Page 217 of Born of Blood and Ash

Still, my shoulders slumped thinking about what we’d beentalking about. I had looked a little pale, and there had been faint shadowsunder my eyes when I left the bathing chamber, but I didn’t think it was thatbad.

The hem of Aios’s sunny tunicfluttered at her knees as she spun toward me. “You don’t look ill.” Behind her,Bele’s eyes widened, and her lips squeezed together as she stared at the floor.I knew Aios was just being nice. “You just look likeyou…didn’t sleep well.”

“I think I ate something that didn’t agree with me,” I said,and Aios’s brows knitted. “I was feeling a littlenauseous—”

“No sh—” Bele caught herself as Aios’s head nearly spun on her shoulders. “—ush.No, shush it.” Bele clasped her hands together, giving me a big,closed-lipped smile. “You look so, so energetic.”

“That’s what you were going to say?” I crossed my arms.“Really?”

“Yes.” Bele nodded, the curve of her lips growing. Her voicethen reached a pitch I’d never heard from her. “Yes. You lookwell-rested and lively.”

“Please stop smiling at me like that.”

Bele’s smile slowly faded.

“What do you mean you ate something that didn’t agree withyou?” Aios asked.

I shrugged. “I just felt nauseous after breakfast.”

“I’ve never known a Primal to get sick from food.” Herforehead creased. “But then again, you just Ascended.” She glanced at Bele.“You felt sick to your stomach a few times afterward, right?”

Bele nodded. “But I never looked like I was half-dead.”

“Sweet Fates.” Aios’s head fellback.

Resisting the urge to will the chandelier to come down onBele’s head, I focused on Aios. “You truly are themost gracious goddess there is.”

Her chin lowered, and a small, confused grin appeared.“Well, thank you.”

Bele’s eyes narrowed on me. “Are you flirting with Aios? Right in front of me?”

“Yes. That’s exactly what I’m doing while married to aPrimal of Death.” I pinned her with a dry look, catching the glimmer ofamusement in her silver eyes. “I’m just pointing out how gracious she is forputting up with you.”

Aios laughed softly.

Bele pressed a hand to her chest. “You wound me, mey—”

“Shut up,” I cut her off.

“Yes.” Bele paused dramatically. “Your Majesty.”

I sighed.

Aios pulled Bele’s hand from herchest. Their fingers immediately twined. “She’s not always so antagonizing.”

Bele snorted. “You don’t have to lie for me, so’vit,” she said, causing me to jerk toward her.She dipped her head and dropped a kiss on Aios’stemple. “I excel at being antagonizing. It’s like a special ability.”

A chill crawled its way down my spine. What Bele had called Aios was so close to so’lis,which meant my soul. But it wasn’t the same. It was actually sweet.So, I ignored the feeling of spiders crawling over my skin. “My life,” Imurmured, clearing my throat. “You’re adorable, Bele.”

She extended the middle finger of her free hand, the nailpainted black. “Is this adorable?”

“It makes me want to flirt with you now,” Ireplied.

Bele laughed as I glanced at Aios.She was watching me, her lips mashed together as if she were physicallyrestraining herself from saying something.

I quickly looked away and ran my fingers down my braid. “Ineed to get going.”

“Heading to talk to Attes?” Thehumor vanished from Bele’s striking features. “I was in the office when Ashtold him about Veses showing up. He was pissed. Ihope he fucking destroys her. Does that make me a bad person?”

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