Page 324 of Born of Blood and Ash

“And you don’t have to worry.” I turned, making my way fromthe bathing chamber. “Did you speak to Lailah?”

He followed me. “Yes. She is a little shocked but on board.”

“Good.” I smoothed my hands down my thighs. I needed to pullit together. Even though it didn’t feel like it at the moment, what we neededto discuss with the others was far more important. “Is it almost time?”

Ash eyed me closely and then nodded. “I need to change myshirt.”

I glanced down at myself and figured I’d do the same. Ittook Ash two seconds to pull a dark gray tunic from a hanger. My gaze fell onthe clothing hanging there, and for some reason, I reached for a black gownwith silver ivy stitched along the waist and sides. I stared at it for a momentand then tugged it free. I didn’t even know why. I’d blame the shockingpossible revelation. Or maybe it was because, deep down, I didn’t hate gowns.

I just hated being told to wear one.

“Can you help me?” I asked Ash.

He’d already donned the tunic, ready in less than a minute.It took me a little longer. Not because I had to undress and then shimmy my assinto the brocade gown—thank the gods it wasn’t skintight where I had to fightmy possibly growing sto—

Nope.

Not thinking about that.

Nope. Nope. Nope.

Ash’s calloused fingers lingered on the skin of my back ashe clasped the row of hooks, sending tight shivers cascading down my spine.That was why it took longer. That and his insistence on being the one to securethe bone dagger beneath the skirt. His hands really lingered on the clasp ofthe thigh sheath he had replaced for me, causing my skin to flush and heat topool low in my core.

Ash looked up at me through thick lashes as he fixed thegown. Then, he rose. “You look so beautiful.”

“Thank you,” I whispered. He ran a finger over the silverivy encircling the waist of the gown that climbed the valley between mybreasts.

“I really need to thank Erlina for her expert hand,” hemurmured, tracing the stitching that spread across the top of the bodice.

My skin tingled through the gown, and I looked up at him.“If you keep doing that, we will have to delay summoning the Primals.”

A wolfish grin appeared as he ducked his head and kissed meso deeply that if I’d feared at all that his passion for me was diminished byeverything that had happened and what I had shared with him, I had no doubtsnow.

But those doubts were gone anyway.

“Later,” he promised, taking my hand.

We walked to the main floor, and I suspected that Ash hadchosen to go this way to give me time instead of shadowstepping,just as he had before my public speech.

And I used every second of that to file the possibility ofme being pregnant in the farthest recesses of my mind, tucking it in along withthe thoughts of what I had done to the mortal realm. I had to do that so Icould do this. If not, there was a good chance I would start running throughthe halls screaming.

Several guards lined the foyer—a new sight. They bowed theirheads as we passed.

“Rhain is waiting for us in the crown room. He thinks youshould definitely wear it now,” Ash said, and I glanced at that damn emptypedestal. “Once you’re ready, we’ll summon the Primals.”

I nodded, tightening my grip on his hand. There were guardseverywhere I looked, even in the narrow hall that led to the chamber connectedto the war room.

Rhain stood inside, between the empty pedestal thatshould’ve held Ash’s crown and mine. When he saw me, his brows nearly climbedinto his hair.

“You didn’t have to change,” he said, drawing a curious lookfrom Ash.

“I know,” I said. “I wanted to.”

He swallowed, glancing at Ash. “You both look like the Kingand Queen you are.”

Ash’s hand slipped free of mine as he went to the crown andlifted it, the suns and diamonds glinting in the sunlight. He carefully placedit on my head and smiled as he lowered his hands.

I reached up, touching one of the spires. “I will never getover the fact that it doesn’t weigh as much as it looks.”

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