Page 65 of Fade With Me

“Goodnight!” Izzy called cheerfully.

Zeke gave me a soft smile and a quick nod, his gaze following me as I made my way upstairs.

Once I reached the hallway, I stepped into the bathroom and took a long, hot shower, the warmth of the water washing away the tension that had been building all day. Afterward, I slipped into bed, curling up beneath the covers, letting the softness of the sheets envelop me like a cocoon.

But just as I was about to drift off, I heard a light knock on my door.

“Come in,” I called.

The door creaked open, and Zeke stepped inside, his eyes catching the dim light.

“Hey,” he said, his tone low.“Just wanted to check in before I went to bed.”

I shifted, sitting up and patting the spot beside me, silently inviting him to join. He walked over and sat down, the bed dipping slightly under his weight.

“So, what are your plans for us tomorrow?” I asked, voice coy. “Because I was thinking…” I paused, batting my lashes, trying to be as persuasive as possible. “Maybe we could go to my waterfall. You know, for one last time. It was my favorite thing about this life.”

Zeke’s lips curved into a smile, his eyes softening. “I think that sounds perfect,” he said gently. “Andourwaterfall…” His voice dropped, full of quiet sincerity. “We spent a lot of time there together…in your dreams.”

I smiled. “Ourwaterfall.”

I shifted the conversation, a question forming in my mind. “Izzy doesn’t seem too worked up about everything. He’s taking it all…strangely well, don’t you think?”

A flicker of something crossed Zeke’s face. He paused, his expression turning neutral before he answered.

“We were raised not to show much emotion,” he said slowly, his tone guarded. “Especially not fear. It was seen as unacceptable—weak. A vulnerability that could be exploited. In our world, that makes you a liability. And liabilities can cost lives.”

I sensed there was more behind his words, and my curiosity deepened.

“What do you mean?” I asked, urging him to go on.

His gaze drifted, as if pulled somewhere far away. After a moment, he spoke again, his voice heavy with meaning.

“The Rykoffs are of royal blood in our realm,” he said, voice low. “Izzy and I were raised with the expectation that one of us would take the throne. Technically, I’m older, so that makes me the rightful king. But ifanything were to happen to me, Izzy would seamlessly take my place.”

I had suspected he was a king, but hearing him say it out loud still caught me off guard. I hadn’t fully grasped the depth of his royal bloodline.

“So, you’retheking of our realm,” I said slowly, voicing the truth aloud for the first time.

Zeke’s lips twisted into a wry expression, a soft laugh escaping him. “Technically, yes,” he said, eyes glinting with a teasing spark. “Though Izzy likes to joke that maybe Mom mixed us up when we were babies andhe’sactually Ezekiel, the true, rightful king.”

I let out a quiet giggle at the thought, and Zeke’s grin deepened, his shoulders easing as the moment lightened.

“Yeah,” he said, shaking his head with a fond smile. “Truth is, Izzy doesn’t want the title. Says he wasn’t born to be a king. He’s not exactly the rule-following type.” His gaze softened. “But he’d make a fine king. I’d trust him with my life…and yours.”

His words warmed me, and I smiled, touched by the bond they shared. It was clear they’d do anything for each other.

“So…does that mean your parents have passed on, since you’re the king?” I asked, hesitating slightly.

Zeke shook his head, his expression solemn. “No. In our realm, the heir takes the throne when he comes of age and marries,” he explained.

I paused, then pressed on, emboldened by my own curiosity. “Earlier…you said I’m the queen. Is that because I married into your bloodline? Because I married…you?”

He turned toward me, his face serious, the impact of his words clear even before he spoke.

“It’s more than that,” he said, voice steady, deliberate. “You may not have royal blood, but that doesn’t matter. You’re not justanysorceress.”

He looked at me like he saw something sacred. Something undeniable. “You’re a Vespera. You carry the blood of the primordial beings. Your power, it’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”

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