Page 27 of Fated

In the blink of an eye, he lunged.

I barely had time to react, my body locking up as adrenaline surged. But Ash moved terrifyingly fast, seizing the man by the throat, and slamming him into the guard station with such force, the building rattled. A feral growl erupted from Ash’s throat, and the sheer dominance radiating from him made my blood run cold. I prepared to watch Ash kill this man.

“Whoa, Ash. Hey, man. Let’s settle down—it was just a misunderstanding.”

Calyx was off his bike, his hand on Ash’s arm.

Ash didn’t budge.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” the man pleaded. “We haven’t had any blood out here in weeks, and you surely know how it is.”

“Ash,” Calyx warned again.

A few seconds passed before Ash finally released his grip, letting the man collapse to the ground, gasping for air andclutching at his throat. When Ash turned to face me, his expression was cold, his eyes dark with a lethal intensity making my blood run cold.

Without a word, Ash got back on the bike with me and sped off through the gate.

He pulled up in front of a large, imposing cabin. The structure loomed in the darkness, its rugged, weathered exterior blending into the harsh landscape. I slid off the bike first, my legs shaky from the ride, and wrapped my arms around my body in an attempt to stave off the chill in the air.

Ash then dismounted with fluid grace, moving with a quiet, predatory confidence. He led the bike underneath a small wood shelter, the low hum of the engine fading as he parked it.

Calyx followed, but his eyes never left Ash, watching him closely.

Ash strode toward the cabin’s entrance, and I followed silently, the tension in the air palpable.

Calyx remained outside as we entered the cabin’s dimly lit interior. The main gathering room was bare, with minimal furnishings, offering little comfort and warmth. Ash walked right by, leading me down a narrow hallway, his shoulders stiff as if carrying some invisible burden.

He stopped in front of a plain wooden door and exhaled as his body finally began to visibly relax. “You can sleep in that room,” he said, his voice devoid of the edge it usually carried. “You should be able to find clothes in the drawers that will fit you.”

I nodded, though my attention drifted down to the black gloves on both hands. The fabric felt suffocating, my skin itching beneath. Ash must have noticed.

“You can take them off when you get in there.” Withoutanother word, he turned and walked away, disappearing down the hall as his footsteps echoed in the silence.

I went inside, shutting the door and leaning against it as the cold reality of my isolation settled back in. The silence in the room was deafening, amplifying the overwhelming sense of how truly alone I was. I took a steadying breath, about to go look for those clothes but froze mid-step upon hearing Ash’s muffled voice beyond the room’s confines.

“This is Commander Ash. I need to report to Agidius immediately.”

Pushing my ear against the door, I strained to listen.

A raspy female voice responded after a brief pause. “It’s Kima. The king has been waiting to hear from you. Give me a moment.”

Minutes stretched on.

Finally, a deep voice came through, angry, and frantic. “Ash, tell me you found the girl.”

“Yes, sir,” Ash replied. “Calyx and I have her in our possession. Calyx is preparing the chopper so we can leave first thing in the morning.”

“No,” the voice snapped. “I’m coming to you. I will see to her arrival personally. Do not leave that compound. Do you understand?”

“I understand, sir.”

“I’ll be there by the first light of morning.”

The line went dead, and it felt as though the floor had dropped out from under me.

This was it. By morning, the king would have his hands on me.

Ash and Calyx were more than eager to get rid of me. Turning, I scanned the space Ash had given me. It was large andbare. A sizable wooden dresser had been pushed against the wall next to the door. Across the room, a vast window framed the cold moonlit night outside.

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