Page 78 of Fated

Then I heard it—Ash’s heartbeat. This time, it wasn’t the steady thrum I’d grown accustomed to.

Now, it was layered, each beat a complex rhythm of sounds I’d never noticed before.

If I concentrated hard enough, I could even hear the blood moving through his veins, a faint and mesmerizing hum.

A blush crept up my neck. Just how often had Ash picked up on the erratic pounding of my own heart with his heightened ripper hearing?

And worse—had he known it was because of him, because of his presence?

My gaze shifted to his face, mere inches from my own.

His breath, warm and soft, danced over my lips, sending a shiver through me. It took everything in me not to lean in and press my mouth to his.

I inhaled deeply, and his scent—the way he carried hints of rain-drenched pine needles, crisp mountain air, and the faint warmth of sandalwood—flooded my senses. It was familiar yet magnified, more intoxicating than ever before, wrapping around me like a spell I couldn’t escape.

My head swam, my pulse quickened, and for a fleeting moment, I forgot how to breathe.

He slept so peacefully, his face so relaxed and serene. He was so beautiful, his jet-black hair tousled from sleep, long dark lashes casting shadows over his cheeks.

His lips, full and soft, rested in a peaceful line, so perfectly sculpted, and my heart did somersaults as I stared at him. I let my senses absorb every detail of him at once, and as I did, everything else faded away. Here in his arms, it felt like … home.

I could have stayed there forever, just watching him, memorizing every curve, every line of his face. Unable to resist, I dared to press my fingertips lightly against his lips. The soft contact sent tiny jolts of electricity through my fingertips, and a shudder rippled down my spine.

As I thought about how he had cradled my broken bodyagainst his own, how he had stroked my face with such care, my heart exploded into a million tiny wings. Something had shifted between us, though I couldn’t pinpoint exactly when it had happened. I craved Ash the way my lungs craved oxygen, and I realized with startling clarity that my affections went far beyond the magic or mind control pushing me toward him. Now, I cared for Ash deeply.

And then the thought of what had been done to him, the pain Agidius had caused, sparked a fire inside me. My uncle had tried to strip away Ash’s goodness, his very identity, and that filled me with a hatred of which I hadn’t known I was capable.

I wanted to be the one to end Agidius, to make him suffer for what he had done.

But today, I could help Ash, I could awaken that buried part of him, the part Agidius had tried to destroy. I would find a way to return his memories, to break the curse that had plagued him for so long. Even if, in the end, Ash no longer needed me as much as I needed him, I still wanted to give him that gift. His eyelashes fluttered and storm gray eyes met mine.

A hint of a smile came to his lips.“Hello, princess,” he whispered.

A smile bloomed across my face.

“Happy birthday,” he murmured, leaning in to nuzzle his nose playfully against my neck. The sensation tickled and a giggle escaped.

“How do you feel?” he asked, pulling back just enough to study my face.

“I feel—I feel alive in a way I’ve never felt before,” I said honestly. “It’s hard to explain, but it’s like I’m the same, but everything is better. Sounds are clearer, colors are brighter, even smells are stronger. It’s like I’m seeing the world for the first time. Is that normal?”

“I’m not sure. As a ripper, my senses are superior to those of a human, so I assume the magic heightens everything.” He paused, studying me closely. “Areya, the power coming from you last night, it was extraordinary. Lilly had never witnessed a settling of that magnitude before.”

My eyes widened. “What does that mean?”

Ash grinned. “It means you have some kick-ass power we will discover together, when you’re ready.”

I shook my head. “I’m not interested in discovering anything until I succeed in healing you.”

His expression softened and he looked me over. “You just went through a lot, Areya. I want you to rest. We can worry about everything else later.” His mouth curved into a playful smile. “Plus, it’s your birthday, and I have another surprise for you.”

A swirl of nerves bubbled inside me. “Thank you, Ash, for helping me through last night. If it hadn’t been for you, I don’t think I would have …”

“You would have been fine,” he quickly interrupted me as if refusing to believe otherwise.

The dream of my mother resurfaced in my mind, and I hesitated for a moment. “Ash?”

He looked at me, brows raised.

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