Page 325 of Born of Blood and Ash

“Heavy is the head that wears the wrong crown,” Ash said,smoothing a curl under the headpiece. “You now look even more beautiful.”

“The most beautiful Queen who has ever lived,” Kars said,entering the room with Saion and Rhahar.

Ash’s gaze slid to the godling, and a low rumble of warningradiated from him.

I smacked his chest, and Kars fought a grin. “Thank you,” Isaid, taking a deep breath and refusing to allow my thoughts to wander.

The door to the war room opened, revealing Nektas.

Ash took my hand, leading us to the interior door where the draken waited. As the others followed, my gaze swept overthe numerous weapons lining the walls of the war room and the wooden table withfar too many nicks and grooves in it to count as we entered.

Usually, I would love this space and all its stabby things, but this was the place where Ash had firstlearned of my betrayal. It was in the past and no longer mattered, but I stillhated the room.

I looked over my shoulder at Nektasas we passed the oval table. “You’re staying in this form?” I’d expected him toshift.

“I’m scarier in this form,” he said.

Now that he’d mentioned it, he really was.

“Remember how to summon the Primals?”Ash asked, and I nodded. “Attes is here. You will notneed to think of him.”

“I know.” Closing my eyes, I cleared my racing thoughts andfirst focused on Keella. Eather swelled inside. Thesensation was strange, almost like a cord had formed and stretched across therealm. I could almost see it in my mind, and it reminded me of when Kolis hadcome out of stasis. I knew the moment I reached the Primal goddess, and as Ashhad instructed before, I projected my summons to the throne room.

A moment later, I felt the throb of a Primal.

“That’s my Queen,” Ash murmured, his thumb stroking my sideas I repeated it for Maia and then Penellaphe.

I felt them arrive and focused on Phanos.The appearance of another Primal throbbed through me. My breath caught alittle, but I wasn’t done.

I took another deep breath and closed my eyes once more. Ifelt the moment my compulsion reached the two Primals.

I compelled Veses and Kyn toappear before me.

CHAPTERFORTY-NINE

The arrival of the remaining two Primals throbbed in the center of my chest, and I had tosmirk, imagining their fury.

We stopped as we neared the final doorway—the one leading tothe dais in the throne room. Doubts began creeping in. I had no idea where Maiaand Phanos would stand. What if I said the wrongthing? What if I wasn’t convincing? That was definitely possible. What if Iwalked right out there, took one look at Veses, andthroat-punched her? Also, very likely. Or Kyn decided to breathe, and Ash wouldbe forced to put me into stasis? Gods, that wasn’t completely likely, but itwasn’t impossible. And should we stand or sit? If I started pacing, would Iwalk right off the dais—?

Ash’s fresh, citrusy scent enveloped me for a moment beforehis lips brushed my forehead, right below the crown. “You’ve got this.”

Did I?

“You do,” Ash whispered.

Had I asked that question out loud? My hands trembledslightly as my grip tightened on Ash’s hand. Weight began settling on my chest,causing my shoulders and neck to tense.

I took a deep breath and held it for five seconds. Ash’sgaze caught mine. He gave me a short, barely noticeable nod.

I reflexively sought that veil of nothingness where I couldretreat into myself and become whatever was needed of me.

You’ve got this.

That was what he’d said to me before we met with the godsafter I’d awakened, too. And while I hadn’t been convinced, Ash hadbeen sure. He had faith in me. He didn’t believe my anxiety made me incapable.He didn’t believe that me being born mortal made me weak. None of the gods herethought that.

I was strong.

My time in Dalos had proven that,and it had nothing to do with the essence pumping hotly through my veins. Ididn’t need to don the veil of nothingness to find strength. I just had to bemyself. Though not the burn-it-all-down version. Maybe the fifty percentburn-it-all-down version—okay, more like seventy percent. But also who I wasbecoming.

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