Page 32 of Born of Blood and Ash

“You’d think, but considering how often I’ve seen him dieonly to return to life? Even after I did a real number on him?” Thesatisfaction that came with wiping that smug look from Callum’s face was brief.“I’d say no.”

Ash looked away as he reached across the table to pick up abottle of wine. He pulled the cork and poured himself a glass and then turnedan empty glass upright to pour another. “I want to ask you something.”

“Okay.”

He placed the wineglass near my plate. “When I was beingheld in the Carcers,” he began, speaking of themountains west of Dalos, “I was in and out ofconsciousness. Kolis always managed to be there when I was awake.” He shiftedhis gaze to the glass he held. “He liked to talk.”

My throat dried.

“He said you tried to escape.”

Dropping my hands to my lap, I nodded. “I did. That’s…that’swhen I messed up Callum.”

“How did Kolis handle that?”

“Surprisingly well,” I said. “He actually didn’t seem allthat mad.”

Ash’s head slowly turned to me.

“I know. It sounds unbelievable, but he…he wanted so badlyto believe I was Sotoria.” I let my head fall back.The lamplight from the chandelier glowed softly as I stared up at it. “I thinkthat kept his temper in check.”

“Most of the time.”

I tensed, briefly closing my eyes. Ash was likely talkingabout the bruises he’d seen when we walked in each other’s dreams, but my mindwent to Kolis’s punishment for when I attempted to intervene on Veses’ behalf.

For the briefest second, I could almost feel the muscles inmy arms stretched unbearably.

I opened my eyes. “The bruises you saw when we dreamwalked happened after he took me to Hygeia andsummoned Phanos—” I drew in a ragged breath as I sawthe reluctance in the Primal God of the Sky, Seas, Earth, and Wind’s eyes flashbefore me. My throat thickened. “And after the ceerentransferred their essence to me. I saw my chance to kill Kolis—or what Ithought was my chance. I grabbed a shadowstone bladeand stabbed him.”

“Gods.” Ash drew his other hand over his chin.

“It wasn’t a very well-thought-out plan. His reaction wasimmediate. I don’t think he even meant to hit me—

“You stabbed me, and I did not strike you, Sera.”

“I know.” I looked him straight on, thinking I likelywouldn’t have faulted Ash if he had reacted in some way to defend himself.After all, I had stabbed him in the chest. Literally. I would’ve doneway worse if it had been me…and I’d survived. “I’m not excusing it. I’m justexplaining that he has better control of his temper than what is made of him.”

“He had that control because of what you mean to him,” Ashbit out. “You saw a side of him that no one else has seen, at least not in mylifetime.”

I swallowed as nausea crept up my throat. Between my stomachand the dark energy seeping out of Ash and charging the air around me, I reallyneeded to get to the point of why I’d brought this up before I vomited onmyself and the table. “All I’m saying is that’s what caused the bruises. Andeven then, that was it.” But it really wasn’t. He had used compulsion, ensuringthat I behaved and could only stand there while—

Nope.

Wasn’t going there.

Feeling Ash’s gaze on me, I forced my thoughts past that.“It didn’t happen when I tried to escape after he brought me back to Dalos. All he did was lecture me. And now, I think it wasbecause my actions reminded him of Sotoria. The wholeattempting-to-escape-him thing. How fucked up is that?”

“There are no words to capture how fucked up that is.”

He was so right. “When we were on the beach in Hygeia, I sawwhat he really looked like—his Primal form.” Tiny goose bumps formed as thedull gleam of Kolis’s bony face appeared in my mind. “I saw true Death.”

Ash had gone completely still, his expression devoid of anyemotion. I counted. It took six seconds before he spoke again. “When we weretalking before, you said he made you wear revealing clothing?”

“Yeah.”

Those enviable lashes swept down and then lifted. The eather streaking his irises brightened. “What else did hemake you do?”

CHAPTER SIX

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