Chapter 186: Winnie and Asher

Winnie stood staring at the melting ice. She held her sandals in one hand while her bare feet wiggled on the wet sand.

A large ditch carrying the melting water back to the ocean separated her from the ice. The tall wall was about half its original size.

The moon reflected against it, giving it a blue glow. Winnie shivered against the night wind. The air around the ice was much cooler.

She heard footsteps but didn’t bother to look back. Only one person would follow her out to the beach so late at night.

He wrapped an arm around her neck, holding her against himself. “What are you doing out here?”

Winnie closed her eyes and dropped her sandals. She grabbed his arm with both hands and took a deep breath. His familiar scent filled her nostrils, and her shoulders relaxed.

“That is my line,” she said and opened her eyes. She could almost catch his reflection on the ice. “You shouldn’t be moving around just yet.”

“I am practically healed. Richard will take out the stitches tomorrow morning.”

“Doesn’t mean you should be moving around so carelessly.”

He kissed the back of her head. “I am glad you’re worried about me.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” She said and tightened her grip.

He didn’t wake up until a full day after he was attacked. He was still anemic, and his strength wasn’t what it used to be, but his wounds had gotten much better.

All he needed now was enough food to replenish the blood he lost and adequate rest—but he wouldn’t sit still.

“I know better now,” he replied, his nose tickling her scalp.

She had told him everything and why she was looking for him. He had taken it a little easier than she had expected.

He even made a joke that if he wasn’t such a coward, he wouldn’t have been attacked. Winnie didn’t find that very funny, and she apologized again.

Right now, they were going to try again, properly this time.

“You didn’t say why you are out here,” he whispered, resting his chin on the top of her head.

“I couldn’t sleep,” she replied.

“Worried about Maya?”

“Yeah, and Keenan. Do you think he found her?”

“If he didn’t yet, I know he wouldn’t rest until he did. I still can’t believe she is Penelope. How did none of us see it?”

“My sister certainly saw it.”

“Yeah, that is the sort of thing she would notice,” he said coldly.

He cleared his throat and adjusted his grip on her neck. “I have always wanted to ask. When you say sister, do you mean that biologically, or because you two were pretty close in the orphanage?”

Winnie felt a chill go down her spine. “What kind of question is that? Alaina is my sister, isn’t she?”

“She called you her sister, and it kind of stuck, but you knew she wasn’t your biological sister—at least until I and Keenan left for the mines.”

“I don’t remember,” she replied and grabbed her forehead. “All this time, I thought she was really my sister.”

“I am sorry. I know you said you didn’t remember me, and that did hurt, but I never really considered that it extended to all your childhood memories. What happened?”

“I don’t know. I don’t remember, but it clearly lines up with when you left. That’s why I remember Theo and not you. I can’t believe she would let me believe this lie all these years. She told me our parents abandoned us and she had to take care of us by herself.”

“What? Alaina was the one who was abandoned by her mother. She dropped her at the orphanage and left Verlassen. I remember that your father joined the war; he was supposed to come back for you. You always said he would when the war was over.”

“I did?” Winnie softly asked.

She racked her brain trying to remember but came up empty. However, his words resonated with her more than Alaina’s story ever did.

She didn’t have to ask why he never came back for her. She could tell he was dead, but she couldn’t even remember his name, let alone his face.

“Did you ever see him?”

“No,” Asher replied. “And even if I did, it’s too long ago to remember.”

“Do you remember my family name? At least, I might be able to find out some information that way.”

He shook his head. “I am sorry I can’t remember anything else but I could ask Frances to check if she would find anything.”

The old matron didn’t document things properly, and after the orphanage went downhill, a lot of things were lost and destroyed.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

She couldn’t believe it. Everything she had known about Alaina was a lie.

“I can’t believe everything she ever told me was a lie, and she just used me. She really did love taking advantage of people.”

His arms around her tightened, and she sank into his embrace.

“You know she held it over my head all my life about how I wouldn’t have survived without her.”

“I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

“It’s not your place to apologize. I wasn’t the only one she manipulated—even Theo almost got accused of being part of her plans.”

“My brother is stupid. He never should have gone along with such a stunt. Just what was he thinking?”

“I’m guessing he liked her,” she whispered.

“What’s there to like?”

“Asher, you can’t fault the heart.”

“True, but you can certainly fault stupid actions. Agreeing to pretend to be fated mates is just silly. They didn’t need to lie about being fated to be together. She just wanted to rope him into another scheme of hers, and of course he falls for it.”

“I’m sure he regrets it now after he found out that she knew you were going to get hurt.”

“Not enough.”

“Yeah,” she agreed.

If Theo had been even a little bit cautious, Asher would have never gotten attacked, and perhaps Maya’s baby would be fine.

“I am glad you are fine. I really am.”

“I know. Whatever questions and doubts you have, know that I am here to answer and clear them up.”

“Hmm, what kind of kid was I?”

“Quietly stubborn.”

“Huh?” She yelled and pulled away from his grip so she could look at him. “What does that even mean?”

“You asked, I answered.” He smirked. “Let’s go home, Winnie. It is too cold to be out here.”

She nodded and grabbed his hand as they walked side by side.