Page 74 of Born of Blood and Ash

For now, went unsaid.

“This could all change if a number of Courts decide tosupport Kolis.” I stated the obvious.

“Yes.” Ash gently squeezed my hip. “It would all changethen.”

“If that happens, they will come for us by land, sea, andair,” Lailah said, her brow furrowed. “Fighting a battle on two fronts is notsomething anyone wants to do—let alone three.”

A sudden awareness echoed through me. I looked at the sky,squinting until I could make out the distant shape of a draken.

“That’s one of ours,” Rhain said, noting where my attentionhad gone. “They’re patrolling.”

As I watched the draken glidecloser, I knew it wasn’t Nektas. It wasn’t as largeas him, and the draken didn’t…feel like him.I thought—or perhaps felt—that it was a drakenI wasn’t familiar with, which made me think of something. Draken would onlyattack if the Primal they served was in danger, but instinct told me the ruledidn’t necessarily apply to wartime. “What’s the drakensituation with the other Courts?”

“Good and bad,” Lailah said. “Which one would you like tohear first?”

“The bad.”

A wry grin appeared. “Kolis has a legion of a dozen,” shesaid. “Kyn has about ten, as does Embris. The otherCourts have five or fewer.”

I frowned. “Those numbers are lower than I expected.”

“The draken go through cycles thatlast about a century and can only conceive for a few weeks during that time,”Rhain explained, watching the soldiers on the field. “And from what I cangather, many of the draken have taken active steps toprevent conception since Kolis’s reign began.”

A knot of sadness gathered in my chest because I couldunderstand why they wouldn’t want to bring a youngling into the realm underKolis’s rule. Look at what he had done to Thad—the young drakenwho had served Kyn—Nektas’s mate, Halayna; Reaver’sparents…and only the gods knew how many others.

Ash’s chin grazed the top of my head. “Ready for the goodnews?”

“Yes. Please.”

“We have the most.” Ash dragged his thumb along the creasebetween my thigh and hip. “Fifteen, not including the younglings. And we have Nektas.”

The skin beneath my ear shivered. “Because…he’s the first.”

“Exactly. Most are not like Davon,” Ash confirmed,referencing Nektas’s now-deceased distant relative.“Or the draken who have always served Kolis. If theothers come up against Nektas, they will back down.”

That was good news.

But not nearly enough.

We had Attes, and I was confidentthat Keella would join us. Maia, as well as Phanos and Embris, were up in theair. Kyn would obviously side with the false King. So would Veses.And if either Phanos or Embrisstood with him? Or, worse yet, both?

We would be outnumbered.

CHAPTERTWELVE

“I agree with what Ash said about keeping theaddress short and to the point,” Rhain said, referencing the discussion we’dhad on the way back from the Valley of Blood. “That would limit the probabilityof something being said that shouldn’t be.”

My brows pulled together as I glanced over Reaver to whereRhain sat on the antechamber couch. Exactly what did he think I would say thatI shouldn’t?

“And it also lessens the risks involved with going before somany people,” he continued, looking down at the bound parchment resting in hislap. Jadis had torn off and almost consumed half the pages before Nektas took the little drakenoutside to play and work off some of her energy before supper.

With the way my knee was bouncing, it should be me out thereworking off unspent energy.

Reaver lifted his head from the cushion and placed it on myknee, peering up at me as if he had read my mind. I grinned down at him.

“I also think sharing what you did during our meeting wouldbe wise. That it is your decision and choice for the realms not to be ruled byone individual,” he said, drawing my attention to him. “I know we touched onthat on the way back here but telling the people that it was your choice isimportant.”

I nodded, my mind flipping over our prior discussion. Ashand I had decided that we would first assure the people they were welcome andwe were doing everything in our power to provide for them, then move on to thewhole Queen and King business. We’d decided to tackle that part together duringthe speech.

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