Page 144 of Born of Blood and Ash

“I get you.” His chin lifted. “Fighting is a lot of musclememory, but it’s not something one retains any real skill for withoutpractice.”

“Yeah.” I shifted my weight. “And I’ve been out of practicefor…” I cleared my throat as I watched the clouds momentarily blot out theglimmer of the stars. Everyone knew how long. “It’s been a while.”

“Nyktos will work with you,” hesaid. “After all, he enjoys getting his ass kicked by you.”

Cracking a grin, I forced myself to meet his gaze. “Thankyou for coming to say something. If you hadn’t, I probably would’ve done somedamage.” I swallowed a sigh and scanned the sparring guards. “I think I oweKars an apology.”

“I don’t know if that’s necessary.”

“It is.” I inhaled deeply, squaring my shoulders. “He wastrying to tell me why he couldn’t train with me, but I wasn’t listening. Ishould have.”

Saion didn’t respond. I glanced at him and found himwatching me as if I’d sprouted a third hand from the center of my forehead.“What?” I asked.

“Nothing.” He blinked and looked away. A moment passed. “Youknow what? It’s not nothing. I was thinking that you’ve changed. You’re not soirrational.”

My brows shot up. “Wow.”

A sheepish look crossed his features. “But then I realizedyou weren’t always irrational. Just prone to moments of irrationality.”

“If this is supposed to be a compliment, you’re failing,” Istated.

“You’ve always been thoughtful, though.” His stare came backto mine. “Considerate of others. I don’t think we always saw that. Except forEctor.”

Feeling my heart squeeze, it was my turn to look away. “If Iwere truly considerate, you wouldn’t have had to intervene.”

“I don’t agree with that.” A moment passed. “Your Majesty.”

I shot him an arch look.

“I don’t think being considerate means always doing theright thing. If that were the case, none of us would be,” Saion said,scratching his chin. “I think it sometimes means acknowledging when youshould’ve been more considerate and then doing it. You—” A shout from acrossthe courtyard drew our attention. “What the…?”

Jadis was hopping on her hind legs, clutching that strip ofblue material in one hand as she spat short bursts of silver flames towardBele. The Primal stood with her arms crossed, her features pinched in a waythat said she was utterly done with whatever was happening while Pax grinnedfrom where he sat, safely behind the draken.

“Jade, baby,” Aios called out tothe youngling. “Don’t scare Bele.”

Bele scowled, but Jadis stopped, screeching happily as shethrew herself onto the several-inch-tall grass. Two thin legs stuck straight upas she waved the slip of blue material like a victory flag.

Pax grinned wider.

Behind Bele, Rhahar looked like hewanted to run face-first into the shadowstone wall.

“Man,” I murmured, shaking my head. “Children—draken or not—are absolutely terrifying.”

Saion chuckled. “That, they are.” He glanced over at me. “Bythe way, I did have another reason for coming out here. Rhain is looking foryou.”

My stomach dipped. “What for?”

“Not sure,” Saion said, “but he said it was important.”

“Seraphena.”

I opened my eyes. “What?”

“Have you been listening to me at all?” Rhain demanded.

“Of course.” Tilting my head from where it rested on the armof the chair, I slid a quick look at Reaver.

He grinned, returning his attention to the piece ofparchment the god had given him that he’d been scribbling on. Reaver hadfollowed me when I went to find Rhain while Jadis was still, well, I imaginedterrorizing Aios and Bele.

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