Page 93 of Fated

He finished his story, his gaze locking onto mine, searching silently for a reaction.

I struggled to find the right words, to grasp the enormity of what he had just shared.

“Ash, your story is incredible.Youare incredible, I can’t believe everything you’ve been through. I’m … I’m at a loss for words. What you’ve accomplished—everything you’ve done—it’s amazing.”

It was true. I had always known Ash was good, but hearing his full story—what he had been through, and the sacrifices he had made—I suddenly felt very small, almost insignificant next to the brave and powerful king sitting beside me.

“What is it?” he asked, his voice hushed.

“What?” I blinked, snapping back from my thoughts.

“I know that look, Areya; you’re worrying about something.”

I hesitated, feeling vulnerable. “It’s just, I truly don’t feel worthy of you. You deserve to have a powerful queen by your side, not me.”

Ash’s eyes softened, and a playful smirk touched his lips. “I thought we were done with all the brooding,” he teased, glancing down at me.

I forced a small smile.

Ash held my gaze, a soft smile settling on his lips. “I fully intend to have a powerful queen by my side, Areya.”

It took a moment for his words to register, to realize he was referring to me.

“Oh. I … I’m not—”

“No brooding, remember?” he cut in before his tone grew more serious. “My kingdom has always been the most important part of my life, but if you decided you wanted no part of it, I’d lay down my crown without a second thought and follow you, wherever you wanted to go.”

I stared at him, taken aback. The implication of his words shook me to my core.

Ash would give up his kingdom, his legacy, forme.

Before I could find the words, he leaned in, kissing me on the lips. My heart hiccuped at the sensation, his soft lips against mine, erasing all worry from my mind. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. “Thank you, Ash. For sharing your story with me.”

I rested my head against his chest, breathing in his familiar scent. For a moment, everything faded away as we existed together, enveloped in each other’s presence.

But then a thought crossed my mind. “If Agidius went through all that trouble to lure you into Astern, why didn’t he take your heir power? And how did he know where to find me?”

“That is what we are going to talk to Madam Pearl about.” He looked up at the clock on the wall, adding, “Right now.”

Chapter 23

Ash led me to Madam Pearl’s sitting room, but instead of guiding me to the usual chair, he walked straight to her desk and stopped in front of the wall behind it. I glanced at him, confused as he lifted his hand and placed it against the wall. A moment later, the wall shimmered, revealing a sliding door.

The space beyond was stark and utilitarian, a sharp contrast to the elegance of the rest of the manor. Its walls and floors were made of cold, uninviting concrete. Maps—some faded and worn, others marked with fresh ink—covered the walls. In the center stood a long conference table and at the far end sat Madam Pearl, scribbling something into a journal.

The door slid shut behind us, sealing the room in silence. Madam Pearl lifted her gaze from her small book, her expression serious and void of the warmth she usually exuded. “What does she know?” she asked, her voice sharp and directed at Ash.

“Everything,” Ash replied, his tone grave, matching Madam Pearl’s. He crossed the room and pulled out a chair for me, opposite Madam Pearl, before taking the seat beside me.

Madam Pearl’s gaze shifted from me to Ash, her eyes narrowing. “Before you and Areya arrived three days ago, we had feared the worst—that Agidius, holding the heir power of Astern, had taken your power, as well as the heir power of Ellington, from his mother.

Ash nodded, his expression solemn. Something about him was different in this moment. His posture was straighter, his presence more commanding, as if a mantel of authority hadsettled over him. Then it dawned on me, slowly and with awe, that I was no longer just with Ash and Madam Pearl. I was also at the war table with the King of Ambrosia and the leader of Cresinthia.

“Under the influence of the sire bond,” Ash began, his voice steady and controlled, “all Agidius had to do was ask, and I would have willingly handed over my power,”

I watched Madam Pearl process this, the gears in her mind clearly working as her eyes narrowed. “Instead of following through with his plan to take your power, as Cynthia revealed, Agidius shifted focus,” she said, her voice measured. “He prioritized finding Areya.”

Her pen tapped rhythmically against the desk. “The question we now need to answer is how Agidius knew about Areya’s existence and why finding her became so important that he was willing to halt years of careful planning.”

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