Page 384 of Born of Blood and Ash

His gaze flickered to mine before returning to Lailah. “Iagree with that.”

That wasn’t an answer.

But it also was.

Saying goodnight, I closed the door. As I started down thehall, I wished I could’ve said something to help Atteswith his grief, but I knew there really wasn’t anything I could saythat would heal those deep wounds. They were like mine. Only time would mendthem, I supposed. At least, I hoped.

My heart was even heavier, those emotions mixing with theagitation as my pace quickened in my search for Ash, my slippers whisperingover the stone. I could’ve just waited for him to return to our chambers. Or,at the very least, put on something other than a robe since I wore nothing buta thin nightgown underneath. But I wanted to make sure he was okay, and, well,I was feeling rather…needy.

I hoped he was alone. I wanted some time with him before webarreled forward with our plans. A few moments where I could be Sera and not aQueen. Or the Primal of Life. Or even a fighter. Where we weren’t on the vergeof coming face-to-face with Kolis. I wanted time where I didn’t have to bestrong.

Luckily, the foyer was empty. I let my instincts guide mepast the hall leading to his office and to the guarded doors of the throneroom. What was he doing in there? The guards bowed as they opened the door forme.

“Thank you,” I said, stepping into the dimly lit space.

Only a few of the candles on the walls burned, and it wastoo overcast for much starlight to come in through the open ceiling, but Iimmediately saw Ash. He stood on the dais near the thrones. A flutter eruptedin my chest, easing the heaviness there as his gaze locked with mine.

“What are you doing in here?” I asked, starting toward him.

“Thinking,” he said, crossing his arms. “Has Lailah awakenedyet?”

“No.” I passed the empty benches. “But I imagine she willsoon.”

His gaze tracked my approach with a predatory glint thatbrought a flush to my skin.

“I saw Attes,” I told him. “Sincehe wasn’t allowed to have whiskey, he’s with her.”

Ash snorted. “If he had the whiskey, the only differencewould be that he’d be drunk off his ass while in her chambers.”

I climbed the steps. “Probably.”

“It will do him some good,” he said after a moment. “Beingnear her, that is.”

I raised a brow, thinking that was the first time he didn’thave something caustic to say about Attes’s interestin Lailah. “Hopefully Theon feels the same.”

A half-grin pulled at his lips. “I think he will, just thisonce.”

“So, what were you thinking about?” I asked as he opened hisarms to me. I stepped into his embrace, resting my hands on his dark-graytunic. The moment one of his arms came around me, the racing of my heartslowed, and that anxious knot of energy loosened. The effect he had on me wasnothing short of magical.

He buried his hand in the hair above my braid. “Ourchildren.”

My brows flew up. I had thought he’d say something about hismother. “I wasn’t expecting that answer.”

Another grin appeared, but this one was almost…shy.“I wasn’t really expecting to be thinking about that myself. It didn’t startoff that way. When I wandered in here, I was thinking about my mother and howshe is now with my father. I still can’t believe it.”

“It’s hard to believe,” I said, rubbing his chest.

“I didn’t know the Fates could do something like that.” Hegave a short laugh. “Obviously, I forgot how powerful they are.”

If he only knew…

“Learning about your mom is a lot to process,” I told him.

“It is,” he said. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m so godsdamn relieved. It’s just that I spent my entire lifebelieving she was really gone, and that I wouldn’t even get to see her when Ifinally entered Arcadia. It’s like having to rework my brain. It will take awhile.”

His gaze moved around the empty space. “And while I was inhere, I started to think about how I never got to witness both of them in here.See them sit on the thrones. I only saw my father.”

I quieted, waiting for him to continue.

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