Page 368 of Born of Blood and Ash

“You wouldn’t be wrong.” Elias ran a hand through his hair.“There are three times this many on the outskirts of Dalos.”

Pressing my lips together, I closed my eyes. I wasn’tsurprised to hear that, yet I didn’t know what to say.

Elias left to carry out my request. I saw him stop to speakwith Tindra. Did they know each other? The answer started to come to me, but Istopped myself before I saw what was none of my business. Besides, I hadalready seen into the lives of enough people. It was how I knew that those we’dended today weren’t just being foolishly arrogant when they refused our offer.They’d had no intention of even attempting to live a different kind of life.

Ash arrived with Attes, the latterinforming me they’d discovered one bone spear and some bone chains. It was onlyone set of chains, not nearly enough to keep Kolis secured, and that includedwhat Penellaphe had managed to locate in Lotho. However, there were still more Courts to search.

My gaze shifted to the bodies filling the City Hall. Andthere would be more deaths.

Don’t let this leave a mark…

Ash and I returned to the Shadowlands shortly after. We hadour dinner in the antechamber after updating the others. I didn’t think eitherof us was in the mood for company outside of each other.

I’d told him what Keella hadshared with me. Parts of it were obviously no surprise since we had come tobelieve beforehand that part of what had happened had been Eythos’splan. He was disquieted by the idea of the Fates wanting to wake the Ancientsas much as I was, though. In the end, it simply meant there was no room forerror. Kolis had to be entombed, and Sotoria neededto be released immediately.

I watched Ash as he rooted through the bowl of sliced fruit,inspecting a strawberry before moving on to another until he found the plumpestone to offer me. He’d done the same with the melon, the chicken, and thevegetables.

“Why do you keep doing that?” I asked, biting into thesticky, sweet berry.

He glanced over at me with a raised brow as he chose astrawberry that looked deformed. “Doing what?”

“Inspecting each and every piece of food before you give itto me.” I caught a drop of juice on my lip with the tip of my tongue.

I waited. Ash didn’t answer. He was…staring at my lips.

“Ash?”

He blinked, lifting his gaze. There was no mistaking theheat in his eyes. “I’m sorry, what were you saying?”

I grinned and asked the question again.

“Oh.” He shrugged as he sat back. “I just want to make sureyou have the best there is to offer.”

Now, it was my turn to blink repeatedly at him as I foughtoff a wave of emotion.

Ash eyed me closely. “You okay?”

I cleared my throat. “Yes.” Leaning over, I wrapped my handaround the nape of his neck and drew his mouth to mine. His kiss tasted ofstrawberries. “I love you.”

He returned the kiss, and for a little bit, the food wasforgotten. So was everything else. It didn’t stay that way, though. Now, I layin bed beside him, my back nestled against his chest and his leg tucked betweenmine. His hand rested protectively over my stomach. I loved that. I lovedsleeping this way, and I wanted to rest. I needed it. Tomorrow would beanother…complicated day. But I stared at the shadowstonewalls, my thoughts running from one to another. When I closed my eyes, I sawthe bodies in the Callasta Isles City Hall and thedisturbed soil outside the colonnade.

I saw Veses’ face.

Gods, Kolis would be pissed when he woke.

“Liessa,” Ash murmured.“What’s on your mind?”

I frowned. “It boggles my mind that you can appearcompletely asleep and yet somehow know I’m not.”

“It’s another talent of mine,” he remarked. “Talk to me.”

Those three words still made me want to squirm a little, butthey didn’t incite as much unrest as they had before. “I’m just…I’m worriedabout the Callasta Isles—if our people are safethere,” I said, placing my hand over his. “There’s only one drakenwho didn’t join the attack, but we can’t even be sure he’s trustworthy.”

“Nektas seems to have taken Jarahat his word,” he said, speaking of the younger drakenwith gold and black scales. “I’m sure things will be calm there, at least for alittle while. If not, you will sense any great unrest.”

I nodded, concentrating on the swoop of his thumb along theskin below my navel.

Ash was quiet for several minutes. “I don’t think that’s theonly thing on your mind.”

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