Page 85 of Fated

Ever since meeting Ash, I had been able to overcome myfear time and time again. He gave me the strength to believe in myself and I wasn’t going to let my fear control me anymore.

I closed my eyes and focused inward, seeking the golden river of power pulsing beneath the surface. I could feel it, an immense, untamed force pressing against the dam, desperate to be freed. Angry waves crashed against the barrier, but I refused to let it overwhelm me.

Icontrolled this river, this wild magic inside of me.

With that thought, the river seemed only to push harder, its pressure increasing, the waves growing more insistent. But I didn’t flinch. Instead, I took a deep breath and pondered Ash’s words. His belief in me—his certainty that I could do this—steadied me.

I didn’t shy away from the power. I accepted it—embraced it.

No.The word echoed inside me, laced with pure authority as I commanded my magic, and it obeyed.

The wild crashing waves stilled, the furious current settling into a quiet calm.

This time, I didn’t touch the dam, instead, I imagined a small stream forming from the river, allowing just enough magic to trickle through. Slowly and with control, I guided the power into my palm, its warmth flowing through me.

When I opened my eyes, my hand was emitting a soft golden glow like a star resting in my palm. The magic felt alive, warm, and steady, as if it had always belonged to me.

I glanced at Ash who was watching me, unruffled and confident.

His expression saying,I knew you could do it.

With another deep breath, I willed the magic to retreat, imagining the stream flowing back into the river. The light in my hand dimmed and then disappeared altogether, the powersettling calmly behind the dam once more. “I did it, Ash!” I said, excitement bubbling in my voice.

“You did,” he acknowledged, smiling at me.

Without hesitation, I hopped off the bed, turning my body to face Ash, fitting between his legs. I threw my arms back around his neck. “Thank you!”

I pulled my face back, my eyes searching his. He lifted his hand and brushed the hair out of my face. I lifted my own hand, cupping his cheek, reveling in the warmth of his skin beneath my fingertips. He was so beautiful, and the connection between us undeniable.

I wanted him, wantedallof him, I wanted to make him whole again.

I let my magic pool in my hand, and instantly, I could sense the curse within him. My palm tingled, almost recoiling at the wrongness of it. The curse felt alive, pulsating like a living thing—a parasite clinging to something it had no right to touch.

Closing my eyes, I focused on the darkness, sensing it clearly now, an inky blackness suffocating the light within him. But deep within that darkness, there was something familiar, something pure, a soft glowing ember that was unmistakably Ash’s magic.

The vile creature had latched itself onto his power, feeding off of it.

As if it was able to sense my presence, the darkness recoiled, retreating deeper into him, pulling away from the power in my hand. With its retreat, flashes of faces hit me, the faces of strangers I didn’t recognize. The thing had embedded itself so deeply into Ash that it had its claws hooked into his very mind, feeding not just on his power, but on his memories too.

I sent a trickle of power to my palm and let it flow into the curse.

The creature dug its claws deeper into Ash, reacting violently. It let out a horrible, unnatural scream and Ash’s body jerked beneath my hand. It was hurting him.

I could sense fear radiating from the creature. It was afraid of me.

Opening my eyes, I looked at Ash. A bead of sweat trickled down his brow, his face tense.

“I can feel it, Ash,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “And I feel your magic inside of it. It’s feeding on your power, like some sort of leech, and it’s got a claw in your mind. But I think … I think I can kill it, but I think it’s going to put up a fight, and I think it might hurt.”

I cringed at the thought of causing him more pain.

But he didn’t flinch, only lifted his hand and placed it over mine.

“Destroy it,” he said, his voice calm and full of trust.

Then, without hesitation, he closed his eyes and turned his face into my palm, pressing a gentle kiss against it before turning back toward me and letting his hand drop.

Ok. I can do this—I will do it, for Ash.Clamping down on the tremors running through me, I forced my hands to steady. Closing my eyes again, my other hand lifted, resting against the opposite side of his head. I reached out with my magic, searching for the darkness.

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