Page 73 of Born of Blood and Ash

“What…what is happening?” I asked.

“They’re about to do your new favorite thing,” Ash said, hisvoice heavy with amusement.

My eyes went wide. “They don’t—”

The soldiers kneeled, row after row of them in a wave thatstretched the valley, one hand on their chests, and the other on the ground. Mylips parted as I took them in.

I jumped when a loud thump echoed through the valley. Thesoldiers were slamming their palms against the packed ground, over and over,until the valley was filled with the sound.

“This is different,” Ash said, speaking into my ear. “Theyare not just paying homage to their Queen. They are telling you that they areyours, and that, if it comes down to it, they will go to war for you.”

My breath caught. “For us.”

His lips brushed my cheek. “For us.”

Then the pounding stilled, and silence came. Their headslifted. They waited.

“I…I don’t know what to do,” I admitted, my cheeks warming.“Yelling to them that they may rise doesn’t seem fitting.”

Ash chuckled. “You can just lift a hand.”

“Oh.” That was far easier. I raised my hand and then gave alittle wave because holding it still felt awkward.

It worked, though.

The soldiers rose, and after a few moments, they returned totheir training. Seeing thousands of people I’d never spoken to, had likelynever even crossed paths with, willing to go to war for me—for us? It rattledme.

“So, about the armies,” Lailah said as Ash gently took holdof my still-raised hand and lowered it. “Phanos hasthe second-largest army. Around forty-five thousand.”

All thoughts of awkward displays of loyalty fell away. Mystomach dipped. “And what type of soldiers does he have?”

“Mostly those on two feet,” Ash answered, gently squeezingmy hip. “But he rules the seas with the ceeren.”

I felt my heart clench at thoughts of more ceeren dying.

“Among other things,” Rhain muttered under his breath butcontinued before I could question that. “Embris hasslightly less than we do. About forty thousand.”

Lailah straightened the strap of her baldric. “With theexception of Bele’s, the rest of the Courts have about five thousand.”

I nodded, running my hand over Odin’s glossy mane. “Do wehave any idea how many Cimmerian Kyn has?”

“No more than a thousand,” Rhain answered. “And that likelyincludes those who returned to Vathi after Bele’s Ascension.”

That surprised me. “I would’ve thought there’d be more.”

“Lucky for us,” Ash drawled, “the Cimmerian’s love offighting equals a very short lifespan.”

I snorted at his comment. A thousand senturionwarriors that could summon the night to cloak themselves in battle was still aproblem.

“Any Court that wants to move their armies against us wouldhave to do so by foot,” Lailah shared. “And none of the Courts are likely togive such permission because it could be perceived as a pronouncement of theirloyalties.”

I considered that. “So, any Court outside Vathi will have totravel the Lassa Sea, which is good news since we would see them.”

“Except for the Thyia Plains,”Rhain interjected. “But they cannot cross the Disus—thesea between our Courts and to our north. The waters there are part of the Vale,and as such, protected. Not even Kolis would dare travel those. That leaves theBonelands.”

“The gods could shadowstep fromtheir ships to land,” Ash said, “but they risk destroying their vessels in theprocess.”

“True.” Rhain’s lips pursed. “And they would also have totravel the length of the Bonelands with no clearedlands and no roads. If any come, they will do so by the Lassa.”

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