Page 291 of Born of Blood and Ash

Lowering my arm, I stepped back. A sudden wave of dizzinessswept through me. I forced out a long, slow breath. A level of detachedcuriosity filled me as I watched the essence travel through her veins,disappearing under the sleeves at her wrists to reappear along her throat.

“Sera.” Attes touched my arm, hisvoice low. “Close your wound.”

I started to lift my arm but halted when eatherfilled the veins of Penellaphe’s cheeks. Her eyes goteven wider, filling with eather until her pupils wereno longer visible. Her chest rose sharply, and then she shot to her feet,knocking the chair over.

The air shifted around us, thickening and charging with allthe combustible energy. Particles of eather lit upall around Penellaphe, moving throughout the atriumand beyond the palace. The Court of Lotho burned withsilver light. Arcs of eather erupted from theparticles, slamming into Penellaphe and returning toa source, a home.

Penellaphe’s head jerked back, andshe threw out her arms. Blinding light streaked from her, sparking and hissing.She rose into the air, reaching the ceiling. The glow was so intense my eyeswatered as eather enveloped her entire body. Thehowling wind and rain ceased. Through the windows, I saw the thick cloudsbreaking apart to reveal the clear night sky.

There was silence and then the staggering high-pitched callof a draken. Then another. And another.

The eather around and inside Penellaphe throbbed and then flickered out. She droppedfrom the air, but Holland was there before Attes or Icould do anything. He caught Penellaphe, cradling herlimp body in his arms. I was…so out of it that I hadn’t even felt his arrival.

Nice of him to show up.

“I got you,” he murmured, brushing his lips over her browbefore lifting his gaze to mine.

“Sera,” Holland called. His painfully familiar features weretense, but his gaze was soft. “Thank you.”

My eyes slammed shut, violent emotions swirling dangerouslyinside me. I stepped back and turned away, swaying slightly.

“Sera,” Attes started.

“I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not.” He caught my arm, irritation and concernfilling his tone. “You’re dizzy, aren’t you? Don’t even bother lying. You’rewalking like you’ve drunk a fifth of whiskey.”

“Then why did you ask?”

“Because I have no idea what you plan to do next, and Idoubt you realize the vulnerable state you’re in right now.” The angles of hisface were tense and smeared with dried blood, making his scar stand out more.“You’re a fledgling Primal and have used way too much eather.”

“I’m fine. I drank from Embris,” Isaid, wincing.

“And you just Ascended Penellaphe.Whatever you gained will deplete quickly.” Attesfolded an arm around me, swearing under his breath. “Come on, I’m taking youhome.”

I didn’t protest, not even when he tugged me against hisside. I was…I was done. And I was tired—

Awareness of another Primal throbbed in my chest as the mistbegan to lift from the floor. My head shot up. I recognized that sensation—theimprint. A hazy image of—

“Motherfucker,” Attes roared,sensing his brother.

My heart lurched, pumping adrenaline through me. I wrenchedmyself free of Attes, spinning to where Holland held Penellaphe. My eyes locked with Holland’s. His were wide,and the bright silver pupils had dilated until no color was visible.

“I didn’t see this,” he rasped. “This was not a thread.”

The breath I took froze in my chest. Gods. Holland…a Fate,an Ancient, sounded afraid.

Why would he be afraid of Kyn?

Holland rose swiftly, holding Penellaphetighter to him. “Do not fight,” he said through gritted teeth. “You will notwin, Seraphena.”

He vanished with the new Primal.

The glass walls of the palace exploded, sending shardsthrough the atrium. Attes flung out a hand andgrabbed my arm. A wall of silvery eather went up,shattering more glass.

“Fuck,” he snarled, pulling me back to him. Mist whippedaround us.

A burst of energy reverberated through the large chamber,piercing the mist. Without warning, we were moving in opposite directions. Islid across the floor, boots slipping. I fell to my knees just as the hornedtail of a draken whipped through the atrium, rightabove my head, before slamming into Attes. The Primalflew across the chamber, hitting a marble pillar with a fleshy smack. I jumpedto my feet, and he fell to his knees, catching himself.

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