Page 141 of Born of Blood and Ash

“Yeah, you said that before, but I don’t think that’s thecase.”

“It is.” His eyes met mine again. “And I’m sorry if I’vegiven you the opposite impression. It’s just…”

I watched him, waiting. “What?”

He looked away, a muscle ticking in his jaw. “It’s almostlike you trust him.”

My mouth dropped open. “I do not trust him.”

“Okay. That was the wrong word choice. It’s more like you’regiving him credit he does not deserve.” Ash placed his drink down and pushedoff the desk. He came to me and took my hand. Lifting it, he pressed a kiss tomy palm—on the marriage imprint. “I know you believe he doesn’t want war.”

“But?” I whispered.

“As long as I’ve known Kolis, he’s only wanted two things: Sotoria and to rule. His fear of harming you while takingthe embers of life only held him back. Slowed him down. His plans neverchanged.” Eather streaked across Ash’s eyes. “His love for Sotoria,as twisted as it is, is powerful, but not as much as his thirst for power andsearch for retribution against those he believes wronged him.”

I lowered my gaze. “I hope you’re wrong.”

“As do I.” Mindful of the glass I held, he pulled me intohis arms. “Because the Kolis I know would choose to see the realms burn beforehe relinquished control, and we should prepare for that.”

CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE

“Did you or did you not,” I began, holdingthe sword straight and steady, pointed directly at the fair-haired and muscularguard’s throat—“offer to train me before?”

“I did.” Kars’ gaze darted left and right as he answeredtentatively. “But that was before.”

My lips pursed as I eyed him in the bright morning sunlight.“Why is now any different?”

“Well, you see…” He glanced desperately at the other guardsfilling the southwestern side of the courtyard. They offered no assistance.“It’s because…”

“I’m now the Queen?” I supplied for him. “Because I’m thePrimal of Life? Or is it because my husband is Nyktos?”I tipped the sword so it came within an inch of the underside of his jaw. “Andyou’re more worried about what he will do to you if he learns you sparred withme than you are concerned with what I will do?”

“It’s none of those reasons,” Kars objected.

“He’s lying.”

Kars’ narrowed-eye gaze swung to our left. “I am not lying.”

“Yes, he is,” the quiet voice came again. “I can smell it.”

Frowning, I glanced over my shoulder at Reaver. He wasseated on a large, gray boulder, his blond hair shielding most of his face ashe eyed the burlap sack nestled in his lap.

Shortly after Ash had left for Vathi this morning, I’dcrossed paths with Reaver and Jadis, and they had been by my side ever since.Well, he had been. Jadis…

My gaze flickered over the courtyard, looking for the girl.I found her in a few seconds.

Jadis was otherwise occupied.

The greenish-brown draken ranthrough the newly grown grass, trailing a strip of blue silk. I had no ideawhere she’d gotten that piece of cloth, which meant I probably should’ve kept abetter eye on her than Pax, who trailed behind her.

It felt like forever since I’d seen the orphan Ash hadbrought into the Shadowlands nearly a decade ago. The fifteen-year-old nowlived with a family in Lethe but spent a decent amount of time in the palace,doing odds-and-ends jobs. He eagerly tackled those tasks, and I thought it wasbecause he liked being around Ash and wanted to prove himself useful. Maybeeven show gratitude.

I refocused on Reaver. “You can smell it?”

“It’s in his sweat.” Reaver reached into the sack and rootedaround. “The stench changes.”

“What the fuck?” Kars muttered.

“Language,” I warned him. “There are younglings present.”

---