Fated

Chapter 18

W ith Keo and Fin now gone, a sudden shyness fell over me.

All alone with Ash, I found myself fumbling awkwardly with my hands as memories of the moment shared in the arena flooded my mind. I stole a glance at Ash, and sure enough, a faint smile played on his lips as if he knew exactly what I was thinking about.

The all-too-familiar warmth crept up my neck, betraying me once again.

Ash chuckled. “Have a drink with me, Areya. There’s a bar just a few buildings down.”

I nodded, swallowing the nervous flutter rising in me again. “Maybe you should apply for the job of official tour guide since you seem to know this place better than the locals.”

He grinned, wordlessly taking my hand in his.

We walked together down the dimly lit street, the cool night air brushing against our skin. His hand in mine felt like a lifeline, grounding me in the moment, as if all the tension and uncertainty that had been oppressing me dissolved in his presence.

“I really like Cresinthia. It wouldn’t be so bad living here,” I said, contemplatively.

Ash sighed, his grip on my hand tightening ever so slightly. “No, it wouldn’t,” he agreed, his voice carrying a hint of something unreadable.

We soon reached the bar, a small, cozy tavern with booths lining its walls.

The dim lighting gave it an inviting glow, and although a few people dined, it was mostly empty. In the center of the room was the bar where only one man sat, nursing a drink.

We took two seats farthest from him. A large man, his back to us, was working behind the bar, a towel slung over his broad shoulder as he poured a drink. When he finally turned, his bright eyes caught Ash, and a familiar spark lit up his face, his mouth curving into a wide grin.

“Ash! Good to see you back so soon,” the man said, his eyes shifting to me. “And you must be Areya.” My name on the stranger’s lips surprised me.

I shot a questioning glance to Ash.

“I met Joe last night,” he explained.

Joe let out a laugh. “Yeah, I served this heartbroken son of a bitch while he rambled on about you. Finally, I had to kick him out so I could go home and get some sleep.”

His eyes shifted between us. “Glad you two worked things out.”

Heartbroken? The word struck me hard. The idea of Ash confiding in anyone, especially about me, shocked me. Had our fight really bothered him that much?

“I already know what you like,” Joe said and nodded to Ash. “And for the lady?”

He looked at me expectantly.

I had absolutely no idea, having never even drunk alcohol before. “Whatever he has is fine,” I said politely.

Ash quirked an eyebrow at me.

I shrugged as Joe poured two drinks, sliding them over. Ash watched me intently as he took a sip, and I mirrored him, bringing the glass to my lips. The burn was immediate, the fiery liquid racing down my throat, and it made me cough, sputtering in surprise.

“That’s disgusting!” My face scrunched in a look of pure disgust.

Joe and Ash both tipped their heads back, laughing loudly. I tried to glare at them but the sight of Ash laughing so freely with a friend brought nothing but a bright smile to my face.

“Why on earth do you drink that? It’s positively awful!”

“You ordered it,” Ash said through his laughter.

“I didn’t know what I was ordering!” I shot back, still trying to recover from the burn. “I’ve never had alcohol before,” I sheepishly admitted.

Joe chuckled, sliding my drink over to Ash. “Then let me make you something you’ll like.”

I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to try something else, but Joe seemed determined as he turned his back, mixing something new. When he turned back around, he set a fancy-looking glass filled with pink liquid in front of me, a slice of watermelon perched on the rim.

I eyed the drink warily before lifting it to my nose for a quick sniff.

It smelled sweet, so I cautiously took a sip.

“Mmm, this tastes amazing!” My eyes widened in surprise.

The faint alcohol taste blended perfectly beneath the sweet burst of watermelon flavor.

Joe leaned back, wearing a smug grin as I took a much larger sip.

“Easy, princess,” Ash said, amusement glinting in his eyes. I blushed under his gaze.

“Can I get you two some food?” Joe asked.

Ash turned to me, waiting for my answer. With the settling happening in only a few hours, I didn’t want to risk upsetting my stomach, so I shook my head.

“We’re going to grab a seat somewhere more private, Joe,” Ash said, picking up both glasses and turning away from the bar.

“Let me know if you need anything at all,” Joe called out.

I followed Ash to a secluded booth tucked away in the corner and scooted in across from him.

“How do you feel?” Ash asked, his gaze on me.

I frowned in confusion.

“About tonight?” he clarified, leaning in slightly.

“Oh,” I stammered, shifting in my seat. “Fine, I guess. I haven’t thought about it too much.” I hesitated. “I think I’m more worried about you.”

Ash’s brow furrowed slightly. “Me?”

“I mean,” I began, biting my lip. “What if I’m not as powerful as Madam Pearl expects me to be? What if I can’t heal you, and you never get your memories back?”

My voice trembled slightly as anxiety crept back in.

Ash tilted his head, his expression softening. “Then I don’t get them back, and we go from there.”

“But you—” I started.

“Areya, you’ve already given me enough.”

“I don’t understand.”

“That night when you gave me those few memories, when I felt the love of my mother, it made me realize what exactly I’d taken from you.”

I bit my lip hard, swallowing the lump in my throat.

“I will spend every day regretting what I did, and I’ll never understand why, after everything, you still offered me your friendship.” He paused, searching my face. “Before meeting you, I thought my life was perfect, never realizing it had no purpose. I’d never felt things like love, joy or even fear. They were weak human emotions, but now that I’ve tasted them, I don’t ever want to go back.”

I couldn’t look away from him, his gaze burning into mine, full of raw intensity.

“When I’m with you, Areya, for the first time I can remember, I feel … alive.”

It was surreal, hearing those words come from the same man who had been the source of my deepest pain. The same man who had caused my mother’s death.

The one who had kidnapped me and had drained the life out of a woman before my eyes.

But as I looked at him now, I realized Ash wasn’t the same man anymore. This version of him, the one sitting across from me now—vulnerable and honest—was a glimpse of the real Ash, the one hidden beneath the curse. And suddenly, I craved to know that Ash, all of him.

“If you never do another thing for me, Areya, that’s ok,” he said. “Because you’ve already saved me. And we will find another way to get answers—together.”

His words touched something deep inside of me. I wanted him to know I saw his change. Without thinking, I reached across the table and took his hands in mine.

“I’m so proud of you, Ash,” I said with a soft smile. For the briefest moment, I could have sworn I had seen a hint of pink creep into his cheeks.

But lowering my eyes to the table, something still gnawed at me.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I know it’s selfish, but I’m afraid,” I admitted.

He looked at me, confused.

“I’m afraid, Ash, because right now, it’s just you and me. From the moment we decided we were in this together, it meant I wasn’t alone anymore. But, earlier today, I realized … You’re going to get your memories back, and when that happens, you will have a kingdom waiting for you, a family. Probably a beautiful woman.” The words were hard to speak. “You won’t need me anymore. I mean, the idea of someone like you needing me …”

My words trailed off, and I shook my head.

“What do you mean by ‘someone like you’?”

“You’re you,” I said, motioning to him. “You’re—God, you’re gorgeous, apparently incredibly powerful, and a freaking prince, for God’s sake.” I let out a laugh at the absurdity of it all. “And I’m just me. I have nothing to offer you.”

Ash stared at me, a deep sadness settling on his face. “Why do you think so little of yourself, Areya?” He squeezed my hands.

“I’ve just always been different, shy, a little awkward.”

“And?”

I swallowed hard, unsure how to respond.

“Do you know what I think?”

I shook my head.

“I think it takes an exceptional person to fight for someone they should hate. I love that you’re different, and I admire your uniqueness.” He paused, his throat bobbing as he swallowed. “I don’t really give a shit what my memories bring back. I don’t give a shit what responsibilities await me or even who waits for me. I don’t want anything to do with that life if you’re not in it. You are my friend, and whatever we face, we will face it together—memories or no memories.”

Ash ran a hand through his hair, visibly frustrated.

“You don’t get it, do you? I’m the one who doesn’t deserve you, damn it. And for the love of all things, you are fucking gorgeous. I thought it from the moment I laid eyes on you in that bar in the human world.”

He paused, his eyes searching mine. “It’s you and me together—always. Ok?”

I nodded and smiled, then sniffled, trying to be strong but it was useless. The tears spilled over, running down my cheeks in steady streams.

Ash didn’t hesitate. He stood and came over to my side of the booth, sliding in next to me.

“Scoot over,” he said, and I moved to make room. His arm wrapped around my shoulders, pulling me close. I turned toward him, burying my face in his chest, breathing in his familiar scent, letting the comfort of his presence wash over me.

“Do you realize how much you’ve changed me?” he murmured into my hair. “If Calyx were here right now, he’d be beside himself, convinced you were the one with mind control powers.”

I laughed through the tears, reaching for a napkin to wipe my face.

“We will get Calyx back,” I said, sniffling.

“Hell, yeah, we will.”

Chuckling, I glanced up at him. “Thank you, Ash.”

He squeezed my shoulders tightly.

***

Ash drove us back to the manor, and we were quiet on the walk back to our rooms. He followed me into my room, my stomach twisting with anxiety when I noticed the tonic sitting on the dresser. Glancing at the clock on the wall, I walked over to sit on the edge of my bed.

It was only an hour until midnight.

“Will you stay tonight?” My voice was low, barely a whisper.

Ash came over and sat beside me. I hadn’t realized my legs were trembling until he put a hand on my knee, steadying them. “You couldn’t keep me away tonight if you tried.”

I nodded, smiling at him, before grabbing the tonic off the dresser and heading to the bathroom to change. I slipped into the silky pink pajama shorts and top, then washed my face, brushed my hair and teeth, and grimaced, swigging down the bitter tonic.

I took a deep breath, nervous about the night ahead.

As I stepped out of the bathroom, the door opened, and Ash walked in wearing nothing but a pair of black lounge pants. The sight of him stopped me in my tracks.

My gaze roamed over his bare, tanned chest, tracing the defined muscles there.

Ash froze when he saw me, his eyes flicking from my face to my silky pajamas and then back up again. “What are you wearing?”

I squinted, confused. “Pajamas,” I said as if it were obvious.

He ran a hand through his hair. “Right,” he mumbled, nodding as if trying to collect himself.

I bit back a laugh. “And where are your clothes?”

“Oh—these?” He glanced down at his pants and shrugged. “I put them on for you—I don’t normally sleep in anything.”

“Oh.” I swallowed hard.

Pulling back the fluffy blanket, I crawled into the bed, lying on my side to face Ash. He flicked off the light, casting the room into darkness except for the faint glow of the clock on the wall. Ash lay down on the bed, facing me. The clock showed 11:30.

“Do you think it will happen as soon as it’s midnight?” I asked, my voice smaller than intended.

“I really don’t know.”

My nerves took over as the minutes ticked by, tremors beginning in my legs, and no matter how hard I tried to suppress them, they only intensified, spreading through me like wildfire.

Ash noticed immediately. “Jesus, Areya, you’re shaking like a leaf.”

“I’m trying not to.”

Without a word, he pulled me close, wrapping his arms around me and tucking me into his chest. He rested his chin on my head, his breath warm in my hair.

“I’m here, Areya. You aren’t alone.”

I nuzzled closer, his warmth enveloping me, and as he kissed my forehead, the tremors began to fade. I couldn’t pinpoint when it had happened—when forehead kisses and hand holding had become so natural between us. But I craved more. The way his body fit against mine, the way he made me feel protected—it was as if nothing else in the world mattered.

I savored his closeness, his intoxicating scent, and for a brief moment, all fear slipped away.

The heaviness of sleep pulled at me, and I fought it, not wanting to lose this moment.

Despite my efforts, my eyes grew heavier, and I began to drift off, securely tucked against Ash’s chest.