Page 60 of Fated

I looked back at him, confused.

“That look you make. The one saying you don’t think you’re good enough.”

I chewed on my lip, not knowing what to say to that; no one had ever seen through me this way before, let alone called me out on it.

“You are more than enough, Areya.”

My heart tightened at his words, and I swallowed hard, trying to keep my emotions in check. “I’m sorry for saying I hated you, Ash. I don’t hate you.”

He smiled, a real smile this time. “Goodnight, Areya.”

“Goodnight, Ash.”

For the first time in what felt like ages, a sense of peace settled over me as I drifted to sleep.

Chapter 16

Iwoke to an empty bed, my hand instinctively reaching for Ash, finding only the sheet’s coolness. There was no sign of him, and sitting up, the events of the previous day began to wash over me. A light flutter stirred in my stomach, replaying the way Ash had looked at me the night before, the way he had stayed with me when I asked.

Sorting through everything that had happened, I arrived at a few conclusions:

Ash was good.

Whatever happened next, we would face it together.

There were people here in Cresinthia who cared about me.

Today would be my last day as a human.

Tomorrow, if I could, I would heal Ash, and he would learn the truth about himself.

Just as my nerves began to twist into full-blown panic, the door creaked open, and in walked Ash, holding a tray. He flashed me a smile as he approached the bed.

“So, I went down to the cafeteria and got you breakfast. But don’t worry, I avoided anything that even looked like it came out of the ocean.”

I giggled. Somehow, he had picked up on my aversion to all things seafood.

“It’s weird though, isn’t it?” I asked as he sat at the edge of the bed beside me.

“What is?”

“The fact they eat fish. I mean, aren’t they technically part fish themselves?”

Ash chuckled. “Wait until I tell Madam Pearl you called her a fish.”

“Don’t you dare!” I gasped, my eyes widening.

He only grinned, handing me the tray with a plate piled high with fruit, scrambled eggs, and golden hash browns.

“They have chickens down here?” I raised a brow.

Ash shrugged, smirking. “Could be some other type of egg.”

That had me scooting the eggs far from the rest of my food, much to his amusement.

“Thank you.” I said, looking at him more seriously this time. I noticed the shift in his expression, the way his body tensed slightly as if the words made him uncomfortable.

It reminded me of how awkward Calyx had been when I’d thanked him before. “What about you? How long can you go without—um, blood?”

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