Page 98 of Born of Blood and Ash

I frowned at that damn pedestal. I really needed to findsomething to put on it.

“You said there was something you wanted to show us?” Ashasked, drawing my attention back to the god.

Rhain nodded, and this time, there was no stopping theconcern from taking root at the sudden tension hardening his features. “It’sthe crowns.”

CHAPTERFIFTEEN

Reaver and I followed Ash and Rhain as wepassed the throne room, Rhahar and Kars keeping pacebehind us. I had no idea where the crowns were kept. If I had beentold, I’d definitely forgotten. At first, I thought we were heading toward thewar room, but it was an antechamber of it, accessed through a door that led toa narrow hall. “I was going to have them polished and made the discovery,”Rhain told us, holding the door.

The chamber was small, and everything was white—the marblefloor, painted walls, the ceiling, and the two pedestals in the center. Thecrown was the only thing that wasn’t white.

Wait.

A crown.

Ash halted as I turned halfway, thinking I’d missedsomething, but there was nothing else in the space.

“What the…?” Rhahar exclaimed frombehind us, his eyes going wide and filling with essence as Ash approached thepedestal.

“Where is your crown?” Reaver asked as he peered up at apedestal as empty as the one in the foyer.

“I was asking the same thing.” Rhain moved to stand behindthe pedestals.

“Shit,” Ash murmured, placing his palm on the flat surface.“Kolis.” He turned to me, his eyes brightly lit. “Touch your crown.”

“What?” I glanced at the beautiful crown I’d only worn once,taking in its shadowstone spires and glitteringcrescent moons.

“Just touch it,” he insisted.

“I’m glad I understand the context of this conversation foronce,” Kars commented under his breath.

Rhahar turned to the godling.“Seriously?”

Kars shrugged.

“Wait.” Ash stopped me. “Better yet, stand still.”

I did as he asked. Reaver watched avidly. “I’m standingstill, so will you tell me what your missing crown has to do with…?” I trailedoff as the knowledge started to come to me. My eyes went wide.

Ash nodded.

Heart thundering, I watched Ash lift the crown and turn tome. Silently, he placed the crown on my head, and before I could even registerits weight, the crown shuddered. The room was suddenly awash inbright, golden light.

Rhahar’s hand fell from the hiltof his sword. “Holy—”

“Shit,” Kar whispered as Rhain staggered back a step.

The fading golden glow warmed Ash’s face as he reached forthe crown again. His broad hands carefully lifted it from my head, and eventhough I knew what I was about to see, I couldn’t believe it.

“Whoa,” Reaver murmured.

Ash held the crown I’d last seen upon Kolis’s head. “ThePrimal crowns are almost like a chora,” hesaid, referencing the type of animal that used to be formed from a Primal. “Anextension of the Primal that can be summoned to them at will but only called tothe true bearer of that crown.”

I stared at the nine shining golden swords and the sunrising from the middle one, glittering with diamonds. As if seeking to confirmit was real, I touched the center sword. The gold turned luminous, casting softlight across the walls.

“Kolis must’ve tried to summon the crown,” Ash said. “Andwhat he got was likely not what he wanted to see.”

Pulling my hand back, I looked up at him. “Your crown is nowhis,” I whispered.

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