Page 248 of Born of Blood and Ash

My hands fisted in the blanket. “Is it Kolis?”

“No,” he snarled, shadows swirling across the hard line ofhis jaw. “It’s the Abyss.”

CHAPTERTHIRTY-SIX

Relief and concern whirled together as Iscooted to the edge of the bed. “That was not at all what I expected you tosay.”

“And I didn’t expect you to feel that before me.” Pullingthe pants up to his hips, he looked up and over at me. “Your senses arecontinuing to progress impressively.”

“I’m going to hold off on bragging about that until you tellme exactly what I felt that involves the Abyss.”

“I’m not sure.” He tugged a tunic over his head. “I can onlyfeel the unrest radiating from there, though that is not entirely uncommon.Sometimes, it’s an escaped soul.”

I supposed that would explain why it felt like something washere that didn’t belong. “And when it’s not that?”

His gaze met mine. “Other times, when a soul makes it out,it stirs up the rest and becomes an uprising of sorts.”

I didn’t need any foresight to know that an uprising in theAbyss, where souls paid for every evil deed they committed while alive, wasn’tgood.

I rose. “I just need to find something to wear.”

Ash grabbed the leather straps of his baldric. “That won’tbe necessary.”

I turned my head toward him. Did he really expect me tostand back when he wasn’t? Oh, he knew better than that. “What do youmean it won’t be necessary? And don’t say it’s because I can’t enter the Abyss.I know I can,” I said, having had no knowledge of that before it came out of mymouth.

“Yes, you can.” Draping one of the straps over his shoulder,his fingers moved expertly over the baldric. “But that doesn’t mean youshould.”

Crossing my arms, irritation flared to life. “Is it becausethe Abyss is your thing, and you’re, like, asserting boundaries or something?”

He paused, brows snapping together. “Seriously?”

I lifted a shoulder. “It’s a valid question. I mean, that isyour arena.”

He stared at me for a moment, then curtly shook his head.“It has nothing to do with that. Especially since you’re the true Primal ofLife, Sera. All the realm is your thing.”

My chest squeezed, and not because that was stilloverwhelming to hear. And it was. But it was how he looked at me. As if hecouldn’t believe I would suggest such a thing. I hadn’t meant to offend himwith my question, but perhaps I had. I shifted, uncomfortable. “Then why?”

“Would you like one reason or many?”

My eyes narrowed as my guilt over possibly upsetting himvanished. “Would you like me to give you one reason or many to explain theanger I’m sure I’m projecting all over you?”

I swore I saw him grin as he turned his head to the side.“You’re the Queen.”

“And you’re the King.”

“Yes, but you’re the Queen.” He buckled theharness, looking up. “The true Primal of Life.”

“Whose senses are progressing impressively, according toyou,” I snapped. “And it’s not like I just Ascended yesterday, so it isn’t likeI need to be resting and eating and feeding every five seconds.”

“That has nothing… Fuck.” Eather pulsed behind hispupils as his gaze swept over me. His lips parted, revealing a hint of fang ashis citrus scent increased. “I’m not sure how I’m supposed to reason with you,”he said, his voice smoothening and deepening. “Not when you’re standing beforeme gloriously naked.”

Sultry heat hit my veins as my body happily responded to hisarousal, but every other part of me was so not on board. “Well, you’d betterfigure it out.” I watched him cross the space between us. “I can help, Ash, andI refuse to sit back and do nothing while you put yourself in danger justbecause I’m the…whatever. That is not how this is going to play out.”

“I would never expect you to do that. I wouldn’t even wantthat.” He caught a strand of hair that had fallen against my cheek. “It thrillsme that you have my back. You have to know that. But you are the Primal ofLife.”

I stared up at him, my frustration rising. “I know. That’sbeen repeatedly established, Ash.”

“But you haven’t really thought about it.” He clasped thenape of my neck. “You would be entering the Abyss, Sera. Not just theoutskirts, where the riders had you, but deep within the Abyss. Every soulthere will sense you—will be drawn to you.”

---