Page 302 of Born of Blood and Ash

The Primal nodded, taking the dark-skinned goddess’s arm.“We won’t be far.”

The draken cursed again. “And donot let Aios in here.”

I started to dig my back paws into the floor as the draken rolled his weight, pushing me down onto my belly. Ididn’t like that. Neither…neither part of me did.

“Sera, listen to me,” the drakensaid, his head pressed against the back of my neck. “You need to get control ofyour nota. I’m not going to hurt you. You know that.”

I whined, trying to shake him off, but he didn’t budge aninch.

“Stop.” His arms tightened. “Stop and listen to me. I knowyou’re hurting. I know you’re in pain, and I know that’s not just thephysical.”

I panted, trying to get my legs under me. I managed to liftmyself about an inch.

“Fucking Fates, Sera,” the drakengroaned. “At any other time, I’d find your strength impressive.”

The draken moved then, nearlylying completely on me. I grunted, going flat once more.

“Let’s try this again,” he said, shifting his head. Acurtain of black and red hair fell over my face, tickling my whiskers. I openedmy mouth. “You know—”

“Do not grab my hair, Sera. That would be rude,” he snapped.

I grabbed a mouthful of his hair and jerked. The draken swore, and for a moment, I thought I had him andtwisted my head, preparing to shake him.

“You need to control your nota, Sera,” he growled.“If not for me, then for Ash.”

My muscles tensed as my jaw tightened around the thickstrands of hair.

“He can feel all of this,” the drakensaid, his voice filling with gravel. “He’s been feeling everything you have,and he can’t come to you.”

Ash.

The name echoed in my head, followed by images of silveryeyes that warmed whenever he was with me. Ash. He was mine. My world.My King. My heart.

“You know what it’s doing to him.” The draken’svoice had lowered but thickened. “It’s eating him up. Cutting into him. I don’twant that happening to him.”

A loud whimper left me.

“I don’t want this happening to you.” His ragged breathstirred the fur of my neck. “Please, Sera. I’m here for you. Just like Ipromised. Remember? When we came back from the Pools? We don’t have to talk.You don’t even have to shift back if that’s not what you want, but I’m here foryou. Remember?”

I…I remembered.

I wasn’t sure what got through to me. The reminder that Ashwas feeling everything I was? Or the reminder of the promise Nektas had made on the road back to the palace from thePools of Divanash. Whatever it was, I stoppedfighting. I went limp, breathing heavily, the last of the fight-or-flightadrenaline leaving me.

“Can you do me a favor?” Nektassaid after a moment. “And let go of my hair?”

Feeling guilt gather in the back of my throat, I spat outthe mouthful of hair.

“Thank you.” He lifted his head, and after a moment, shiftedhis weight off me, but he didn’t let go. Several moments passed. “Sera?”

I made a chuffing sound as I stared forward. Through theopen balcony doors, I saw that deep blue had begun to penetrate the night sky.

“There you are.”

I didn’t respond to that, just lay there, exhausted, myheart pounding. We remained that way until dawn broke. Eventually, Nektas sat up. With his back against the foot of the bed,he pulled my head into his lap. I didn’t look at him as I stared outside.

He ran his hand between my ears and continued stroking myfur, the ridges on his palm soothing. By the time he spoke, the sun had risen.

“You should eat something,” he said softly.