Page 64 of Enchanted

“No.” I let out a slightly hysterical chuckle. “I went into hospital for my usual tests before my next round of chemo and they called me back in for more. When they made an urgent appointment with my consultant, I thought that was it, that they were going to recommend hospice care because there was nothing more to be done. But you’ll never guess what happened instead…”

Chapter 17

Rami

Ididn’t need to guess. I knew.

Ethan had been told he no longer had cancer.

Because of me.

When I’d seen him dying that day, I’d healed him. All of him. I hadn’t paid attention to what was wrong with him. I’d had no idea that death was coming for him in a different vehicle. I’d stopped all of it just the same.

Wasn’t like I could admit that to Ethan though. Not just yet, anyway.

“Tell me,” I said instead.

“Somehow, I’m cancer-free.” He gave that hysterical laugh again, the one that told me how little he believed it. “They can’t explain it. It’s like my body…healed itself.”

Or an angel had healed it for him.

My mind raced as I tried to think of the right thing to say. My instincts were telling me now wasn’t the moment to dump the truth into Ethan’s lap. He hadn’t even got up to what had happened back at his house yet. “That’s…Wow. I’m not even sure what to say, except I’m so fucking glad you’re not dying.”

“Not at the moment, anyway.” Ethan sighed, looking at the stars once more. “Going through all of this, it’s reminded me how precious life is, you know? The cancer could return at any time. Or, hell, I could get hit by a bus tomorrow.”

I winced. Really wished that wasn’t one of Ethan’s go-to ideas for how death might find him.

“My point is, I need to embrace the here and now,” Ethan said. “My future’s been given back to me. It’s a gift. I just…I don’t know what to do with it.”

It was killing me to not grab his chin and tell him that I knew exactly what his future held. It’d be spent with me. With the Seraphim. He’d never need or want for anything in his life again.

Certainly not love or friendship.

“I do know that I want to choose,” Ethan said fiercely, his hand kicking up some water as he gesticulated. “I’ve spent so long going along with Dave’s plans and Dave’s dreams. And you know what? It’s time for me to have some of my own.”

That right there was why I held my tongue. Ethan was my fated mate, but that didn’t make him mine. Not unless he wanted me.

Until then, I’d be the friend he needed.

“You’re in an exciting place, Ethan,” I said quietly. “You can do anything you like.”

He laughed bitterly, exposing the long lines of his throat as he rested his head on the edge of the tub. “Can I? Because up until a few hours ago, I wanted a future with Dave.”

I was grateful that Ethan’s eyes were turned skyward, because I couldn’t hide how I flinched at those words.

“Fuck, I don’t even know if that’s true.” He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “If I’m being honest, I don’t think Dave and I have been happy for a long time.”

“How did Dave take the news of your diagnosis?” That he’d quit his job and moved back here for Ethan had him going up in my estimation. However, any progress he’d made had been obliterated by whatever he’d done today to upset him.

“He was shocked,” Ethan said. “But supportive. While we were in the states, he came to all of my appointments.”

My eyes narrowed as I read between the lines. “And when you came back here?”

“He got busy.” Ethan shrugged in a way that suggested he didn’t care. The mark told me otherwise. Now he was so close, I was reading him clearer than ever. “I got used to going to the hospital by myself.”

My stomach flipped. “You did chemo alone?”

He met my gaze. “It’s not like it’s particularly interesting. It’s afterwards that you need the most help.”