Page 408 of Born of Blood and Ash

Muscles up and down Ash’s arm tensed. “If you’re about tosuggest what I think you are—”

“You will do what?” Aydun challenged, finally ceasingmessing with the chests. “Attack me? Curse at me? Go ahead. It won’t changewhat will come. It won’t change that you will both continue to risk the safetyof the realms out of selfishness to bring two babes into the realm that willeventually have babes of their own until one of them is the cause of millionsof deaths—”

Ash broke my hold, lurching at the Ancient. My shout waslost in a rush of air that pushed Ash back to where I stood.

“For the third time, your anger is misplaced.” Aydun’s chinlowered as he fully faced us. “She will be reborn of your bloodline—thegiver of blood and the bringer of bone—and she will carry within her theembers of life and death. Touched by life and death.”

I stood there, rooted to the floor, the spot on my shoulderwhere the crescent-shaped birthmark rested beginning to tingle.

“Her shroud will be that of crimson-and-gold and will bear aroyal mark,” he said, sparks flying from his fingers as he moved his handthrough the air. Faint silvery flames followed, forming a painfully familiarsymbol.

The crown of elm and the sword—the slightly slanted sword.

The crown of life.

The sword of death.

But the flames changed, taking on more characteristics ofthe symbol of death. The crown became a circle, and the sword an arrow drenchedin gold and surrounded by crimson.

Wrapped in the shroud of death.

My nostrils flared, and I gritted my teeth.

“She will be a Queen of Flesh and Fire, and she will usherin the end with the name of the true Primal of Life on her lips,” Aydun said asthe flaming symbol faded. “Death and destruction will follow her.”

Silence fell then, settling over the chamber. Seconds tickedby.

“This isn’t fair to her,” I whispered hoarsely. “I didn’twant this for her, not after all her suffering.”

“She’ll likely have no knowledge of her past,” Aydun said,causing the three of us to look at him sharply.

“I don’t understand,” Attes said.

“Those who are reborn may have memories of their previouslives, but they often show as dreams or instances of déjà vu,” he explained.“But they almost always fade as who that person has become in their new lifebegins to take shape.” He paused. “They may be the same soul and look identicalto who they were before, but they are not entirely the same person.”

“Well,” Attes sighed. “I guessthat is a relief.”

“Doesn’t make it any better,” I said.

“No,” Aydun agreed. “I suppose it doesn’t.”

“Nothing is written in stone.” Ash curved his arm around myshoulders. “Prophecy or not. This may never come to pass.”

Aydun’s head tilted again. “You’re right. Nothing ispredestined. There is hope. You may still be able to prevent the rise of thePrimal of Blood and Bone—a being who will not only awaken Death and those inthe ground but also carry within her absolute power.” His eyes met mine. “Andyou know what they say about absolute power.”

I did.

I’d said it myself.

“But she will have nowhere near the strength she will growinto when Death comes for her. She, like you, would be a…” He smiled. “A babyPrimal.”

I glared at him.

“So, she will likely fall to Death whilst in the process ofwaking the Ancients,” he said. “And even if she somehow manages to defeatDeath, she would be corrupted just as those in the ground were—and at a muchfaster rate.” Aydun straightened to his full, towering height. “And if thathappens, it will take every single god and even those in the ground to bringher down. For she will destroy all of us.”

Aydun was wrong, though.

He was wrong.

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