Page 278 of Born of Blood and Ash

“He loved you before he realized he could. And him coming tome to feed him—something he struggles with even now—is something he doesbecause of his love for you.”

“I know,” I whispered, feeling tears crowd my eyes. I triedto push them down because I didn’t want Ash to sense my emotions and worry.

“That is how he is changing what was done to him. It wasn’this fault, but he’s fixing it,” Rhain stated. “And even though this isn’t yourfault, you can still fix it. Fates, Sera, you even know how.”

Gods, did I ever know how.

And it was well past time I did it.

Because we were supposed to be a team. Partners. We stood byeach other’s side. We would change the realms.

But not if I continued this way. Not if I didn’t starttrusting myself. And that was it, wasn’t it? The key. It wasn’t that I didn’ttrust Ash. I trusted him with everything—my joy and sorrow, my pleasure andpain. Like I’d said to Aios, it was never about himseeing me differently. It was always about me thinking of myself differently.That was the problem I needed to face. With Ash. And it couldn’t wait. Thankthe gods I no longer sensed Attes so I could.

Some of the rawness eased. “Thank you.” I cleared my throat.“Thank you for providing for my husband and telling me to shut up.”

“You’re welcome. I think.” His head cocked when I rose.“What are you going to do now?”

“Find my husband and talk—” I jerked as a horrifying screampierced the air, cutting through the atmosphere like a blade. Concern surgedthrough me, and my gaze flew to Rhain’s.

He was still looking at me, brows raised, waiting for me tocontinue. It was like he hadn’t…

“Didn’t you hear that?” I asked, my voice barely above awhisper.

“Hear what?” he asked.

“A…a scream.” Throat suddenly dry, I tried to swallow.

A look of worry settled onto his face. “What?”

I stared at him in confusion. There was no way he hadn’theard what I did. My skin was still pimpled from the sound. “I heard a scream—akind I’ve never heard before.”

Rhain rose, the look of worry increasing in his expression.“Sera, I didn’t hear anything.”

That was impossible unless my hearing had improved thatmuch. But it sounded close, almost as if the person were standing right besideme.

“Sera?” Rhain inquired. He reached out to place a hand on myshoulder, but I stepped back. “What’s going on?”

“I…I don’t know.” Turning, I quickly crossed the chamber andwrenched open the door. “Something—”

Another scream echoed through the palace halls, causing meto stagger back. It wasn’t just a scream. There were many. A terrifying chorusof them. Hundreds. Thousands of screams brimming with pure terror anddesperation.

My heart hammered in my chest, threatening to break free ofits cage. My wild gaze met Rhain’s. “You can’t hear them?”

“No. I don’t hear anything.” He said more, but the cacophonyof guttural wails and agonized shrieks drowned him out. It was as if everytortured soul in existence had converged in…

Oh, my gods. It was in my head. And the screamswere so loud, blending together to form a symphony of brutal terror. My handsflew to my ears in a futile attempt to dampen the sound. The screams felt as ifthey were tearing through my mind, sending sharp, pulsing pain between mytemples and shooting down my spine. I doubled over, my fingernails digging intomy scalp.

Rhain reached for me, grasping my arms. My knees went out. Ididn’t even feel myself hit the shadowstone floor. Irocked forward as Rhain released me, rushing toward the door. His shout wasmuffled by the screams, each wave more gut-wrenching than the last. It was likethe very realms themselves were crying out. There were shrill cries thatsounded like nails on a chalkboard and low moans that evoked images of bodieswrithing in pain. I slammed my hands against the sides of my head, but theystill came. The intensity of the screams seemed to amplify, the sheer volume ofsuffering they conveyed becoming nearly unbearable as hundreds ofthem—thousands—wailed, pleading between gasps punctuated by sobs as they fell.And I felt them. I saw them. A mother’s cry when herchild was torn from her arms. A guard’s anguished shout as an unseen enemystruck him down. A lover’s desperate sob as they clung to the lifeless body oftheir beloved. The sheer breadth of the pain was staggering until the screamswere abruptly silenced. They all fell, one after another…

Eather throbbed in my chest, so intense that it stole mybreath. The essence kept pulsing—as if I sensed death.

A warm hand cupped the back of my neck, startling me. Ilooked up to see Nektas crouched before me, fainterscreams still causing me to flinch.

“Meyaah Liessa.” His rough, gravelly voice caused me towince.

“Where is Nyktos?” Rhain demanded.

“He was summoned to the Pillars of Asphodel,” Rhahar said, his fisted hand at his chest.

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