Chapter 14
“ T his manor has many rooms. You two can stay here until Areya settles,” Madam Pearl said, her voice calm as she walked over to the window, watching the children playing outside. Her gaze lingered on them, her thoughts clearly elsewhere.
“Why are there so many children out there?” I asked.
“The manor is home to the only school in Cresinthia,” she replied as if lost in a distant memory. “There was a time before human slavery was abolished when this manor housed orphaned slave children. Many of our citizens are descendants of those orphans.
“Back then, slave owners had no use for children without parents to care for them—they were often abandoned or killed. Our people, working in secret above, would smuggle them out whenever the opportunity presented itself.”
She paused, her expression softening. “Sebastian spent much time down here as a boy. He would sit with those children, telling them stories about the world above. He never saw those children as slaves or as anything less; they were simply his friends.”
She smiled, still looking out the window.
Hearing that about Ash made me smile.
He seemed lost in thought, his eyes fixed on a random spot on the carpet. Looking at him, I tried to imagine a younger Ash, but then a thought struck me. If Ash had spent time here with those children before slavery was abolished three hundred years ago, then that meant …
My eyes widened as the realization hit me. “You’re over three hundred years old?” I asked, my voice laden with disbelief.
He slowly moved his gaze from the floor to meet mine, but he didn’t respond, only running his fingers through his hair in that familiar, nervous way.
Sitting back in my seat, my eyes were wide, trying to process the revelation.
Madam Pearl was watching us.
“Thank you for letting us stay here,” I offered her.
She took a few steps toward me, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Sebastian is my family. Bring him back, Areya,” she said, patting my arm. My chest tightened. Was it really possible to cure Ash? I desperately wanted to. All the people in Astern—my people—were counting on us. If Ash were cured, maybe he could provide insight into Agidius’ weakness.
“The two of you are welcome to explore Cresinthia. You will find our people very welcoming. If anyone asks, tell them you are my guests. You met Lilly. She is one of my head teachers here and my most trusted confidante. She will take you up to your rooms.”
Madam Pearl pressed the button on her desk again. “Lilly, would you kindly see Sebastian and Areya to their rooms?”
“I’ll be right there,” Lilly responded.
Madam Pearl turned back toward me. “Areya, did your mother from the human world prepare you for the settling?”
Ash’s gaze flicked toward me, and I shook my head slightly.
We had left out the part where my mother had been murdered.
“Most divine grow up learning about the settling,” Madam Pearl explained. “For an average divine, it might cause a slight fever or some body aches. But for a royal … settling might be quite uncomfortable. Your body undergoes an actual transformation, shedding its mortal limitations to enable you to hold your power.”
I swallowed hard.
“Physically, you will be stronger. Your senses will sharpen, and you will heal at an accelerated rate. I will have Lilly send a tonic to your room to ease the transition’s pain. If you like, Lilly can stay with you during the settling. She has supported many students through it.”
Panic stirred in my gut, not knowing what to expect; I certainly hadn’t known it would be painful. I desperately wished my mom could be here to go through this with me.
I wondered when exactly she had planned on telling me about my body transforming into something other than human. We would have been on our vacation right now, had she not been murdered. The thought hit me like a fresh stab of pain, but with that grief came something else—something I hadn’t wanted to feel—betrayal. She had kept so much from me.
All this time, she had known, and yet, she had never told me. Why?
I pushed the thought aside, not wanting to dwell on it. Glancing at Ash, I was surprised to find him watching me again, his expression soft, showing what looked like concern.
“How could I use my power on that ripper guard and Ash, yet I can’t manage to summon anything now?” I asked, turning my focus back on Madam Pearl.
“Before settling, those with great power often manifest in small bursts a few days early. Usually, such small releases of magic go unnoticed. When Sebastian had you wear those gloves to block your magic, it was probably building up inside of you, and then when you were endangered, you instinctively tapped into that magic.”
I nodded, but had one more pressing question for Madam Pearl. “You said the divine are nearly immortal, so does that mean I will also live for hundreds of years?”
“With your power,” Madam Pearl said, “I suspect you will age slowly over many, many thousands of years.”
My mouth fell open in shock. Many thousands of years?
Most would have been delighted to hear such a thing, but the idea felt like a weight pressing down on me, a heavy burden. Only a long, lonely life stretched out before me in my mind.
Just then, the door opened, and Lilly appeared; she made her way over to Madam Pearl and the two exchanged a few quiet words.
Madam Pearl handed Lilly something from her desk before she stepped away.
“Sebastian, Areya, I will show you to your rooms,” Lilly said politely, bowing her head.
“It’s just Ash,” he corrected her quietly.
“Of course.” Lilly smiled, studying his face for a long moment before turning away to lead us out of the room. We followed her up the grand staircase, two sets of floors above, and down a long hallway lined with doors. She finally stopped in front of the second-to-last room.
“Areya, this will be your room, and Ash, the next one is yours. The rooms should have everything you need but let us know if you require anything else.”
I gave her a grateful smile as she continued. “Madam Pearl asked me to have clean clothes sent to your room, Areya. I hope you don’t mind turquoise; it’s the standard color we offer our visitors.” She paused, appearing to gather her thoughts.
“Oh yes,” she added, reaching into her pocket. “Madam Pearl also insisted I leave a sum of money with each of you. This way, you may buy whatever you need while you’re here and enjoy your stay in our city.”
She handed a small satchel to Ash who accepted it with a slight, polite smile.
Then she turned to me, placing another satchel in my hand, but she didn’t let go right away. Instead, she cupped my hand in both of hers.
“Areya, your settling will begin tomorrow night, sometime after midnight. You already know it can be physically and emotionally challenging, but I will be downstairs in my room if you need me. Please, do not hesitate to call for me at any time.”
“Thank you, Lilly,” I said, returning her smile, fighting the instinct to shift my eyes away from the awful scar on her face.
Instead, I forced myself to meet her eyes, not wanting her to sense my discomfort.
She bowed her head quietly and walked away.
I left Ash outside of his own room as I entered mine.
It was rather large and spacious, much bigger than my room had been back home, and I suspected it had once belonged to one of the slave children who had lived in the manor. The pale blue walls had been painted with playful bubbles and colorful fish. The large bed looked comfortable with its fluffy purple comforter and an abundance of plump pillows.
I wandered over to a desk in the corner, next to a closet.
Opening the closet door, I found a pile of neatly folded towels and various personal hygiene items. I shut the door and made my way to the attached bathroom, delightfully simple with its light blue walls matching the bedroom. It included a shower, sink, and toilet.
A loud growl from my stomach reminded me just how long it had been since I last ate. If I didn’t get something soon, nausea would set in. I slid the satchel of money into my pocket and headed out of the room, making my way to Ash’s door. When I knocked, he opened the door just far enough for me to see his face. He looked … oddly bothered by something.
“Something wrong with your room?” I asked.
Without a word, he let the door open all the way, and the sight inside immediately explained his mood. His room, like mine, had obviously belonged to a child, but the walls were painted a glaring hot pink, and the bed was covered in frilly pink bedding of a similar shade.
Above the bed, large letters spelled out, The Princess Sleeps Here.
It took every ounce of willpower not to burst into laughter but when I turned and saw the sparkly pink unicorn painted above the desk, I immediately lost the battle. I doubled over, laughing so hard I could barely breathe. Seeing Ash—this tall, intimidating figure—in a room looking as though it came straight out of a fairy tale princess dream was too much.
Tears welled in my eyes from the sheer hilarity of it all, and for a brief moment, amidst all the chaos in my life, it felt so good to laugh.
I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself, but when I glanced at him again—arms crossed in petulance and glaring at me with those dark eyes, the laughter bubbled back up. Snorting, I clapped my hand firmly over my mouth, trying to stifle an attack of giggles.
Unfortunately, the effort only made it worse.
Suddenly, something soft and pink whacked me in the face.
Ash had thrown one of the frilly bed pillows at my head, his expression still grim, but there was the faintest twitch of a grin playing across his lips.
“I’m sorry,” I managed to gasp through my laughter. “Really. Forgive me, Princess Sebastian.” I curtsied dramatically, struggling to keep a straight face.
He now had a death grip on his lips, fighting hard to keep his face straight.
I hurled the frilly pink pillow back at him, and he caught it with ease. I chuckled again, and then he lost the fight, his grin finally slipping out.
My stomach growled again.
“Let’s go get you food,” Ash said and laughed, shaking his head.
“Where?”
“Anywhere but here.”
We both set off chuckling again as we left the absurdly pink room.
As we made our way down Main Street, walking in the direction from which we had come earlier, Ash turned to me. “What do you want to eat?”
“I don’t know.” I glanced around at the unfamiliar surroundings. “I’m so hungry—anything would do at this point.”
We walked a few more minutes until we came to a sign right off Main Street, pointing down a stone path lined with trees. It read simply: Beach.
“Beach?” I said aloud, glancing at Ash who just shrugged.
“Can we see what it is?” I asked him.
“Sure.”
The trees formed a natural tunnel along the path, and after a short walk, the stone beneath our feet gave way to soft sand. “How do you think there are trees down here?” I asked.
Ash looked thoughtful for a moment, clearly searching for an explanation, but he finally shrugged. “No idea.”
We kept along the sandy, tree-lined path until it opened up into something that took my breath away—an actual beach. The waves crashed against the shore, and beyond the water, there was no end in sight, just the vast expanse of ocean stretching out before us.
It looked exactly like every picture I’d ever seen of the ocean.
A deep ache settled in the pit of my stomach, remembering that Mom and I were supposed to see the ocean for the first time together.
“How is this possible?” My voice cracked.
Ash watched me closely as I stared into the water, willing the tears to stay away.
“Is this … the ocean?” My lips were barely able to get the words out.
“I—I don’t know,” Ash admitted with a sigh. “It turns out there’s a whole lot I don’t know.”
I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. “Today would’ve been the day Mom and I would have arrived at Linden Beach.” My voice was subdued, faint. “Neither of us had ever seen the ocean, so we’d been planning the trip to celebrate my twenty-first birthday, for years.”
Ash placed a hand on my shoulder, his touch somehow soothing the ache in my chest.
“On my birthday, we were going to spend the entire day lying on the beach. We would both have been lost in a good book and sipping on some type of fruity drink.”
A slight smile formed, even as a tear rolled down my cheek.
“At some point, she would’ve embarrassed me by pointing out some random guy about my age and saying way too loudly how cute she thought he was.”
A chuckle burst its way through the tears now freely falling down my face.
Ash didn’t say a word, but the weight of his gaze rested on me.
“You, she would’ve noticed a mile down the beach,” I said and nudged him. There was no amusement on his face though, only something deeper, far harder to read. He stayed quiet, and we stood there together in the stillness, listening to the waves crashing onto the beach.
Out of nowhere, rain began to pour down in heavy sheets. Now, the enchanted sky didn’t look enchanted at all, only appearing as natural as the sky in the world above.
Ash glanced up too, clearly just as baffled by this sudden downpour.
The rain grew heavier, soaking us within seconds. I threw one hand over my head, and grabbed Ash’s hand with the other, pulling him back toward the path.
“Hurry! Let’s find somewhere dry,” I squealed as we ran together through the rain.
We reached Main Street, and I quickly scanned the area for shelter.
“There!” Ash pointed to a bright orange building. Through the windows, many tables were visible, while above the door was a sign reading Beachside Bistro. It was a restaurant.
We hurried inside, dripping wet, the rain still pounding against the windows behind us.
I probably looked like a drowned rat, with my hair plastered to my head and my clothes sticking uncomfortably to my skin. Ash, on the other hand, despite being just as soaked, somehow managed to look even better—water glistening in his black hair and tracing down his face like it was meant to be there, making him effortlessly sexy.
The restaurant had a casual beach vibe, the black-and-white checkered floor littered with sand from beachgoers coming and going. The bright coral walls were adorned with nautical-themed decorations and the air smelled of salt and seafood.
A sign near the entrance said Seat Yourself and a wall above the counter in the front displayed the menu. I quickly scanned my options, my stomach churning slightly.
Was every single item revolting, despicable seafood? It seemed so.
Scanning the menu again, my eyes landed on an entrée called The Shrimp Garden.
Chopped lettuce.
Chopped carrots.
Chopped onions.
Walnuts.
Topped with shrimp.
So, basically, a salad. I could always ask for no shrimp.
As we approached the counter, the sound of squabbling caught my attention. Two boys, both probably around my age, were loudly arguing over something.
“I told you, Fin, I had my wallet in my pocket at the beach.” The taller, slightly younger-looking boy with curly blonde hair was patting his pockets frantically.
“Check the bag with the towels again, Keo,” ordered the older boy, dark-haired and wearing a trendy pair of glasses.
Keo, the fair-haired one, suddenly stopped patting his pockets. “So … I might have changed shorts before we left the house. Just remembered.”
“Dammit, Keo,” Fin muttered, clearly fed up with his brother.
“Well, I liked these shorts better. Wait—where is your wallet?” Keo’s eyes widened.
“I left it at home because you said you had yours!” Fin smacked Keo on the back of the head.
Watching the exchange, I felt bad for the two boys and decided to say something when Fin glanced my way, noticing us in line.
He blinked, pushing his glasses up his freckled nose as his gaze shifted between me and Ash.
“Uh, hi,” he said awkwardly, staring a beat too long. Keo nudged him. “Oh, I mean, excuse my pea-brained brother and me. Keo forgot our money. We’ll just, uh, get out of your way.”
His face flushed with embarrassment as he started to move to the side … but then froze.
“I’ve never seen either of you before. You’re not from around here, are you?” A smile had formed on his lips, and he looked at his brother.
“Nope, we aren’t,” I replied with a shy smile.
Keo’s face lit up, his curly blonde hair bouncing as he leaned forward eagerly. “Are you guys from above?”
His excitement was so obvious, I couldn’t help but smile and nod.
But then Ash cleared his throat, clearly annoyed.
“Oh—I—I’m sorry. We’ve just never met anyone from above,” Fin said, quickly extending his hand. “Anyway, I’m Fin.”
Shaking his hand, I smiled.
Fin turned to Ash, extending his hand again, but Ash simply crossed his arms, glaring.
Jerk.
Fin awkwardly lowered his hand.
An idea came to me, one that would surely piss Ash off, but I didn’t mind in the slightest at the moment, given his less-than-pleasant attitude.
“I’m Areya, and this is Ash.” I leaned in and lowered my voice. “Don’t mind him—grumpy is his default setting.”
Both boys chuckled, but caught themselves when they saw Ash’s glare deepen.
“Since you forgot your money, let me buy your food for you. I’d be happy to.” I offered.
Ash’s head snapped toward me, eyes wide in disbelief, as if I had lost my mind.
“Oh, we couldn’t possibly …” Fin began, but my beaming smile cut him off.
“If you let me buy your food, you can eat with us. I’ll answer any questions you want to know about up there.” I gestured above.
Fin and Keo swapped looks.
“We can pay her back, Fin,” Keo argued, but Fin gave his brother a look to shut him up.
Keo blinked for a second, then realization dawned on his face.
“Ooooooooh, you think she’s pretty,” he announced for the whole world to hear.
Fin’s face turned crimson as he shot Keo a death glare. “I do not! I mean, of course, you are pretty, but … It’s not what I was … Oh, never mind.”
He floundered over his words, clearly flustered.
Quickly, I changed the subject. “I insist,” I said.
Grinning, I snuck a quick glance at Ash. Oh, he was positively pissed. I ignored him and paid for everyone’s food regardless. Fin and Keo each ordered the seafood platter, I got a shrimp-less salad, and Ash got a glass of water. We found a table big enough for four and Ash sat next to me, his arms still crossed and an unmistakably irritated look on his face.
Keo immediately dove into his food, using his hands to pick up pieces of fish while Fin took his time using his fork. Picking up my own fork, I poked at the salad.
“Not going to eat?” Keo motioned to Ash through a mouthful of food.
“He’s watching his figure.” My grin widened as Fin and Keo looked at me, unsure if I were serious or joking.
They both chuckled nervously.
“So, what do you guys do up there?” Keo asked.
I thought for a moment before answering. “Well, Ash lives directly above here, but I’m from a place much farther away, so our lives look different. But in a lot of ways, mine is a bit like life here. I go … I mean I went to school, hung out with my friends at our favorite arcade, and I loved to read books and watch TV with my mom. Oh and I babysat and sometimes walked people’s dogs for money.”
I took a bite of my salad.
“Wait, what’s a dog?” Keo asked, his eyes wide with curiosity.
“Um, it’s a pet, a bit like the foxes in your shop, but these come in all different shapes and sizes. They love to be petted, and they wag their tails and lick you when they are happy …”
How strange it felt to have to describe a dog to someone.
“And a teevee?” Fin asked this time.
I thought about it for a moment before answering. “Um, do you have plays down here? Where people act out stories?” I asked.
Fin nodded.
“Well, watching TV is like watching a play, but on a small screen, and you can switch between different shows depending on what you like.”
Even though I was fumbling through these explanations, they were both nodding as if able to picture everything I described.
“Arcade?” Keo’s turn this time. “What’s one of those?”
“Oh, it’s a place filled with games you pay to play. Some are on screens, and others are physical, like throwing a ball through a basket. It’s fun to try and beat the high scores.”
Keo’s face lit up. “Like The Game Zone,” he blurted out. “It’s like what you call an arcade! Our favorite game is splatter ball!”
Both brothers’ eyes sparkled with excitement.
Fin added giddily, “Yes, and it’s only twenty minutes from here, so we could, uh, go play a few rounds. I mean, only if you aren’t busy.” He shyly smiled.
I couldn’t help smiling too, finding myself really enjoying their company.
They were easy to talk to and made me feel comfortable. If things had been different, if I’d been back home, I would’ve taken them up on their offer in a heartbeat.
But the thought of home—the thought of my friends and the life I’d had just a few days ago —tugged painfully at my heart. For a moment, I let myself imagine it, hanging out with these guys, playing splatter ball, and then going home to tell Mom all about the new friends I’d made.
The thought of Mom snapped me back to reality, the weight of everything flooding back. “I really wish we could, but we have to get back to the manor.”
Keo’s brows furrowed in confusion. “The manor? Why are you staying at the manor?”
“We’re guests of Madam Pearl,” I explained.
Keo’s face brightened. “Oh, cool! We’re students there, so maybe we will see you around.”
“I’d like that,” I said, smiling at both of them.
We finished our food, and when it was time to leave, Fin— blushing and stumbling over his words—nervously thanked me for buying their meals. Then Keo teased his brother, and they broke out into another argument, making me chuckle before they left the restaurant.
I was now alone with a very moody vampire.
“So, they were friendly,” I said, hoping to ease the tension between me and Ash.
Without answering, Ash picked up his glass and downed the water in one go before slamming it back down on the table. His eyes were like ice, darker than I’d ever seen them, and a chill made its way through my body.
“In case you forgot, Areya, today, I betrayed my king by bringing you down here.”
His voice was low, venomous, and each word landed like a blow. “Forgive me if I’m less than eager to sit around and exchange friendship bracelets with a couple of blabbering idiots while, right above our heads, an army of rippers is hunting us down.”
Ash’s words cut deep, the sting of tears building in my eyes, but I refused to let him see me cry. Swallowing hard, I willed the hurt away, even as my hands trembled under the table.
But Ash wasn’t done.
“You act like a child, Areya. You and your delusional ideals. This isn’t some fucking fairytale.” The weight of his words hit me like a tidal wave, bringing every moment of cruelty, every wound he’d inflicted on me since our first meeting, crashing down on me.
“I HATE YOU.” The words erupted from me, trembling with raw emotion, echoing through the space. It was all I could say, all I could think, all I could feel.
“You think I care?” His voice grew harsher, his expression cold and cruel. “You forget what I am. You couldn’t keep your fucking hands off me, and now you think with a single glimpse of some pathetic past life, I’m suddenly some hero who believes in the power of love or some shit? It’s pathetic.”
I pushed the tears away and let anger fuel me instead.
“No, Ash, I know exactly what you are. You’re a coward. I think you’re terrified of the truth, and you know what? I pity you and your miserable, lonely existence.”
Standing up, I left the restaurant.