Page 123 of Born of Blood and Ash

Callum chuckled as a rounded archway appeared, leading to ahall I recognized as the one we’d entered before. “Wonder who he plans to putin this one. You?”

My fingers twitched.

“Perhaps his nephew. Yes, it will likely be Nyktos.” Callum nodded. “We know what will happen to you.”He winked. “It’s all Kyn can talk about.”

The control I had on my temper snapped as we passed anotherfucking statue of Kolis. I pictured it doing exactly what I wanted to do toCallum and Kyn.

The statue shattered with a clap of thunder. Callum jumpedas the Ancient jerked to a stop.

Slowly, both turned to look at me. “What?”

“You know what?” Callum spat. “That was disrespectful.”

“Was it?” I angled my body toward Callum’s.

“It was.” A faint glow of eatherappeared behind his pupils. “But not nearly as disrespectful as lying about Sotoria.”

“Did I lie?”

“You’re really going to try that route again?” Callumlaughed. “It won’t protect you.”

I met his stare as my muscles loosened. “It wasn’t yourfault, you know. What happened to Sotoria was Kolis’sfault and his alone. I wish you knew that. You likely would’ve led a normallife and passed on to the Vale. But everything done to her beyond that? You’rejust as complicit.” I lowered my voice as he had. “And she feels the same as Ido when it comes to you. She feels sorry for you, but she really fucking hatesyou.”

Callum jerked his head back as if my words were a slap.

“That rule you spoke of,” I said to the Ancient. “Does itapply to everyone?”

Aydun’s lips actually curved up. “No, it does not.”

“Good.” I snapped forward, wrapping my hands around the gripof Callum’s dagger.

His eyes widened as he twisted, grabbing for me, but I wasfaster than he was even before I Ascended.

And I was way faster now.

I yanked the dagger free and grabbed a fistful of his hair,jerking his head back so I could thrust the shadowstoneblade through the underside of his jaw.

Callum was dead before I even tore the blade free.

“Gods,” I said, watching him hit the floor like a sack ofpotatoes. “That felt good.”

“What a strange thing for the true Primal of Life to say,”Aydun stated dryly, glancing down at the crumpled form. An eyebrow rose. “Anddo.”

“He had it coming.” Kneeling, I quickly wiped the bladeclean on his tunic. “And he’ll come back.”

“Unfortunately.”

I looked at him as I rose. “Do the Ancients not approve ofKolis’s creations?”

Aydun glanced down at the Revenant. “It’s kept the balance.”

I shoved the dagger into the back of my pants in case Ineeded it. “That’s not an answer.”

His gaze met mine. “What has kept the balance is a mockeryof life. Reanimated flesh and bone and little else. This one is somethingmore.”

Yeah, he was.

I glanced through the door, past the shadowy alcoves to thegolden curtains at the end of the hall. “What of the Ascended?”

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