Page 46 of Fated

“I trust her, Ash,” I finally said, quietly.

Ash looked between me and Madam Pearl, his expression torn. After a long pause, he gave a reluctant nod, signaling for her to continue.

“Tell me, Prince,” she said. “What do you remember, and how did you end up in my city with a healer?”

Ash hesitated a moment before beginning to speak. His voice was steady, and I was struck by how well he explained himself. He told her about waking up sixteen years ago with no memories, the years he’d spent searching for me, and the visions flooding back upon my touch. Then he mentioned the lake, the only place he had thought to seek answers.

Madam Pearl listened intently, her eyes never leaving Ash ashe spoke. When he finished, she was silent for a moment, clearly deep in thought.

“When Areya settles, will you let her heal you?”

“I don’t know,” Ash answered.

“Why not?” she countered, her eyes narrowing slightly.

“So, maybe Agidius isn’t who he said he was, but he did give me power and immortality. How can I help anyone as a mere human?”

Madam Pearl’s eyes lingered on him a moment, her expression unreadable until suddenly, she chuckled. The sound was soft at first, but quickly grew into a full, warm laugh, her hand moving to her chest as if to steady herself.

Ash’s face twisted into irritation, clearly unamused by her reaction.

“I’m sorry,” she said, still smiling, “but Agidius did not give you power.” Her voice was light, almost teasing, as if the very idea was laughable. “The power I sense from you right now is merely a drop in the ocean! I can barely feel it at all.”

The muscles in Ash’s jaw tightened.

“This thing—the curse or sickness—didn’t give you power, my boy. It’s suppressing your power. You have never been a mere human. You are one of the divine, just as Areya is.”

Ash’s face became unreadable, but I could sense the storm brewing below the surface.

His eyes flickered between confusion, disbelief, and anger, as if he struggled to process what she was saying.

“What was Ash’s power like before?” I asked.

Madam Pearl looked at me, a fond smile tugging at her lips. “The whole damn ocean.”

I raised my eyebrows in surprise, and Ash shifted uncomfortably beside me.

“Why do you keep calling me Prince?” he asked, his voice quieter but no less demanding.

Madam Pearl drummed her fingers on the arm of her chair, her gaze softening as she regarded him. “It’s time you remembered who you are, Sebastian Lysander Augustine, mind bender of Ambrosia, son of Nadia Augustine, and most importantly, my dear friend.”

Ash’s eyes widened, and he ran his hand through his hair, a habit betraying his nervousness.

Sebastian. Ash’s name was Sebastian, and she had said he was from Ambrosia, but Ash had called Astern his kingdom. The revelation hung in the air like a weight.

Madam Pearl, unfazed, pressed a button on a small box in her desk, and a moment later, Lilly’s voice echoed from the speaker. “Yes, Madam?”

“Lilly, could you have the kitchen prepare beverages for Areya and me? And water for Sebastian, please.”

She released the button and turned her gaze back to Ash. “Now, I’m going to tell you the story of our people and the kingdoms ruling our world, just as I did when you were a boy.”

Chapter 13

“Gardonia has always been a land divided by two races, the humans and the divine. The divine were a people gifted with magic, their abilities woven into the very fabric of their existence. In the time before the rise of the four kingdoms, most of the divine had power limited in scope.

“Their gifts were varied—earth magic, charms, wards, and other elemental abilities. The divine also possessed stronger and faster bodies than their human counterparts. They healed at an accelerated rate and were nearly immortal. Humans, on the other hand, although lacking magic, were no less formidable. They were brilliant, cunning, and resourceful.

“To them, the divine weren’t just rivals; they were a threat to their very existence. War between the two races became inevitable, a constant cycle of conflict and destruction. Forced to rely solely on their intellect and ingenuity, humans crafted powerful weapons.

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