Page 134 of Fated

Nadia and Ash both smiled at the mention of Reize.

I reached for some eggs, bacon, and fruit, nearly squealing when Ash poured me a cup of coffee. As I watched Nadia and her two sons chat together, laughing like any other family, something settled deep inside me.

For the first time in a long time, I felt a sense of belonging—as if I was truly home.

“I’m so looking forward to having Calyx back home,” Nadia said.

“Mom loves Calyx more than us,” Ash teased.

“Oh, shush. Calyx is just such a joy to be around, and he’s always so polite. I never hear him swearing the way you and your brother do.”

Ash snorted, and Xanth burst out laughing.

“Shit, Mom, are we talking about the same Calyx?” Xanth’s face was full of amusement as he dodged the napkin Nadia playfully swatted at him.

I couldn’t help but laugh too.

“You’ll see, Areya; Calyx is a good boy. Don’t listen to these two. They’re positively rotten.”

“She’s met Calyx, Mom,” Ash said.

“Oh, that’s right.” Nadia paused. “But she only met him under that nasty curse.”

“Even under the curse, Calyx was the nicer of the two.” I pointed to Ash.

Ash shrugged. “She’s not wrong; Calyx kept that damn grin plastered to his face even as a ripper.”

We all laughed at that.

Nadia leaned forward. “Do you two know when you plan to announce your new status to the kingdom?”

My cheeks flushed slightly, and I glanced shyly toward Ash, letting him take the lead.

“Once I bring Calyx home,” Ash began, “I want to head to Astern as soon as he’s able. I only plan to be gone a week at most. Then, when I bring Reize home, she’ll be thrilled to have a wedding to help plan.”

Nadia’s hand flew to her mouth, her eyes wide with delight. “A wedding!”

Ash grinned, looking over at me with a tenderness that made my heart swell. “I left the decision completely up to Areya, even if I secretly hoped she’d say yes.”

The warmth rose to my cheeks again as I smiled.

Nadia beamed, her eyes misting over as she glanced around the table. “Between the arrival of Ash and Areya, the return of Calyx and Reize, a new queen and a wedding, our family has so much to be thankful for. I am so proud of everyone here at this table.”

She placed a hand over her heart, her voice filled with love.

“Mom cries at breakfast at least once a week,” Xanth teased.

Nadia just smiled at her son. The rest of breakfast was spent with Ash and Xanth discussing his plan to return to Astern while Nadia offered to show me around the city while he was gone.

As we finished and got ready to leave, Nadia gave me another warm hug before Ash, Xanth, and I headed to the charger, ready to bring Calyx home.

Chapter 32

After breakfast, it quickly became all business as Ash and Xanth discussed their plan to extract Calyx. Greyson was already waiting for us when we arrived at the charger. It didn’t take him more than a minute to notice the new marks on our hands.

A wide grin spread across his face, and before I knew it, I was pulled into another hug, followed by yet another welcome to the family.

We climbed into the charger, taking the same seats as before.

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