Page 16 of Born of Blood and Ash

“I don’t know all the fine details.” Nektasrubbed his chin. “But I do know that the vadentiabecame stronger as time passed. Eythos couldlook at a person and know nearly everything about them.”

I frowned. “I don’t think I can do that.”

“It took Eythos several yearsbefore he could.” The skin between Nektas’s browscreased. “But the embers were already maturing in you long before yourAscension. It wasn’t like that for Eythos. It maydevelop sooner in you.”

I mulled that over. “Possibly. I mean, those embers hadmatured in Eythos and even in Ash to someextent before they were placed in my bloodline.”

Nektas nodded. “But the intuitionnever worked regarding him either.”

A measure of relief hit me. “So, it’s not just me beingbroken or something?”

The furrow in the skin between Nektas’sbrows deepened. “No, I think it’s more likely that it has something to do withbalance.”

“That’s what Eythos believed?”

“Yes. It wouldn’t be fair if one knew how every action andchoice affected them, now would it?” Nektas offeredup. “It would upset the balance.”

“I guess.” I wasn’t sure what the Fates—the Ancients—had inmind when it came to restoring balance or if it actually helped. Their actionsoften seemed rather counterproductive.

“Ah, I just remembered something else.” Nektas’sbrow smoothed out. “Usually, he had to think about what he wanted to know. Givehimself time to, as he put it, listen to what the realm was telling him. Thatwas hard for him.”

I grinned, knowing exactly what he meant. Sometimes, Ididn’t allow a thought to finish before I spoke or another thought came.

“I know he was able to sense unrest within Iliseeum and eventually the mortal realm. I’m not sure ifthat was the vadentia or because he was thetrue Primal of Life, but he could feel the unrest in Iliseeumbefore sensing something happening in the mortal realm,” he told me, the furrowbetween his brow deepening. “But there was something else. Sometimes, a feelinghit him—usually out of nowhere. It was like an urge, guiding him to either aplace or a person. Even sometimes an object. When it came, he couldn’t ignoreit. It would drive him mad at times, especially when it hit in the middle ofthe night.” Nektas brushed his hair back from hisface. “And he didn’t like not knowing where it was leading him or why.”

That hadn’t happened to me. Yet. “What were some of thereasons he was led to something?”

“It really varied.” Nektassquinted, seemingly looking back through time. I wondered how he could rememberall of this. “Sometimes, it was because he needed to see something. Othertimes, it led him to someone with something he needed to be told. I know therewere even random items he came upon. Things that made no sense at the time butdid later.”

Curiosity rose. “Like what?”

“One I can think of off the top of my head was an olddiamond necklace he was led to. Come to find out, it belonged to Keella and held some sort of personal value to her,” Nektas shared. “She was always fond of Eythosbefore, but even more so afterward.”

“Which probably made her even more willing to aid him whenit came to Sotoria’s soul,” I surmised. “That’scrazy.”

He nodded. “There were other things. A sharpened edge of shadowstone. It was how he discovered its uses.” He lookedback at me. “I know I haven’t told you much, but I hope it helped.”

“It did. Thank you.” I smiled, but it faded as my thoughtsreturned to the test. “I don’t know why I passed the riders’ test.”

He folded his arms across his chest. “What do you mean?”

“I was supposed to slay the monster, and I did. Sort of.” AsI explained what had gone down, I pulled my hand from my hair and placed it onthe railing. “They said I only wounded it. So, I’m not sure how I passed.”

“You are not without flaw. Neither was Eythos.That did not make him unworthy. Nor does it make you unworthy.”

I nodded slowly. “Yeah, but was Eythos’smonster a cold, murderous part of him?”

“His monster was his ego. A trait shared with his brotherand luckily not passed down to his son.” Hair draped over the draken’s shoulder as he cocked his head. “Eythos was not perfect. Ash may not have seen that side ofhis father. He was a different man by then, but he had an ego on him onlyrivaled by his joy in giving life. And doing that, creating and restoring life,fed that ego. It took him many lifetimes to tamp down the need to entice thatmonster.” Nektas’s exhale carried a faint rumble.“Unfortunately, the damage was already done by the time he mastered it.”

Because when Eythos refused Kolisafter granting so many requests, it kicked off all, well, all of this.

“But that wasn’t his only monster,” Nektasadded. “Nor was it the one that killed him.”

“His love for his brother?”

“His false belief that there is good in all living things,no matter how many times they show that all that is left inside them is rot. Idon’t think you will have that same problem, will you?” he said, the ridgesthickening across the skin of his shoulders. “So, perhaps your monster will beyour savior.”

CHAPTER FOUR

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