Fated

Chapter 19

A cool breeze blew across my face, making me shiver as I pulled the blanket tighter around my body. I sat on the old wooden swing hanging from the rafters on my porch, its gentle creek breaking the stillness of the air. Absentmindedly, I picked at the peeling white paint with my fingernail, my gaze drawn to the two carved pumpkins a few feet away.

Autumn had always been both mine and my mom’s favorite season.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of blonde curls dancing in the breeze. Mom approached, her presence soft and comforting. She was holding two mugs, steam rising and swirling from the liquid within. She handed one to me, and I raised it to my face, the familiar scent of peppermint and hot cocoa filling my senses, warming me from the inside out.

Mom smiled at me, her eyes brimming with love. It was the kind of smile reaching deep into me, filling every corner of me with warmth.

The breeze carried the scent of her favorite vanilla lotion my way, a familiar fragrance I hadn’t smelled in what felt like forever. As I looked around, a strange sense of unease crept up.

Something was off, but I couldn’t place it.

“I’m so proud of you, Areya,” Mom said, her gentle voice soothing the brokenness in my soul. I hadn’t heard those words in a lifetime, and they eased an ache deep inside of me.

I returned her smile, tilting my head. “Why so sentimental today?”

She only answered with a sad look. What was wrong? I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen my mom look so unhappy. Actually, though, when had I last seen her at all? I strained to remember, but my thoughts were clouded, hazy, as if trying to push through a thick fog.

Suddenly, my body jolted as a terrible memory unfolded.

My hands were coated in blood, trembling as my mom’s lifeless body lay before me on the bed. I gasped, pain crashing over me.

“Mom! No, this is a dream, isn’t it?” My voice broke, and tears began to pour from my eyes.

She nodded, her smile still tainted with profound sadness. “Yes, my sweet Areya.”

My heart shattered all over again. “Mom, everything has changed, and I’m so lost without you. You’re not supposed to be gone. I was supposed to have you for a long time, and I still need you.” The words came tumbling out of me in a frantic rush, the pain becoming too much.

“Everything is how it should be, my sweet girl,” she whispered, her voice calm. “You have been so brave, and I’m so proud of you.” She wrapped both of her arms around me, pulling me into her embrace as I sobbed into her shoulder, clinging to her as if my life depended on it.

“I miss you, Momma,” I whispered through the tears.

“I know, baby, I know,” she returned, her hand rubbing my back in the way she always used to whenever she found me upset.

But then, she pulled away, her hands resting on my shoulders as she looked at me with a serious expression. “Listen, I don’t have much time left,” she said, her tone urgent. “I’m so sorry I had to keep so many secrets. I made a vow to Everleigh to hide the truth about who you were for as long as possible.”

“It’s ok, Mom.” I nodded, despite not fully understanding. All I wanted was to stay in this moment, to have more time with her.

“You have no idea how strong you are, Areya,” she continued, her voice a mixture of pride and concern. “Don’t be afraid of the power you receive. Do you understand?”

I didn’t, not really, but nodded anyway.

“The path ahead will not be easy for you and Ash,” she said, her eyes searching mine.

“You know about Ash?”

She smiled and nodded. “Yes, Areya, I know.”

I swallowed hard, guilt clawing me. “He—but he is the reason you’re dead, Mom.”

“Yes, I know that, sweetheart,” she said, her voice calm without a hint of anger or blame. “You crossed paths with him for a reason. You can trust him. Go—go with him, Areya. Don’t stay in Cresinthia. You must go with him. Do you understand me?”

Her presence began to fade, the air around her growing thinner. Pain exploded in my chest, sharp and unrelenting at losing her again.

“I understand, Mom,” I said, desperately clutching at her, frantically holding on, but her arms were no longer around me, and I found myself holding nothing but air.

“I love you, Areya,” she whispered, her voice drifting.

“I love you too, Mom,” I cried out, broken as the last trace of her dissipated.

And just like that, she was gone again.

Only blackness remained, and then—fire. It felt as though my entire body had been engulfed in flames, as if acid was coursing violently through my veins. The pain was everywhere, all-consuming, swallowing me whole. My throat tore open in a violent scream as I was yanked from my dream, the torment dragging me into a brutal, agonizing reality.

I was awake, but couldn’t open my eyes. The pain was too overwhelming, fused with every nerve of my body, burning and searing my flesh as if ripping me apart from the inside out. I could do nothing but scream, thrashing wildly against the invisible force ravaging me.

“AREYA!” Ash’s voice reached me, but sounded distant, swallowed by the roaring fire that had become my world. The pain was so loud, so deafening that it smothered out everything else.

I couldn’t speak, couldn’t think, couldn’t catch my breath. Just when I thought the pain couldn’t get any worse, another wave—larger and more terrifying—crashed into me, forcing my body to arch and writhe in a desperate futile attempt to escape the torture.

“It hurts—it hurts!” I choked out. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could hold on. The agony felt endless, as if it would consume every last piece of me, leaving nothing behind. Each new wave shattered bones I didn’t know could break, stretching my muscles until they ripped apart. My skin burned as though doused in fire. Voices hovered at the edge of my awareness, but I couldn’t make out their words. All I could do was fight and fail to escape the unrelenting torture.

“Areya,” a voice whispered in my ear, and I latched onto it, desperate for a lifeline, anything.

It was Ash, and he sounded so … afraid.

“Areya, listen to me; you have to stop fighting it,” he pleaded, his voice shaking. “Your body is fighting the magic, but you have to let it in.”

His strong arms wrapped around me, holding me tightly, rocking me.

“Make it stop, Ash, please!” I screamed, barely able to force out the words through the terror and agony ripping me apart. The waves came faster, harder and I felt warm drops landing on my face. It took me a moment to realize—Ash was crying.

“I can’t, Areya,” he rasped, his voice broken. “You have to let it in—you have to.”

Another tear fell on my face, mingling with the cold sweat clinging to my skin.

“Areya, find that place inside of you where your magic belongs and guide it. Guide the magic there.” Panic laced his voice, his grip tightening.

Summoning what little strength I had left, I forced myself to focus, to push through the unbearable, screeching pain. Scouring the depths of my being, I searched for that place of which he spoke but another wave of agony slammed into me, my body seizing up, convulsing.

“It’s not working!” he cried, his voice raw with abject terror. “Please do something! Help her!”

Just as I thought the pain would consume me entirely, a slight ease washed over me, a doorway forming in my mind. It stood open and somehow, it was clear that all I had to do was take a step through it, and all the pain would go.

Drifting toward it, I felt my mind begin to detach from my body. The closer I got to the door, the duller the pain became, the quieter everything felt.

But then, Ash’s voice pierced the haze, splintered, desperate.

“I need you, Areya—please don’t leave me.”

I don’t want to leave you, Ash. I needed him too. We had so much left to do, so much to learn and face—together.

At the threshold of the doorway, the urge to cross grew nearly overwhelming but I fought against it. With every ounce of willpower I had left, I shoved myself away from the door, forcefully pulling my mind back into my body. The moment I did, the pain came roaring back, flooding my senses again. But for Ash, I would fight it.

I searched inside myself, clawing through the pain, trying to remember the night I had first used my magic. Where had it come from?

And then, there, hidden deep inside me, was a tiny glowing ember, the magic’s spark.

My focus narrowed to that single point of light. The ember was surrounded by heavy, impenetrable gates—floodgates. I pushed against them, straining with everything I had left, forcing them to lift. Slowly, agonizingly, they began to give way. The moment they opened, a river of glowing golden light began surging to the ember inside of me, flooding it with energy.

The ember swelled, growing larger and larger until it became a vast river of shimmering gold. As the river expanded, the pain began to melt away.

My breaths came easier, my heart slowing its frantic pace, the arms gripping me relaxing.

“You did it, Areya,” Ash whispered, his voice soft and full of relief. His fingertips brushed lightly across my cheek, followed by the tender press of lips against my brow.

As the very last of the river flowed into me, I let go of the gates, sealing that new well of magic inside. A calm settled over me, and my body went limp with exhaustion.

Slowly, my eyes opened.

Ash’s face came into focus, his eyes brimming with emotion as they met mine, his expression unguarded and raw. He pulled me tightly against his chest, his arms wrapping around me as if he never wanted to let go. His breathing was ragged, mirroring my own, but slowly, the steady beat of his heart returned to a normal rhythm.

The absence of pain brought a wave of euphoria that I let wash over me, mingling with the sweetness of Ash’s presence. I savored the stillness—the blissful silence that wrapped around us like a protective cocoon.

But then a floorboard creaked. We weren’t alone. I tilted my head just enough to see Lilly standing quietly behind Ash, her hand lightly on his back.

“I’ll let the two of you rest,” she said in a faint voice. As she walked toward the door, she paused and glanced back. “You did well, Areya.” And with that, she slipped out.

I wanted to speak, to ask so many questions, but the soreness of my throat made me wince. Instead, I managed a hushed, “What happened?”

Ash’s arms tightened around me again and his voice trembled. “It almost killed you.”

“Tell me.”

“Your power is really strong, Areya. Lilly believes because you grew up in the human world away from magic, your body sensed the magic as a threat and tried to fight it. If you hadn’t let it in …” He didn’t finish; there was so much fear in his eyes—fear of what could have happened, of what almost did.

“In all the years I can remember,” he continued, his voice breaking, “I’ve never been afraid of anything. But when I thought I was going to lose you …”

A tear slipped down his cheek, and I reached up, my fingertips brushing it away.

“I’m ok, Ash.”

He studied me as if not quite believing me.

I tried to lift myself, but in that moment, my body trembled violently, making me collapse back into his arms, too weak to move.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“I need to try and heal you,” I muttered.

“Don’t even think about it. You need to rest.”

I wanted to argue, but I was so weak, and Ash’s body felt so warm.

“Stay with me?” My voice was barely audible, my eyes heavy with exhaustion.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Ash promised.

***

I awoke to the bright sunlight filtering through the curtains, finding myself still wrapped tightly in Ash’s arms, his grip protective, as if he feared I would vanish the moment he let go.

I craned my neck to see the clock on the wall—4:30 p.m. My God, had I really slept the entire day? But Ash had stayed right here at my side, just as he had promised.

As I rubbed sleep from my eyes and glanced around, something felt different. The world itself seemed somehow … altered. The ray of sunlight captured my attention, and as I focused on it, individual rays of color shimmered, vibrant colors I hadn’t even known existed—as if they emanated from another realm. These were so much more alive, so vivid.

It was as if everything had been painted in richer, more striking and effervescent hues. Details I had never noticed before now stood out sharply.

Then I heard it—Ash’s heartbeat. This time, it wasn’t the steady thrum I’d grown accustomed to.

Now, it was layered, each beat a complex rhythm of sounds I’d never noticed before.

If I concentrated hard enough, I could even hear the blood moving through his veins, a faint and mesmerizing hum.

A blush crept up my neck. Just how often had Ash picked up on the erratic pounding of my own heart with his heightened ripper hearing?

And worse—had he known it was because of him, because of his presence?

My gaze shifted to his face, mere inches from my own.

His breath, warm and soft, danced over my lips, sending a shiver through me. It took everything in me not to lean in and press my mouth to his.

I inhaled deeply, and his scent—the way he carried hints of rain-drenched pine needles, crisp mountain air, and the faint warmth of sandalwood—flooded my senses. It was familiar yet magnified, more intoxicating than ever before, wrapping around me like a spell I couldn’t escape.

My head swam, my pulse quickened, and for a fleeting moment, I forgot how to breathe.

He slept so peacefully, his face so relaxed and serene. He was so beautiful, his jet-black hair tousled from sleep, long dark lashes casting shadows over his cheeks.

His lips, full and soft, rested in a peaceful line, so perfectly sculpted, and my heart did somersaults as I stared at him. I let my senses absorb every detail of him at once, and as I did, everything else faded away. Here in his arms, it felt like … home.

I could have stayed there forever, just watching him, memorizing every curve, every line of his face. Unable to resist, I dared to press my fingertips lightly against his lips. The soft contact sent tiny jolts of electricity through my fingertips, and a shudder rippled down my spine.

As I thought about how he had cradled my broken body against his own, how he had stroked my face with such care, my heart exploded into a million tiny wings. Something had shifted between us, though I couldn’t pinpoint exactly when it had happened. I craved Ash the way my lungs craved oxygen, and I realized with startling clarity that my affections went far beyond the magic or mind control pushing me toward him. Now, I cared for Ash deeply.

And then the thought of what had been done to him, the pain Agidius had caused, sparked a fire inside me. My uncle had tried to strip away Ash’s goodness, his very identity, and that filled me with a hatred of which I hadn’t known I was capable.

I wanted to be the one to end Agidius, to make him suffer for what he had done.

But today, I could help Ash, I could awaken that buried part of him, the part Agidius had tried to destroy. I would find a way to return his memories, to break the curse that had plagued him for so long. Even if, in the end, Ash no longer needed me as much as I needed him, I still wanted to give him that gift. His eyelashes fluttered and storm gray eyes met mine.

A hint of a smile came to his lips.“Hello, princess,” he whispered.

A smile bloomed across my face.

“Happy birthday,” he murmured, leaning in to nuzzle his nose playfully against my neck. The sensation tickled and a giggle escaped.

“How do you feel?” he asked, pulling back just enough to study my face.

“I feel—I feel alive in a way I’ve never felt before,” I said honestly. “It’s hard to explain, but it’s like I’m the same, but everything is better. Sounds are clearer, colors are brighter, even smells are stronger. It’s like I’m seeing the world for the first time. Is that normal?”

“I’m not sure. As a ripper, my senses are superior to those of a human, so I assume the magic heightens everything.” He paused, studying me closely. “Areya, the power coming from you last night, it was extraordinary. Lilly had never witnessed a settling of that magnitude before.”

My eyes widened. “What does that mean?”

Ash grinned. “It means you have some kick-ass power we will discover together, when you’re ready.”

I shook my head. “I’m not interested in discovering anything until I succeed in healing you.”

His expression softened and he looked me over. “You just went through a lot, Areya. I want you to rest. We can worry about everything else later.” His mouth curved into a playful smile. “Plus, it’s your birthday, and I have another surprise for you.”

A swirl of nerves bubbled inside me. “Thank you, Ash, for helping me through last night. If it hadn’t been for you, I don’t think I would have …”

“You would have been fine,” he quickly interrupted me as if refusing to believe otherwise.

The dream of my mother resurfaced in my mind, and I hesitated for a moment. “Ash?”

He looked at me, brows raised.

“I think I saw my mom last night. I mean, it was a dream, but it was still her. She spoke to me. She spoke to me about you …”

He froze.

“She said we’d crossed paths for a reason.”

He visibly relaxed and smiled, as if what I’d just told him was not news to him at all. He knew it already. His words confirmed it. “Of course we did, Areya.”

I returned his smile, contemplating something. “Ash, I’ll do whatever you want today, but after, we get to try and break the curse.” I expected him to come up with a reason why we needed to wait, but to my surprise, he merely nodded.

“Deal,” he said.

“Really?” I jerked upright. “You will really let me try?”

“If that’s what you want to do,” he said.

“Yes, it is.”

Ash released me, setting me down beside him on the bed before he stood up. “Get ready and then meet me in the cafeteria so you can eat before we go.”

I shifted to the side of the bed, but upon standing, a wave of dizziness hit me, making my body sway. Before I could stumble, strong hands gripped my waist, steadying me.

“Whoa,” I muttered, adjusting to my new center of gravity.

I took a step and then another, and Ash didn’t let go until he was sure I wouldn’t topple over.

It only took me a moment to adjust, and then I almost glided the rest of the way to the bathroom. My movements were lighter, more graceful, my footsteps near silent like Ash’s.

In the shower, I searched inside myself for my newly bestowed magic. It didn’t take long to find the glowing river of power, held in by the gate. No, more like a dam. As I toyed with the idea of lifting the dam just a bit, vivid images of blowing up the bathroom quickly changed my mind. After my shower, I took my time applying makeup, my thoughts drifting to Ash’s surprise, and every time, my stomach fluttered with excited anticipation.

This was my first birthday without Mom. The thought sent a pang of sadness through me, but I forced myself to focus on the present. If Mom had been here, she would only have wished to see me happy. And Ash, he made me happy, more than happy.

Pulling half of my hair back into a loose braid, I left wispy strands to frame my face before slipping into the pretty coral sundress Ash had picked out for me the day before.

The color did suit me, the neckline flattering my figure.

I completed the look with the seashell sandals, then I spritzed on the light perfume, now a little strong with my newly heightened sense of smell.

Catching my reflection in the mirror, I paused. My features seemed—enhanced.

My skin glowed, radiant in a way it had never been before. For maybe the first time in my life, I didn’t just feel comfortable in my own skin—no, I felt beautiful, confident even.

As I imagined Ash’s eyes on me, the butterflies returned, dancing in my stomach.