Kingdom of Ash

face toward Ansel. To meet her heavy stare.
She blinked once, the only confirmation she
could bother to make.
Ansel reached for Manon’s slice of bread,
pulling off a chunk and eating it. “We can
share it, you know. The Wastes. If you break
that curse.”
Down the long table, some of the witches
tensed, but did not look toward them.
Ansel went on, “I’ll honor the old borders
of the Witch Kingdom, but keep the rest.” The
queen rose, taking Manon’s bread with her.
“Just something to consider, should the
opportunity arise.” Then she was gone,
swaggering off to her own cluster of
remaining soldiers.
Manon hadn’t stared after her, but the
words, the offer, had lingered.
To share the land, reclaim what they’d had
but not the entirety of the Wastes ... Bring