Page 122 of Born of Blood and Ash

The gold-plated doors swung open, and all I saw wasgold—gold clothing, gold-painted wings, and golden hair.

My lip curled as a mixture of anger and unwanted empathyrose. “Well, now I know why I suddenly felt something profane.”

Callum halted ahead of me, the painted wings on his facetwitching a second before his expression smoothed into a smile aswell-practiced as Kolis’s. I didn’t like the Revenant for a whole slew ofreasons. The feelings were mutual, but what wasn’t was the sorrow I couldn’thelp but feel for him. Sotoria’s brother was atragedy.

“Seraphena,” he said, his tonelevel. Courteous, even. “I see you are as charming as ever.” His eyes, whichwere such a pale shade of blue they were almost lifeless, drifted over me. “Andas inappropriate.”

“How so?”

“You’re dressed worse than a common tavern wench and not fitto meet with the King,” he replied. “And you were supposed to wait outside.”

“Two things.” I quickly glanced at the sheath and the goldenhilt of the dagger on his left arm as I held up two fingers. “I got tired ofwaiting.” I lowered my pointer finger, leaving the middle one still raised.“And I’m meeting no King today.”

Callum’s mouth tightened. “Charming.”

I turned my hand around so my middle finger faced him.

“Very charming.” He clasped his hands behind him. “But notas much as the last time I saw you. How are your arms feeling?”

Muscles throughout tensed. “Perfect.” I smiled. “How isKolis feeling? Last I saw, he had a few extra holes in him.”

Callum tilted his head. “You will see for yourself soonenough.” He stepped to the side and turned as he said, “Come.”

I kept smiling, even though it hurt my face as I followedCallum through the doors, making sure I walked on his left side. We entered awider hall lined with marble statues of… I saw a chiseled jaw and featuressimilar to Ash’s. “Kolis has statues of himself as decoration?”

“Of course he does.” Callum stared ahead. “He is the King.”

“Of tackiness?”

“And what are you the Queen of?” Callum responded, his chintipping up a notch. “The Queen of Nothing? No, that doesn’t sound right. Howabout the Queen of Lies?”

“To be honest, Queen of Lies has a nice ring to it.” On myother side, Aydun frowned. “I kind of like it.”

“You would.” Callum’s steps slowed as the hall curved. “Iknew you were lying the whole time.”

I said nothing as we passed more statues of Kolis.

“My sister…” His chest rose with a deep breath as stale airflowed in through an open window. “She had everything you will never have,starting with class.”

“And yet, Kolis sought to dress her in a manner that exposedevery part of her body?” I replied. “So classy.”

Callum’s jaw flexed. “Perhaps, deep down, he knew thetruth.”

“Ah, yes. That’s exactly why.” Anger pulsed. “He would nevertreat her that way. Never mind the fact that he sought to hold her captive againand force himself upon her.”

Aydun’s brows rose.

“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” Callum shotback, the veneer of civility cracking.

Just like before, disbelief rose. “I will never understandhow you can justify Kolis’s actions toward someone you clearly loved.”

Callum went quiet.

“Then again, I will never understand how you can stand bywhile Kolis collects his favorites in an attempt to replace her, either.”

“They were all sad attempts. Especially you. You were thesaddest of them all.” Callum’s smile was sharper as he glanced at me. “Guesswhat I heard?” His voice lowered as if he were sharing a juicy secret. “Kolisis already building another cage.”

My skin heated from the inside.

---