Page 227 of Born of Blood and Ash

“We are s-sorry.” Tovar’s voice quaked. “We didn’t know.”

“Yes.” Jamison’s head bobbed frantically. “Please forgiveus. We did not mean to disrespect you.”

Whatever humor I felt vanished as I stared at the twoclearly frightened men. Their response wasn’t exactly shocking. Most mortalsbehaved this way when confronted by a god. I could only imagine what they’d doif they knew I was a Primal.

Nektas frowned as he stared downat the two men. “It has been a long time since I have been around those in thisrealm,” he said, drawing a quick peek from Jamison. “I do not remember thembehaving this way.”

“How did they behave before?” I asked.

“With joy upon seeing a god,” he answered. “Not nearly sickwith fear.”

I imagined that wasn’t the case toward the end of the timewhen the Ancients ruled. He was likely speaking about when Eythosreigned as the true Primal of Life.

“Crossing paths with gods usually doesn’t end well,” I said,thinking about what the gods had done in the Garden District the night I’d beenwith Ash. Even if gods were in the mortal realm for different reasons, theytended to do as they pleased. “It shouldn’t be this way.”

“No, it shouldn’t,” Nektas agreed.

This wasn’t the first time I’d thought that, but I’d neverbeen in a position to do a damn thing about it before.

Now, I could.

“It’s all right. You have not shown disrespect,” I assuredthem.

“Debatable,” Nektas murmured.

I shot him a look as neither man moved.

Nektas crossed his arms.

“Ignore him,” I said, turning to them again. Tovar wastrembling. “It’s all right. I promise.” I ventured forward, doing something Irarely did in the mortal realm. I reached out and touched the man’s warm cheek.

Tovar’s head jerked up, his eyes widening even more.

“You may rise,” I insisted. “Both of you.”

The guard’s chest rose sharply as he inhaled. For a moment,neither of us moved. Tovar didn’t even exhale as he stared. My senses snappedopen, and before I could stop myself, I…connected with the man.

I wasn’t sure what was happening. I didn’t see into his mindor his soul, and I wasn’t reading him, but I did sense…something. Pain. Asickness that had been spreading, eating him up from the inside…long before hefelt the first twinges in his gut. An ache that eventually stole his appetite.

Only seconds had passed, but I knew the man was dying slowlyand painfully. And my touch…

The tips of my fingers glowed faintly with eather.

Oh, shit.

Before I could pull my hand away, the essence seeped intothe man’s skin.

“What the…?” Jamison rasped, having risen.

Golden light lit up Tovar’s veins, all along his throat anddown his chest, arms, and stomach. Tovar stiffened as if strings had beenattached to his tendons and pulled. His gaze was unfocused for a heartbeat, andthen it cleared. The tension that had drawn the color from the corners of hismouth loosened. The aching hollowness of his face eased as my touch…

Healed him.

I’d never healed anyone from a sickness before.

But I was the true Primal of Life now. Emphasis on life.I pulled my hand away.

Tovar’s eyes glistened as he shook, but this time, it wasn’tfrom fear or pain. It was from relief. “Thank you,” he uttered hoarsely, tearsfilling those dark eyes and spilling over to course down his cheeks. “I prayedeach night in the Temple, but there was no relief. I stopped praying. Thinking,you know, maybe I…I wasn’t worthy. That I’d done something to deserve it—”

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