Page 150 of Born of Blood and Ash

“Ward.” I gestured at him. “The Ancients created you. Imean, you were once mortal, but when you died and the Fates rewarded you, theycreated something entirely new out of you.”

“Er…” Penellaphe murmured,glancing toward where Iridessa and Rhahar stood.

Ward’s bowed head muffled his cleared throat. “Yes, that iscorrect.”

That was also basically what they had told me, but there wasmore. The viktors were somethingotherworldly, like the riders, neither god nor mortal, alive nor dead. But hewas…he was different.

I walked closer, focusing on him as Reaver landed on the lowtable between the settees. Eather hummed through me as I locked on Ward. Imagesformed in my mind. I saw…I saw glimpses of his many lives in the mortal realm.Him with his charges—those he was sent to watch over. But he was… “You werenever reborn.”

Ward’s head jerked up then, his gaze finding mine and notmoving away as if he’d been snared.

“The other viktors arereborn, but not you. Because you were restored by an Arae. Your livesin the mortal realm are fabrications. Convincing ones. You learned to live manylies, and you never lost your memories. And you’re old. Older than some of thegods.” Images and words flashed in my mind, coming so fast it was hard to makesense of them, but I saw him when he was mortal. “It was many centuries ago,and you were with a woman—a pregnant woman, not of noble birth. Her name was…”I frowned. “Phena?” That didn’t sound right as I stopped in front of him. Ilifted my hand, and before I even knew what in the world I was doing, I touchedhis cheek—

In my mind, I saw a woman with pale hair and a freckled,heart-shaped face. A woman who eventually gave birth to—

“Ronan,” I whispered, jerking my hand as I took a step back.My heart thundered. Reaver unfurled his wings, lifting his head as he let out alow, deeper call. “Ronan Lesly.” I sucked in a sharp breath, recognizing thatsurname. “There’s no way…”

“I can explain,” Ward said, straightening. “Or at least tryto.”

Unable to speak, I nodded for him to continue.

A heavy sigh left him. “Many, many years ago, when I wasmortal, a Queen of a fledgling kingdom—”

“The Vodina Isles,” I cut in.

He nodded. “The Queen knighted me, and I pledged to protectand serve her. I did so without hesitation,” he said, his throat working on aswallow. “But her marriage was one of convenience. One to strengthen ties withother kingdoms. However, the King was already in love with another. A daughterof an aging bookkeeper. And the Queen was aware. She had her own…” Flushing atthe throat, he glanced at Reaver. “She had her own suitors, but everythingchanged when a babe began to grow in the mistress’s belly—one who was theillegitimate child of the King of Vodina. The Queenhad yet to provide an heir, so she ordered the death of her husband’s mistressand, therefore, their unborn child—unfortunately, something common in thattime.”

Knowing what had eventually become of the Vodina Isles, I imagined it was still common, but it didn’tmake much sense to me. “Why? It couldn’t have been due to any fear that anillegitimate child would have some sort of claim to the throne.”

“She feared she would be unable to produce an heir,” Wardexplained. “And yes, even if that were the case, an illegitimate child wouldstill have no easy road to the throne. But it was more than that. It was anorder born not of unrequited love but the desperation and fear of being tossedaside.”

“Gods,” I muttered, feeling just a tad bit sorry for thewoman. If she hadn’t been able to provide an heir, her fear would have likelycome to fruition. Many kingdoms still operated that way to this day. It was awhole lot of patriarchal bullshit.

Bullshit that I could change, couldn’t I?

I was pretty sure I could, but that was neither here northere at the moment. “What happened?”

Ward’s chin lifted. “As a knight, I’d delivered my fairshare of death, but not to women and children. Others she could’ve gone towould have no such qualms. So the short of it is, I committed treason. I wentto the bookkeeper’s daughter, warned her of the threat, and protected her untilthe babe was born. But she was…unique for the time. She had no interest insimply being protected. She wanted to learn how to ensure her own safety. Itaught her how to do just that.”

“You succeeded.”

Ward nodded.

“The Queen learned of your betrayal,” I guessed.

“She did,” he said. “The babe survived, and so did themother. That was all that mattered.”

“I don’t think that is all that mattered,” I said.

“But it was,” Ward insisted. “For the bookkeeper’s daughtereventually became Queen of Vodina.”

My head cocked. “What happened to the first Queen?”

“Knowing the Queen would not stop until her child was dealtwith, the bookkeeper’s daughter slipped into the palace one night and…well, noone knows exactly what transpired. But come morning, the Queen was dead.”

“Gee,” I murmured. “I wonder what happened.”

“I believe I may have been too successful in my training.”Ward grimaced, causing the faint lines at the corners of his eyes to deepen.“Either way, the bookkeeper’s daughter was the first non-noble to be placed onthe throne. Her son, Ronan, eventually ruled Vodina,and the throne passed down through the family for centuries. It was thebloodline Ronan’s birth began and then ended with—”

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