Asher's Beloved

Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen - Ruin It All

Ayla Romanov's P.O.V.

I spent most of today sleeping, resting in bed so that my sore limbs can recover. But come night fall, Asher returns from his meeting with Astra and Fabian. I perk up, wondering if they're ready to separate Blithe and I. He shakes his head, leaning over to peck my lips.

"An hour more. Fabian just arrived with the things needed to reverse the spell and Astra is setting everything up as fast as she can." He picks me up gently, making me look up at him in confusion. "While they do that, I believe I owe my beautiful beloved a date night."

I chuckle, letting him carry me through the hallways. I know this is his way to distract my anxiety ridden self. He opens a door that I didn't notice before, stepping through and carrying me upstairs. Hushing me when I ask where this leads to, he tells me to be patient. Eventually, we reach another door and when Asher opens that, my jaw drops at the sight before me.

It's a large and circular room, white marble covering the floor with pillars and statues intricately carved into the walls. The dome ceiling mesmerizes me as it's all glass and I can see the moon and the stars shining bright in the night sky. My gaze lands on the blow-up mattress in the middle of the floor, blankets and pillows covering it. By the bed, there's various snacks and drinks.

"I thought we could do some stargazing." He whispers in my ear, placing me on the bed.

"I love this." I breathe in amazement, lying down and staring up at the twinkling stars.

He hums in agreement, lying beside me and intertwining our hands. Pointing out all the constellations, he tells me stories about them. I curl up to him, wrapping an arm around his waist as his soothing voice fills my ears. We spend the night talking under the moon and the stars, talking about anything and everything while munching on snacks.

But I should have known my happiness wasn't going to last long.

At some point after midnight, I get the overwhelming urge to stand up. It almost doubles me over as something forces me to get up and start walking towards the door. Asher asks me what's wrong but I can't talk anymore, my mouth forced shut. All I want to do is get out of here.

"Ayla, where are you going?!" He calls but I don't look back.

Breaking out into a run, I feel the urge to get to the library. Sprinting down the hallways, I make it there in a few seconds and run over to the bookshelf. Grabbing the book on Vampire Gifts, I jump off the ladder and flip through the pages. It's a completely different page than what Blithe had forced me to learn, I don't even have time to see what it's about. I hear her cackling in my mind, forcing my arms up which instantly makes me struggle.

"Blithe, why are you doing this to me?!" I cry, dread filling me.

"So, you finally found out who I am, huh?" She chuckles darkly, making my blood run cold at her words. "Silvano didn't just cheat on me. When he realized that I knew and I was going to make him pay, he circulated rumors and false evidence of me abusing my powers. When I saw you with him at the courthouse, I assumed you were his beloved. But what a surprise to find out you belong to the King; the same man who signed the form to ban me from practicing witchcraft."

"Silvano has only told us that you're doing all this just because he cheated on you! He probably lied to Asher too!" I scream when the portal appears, feeling the strings of power flowing through my veins.