Page 256 of Born of Blood and Ash

Lifting my hand, I placed my palm on her uncovered shoulder.Her skin was damp beneath mine as I closed my eyes. Summoning the essence, Ifelt it rush to the surface. It came to me easier when used for this than itdid when using it as a weapon or to move objects. I didn’t really have to thinkmuch about it as I channeled the energy into the goddess. Sekyatalons had punctured her lungs, her left arm was broken, and severalvertebrae were cracked. The essence repaired those injuries.

The reason this was easier didn’t really occur to me untilIridessa’s brow smoothed out and her breathing deepened. The eather was designed to protect life. To heal. And that hadshaped Eythos and even Ash before the embers wereremoved from him. It wasn’t as strong as in his father, but the essence of lifehad played a role in who they each were at the very core of their being.Because it belonged to them. And that was why Eythoscould forgive his brother. Why Ash felt each and every death so deeply.

Aware that my presence had gained attention, I rose andmoved to the cot of another unconscious guard.Something else occurred to me. It was also why I hadn’t slain the monster whilewith the riders.

Using the eather to heal orrestore life was natural to me only because it was natural to the energyitself. But it hadn’t shaped my nature.

Only I could.

If I could.

As I healed the guard beside Iridessa, I thought about whatOdetta had said to me. That I had been touched by both life and death. Really,it was Sotoria’s soul that had been touched by death.

Time blurred as I healed the injuries of several moreguards. While doing that, I felt Ash’s presence. He watched me as intently asone of Attes’s silver hawks. He didn’t try to stopme, simply gave me space as I moved from one cot to the next. Neither did Kyeor Aios, the former flushing pinker each time I drewcloser to him. When Rhahar arrived, I heard himinforming Ash that the sekya hadn’theaded toward Lethe. That brought me some relief.

The arm beneath my hand trembled as I healed wounds not asdeep as some of the others. This guard had awakened upon my approach. His namewas Liam. He was only a little older than Iridessa, and his past was nearly thesame as hers, except he’d escaped Kyn to join the Shadowlands. I didn’t speakas the pallor of death eased, revealing his olive-toned complexion. Neither didhe. Not until I made to leave.

Liam clasped my hand. “Thank you,” he rasped.

I nodded, not wanting his gratitude, as I moved to the lastof the unconscious guards. My skin chilled as I reached the godling’s side.Blood stained his hair to the point where I couldn’t tell if the strands werenormally coppery. There had been a reason I’d been avoiding him.

He was no longer with us.

His soul had left him before I entered the chamber—possiblyonly seconds beforehand—because Kye and Aios stillseemed unaware of his passing.

I lowered myself to my knees and swept my gaze over him. Hisinjuries were significant. If he had been mortal, his body would’ve been ineven worse condition. Still, even as a godling, it was bad. If I had to guess,I’d say he’d been one of the guards dropped from the Rise.

Eather swelled as I stared at him. My body tensed, and thenI reached for him.

A cool hand caught mine, startling my heart into skipping.My gaze flew to a pair of beautiful silver eyes. Holding my stare, Ash drew histhumb over the imprint on my palm. In the silence that followed, I realizedsomething.

“It must be hard for you,” I whispered hoarsely, thinking ofhis abilities. “To be around so much pain and be able to feel it.”

“It’s manageable,” he assured me, but I couldn’t see how. Hehad to be drowning in it.

Drawing in a shallow breath, I looked back at the man. Iknew his name. The Court he originally served. How old he had been. I didn’twant to know those things. I wanted him to remain a faceless, namelessstranger. It was easier that way.

Ash’s other hand wrapped around mine, causing me to lookdown. A ripple of surprise went through me as he threaded his fingers throughmine. I hadn’t even realized I’d lifted my left hand.

“He’s gone, liessa,” Ashstated quietly. “His soul is no longer with him.”

“I know.”

“Do you?” he asked quietly.

A knot lodged in my throat. I nodded.

Ash pressed a kiss to my left hand, then my right. “You’vedone more than enough.” He straightened, holding on to one of my hands as hehelped me to my feet.

As I rose, I caught Aios’s gazefastening on the fallen guard as she gathered some soiled linens. Her eyesglimmered with unshed tears. The knot in my throat increased as Ash and Iturned to the doors.

The Healer stood before us. “Your Majesty.” Placing a palmover his chest, Kye bowed. “Thank you for your aid.”

I thought I said something appropriate and didn’t just standthere, staring at him with a slack jaw. At least, I hoped I did. Kye glanced atAsh and then nodded, stepping aside.

Ash led me toward the hall, and as I looked over my shoulderwhen we reached the doors, I saw Kye draping a sheet over the guard.

Once in the narrow hall, Ash folded an arm around myshoulders. Wisps of shadowy eather spun out, coilingaround our legs. He said nothing as we shadowsteppedback to our bedchamber.

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