Page 29 of Wings of Ashes (Wings of Ashes #1)

CHAPTER

N ix’s fingers fell over her heart as it sped up and threatened to jump out of her chest to land at his feet.

Persius—uncaptured, and not tortured and bleeding—was a sight to behold.

Wavy, white-platinum blond locks sat shaggily on his head, appearing gently windblown. His electric blue eyes were pools of neon azure.

When she had known him, those eyes had been dim in comparison. I will never let his eyes dim in this life .

A five o’clock shadow dusted over his angelic cleft chin, reminding her of how scruffy he had been in his cage and how much she had wanted to run her fingers over the hair there. His white T-shirt conformed to every nook and cranny of his broad, muscular chest.

Even the crisp white light of the cafeteria illuminated him differently than the others. Like the light turned into golden sunshine to grant his tan skin the perfect heavenly hue. The man practically had a glowing halo.

The man Nix had known as cautious, skeptical, and distrustful was…not.

Her grumpy mate, who had sworn to rip the limbs off their captor for her, now grinned at nothing. He exuded sunshine energy.

His attractive, lean Roman nose crinkled as he smiled. He smiled at Elle.

Nix’s body jerked into a standing position, but her knees and calves were caught under the table. She awkwardly stepped out and stood before the two men.

Look at me. See me. Nix stared at Persius and was reminded of everything he had ever said to her.

“ Your heartbeat is the greatest lullaby. The feeling of being near you is undefinable. My mate, I will break us free and take you around the world. Heaven will be flying with you .” But his wings, plucked each day, had been destroyed by their captor. “ No one has known me like you. ”

She had snorted a hoarse laugh. “ That’s because you cannot worry about impressing me when we are both caged and bleeding. ”

“ The scent of your blood ,” he told her. “ Want to rip his head off and put it on a pike and carry it around every day until you finally feel avenged. ”

Avenged.

That was Nix’s journey in this second life.

Revenge. And if she could have Persius this time, maybe revenge and love.

“Hey there, Nix,” Adar greeted her with his pearly white smile that now grated on Nix’s nerves. Anything that tried to tear her attention away from Persius felt aggravating.

“Persius,” Nix muttered softly.

Finally, Persius blinked and glanced away from Elle to look at Nix.

Yes . See me . Your mate .

His lush lips quirked down as he narrowed his eyes on Nix. His energy remained bright, airy, and carefree; yet, something sparked in his glowing azure eyes. “Do I know you?” he asked.

His voice . It was not hoarse from severe thirst or weak from malnourishment. This was what he naturally sounded like? Like a romantic gust of wind playing with low-noted bells.

“Do you?” Elle asked. “You don’t have classes together.”

“Um…no,” Nix said, continuing to wait for him to clutch his heart and gasp and realize he had finally found his fated mate.

Why hadn’t he recognized her as his mate yet? It was supposed to be as fast as love at first sight.

Nix reached forward to offer a hand to shake. “Nice to meet you,” she said, but her voice was crazed and anxious and intense. She sounded like a stalker.

But I just need one touch .

For so long, their cages were just far apart enough not to touch. Only once had they been able to touch fingertips.

When we touch, he will recognize me . No shifter could touch his fated mate and not feel it, right?

Hesitating, Persius first glanced at Elle, but he reached up and shook Nix’s hand. “Very formal, huh?” Persius joked, but his lighthearted grin blanked when he looked down at their joined palms.

She felt the sparks. Could he? Electricity zapped through her arm to warm her entire body. Lightning.

Persius blinked, and his gaze snapped back up to Nix’s.

She held her breath.

This is it . The reunion she had not known she could hope for.

I missed you so much .

Persius blinked again and dropped her hand. He chuckled and focused back on Elle as he said, “Your friend smells like strawberry milk.” He wiped his hand—the one that had touched Nix’s—onto his blazer.

Nix’s jaw dropped.

He…didn’t recognize her as his mate.

She was so stunned; she did not even feel the sadness yet. Her heart only had room for shock. Later, the disappointment and gut-wrenching heartache would claim her.

“Oh, Nix, while I have you here,” Adar started as Nix felt her brain breaking. “I wanted to ask you to join me at the dance.”

“How are you doing today, angel?” Persius asked Elle in an adoring voice and stole Nix’s seat at the lunch table. His broad shoulders grazed Elle as he settled in beside her. She would feel the warmth of his touch?

“Nix?” Adar poked Nix’s arm. “You okay? The pink hair dye didn’t seep into your brain, did it?”

Nix ground her teeth and fought back nausea and tears as Persius placed his hand on Elle’s lower back. “I…need to go.”

And she ran.

“Ah, Miss Oadess, perfectly on time for—my dear, are you okay?” Professor Bowen asked her when he noticed the wet tears streaming down her face.

“I’m fine,” Nix growled. Intermixed with the sadness was a new spiraling rage.

Persius and Elle? That had never happened in the previous timeline. What the hell was happening to cause these changes? And if she could no longer rely on her knowledge of the future, who knew how long she had to become strong enough to avoid capture at graduation?

Persius and Elle.

MY mate .

I want to burn the school down.

“Are you sure you would like to take the reversal potion now? We could wait until—”

“Professor, I want to annihilate any traces of what they have given me these years.” Nix’s fingers clenched into fists at her sides. “I want to shift. I want to know what I am.”

She told him, “I want to be so strong, no one would dare fuck with me. If I am even partially blonde when I wake up tomorrow morning, I might shave my damn head. I don’t want to look anything like them .”

Professor Bowen pursed his lips at Nix’s wrathful voice. Still, he turned toward his bookshelf and pulled out a purple vial.

“There is no guarantee as to what or how much lingering traces could survive this reversal potion,” he said. “But I made it strong, so I want you to take small sips over the span of a few minutes—”

Nix grabbed the vial, tipped her head back, and swallowed the entire contents.

“Miss Oadess,” Professor Bowen scolded in shock.

“He didn’t recognize me.” She slammed a hand onto his desk and winced at the pain.

Alphas didn’t experience pain when they slapped and cracked chalkboards. Fuck alphas . Fuck those born with strength they abused or didn’t deserve.

I’m so damn pissed . A fire burned inside her, each minute being fed more and more oxygen. Growing. Raging.

“I want to be me ,” she exclaimed and balanced her weight on the desk when dizziness threatened her. I want to be me . Whoever that was.

“I realize this all must be frustrating to you, but you need to control your impulses,” Professor Bowen warned. “I have worked with potions for many years, and I will help you— safely . When I tell you to slowly sip, I need you to follow my guidance.”

“I…” Nix blinked away the rising tears and said, “I’m sorry. I just had a very, uh, rough lunch break.”

Professor Bowen nodded, surely thinking to himself that a young woman cannot have that many serious problems. “Is the reason you smell faintly of strawberry milk the culprit?”

Picking up a strand of her sticky pink hair, Nix grumbled, “I need to shower before my next class.”

“It might be wise to skip your next class, Miss Oadess. There can be side effects to a strong reversal potion. Especially, after guzzling it like a mortal at a fraternity party.”

Nix huffed but nodded.

She knew Professor Bowen did not want to see more of her impulsive, disobedient side if he agreed to help her.

What he did not know would not hurt him.

As if I am missing combat practice after realizing this timeline is uncertain .