Page 121 of Born of Blood and Ash

My mouth dropped open. “Gods, you’re even older than Nektas.”

“All of us are,” he stated.

I jerked, unable to even think of Holland as being that old.My brain simply couldn’t process that as I turned back to the gold-trimmeddoors. I shifted my weight back and forth from one foot to the other, wishing Ihad some sort of weapon on me.

Then I remembered. I did.

The eather.

I rolled my eyes at myself.

“Are you…dancing with yourself?” Aydun asked.

“I’m not dancing, you—” Eather throbbed intensely beforefading out, warning me. I inhaled sharply. “Another Primal has arrived.”

“They have.”

I spun toward the Ancient. “I was unaware of other Primals being here.”

Aydun plucked off a wilted leaf that had landed on hisshoulder. “Only Nyktos was prohibited fromattending.”

“That’s bullshit,” I hissed, the wind picking up.

His eyes flashed to mine. “The summoner sets—”

“The rules. I heard you the first time.” I turned back tothe still-closed doors, not liking this one bit. Any number of Primals could’ve just arrived. My mind flashed to Kyn, thenVeses, and the essence stirred wildly inside me.“What are the rules regarding the other Primals andfighting?”

“There can be no violence of any kind among the Primals.” He came to stand beside me. “You have nothing toworry about.”

“I’m not worried.” I stared at those doors. “I’mdisappointed.”

His head swung toward me.

Fuck it.

I climbed the steps and crossed between two columns.

“What are you doing, Seraphena?”

“I’m not waiting.” Focusing on the doors, I summoned the eather. The gold-plated doors swung open, slamming into thewalls with a crash as they snapped off their top hinges. “Oops.”

Aydun sighed.

Smiling a little, I strode into the palace. We hadn’tentered this way when Ash and I came before. Atteshad led us past some bungalows and brought us into the hall that led to theatrium, where I assumed Kolis would be. I glanced at the gold-cushioned setteeslining the walls of the entryway. The foyer split into two wings.

I turned left. There really wasn’t a reason for my choice,so I hoped it was the vadentia leading theway.

“We really should wait,” Aydun suggested, following me.

“We’ve waited long enough.” I entered a hall, passingseveral closed doors on one side and windows facing a courtyard on the other.Two doors were at the end of the hall. Of course, they were gold-plated, aswere the ceiling and the wall sconces, the handles on the doors, and thewindowsill trim. Gold veining even streaked through the marble floors.

Kolis was so fucking tacky.

“We waited a few minutes,” Aydun pointed out.

“As I said, we waited…” I paused, sensing something…off. Mysteps slowed as my skin prickled. It was almost like what I’d felt right beforethe Ancient appeared, except this felt…wrong. Sacrilegious, even.Almost as if I had entered a Temple and cursed the god it served. My eyesnarrowed on the doors ahead.

I didn’t hear footsteps, but I knew something was near, andI was right.

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