Page 379 of Born of Blood and Ash

I shot him a sharp look of warning over my shoulder.

Ash ignored it. “We appreciate the fact that you knocked.The last one didn’t.”

“That would be Aydun you speak of,” he replied. “He is notknown for his decorum.”

“I can’t argue with that,” I said. “We wanted to set up ameeting with Kolis.”

Holland didn’t even bat an eyelash. “When and where?”

“In the Bonelands,” Ash said,naming the one place closest to Oak Ambler without being an inhabited place inthe mortal realm. “And as soon as possible.”

Holland nodded as he clasped his hands together. “And thereason,” he said, catching my gaze, “you want to give for themeeting?”

I caught on to what he was asking. He wanted to know what wewanted Kolis to believe. He asked for the lie. “We would like to make a truce.”

One of the stars in his eyes brightened. “Is that so?”

I nodded. “If he agrees to meet with us, I’m willing to givehim what he wants in exchange for coming to an agreement.”

Holland’s head tilted. “And do you request a Fate tomoderate such a meeting?”

“No,” Ash answered.

“Without a Fate present, there is no guarantee ofnonviolence.”

“We know,” I said. Without a Fate present, we also wouldn’tbe obligated to make any deals that we would be held accountable for, which wasthe main reason we didn’t want a Fate there. We had no plans to offer shit toKolis. Besides, even if we were truly attempting to enter into a new eirini, I already knew Kolis would no longer justaccept Sotoria’s soul. He wanted our suffering. But Ialso knew he would do and risk anything to get his hands on Sotoriaagain. So, we were playing this game as dirty as he had because he would neversee her again.

The way Holland’s eyes glimmered told me he either suspectedwhat we were up to or had already seen it all in one of those many threads.“That is all?”

I nodded.

“I will go to him immediately,” he said. “I can’t say howlong it will take before he agrees.”

“He’ll agree,” I stated.

Holland’s gaze lowered with a sigh. “If you are speaking of Sotoria’s soul, he will.”

From the settee, Attes’s lipcurled. I stepped out of Ash’s hold before the other Primal could say somethingthat would add to his troubles. “I know you can’t stay, but I…I wish youcould.”

That softness returned to Holland’s features. “As do I.”

“Before you leave,” Ash said, “I do have a question aboutAydun. He knew we had entered an eirinibefore but made no mention of that. Seems odd that he wouldn’t have remindedSera, especially considering she just rose as the Primal of Life.”

Holland grimaced. “I wish I could say for certain why Aydunfailed to mention it.” Holland’s gaze searched mine. “But he should have. I amsorry he didn’t.”

“It’s not your fault.” Something crossed my mind. He hadmentioned inciting the ire of the other Ancients. My stomach pitched. “Will youget in trouble for answering the summons considering our history?”

The colors slowed in his eyes. “Some of the others were notpleased with my intention to do so, but if I were in the wrong, the realmswould have prevented me from doing so. The others know this.”

“I am never going to get used to the idea of the essence assome sort of living entity capable of critical thinking,” I admitted.

“Interesting,” Ash remarked, kicking off tiny warning bells.“If the others are aware of this, why would they still be unhappy with youanswering the summons? It can’t just be your history with Sera.”

“That is…a complicated question.” For the first time sinceI’d learned of Holland’s true identity, he looked uncertain how to answer as hestared at Ash. “One that may have crossed your mind.”

I turned to Ash, frowning. “What has crossed your mind?”

He folded his arms over his chest and eyed the Fate. “Wehave both questioned the methods of how the Fates right the balance.”

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