Page 119 of Fated

A shudder ripped through him.

“Wear them proudly, Ash,” I continued, stepping closer. “They were part of a curse meant to control you, but you won. You beat it and now these,” I gestured to the wings around us, “belong to you and you get to decide what they mean now, how they are used.”

Before I could finish, his arms were around me, scooping me up against his chest.

My breath caught as we left the ground, soaring high into the night sky.

A small shriek escaped me, quickly turning into a laugh as we rose higher and higher, soaring up through the clouds until the stars seemed close enough to touch.

His wings flapped steadily, holding us in place as we hovered above the world. “You could find beauty in anything, couldn’t you?” he murmured, his voice full of admiration.

I smiled, gazing at the stars around us. “It’s not hard when I’m surrounded by so much of it.”

Ash smiled back, his expression softening, then we dove for the ground, the wind whipping around us. I held onto him tightly, my heart racing with exhilaration.

We landed smoothly on the balcony outside his room, and Ash carried me inside, setting me down and tossing my shoes into the corner.

Chapter 29

“Ican’t believe you were afraid to show me this.”

I stood in front of Ash, staring at the magnificent open wings behind him, their dark, powerful presence only making him more striking. He dropped his gaze, but I lifted his chin with my hand. “Ash, you could grow giant ears and a tail, and it still wouldn’t change how I look at you. I mean, ok, sure, you’d probably find a way to make even a tail sexy …”

His lips twitched at the corners as if resisting the urge to smile, and the tension eased between us. Ash had been honest with me, and I had to return that honesty.

“I’ve been keeping a secret, too,” I admitted, the words heavy on my tongue.

He brushed the hair out of my eyes, and as his fingers began working the various pins and clips from my hair, he gave me a curious sideways glance.

I swallowed over the lump in my throat, my nerves suddenly rising to the surface.

“Do you remember when we first met?”

He paused, his fingers stilling. “Yes,” he said cautiously, his attention holding mine as if sensing more to come.

“In the jail, you compelled me … to want to stay close to you.” My gaze dropped to the floor, unable to look him in the eyes. “I would have followed you anywhere, and at first, I leaned on that magic like a crutch. Being near you made me feel safe—your presence brought me comfort. When you’d leave my side, it left a literal ache inside of me, and I could almost feel an invisiblerope pulling me back to you.” I glanced up at his face, but it was utterly unreadable.

So, I just wrapped my arms around myself and continued.

“I figured you’d forgotten you had even compelled me, and honestly, I didn’t want you to remember because I was selfish, taking full advantage of it. I know it doesn’t change anything because I’m in love with you, compulsion or no compulsion.”

He was so utterly silent, and tears pricked at the corners of my eyes.

“But now, with you leaving in only a few days, I won’t be able to bear that kind of distance between us, not with this compulsion still there. So … I’m sorry, Ash.” My voice trembled. “I’m ready for you to break it.”

I bit my lip and glanced up at him, my heart pounding as I waited for his response.

He just stared at me. As the seconds ticked by, I began to regret even telling him.

A warm tear rolled down my face.

Then he reached out, catching the tear with his finger. “Oh, Areya, you really haven’t figured it out?” Ash’s voice was soft, almost teasing, but there was something deeper there.

I blinked at him, confused, unsure what he was getting at.

“When I told you that you’d want to stay close to me, I meant it literally. After walking out of that police station, you became a wanted criminal. There was no compulsion.”

He paused, watching me carefully.

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