RISE OF THE LOST HEIR: ASHES TO EMPIRE

THREE : BLUEWATER NIGHTS

Portland breathed differently at night. By 10 p.m., when most cities were settling down, Northwood Crest’s working neighborhoods Bluewater, were just beginning to stir. Streetlamps flickered on, casting warm halos over cracked sidewalks. Teenagers drifted toward night shifts, night owls clustered around late cafés, and people like Clarie began getting ready for parties that stretched until dawn.

Levi walked down Harborline Street with a takeout bag in one hand and his phone in the other, the cold, almost-winter breeze tugging at his jacket. His breath fogged faintly in the air as he slowed near an intersection, torn between two directions—home to his grandmother, or to the party Clarie had begged him to accompany her to.

He stopped, closing his eyes for a tired second.

He knew the answer. He just didn’t want to say it.

“I’m home!” Levi called as he pushed the door open.

From the living room, a soft voice answered, “Is that you, Levi?”

Martha sat on the couch in darkness, her tiny frame swallowed by her knitted blanket. She looked almost ninety, though she insisted she was 'barely in her late eighties.'

“Grandma, why are you sitting here without the lights?” he asked, setting the food down.

“I was waiting for you,” she chuckled, waving a frail hand. “Then I must have dozed off. How was work? Let me warm something up—”

“No, no.” Levi gently eased her back down when she tried to stand. “I know you don't have the strength to cook and haven’t eaten yet. I got food from Hart’s Diner. Just sit. I’ll serve it.”

He forced a smile, but it didn’t reach his eyes. She felt it immediately.

“What’s wrong, mijo?” she asked quietly. “Did something happen?”

Levi paused. “Why does everyone keep asking me that?”

“Because it shows,” she replied, her old eyes studying him.

He gave a weak laugh. “Really? And now of all days, everyone suddenly becomes observant?”

“It’s because you’ve been hiding it well,” she said softly. “But today, it’s written on your face. Tell me—is it work? That girl? Your friends? Or is it that man who keeps asking you for favors, because I swear to God—”

“Grandma!” Levi cut in. “Nothing happened. Please don’t work yourself up.”

“You can’t cheat nature, Levi.” Her voice trembled slightly. “One day, you’ll break from carrying everything alone. If you’re hurting, tell me, let someone in.”

He sighed, giving up the act, and sat beside her.

“Grandma… I promise, if anything is wrong, you’ll be the first to know.”

She nodded.

He stood to get the food, but then hesitated.

“Actually… there is something bothering me.”

Her head lifted.

“Your health. Please, can we—”

“Oh, Levi, give it a rest,” she groaned. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Grandma, you need to see the doctor. Before it gets worse.”

“And I said no. Levi, we don’t have money to waste—”

“It’s not a waste,” he snapped. “You’re my responsibility—”

She slammed her weak palm on the armrest. “And What do you know about responsibility? You are my responsibility. Your mother left you to me. Not the other way around. You’re scared of losing another person—I know—but you can’t stop life, mijo. This sickness came to take, and you should be ready.”

“That’s not fair!”

“Life is not fair, mijo.” Her eyes softened painfully. “Sometimes I think I’m the reason you suffer. You should live like a normal young man—go out, have fun, make mistakes, get in trouble. But all you do is work and worry. This town has clipped your wings, and I’m the reason.”

“And I’m not complaining, Grandma. You’re all I have. Should I do nothing and just watch you die because you say so? I’ll take care of you because you’re my family.”

“And add more debt to you. And what happens when taking care of me breaks you? And what happens when taking care of me breaks you? Enough! Let’s eat,” she said, turning to her plate.

He clenched his fists, trapped— angry and helpless all at once. Martha looked up at his expression and saw his pain.

She finally sighed.

“Maybe… after your afternoon job tomorrow, I’ll go to the hospital with you,” she said softly.

Levi’s eyes widened, almost tearing up. “Really?”

“Yes,” she nodded. “We’ll go together.”

SUNCREST AVENUE

Suncrest Avenue, where Elsa lived, was home to the working and middle-class families of Northwood Crest. Elsa’s family was loving, kind, and unpretentious. Unlike Clarie, Elsa mingled freely with people from all walks of life. She worked at the Maple Lane Diner, her aunt’s diner, which was well-known for being welcoming to everyone.

“Eli! What is it now?” Elsa whined as her older brother playfully pushed her forward.

“I got you something,” he said with dramatic pride. “It’ll be delivered any minute.”

“You? Getting me something?” she scoffed. “Right.”

“Who else would I spoil if not my beautiful little sister?”

“Maybe the girls on Allen Street you flirt with?”

“What—wha—don’t say that!” he yelped.

Before the squabble could continue, a familiar voice interrupted.

“Elsa!”

She froze. Turned. “Levi… hi.”

Eli brightened. “Yo! Leevi! What’s good, man?”

“It’s Levi,” Levi corrected with a small laugh. “I believe this delivery is yours. Just sign here.”

Elsa’s and Eli’s smiles evaporated instantly.

“You work at Arden Express?” Eli asked feeling bad.

“Yeah. Delivery shifts in the morning.” Levi held out the clipboard. “Please sign.”

Elsa shot her brother a death glare.

Eli panicked. “Bro—I didn’t know you worked there. I didn’t mean—”

“It’s fine,” Levi assured him. “You just gave me more pay. It’s all good.”

Elsa’s glare made Eli uncomfortable. He sheepishly apologized. Levi accepted the signature, handed over the package, and mounted his bike.

Elsa followed him, calling softly, “I’m sorry about earlier…” “I know you already have a lot going on. And I know coming to this side of town stresses you out—I didn’t know i would have picked it up myself—”

“Hey, he wanted to suprise you, it's fine– Sometimes it’s nice that you know me so well.” He gave her a tired, real smile. “See you later.”

She watched him drive off, holding her breath until he vanished.

Eli nudged her. “In my defense… I didn’t know your crush was the one coming.”

“Leave me alone,” she snapped.

Later that day, Levi was heading home to his next job at the construction site, when he spotted Clarie outside a pub with a group of unfamiliar guys—rough-looking, careless, nothing like the crowd she usually claimed to avoid.

“Clarie?” he called.

She turned. Her expression shifted sharply. “Let’s go, guys,” she muttered, walking away.

He followed, uneasy.

She reached the doorway of some dingy apartment before he grabbed her arm.

“Levi! What the hell?!” she snapped.

“Why are you here? Who are these guys?”

“Oh my God, look at you acting like my boyfriend.”

“Am I not?”

“You tell me! If you were, you’d have shown up at the party last night. But you didn’t. So I made new friends.”

“Clarie, my grandmother—she isn’t well—”

“Yes, Levi, I KNOW,” she groaned loudly. “Your grandmother, your grandmother, always your grandmother. Sometimes I wonder if it’s even true.”

His eyes widened. “Why would I lie about something like that?”

“You tell me.”

He stepped back, a bitter ache crawling through him. “Why did you even agree to be with me… if you knew of how my life was?”

“Because you asked,” she shrugged. “And I thought it would be temporary. You were the cutest, sweetest guy who ever asked me out—you still are. I just need more. Prove you’re worthy of me.”

He froze.

Worthy?

“Babe, go to work,” she added, patting his chest. “I’ll meet you at Maple Lane Diner tonight.”

Then she walked in, leaving him cold.

The dingy house reeked of cheap perfume, sweat, and spilled beer. Clarie had spent the past hour draped over the laps of boys she barely knew, laughing louder than necessary and pretending she wasn’t thinking about Levi at all.

Her phone buzzed.

A message.

Clarie’s eyes brightened instantly, a grin tugging at her lip.

Maybe Levi finally came to his senses.

Maybe he planned a surprise.

Maybe he actually wanted to make her feel special. Or so we thought.

She stood up, smoothing her too-short dress down her thighs and blowing exaggerated kisses to the guys she arrived with.

“Later, boys,” she winked, heels cracking against the concrete floor as she left.

She practically floated out of the house, her excitement almost childish.

By the time she reached the intersection, she flagged down a cab and disappeared into the day.