Page 64 of Born of Blood and Ash

That piqued my curiosity. “Other than a few things sharedhere and there, and what I’ve picked up myself, I don’t know much about theother Courts or how they’re ruled.” I paused. “Or not ruled. But theycan’t all be bad.”

Bele snorted.

“At least, I hope not,” I muttered.

“Not all of them are bad, and even Courts like Kyn’s havepockets of communities whose values and beliefs align with the common good,” Rhahar said, his brow pinching. “The Shadowlands is theonly Court with one city.”

“But that can now change with life returning to all the landexcept for the Dying Woods,” Ash interjected.

Rhahar nodded. “But when it comesto the other Courts, they each have a capital—the largest city within theCourt—where the Primal usually takes up residency. For example, the island ofHygeia is the most populated of the Triton Isles and that is where Phanos lives. But the other islands are also populated andeither ruled by a trusted god, one who has curried favor, or someone who tookout their competition.”

My brows rose.

“It’s a coveted spot in many of the Courts. The godsoverseeing the smaller cities or islands often turn them into mini fiefdoms.Some are ruled justly and others cruelly,” Saion explained. “It’s been a whilesince I was in Phanos’s Court,” he continued,glancing at Rhahar. “I personally don’t have an issuewith the smaller cities of the Triton Isles, but from what I’ve heard, Phanos has taken more of a laissez-faire approach.”

“As long as the other islands don’t stir Kolis’s ire and,therefore, cause Phanos to pay a blood tithe,” Rhahar added.

Frowning, I turned to Ash. He nodded as he said, “You mustnot have seen that occur while you were there.” He leaned over and picked upthe pitcher. “In the mortal realm, when a citizen overseen by a nobledispleases the crown, the crown often seeks a monetary tithe if the offense wasnot a significant crime. Not Kolis. He has no need of coin.”

“I get it.” Anger stirred, and Reaver nudged my hand again.I rubbed him under his chin. “What of the other Courts?”

“Embris definitely doesn’t take ahands-off approach,” Theon stated. “He rules the entirety of his Court with astrict hand.”

“Why do I have a feeling that’s not a good thing?” I said,my thoughts flashing to Penellaphe.

Ash topped off my glass. “Embrisis what one would call a traditionalist.”

My brows shot up. “A traditionalist? Wouldn’t that mean heshould have stood against Kolis?”

“He did at first,” Ash said. “Or he tried to. It did not endwell for him.”

Gods.

“You say traditionalist,” Lailah commented. “I was thinkingof a different word that starts with the same letter. Tyrant. He or one of histrusted gods oversees everything from when his subjects awaken to when they goto sleep.”

“The only place his rule does not reach is Lotho—the highest peak of Mount Lothoto be exact,” Rhain said. “That is where the Fates and theoneirouare.” He frowned. “Or what is left oftheoneirou.”

“A God…of Dreams,” Startled, I glanced at Ash. “Odetta, mynursemaid, used to speak of them—well, she used to say that if I misbehaved,theoneirouwould find mein my dreams.”

“Wow,” Saion murmured, his brows raised. “That’s a bit muchto tell a child.”

“No shit.” Theon chuckled roughly.

“Odetta was a bit much,” I replied dryly. “But noone else really spoke about the Gods of Dreams. I figured they were extinct orsomething.”

“Very few would remember them. Like with the Gods ofDivination, most were killed when Kolis stole the embers,” Ash explained.“There aren’t many left.”

Gods, Embris’s Court really hadtaken the brunt of Kolis’s actions, which likely explained why the Primal wasso tyrannical. Traditionalist or not, there was no way he would want tocontinue supporting Kolis.

“But the ones who are still around are powerful. They canmove seamlessly in and out of dreams. Controlling them. Causing either pleasantdreams or nightmares while working out whatever information they want from you.They make for good spies that way,” Ash continued.

“The good news is that there are little to no outbreaks ofviolence like there are within Kyn’s side of Vathi or in Veses’Court.”

“The bad news is that when one steps out of line—and bystepping out of line, I mean being out past curfew—the punishment is severe,”Theon tacked on.

My jaw clenched. “Great.”

“His Court rarely incites Kolis’s wrath,” Ash shared.

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