Page 22 of Born of Blood and Ash

I nodded slowly, my heart thumping. Perhaps now that therewas a true Primal of Life, the other Primals would bemore likely to end their support of Kolis.

His gaze flickered over my face. “But you have to see it,too.”

Gods. I wanted to believe that, as well as everything elsehe’d said, but it was hard. And I spent far too many years feeling like adisappointment to my family. It’d become what I expected. I wanted to have thekind of faith in myself that Ash had in me. I needed to try, though. If Ididn’t, I would mess up.

I would be that monster.

“Liessa,” Ash calledsoftly.

I turned my head toward him. “I know you said I shouldn’tsay this, but I’m going to anyway. Thank you.”

Ash sighed.

I fought a grin as I tucked my chin against my knees, but Icould feel his gaze on me. He was worried, likely sensing that I didn’t carrythe same level of faith in myself and wanted to push. It was time to change thesubject. “This was an entirely too-serious conversation to have while naked.Good thing none of that matters. You know what does?” I latched onto the firstnon-related thing that popped into my mind.

“I have a feeling whatever you’re about to say won’t mattermore than what I have to say,” he replied.

“That’s rude. And you’re also wrong.”

“Prove it.”

“Your cock.”

Ash leaned away, his mouth open, though he was clearly at aloss for how to respond.

“It’s bigger when you’re in your Primal form,” I continued.

He blinked. “Is it? I never noticed.”

“Really?” I replied dryly. “It’s noticeably bigger, Ash.There’s no need for modesty.”

He chuckled, and I started to relax the moment I heard it.“Now I’m curious as to which cock you prefer.”

“I don’t know,” I teased, unfurling my legs. “I’ll have tothink about that before I make up my mind.”

“You can do that.” Ash’s hand landed on my side, then slidto my hip. His gaze followed. His grip firmed. “But I have a better idea.”

“And what is that?”

Ash shifted onto his back and lifted me so I straddled him.“I can help you make up your mind.”

I gasped, feeling him harden beneath me. And then he helped.Or at least he tried. There was no choosing between his two forms.

Both were perfect.

I stood alone, eyes closed, taking in the silence ofthe bathing chamber after cleaning myself in the water Ash had reheated.

As determined as I was to be responsible, I had failedgloriously. Ash and I had spent most of the day in bed once again, and the onlythings we’d accomplished were sleeping and sex. The sky had darkened before wefinally decided to get it together.

Ash had left to find some food—thank the gods. I wasstarving. Not much time had passed, but he hadn’t yet returned. I figured thatwhoever was currently present in the House of Haides wanted to know what hadhappened overnight and hear from Ash himself that I was not only awake but alsofully aware of who I was.

Which was Seraphena Mierel, daughter of King Lamont and Queen Calliphe. A once-unnamed Princess and the savior of akingdom that never knew I existed. A blank canvas—part assassin and partseductress. A figure of hope and of failure. But I couldn’t be her anylonger. Now, I just had to be me.

A wife.

The Queen.

And the true Primal of Life.

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