Page 148 of Born of Blood and Ash

“Wait,” I whispered, my lips parting. “Great Primal power.”

Reaver cocked his head to the side, his eyes alert.

“The prophecy,” I told him, although I doubted he had anyidea what I was talking about. I hadn’t thought about it, not even when I waswith Aydun. “Kolis said there is a whole other part. Something about greatpowers stumbling and falling—” My eyes widened. “It was about the Primal ofLife and Death.”

“No such Primal exists,” Reaver said.

“Right.” I ran my fingers down my braid. “I totally forgotabout that supposedly unknown part of the prophecy. The third part—the end—thatwasn’t seen by Penellaphe but dreamt by theAncients.”

Was it true, though? Kolis could’ve been lying, but I didn’tthink so. So, who did that part reference if he was speaking thetruth? The one who would basically wipe out the other Primals.Because that was what Kolis had said he wanted to do—well, he’d claimed thatinitially.

And what had Aydun said? That a war among the Primals wouldn’t be won until there was blood and bone.What the Ancient had said and the prophecy felt related. How, though?My intuition was unsurprisingly quiet, but I knew who’d probably know. Whocould likely shine some light on what Eythos had beenthinking when he devised his plan and would also know what could be done about Sotoria’s soul and why Eythos hadended her second life.

“Holland,” I announced, smiling. “And being the true Primalof Life, I can summon a Fate.”

“Are you sure you want to do that?” Reaver asked, soundingnervous. “Summon a Fate?”

“It’ll be okay,” I promised. “Holland is…he’s like family.The kind who spends your entire life lying to you, but still, family.”

My words didn’t seem to reassure Reaver, but I wasn’tworried about Holland being a threat. He may be an Ancient, but he was still,well, Holland. And since he’d already talked openly about the prophecy with Ashand me, it had to be something the Fates didn’t consider overstepping.

The question was, how did I summon him? Just…call out tohim? The skin behind my left ear tingled. It wasn’t just calling out to him.Doing so also involved using the essence. My will.

Stopping between the chair and the couch, I closed my eyesand focused on the faint thrum of eather. As an imageof Holland formed in my mind, complete with the single crease between hisbrows, the essence pulsed intensely from my chest. “Holland,” I spoke, mystomach twisting sharply as the resonance of my voice reverberated with theintertwined strands of power. “I would—” I shook my head curtly. “I need tospeak with you.” Pausing, I opened one eye. “Please.”

Letting go of the eather, I feltit calm as I opened my other eye.

“Did it work?” Reaver asked as he scooted forward so hisfeet touched the floor.

“I’m not sure.” I swept the tail of my braid over my chin.“I suppose we will need to wait and find out.”

So, that’s what we did.

We waited.

And waited some more.

Holland didn’t magically appear before me.

“Maybe I did it wrong.” I started to ask if I should try itagain, but a sound came from the hall. A series of soft thuds.

My head swung to the closed doors, eyes narrowing. Wait, wasmy…?

A knock came.

“Aha!” I shouted, shoving a fist into the air. “My hearingis finally improving.”

Reaver stared at me.

Grinning, I turned back to the doors. “Come in.”

Reaver shifted forward as the doors opened, positioninghimself so he stood half in front of me. It was a clear, protective move andmade me want to hug him.

My two shadows, Rhahar and Kars,stood in the doorway. The latter shifted to the side. A guard with short, spikydark hair and a complexion that reminded me of a smoky quartz appeared in thealcove of Ash’s office. I was sure I hadn’t met her before, but the nameIridessa came to mind. More information started to form, but I thought aboutRhain’s request not to use the foresight on him and stopped myself.

She bowed her head. “Your Majesty.”

Rhahar raised a brow at me as Istarted to speak. “It’s either that or meyaahLiessa,” he informed me, and I snapped my mouthshut. “One or the other.”

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