Page 79 of Born of Blood and Ash

Ash slipped his hand from under mine and straightened infront of me. “What do you mean?”

I realized just then that I hadn’t told him about this.There hadn’t been much time to share things with him after we were finally freeof Dalos. “The night I was born, my father knew whatit would mean. He summoned Kolis, having no idea that Eythoshad answered Roderick in the past.”

“Why did he…?” Ash cursed. “He wanted the deal undone.”

I nodded, my heart twisting for the man I’d never met. “Hedidn’t want that kind of future for his daughter.”

“What father would?” Ash stated, the respect evident in hisvoice. “If I were to have a child, I wouldn’t want them to live a life of nochoice, one where their future was already determined for them.”

My stomach dipped again, this time solely due to the idea ofAsh as a father. “You know what that means, right?”

“That Kolis always knew about you?” When I nodded, hesighed. “Yeah, I’m figuring that out.”

I squeezed my eyes shut. “I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?”

“Because of everything you did to prevent Kolis fromdiscovering me. What you’ve sacrificed.” Anger boiled, stoking the embers as Idrew in a deep, calming breath. “It was for—”

“It wasn’t for nothing, Sera. I don’t regret a damn thing Idid to keep you safe,” he said. “And it’s not something you ever need toapologize for.”

The calming breath did not help.

I placed my hands on the table. “How can you not be mad? Youkept yourself away from me out of concern for Kolis taking notice of me. Youhad people watching me. Lathan died doing so.”

“I haven’t forgotten any of that.”

Eather pulsed hotly through me as I rocked back. “You made adeal with Veses to keep her from telling Kolis aboutme, and there was no reason for you to do so.”

Ash’s gaze locked with mine. “Nor have I forgotten what I’vedone, Sera.”

“Then why aren’t you furious?” My fingers pressed into thetabletop, and power vibrated along my skin. What I had experienced was nothingcompared to what he’d had to go through with Veses.Essence crept into the corners of my vision, the violent energy seeping out.The chandelier creaked as it began to sway. “I am.”

“I never would’ve guessed that,” he replied dryly. “Youshould calm down.”

My chin dipped. “Hearing that makes me want to do the exactopposite.”

“My apologies,” he drawled, the essence flaring brightlybehind his pupils.

I inhaled sharply, my eyes narrowing. “I’m choosing toignore the lack of sincerity in your tone.”

“And I’m choosing not to let anger over something I cannotchange consume me.”

My fingers lifted from the table as a scorching, pulsatingenergy coursed through them. A hot, stinging power throbbed, and the very airitself seemed to cling to my skin and then contract as I stared down at Ash.“Then I choose to be angry for the both of us.”

“How about you choose not to levitate?”

“How about—what?”

“You’re levitating.” Full lips twitched. “As in, you’rerising into the air—”

“I know what levitating means.” I glanced down, and…yep, Iwas definitely doing that. My ass was no longer on the table. Like, not evenremotely. My legs were straight, and I was several feet above Ash. The shock ofseeing that dampened my anger, and I immediately started to drop with a yelp.

Ash caught my arms and lowered me to the table. “Steady.”

Looking up through strands of hair, I cursed. “I didn’t evenrealize I was doing that.”

“It happens,” he said, like floating into the air wasn’t abig deal. He curled his hand around the nape of my neck, bringing our facestogether so we were only inches apart. “I don’t want you to be angry for bothof us, Sera.”

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