Page 57 of Born of Blood and Ash

“And we don’t have that time right now.”

“Clearly,” he remarked dryly.

“Smart-ass.” I gave him a light shove.

He chuckled and said to Reaver. “I remember a time when youwould’ve attempted to light someone on fire for even thinking of offending me.”

“Sorry,” I said, smiling broadly as the drakenlifted his wings, keeping himself in the air. “He’s my Reaver-butt now.”

Reaver chirped his agreement.

“That’s okay.” Ash smiled. “My fangs are still substantiallymore impressive than yours.”

“I’m debating kicking you, just so you know,” I warned him,even though I thoroughly enjoyed his teasing.

Because, gods, I hadn’t realized how badly I’d missed theside of him I’d seen in the mortal realm when he was just Ash, and I was—

No. The Ash in the mortal realm, where he’d been able toshed the weight of responsibility and forget the cause of those blood dropsinked onto his flesh for a little while, was who he was. And he wasonce more that Ash.

He took my hand and kissed my palm. He then nodded towardthe antechamber. “You ready now? For real this time?”

I nodded.

His gaze lifted to mine. “Just remember, when you walkthrough that door, you will not do so as the Consort. You will be doing so asthe Queen.”

“And you as their King.”

Ash nodded, cupping my cheek with his other hand.“Together.”

I turned my head and kissed his palm. “Always.”

CHAPTER TEN

The moment we exited the short, dimly lithall on the other side of the bathing chamber, conversation ground to an utterhalt in the antechamber.

Everyone froze as Reaver flew in behind me and soaredupward, landing atop the gleaming cherrybark oakcredenza, precariously balanced on its thin top. Well, everyone except Jadis.

The little draken scrambled acrossthe chamber, darting past the oval table on a raised dais framed by two shadowstone pillars. She ran straight for where Reaver hadperched himself, arms outstretched toward him, her small wings flutteringwildly and lifting her a few inches off the floor.

Ash swooped down and picked her up before she startedscaling the credenza. She responded with an unhappy shriek. “Here,” he said,giving the underside of her chin a rub. “You can see him better up here.”

Reaver huffed as my gaze bounced over familiar features,seeking out a vibrant redheaded goddess. Everyone was there except Aios. Things had gotten strained toward the end of ourconversation, but I didn’t think she was angry or upset when she left. Wherewas—?

All at once, those seated stood, their faces becoming blursas they lowered to one knee, folded their right palms over their chests, andflattened their other hands against the floor. Heads bowed, one after anotherin a wave. Every single one of them.

Heart stuttering, I jerked back. “What is everyone doing?”

“We are bowing,” Rhahar answered,“to you, meyaah Liessa.”

“You don’t need to do that.” Warmth crept into my cheeks.“Or call me that.”

Beside him, his cousin’s head tilted slightly, revealing ahint of one rich, deep-brown cheek raised in a grin.

“It’s tradition to greet the Primal of Life in such amanner,” Ash explained, and my gaze swung to him. He kept a hand on Jadis’sback as she all but teetered on his shoulder.

“Gods are supposed to bow to any Primal, which none of themdo for you,” I pointed out.

A clawed hand fisted in Ash’s hair, tugging strands out ofthe knot at his nape as he said, “That’s because I don’t require it of them.”

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