pillow, I stretch my neck. My head is filled with pressure, and my eyes can barely open.
Sleep has been… tiring. Ironic. I feel empty, heavy-eyed, most of the time. But when it is time to sleep, my mind starts playing parts of the last few months over and over and over. It is a vicious cycle I haven’t been able to crack. The nightmares that consume me are mostly of my parents’ deaths and Reagan, but for some reason, Iolas seems to make an appearance more and more. As if I don’t despise him enough, my dreams make sure I am tormented by the memory of his face. Mostly I’d like to forget he ever existed, but that seems like wishful thinking.
A knock on the door startles me, and I climb out of my bed to stride to the door. I wasn’t expecting my bedroom to be so big when I first moved in. Bernard, my steward, showed me my private quarters on one of the top floors of the castle, and at first, I was hesitant to take it as it was also the quarters King Almar, my birth father, once occupied. But having my private place so far away from everyone else makes up for it.
I changed everything I could, such as the bedding and some of the chairs and tables. Preferably, I would change the entire quarters and make it a burning shade of red with more modest furniture, but Bernard has advised me not to do that. Tensions are already high, given that some of the staff think I killed my father for the throne. They hate me for it. The other half is either happy he is dead or scared of what I’ll do to them.
“Your majesty, the tailor is here,” Bernard announces as he dips his head.
In the last two weeks, I still haven’t gotten used to the ‘your majesties and my queens’.
I let out a tiring sigh. “Let her in.”
The door swings open, and I see my head maid, Airin, walk next to a woman with a modest brown dress and perfectly pinned-back hair. She has a sharp nose, small eyes, and high cheekbones. She appears to be around fifty years old, as the side of her auburn hair has already turned gray. Around her neck is a measuring tape, and her dress is covered in clips and needles. Behind her are two girls who look to be her helpers.
The tailor bows deeply. “My queen, it is an honor.” The two girls follow her lead.
I knew the tailor would be here today, but I still get a pit in my stomach when she looks at me. In three days, my coronation will take place, and that brings the painful memory of my birth mother’s death with it. I will be crowned Queen of Iriha in the same castle where I watched my brother, shape shifted into Iolas, shoot an arrow right in her chest.
“Edna has served many of the royal family, even your mother,” Airin says with an endearing smile.
A part of me wants to ask her about my birth mother, but I can’t find myself to bring it up.
The last two weeks just felt… empty. My heart is drained, and my emotions all bottled up. It feels like every day is the same; all I am doing is surviving instead of living.
The only good thing that has come from this is that I don’t let myself feel things. No love, no pain, nothing.
I nod as I sit on one of the stools of my room while the tailor’s helpers bring in dress after dress for me to try on. With tired eyes and a tight lip I watch them turn my living room into a mess. Shoes, jewelry, and the mountain of dresses are scattered throughout the room.
“Do not worry, your majesty, I will make you custom dresses,” Edna says, trying to soften the look on my face. “This is just to see what will suit you best.” I force a smile. I don’t care about a custom dress. I don’t care about any of it. I just want them to leave me alone.
The tailor gestures for me to get up and stand in front of my huge mirror, right on top of a small platform.
She brings a blue ball gown with a tapered waist and short capped sleeves and helps me in it. Then she murmurs something to herself before taking it off and bringing another blue dress to try on. This one darker, with a low waist and three quarter sleeves.
I stand in silence, letting Edna put on dress after dress while fiddling with body, tugging on my arms and waist. With every new dress, comes its own matching jewelry set. Earrings, a necklace, and a bracelet or two.
Finally, she claps her hand, and her two maids clear out of my room. She takes off the last dress and hands me my robe. Exhausted, I swing it around my body, tying the gold cincture in the front. I have been standing for hours, and even though my body is not tired at all, my mind feels like a brick wall has crushed it.
“Your majesty, I will have your dress ready the day after tomorrow. We will be back for the final fitting,” Edna says with a sharpness in her tone.
In the back of my mind, I want to ask her what she is making, even tell her some of my own ideas. But I can’t be bothered. To be honest, I don’t really care what I wear. I don’t even want to be crowned queen.
She stares at me, blinking a few times with her mouth slightly parted.
“Oh yes,” I say with a heaviness in my tone. “You are excused.” I keep forgetting to excuse everyone, and then they stand there, staring at me until I say those magic words. You are excused. The first few days were especially bad. I once had a maid stand outside my bedroom for half a day before I walked past her and asked what she was doing there. Shaking and tired, she told me she was waiting to be excused. The worst part of it all is that I didn’t even feel guilty. I just told her to go and never looked back. I didn’t even apologize.
After bowing again, she finally leaves my room. With a sigh, I let my body fall on one of the couches in my room. The living room of my quarters is filled with royal blue chairs and couches as well as lavish paintings and plants. The walls are beige, and the curtains a lighter shade of blue. I look out the dome-shaped windows and can barely see the mountains— the ones separating Vouhan and Ir
“Why so sad, my queen?” Airin asks as she sets a tea tray on the side table next to me.
“It’s nothing. I’m just tired.” I let my face fall onto my hand, rubbing my temples to eliminate the constant pressure.
“But you just slept.”
Tried to sleep, I want to correct her. Nightmares don’t make for a peaceful sleep.
“Yes, and I’m still tired,” I say with an annoyed tone.
Her lips part before smiling with angst in her hazel-shaped eyes. Locks of her raven hair turn a deep shade of chestnut brown when she steps back into a ray of sunlight. “I added some calming herbs to your tea.” She clasps her hands in front of her dress. “You seemed to like it last time.”
I take a deep breath. “Thank you.” Grabbing the tea with one hand, I place it on my lap. “You are excused.”
Airin is the one that made my days here bearable when my father locked me up. Back then, I stayed at one of the royal chambers in the levels below. Her kindness, and her willingness to help me, forced me to keep my sanity.
But for some reason, I can’t pull up the gratitude I feel. She has been great the last two weeks, but I can also tell she isn’t really comfortable with me.
“Thank you, your majesty.” With a dip of the head, she leaves me.
Staring outside again, my mind wanders to Tursys, my mighty dragon. I can feel him faintly in the back of my mind, feeling as lonely as I. I wished I could have brought him here. But with the court already against me, I feel it would only worsen things. Not only the court, the people in Asmere probably aren’t waiting for a fire-spewing dragon. I haven’t been outside the castle, but Rina overheard some maids speaking about how the people in Iriha are on edge. With King Almar dead and his daughter, that has been absent all her life, taking over the throne, they aren’t that content.
I don’t blame them. They’ve seen me once, and that was when my father advocated for me. Practically forcing the people to accept me. And they listened to him quite well, even though many people feared him.
Mostly the ones living on the outer edge of Iriha, like I once did, suffer the consequences. The closer to the castle, the more loyal and rich his subjects are.
It didn’t come as a surprise when Rina also overheard that some towns near the edge have rebelled against the army. Now that the king is dead, it seems everyone is uncertain of the future. Even me.
Pulling my head back on the couch, I let my tea turn cold in my hand as I close my eyes and drift off.
CHAPTER TWO
A loud bang on my door wakes me up. Tea has spilled all over my robe; some even leaked on the couch.
“Yes?” I ask, my voice husky.
“Dinner, your majesty. And your sister is here.”
I close my eyes again, saying, “Come in.”
I have told everyone repeatedly to let Rina in without a hassle, but they keep asking permission for her to enter.
Rina barges in, jaw clenched as she makes her way toward me. Her hair is a mess, and she is dressed as I remember her. Like the Rina back at our barn. No ball gown or flowy day dress.
“Where were you?”
An annoying huff leaves her lips. “I love you, but those guards of yours really make me want to punch them.”
“I told them already to let you in.”
Cecilia, another one of my maids, sets the plate of food on my table before standing in place.
“You are excused,” I say with gritted teeth. She bows and walks off.
“I see this annoys you just as much as it does me,” Rina says while sitting next to me on the couch.
“Very much so.” I take a deep breath and pull a few strands of hair out of my face. “Now tell me, where were you?”
I haven’t seen her all day, and normally, she would come to see me in the morning. Especially if something like a dress fitting would be happening.
She blushes as she says, “Brun took me to see the towns around Asmere.”
“Really? And how was it?”
“The stores are huge here. We went to a tailor, a bookshop, and even a pastry shop. The food… it all tastes so different here. More expensive.” She pulls her lips with a satisfying nod.
“Well, you need to get used to it now that you are a royal, too,” I say with a smile. A real smile, not one that I have to force around everyone else. Even if my emotions are very much buried away, Rina seems to be the one to always spark something in me.
“How could I forget, your majesty.” She bursts out a laugh. One that I have missed so much the last few days.
“Stay for dinner?”
“I can’t. Brun is taking me to meet his grandfather.”
I’m unsure if it is because she is leaving me alone, or because she is spending so much time with Brun, but my smile seems to drift away. “Oh, that’s exciting. I’m happy for you.”
His grandfather owns a few places throughout the land. One being their cottage in the Dark Forest, another here in Asmere.
“Really? You should tell your face that.”
“I’m sorry, I’ve been—”
“Tired, I know.”
Seems like I have been giving the same excuse for a while. And even if it is not a lie, it is only half of the truth. Part of me just can’t get over what happened with Iolas. Mostly because I can’t understand why it happened. And the lack of closure is probably worse than the betrayal.
“Well, I won’t keep you from your plans,” I say as I push myself off the couch.
Rina gets up herself and grabs my shoulder. “I can stay with you for a little while.”
“I know you can, but you should go and have fun.” I pop my shoulders. “At least one of us should.”
“Alina…”
I look away. “Just go.”
I don’t want to make her feel guilty for leaving, yet I do it anyway. She deserves to live a normal life where she experiences all that our realm has to offer. She only has so many years, whereas I have an eternity to be a queen.
With a sigh, I make my way to the door, holding it open for her to leave.
“Alright, but tomorrow maybe we can explore the castle. Have some fun.”
“Maybe,” I say softly. This time, my smile is forced.
She throws me a half smile in return, pity behind her eyes. “I love you.”
“Always,” I respond as she walks into the hall. I close the door and put my back against it.
Looking up at the large table in the middle of the room, I decide it’s best to try and eat. If only to keep my maids from asking if I’m alright again. I have lost a bit of weight in the last two weeks, and I don’t want any more attention on me. The less I’m noticed, the better.
“Your majesty, why aren’t you ready yet?” I hear faintly as I try to open my eyes.
“What?”
Head pounding, I lift myself from my pillow.
“You know you are to meet the Royal Court of Iriha today,” Airin says while opening up my drapes. The light crashes into my eyes, and I have to fight to keep them open.
