Ash:
💫

Day three of work experience was turning out to be easy. The afternoon rush had died down and the café was empty. Ash was sweeping behind the sandwich bar when she heard the strum of a guitar from the kitchen. Sweeping in that direction, she walked the narrow path between benchtops and stoves and saw Jasper at the end of them, sitting on a crate by the backdoor.

Unaware that Ash was leaning against a wall, Jasper played a few strings that didn't quite work. His fingers hovered over the strings and began to pluck again. This time the music came alive in a dark rock ballad that gave her goosebumps. Jasper hummed a note and sung:

"She's a galaxy far away

And her star a mystery

She will hide and she will lose time

And he'll do everything to bring her back

Oh, she found invisible wings to shoot her up to the skies

Racing through clouds, she never wants to come down

But when she falls the darkness calls

And her mind starts unravelling.

Now he's lost in a dream that she can't escape

Together, they will never leave this place.

Now she hides, hears him call,

'Fly, Little Star. Fly...'"

The notes fell away and Jasper gave up the song. Rapping his thumb against the guitar's body, his eyes widened upon seeing Ash. "That's all I can remember so far..."

"You didn't write it?"

"A friend. He writes half our music."

Ash needed to know the origin of that song. The story was eerily familiar, like her life had been written to music. "One of the guys from Immortal Kiss?"

He shook his head, as if parting with such information would cost him.

"Okay, I'm going to beg." Ash smiled sweetly and clasped her hands in a begging position. It felt beneath her, but some things were worth begging for. "Please?"

"His name is..." Jasper rubbed his jaw. "Al."

"Al?" As in Alründ? They do live in the same house—although I'm not meant to know that. It would explain the lyrics. Crazy that he would reveal secrets like that in a song. Then again, they sound too far-fetched to be real. Alründ would have known that, too.  "Does he have a last name?"

"Why? Are you planning to ditch me and become his number one fan?"

Ash smiled. She was already Alründ's number one fan. "I was just wondering why this Al guy isn't in the band if he writes the music. He can't be tone deaf if he writes a song like that."

"Oh, Al can sing. And he can play guitar like he sold himself to the devil. Actually, if Al was in the band I would be reduced to a backup singer and rhythm guitar."

"No way!" Ash laughed. "No one could front Immortal Kiss but you. You are Immortal Kiss!" But Alründ fronting a band, singing his songs on stage... I would totally go to that show. And he would have to sing that song.

"Thanks, Ashie. Nice to know someone's loyal." He rose from the stool and rested his guitar by the door, staring out at the back alley. There was a broodiness in the way he held himself up, the way his cheeks hollowed as if suddenly bitter.

What if Jasper is telepathic? Maybe his 'loyal' comment was really a dig at my expense. Not that I'd blame him. Jasper is a great lead singer. The best!

"Jasper?" she asked quietly. "That thing about being loyal before... I am, really."

Jasper turned, managing a faint smile. "I know you are."

"Okay, good."

"Just a bit of advice, though."

"What's that?"

"Be careful. You and Alründ."

Ash clenched her teeth into a smile, her hearts' palpating frantically. "How long have you known? The entire work experience or just now?"

"Monday morning. You were clearing a table and daydreaming about the night before."

"I was?" she squeaked. Her shoulders slumped. "Actually, that sounds like me."

He nodded.

"And you're upset that I lied to you about not knowing Alründ, that I imagined him on stage?"

"I get it. I would lie just like you did. And if someone wrote me a song, I would want to hear them sing it, not hear it second hand. That's not why I'm upset. I meant it when I said you were loyal, and with the exception of you and Alründ, I can't say that many other people are."

"That can't be true, Jasper. Everybody who knows you, loves you—"

"Maybe my small-time fans love me, but they don't exactly help with the real stuff, like getting my..." Jasper shoved up his sleeves and rubbed his arms, as if fighting off a chill.

"Tell me."

"Getting my father back."

"He's been taken?"

"Stolen. Lücan's been trying to get him back, but he always comes up empty handed. Alründ has been the only one to come up with a new plan to save my dad. Will was against it, as was Lücan. And I am forbidden to take part in the rescue, which is taking place right this second. They all think I'm an incompetent guard."

"But Alründ doesn't? You said he was loyal."

"Not that loyal."

"Oh." Ash winced. "Is there a difference between a guard and a Sepheri, like Alründ?"

He laughed. "Yes, and I think it would be stupid of me to enlighten you further. If Lücan knew we were having this conversation, I would be stripped of my role and sent back home. My chance at a music career gone. My position guarding the Rendwick family gone. The café gone. I've got too much to lose, and Lücan knows it, too."

"Well, you mustn't be that bad of a guard. Lücan has you protecting my family."

"Any sign of danger and all I have to do is call the 'Sepheri'. I'm like an alarm bell to send in the real troops. I wouldn't have a chance to put my defense training into practice. I don't even have a decent weapon to my name."

"Who needs weapons? There are too many in the world, anyway."

"Thanks for the pep-talk, Ashie."

"Anytime."

Ash missed her training with Will. But he'd tried to kiss her. She'd almost let him. Now that she knew they shared a bond it made sense that she felt connected to him on a deeper level. But that was the bond talking. Training with Will might not be an option. Training with Jasper could work...

Ash smiled. "I think we should put the 'closed' sign on the door and go out into the alley and test your fighting skills. Although, I warn you, I'm only a beginner."

"A beginner who's been training with Will."

"For two weeks! And I haven't seen him since last week, so it won't exactly be a fair fight."

"You're right. But not in the way you think."

"Ah, I will lose easy."

"Let's test out that theory."

"You don't have any problems fighting a girl?"

"Any normal girl—yes. You, you're not normal."

"I seem to be hearing that a lot lately," Ash grumbled.

Jasper pushed the back door open and bounded down the stairs, Ash trailing him. The alley was deserted. Ash began to panic at the absence of training mats. Jasper picked up two broom handles, which Ash suspected had been made into make-shift staffs for the Sepheri to practice with while on duty.

Jasper tossed a staff her way, and Ash caught it before it could strike her nose.

"Change of plans," said Jasper, snatching her staff back. "I just spoke to Lücan. I need to close up shop and cook a fancy dinner for tonight."

"Are you like his personal chef, too?"

"It seems that way," he said. "We are having a dinner party, and you and Marianne are the guests of honor."

"We are?" Ash said, excited. Her excitement descended rapidly. "This is kind of last minute. You don't think Lücan knows about Alründ and me?"

Jasper shrugged, but he looked worried. "For your sake, pray that he's being a friendly neighbor and nothing more. Although, there could be a heap of reasons for inviting you over."

"Let's hope so." Ash smiled weakly. As she helped Jasper close the shop, she wondered what those other reasons might be.

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