Page 116 of Fated

Ash took his seat in one, then gestured for me to sit in the other.

“I can’t sit there!” I whispered, my cheeks warming, glancing around at the crowd.

“Ok,” Ash said.

“Ok?” I smiled at his lack of resistance.

“You can sit on my lap if you prefer,” he added.

My cheeks burned as my eyes widened, and I hesitantly took a seat on the throne, feeling as though it were swallowing me whole. To my surprise, no one who looked my way batted an eye.

The dining hall was filled with cheerful music from a live band, the sound blending beautifully with the joyous chatteraround us. The meal was incredible, a blend of familiar dishes and others I had never seen before. Between bites, people would approach our table, eager to express their happiness at Ash’s return, and many even stopped to thankme. I smiled and spoke with each of them, many of them Ash’s family; he seemed to have an endless supply of cousins.

Ash was captivating to watch, moving through conversations with ease, knowing every person by name and treating them with genuine care.

My heart swelled with pride as I watched him, and for the first time in a long while, I felt truly at peace. The nerves that had gripped me earlier were gone.

The people of Ambrosia had welcomed me with open arms, and while I’d thought Cresinthia had felt like home, being here with Ash was on a different level.

As the evening wore on and Ash became engrossed in conversation, I needed to use the ladies’ room. Ash insisted he walk me there himself, but I waved him off.

Instead, I let Nadia—who sat nearby—point me in the right direction.

Coming out of the bathroom stall, I nearly froze. Shae was standing by the sink, arms crossed as if she had been waiting for me. I offered her a forced smile before moving to wash my hands.

“Sebastian loves his kingdom, and the people of this kingdom love him,” Shae said, her words sharp and deliberate, cold.

I shot her a confused glance, agreeing, “Yes, I know.”

“I grew up a princess in Titan and was traded to this kingdom many years ago. Sebastian’s father meant for us to marry, so I’ve spent my entire life preparing for the role.

“Sebastian deserves someone who can confidently stand athis side, someone who knows the ins and outs of royalty. Someone with whom the kingdom is already familiar. If you care about him, you will walk away and let him be with someone worthy of him, somebody of his caliber.”

Her words hit me like a slap to the face. My breath caught, and for a moment, I couldn’t believe what I had just heard. Tears immediately stung at the corners of my eyes, threatening to spill over, but I fought them back. She was voicing the very insecurities I had been battling within myself, the doubt that I was good enough for Ash, that I didn’t belong in his world.

And Shae, she was gorgeous, looking the part of someone who should stand by Ash’s side.

For some reason, my mind flashed to my mother, her voice echoing in my thoughts.

She always reminded me, day after day, that my worth wasn’t defined by anyone else’s opinions. I may not have grown up knowing I was a princess, but I was just as much royalty as Shae. And even if I hadn’t been a princess, that wouldn’t have mattered either.

Ash loved me for who I was. Who was she to decide I wasn’t good enough?

“I’m sorry you feel the way you do, Shae, but my relationship with Ash is deeper than titles. He rules with his heart, and if you truly knew him, you’d understand he doesn’t care about status. Ash loves for who someone is, not what status they hold.”

As I spoke, I could almost feel Mom smiling down at me, proud of me for standing up for myself. But Shae’s lip curled in disgust, looking me up and down as though I was some inferior creature. Rage began bubbling under my skin, a hot, simmering anger and I let it fuel my words.

“It seems you had—what—nearly three hundred years to win over Ash’s heart? As far as I’m concerned, you’re the one whois unworthy. He deserves a life filled with love, and I can offer him that.” I picked up a towel from the sink and dried my hands, putting all my effort into hiding the trembling of my fingers.

Shae’s face twisted in frustration and with an almost childish huff, she stormed out.

The moment she was gone, I steadied myself against the sink, so proud of standing up for myself, but my God, did I hate confrontation. Taking a few deep breaths, I decided that if Shae were the only person in this kingdom who hated me, I’d call it quite a win.

I walked back to my table and took a seat beside Ash, giving him a soft smile, not letting any hint of my bathroom encounter show on my face.

My eyes shifted around the room, taking in the lively atmosphere until they landed on Shae, standing in a corner with a drink in her hand, glaring daggers in my direction.

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