Page 28 of Born of Blood and Ash

“That, too,” I murmured, forking more of the vegetable intomy mouth as I squinted at the wardrobe. There was definitely something moreabout the Ancients. Something that had to do with balance. I stiffened as achill whipped through my chest.

I twisted toward Ash. “There is more, though. When the Primals rose and defeated the Ancients, some enteredArcadia.” Some became the Fates, but others… “There were Ancients who went toground. They went into stasis, Ash. They are not gone. They are only asleep,and they can never wake up. They are why there must be true embers of life anddeath at all times. Why life must be created, and death must always come. It’snot just because someone says there needs to be balance. The Ancients made sureof it.”

Thoughts fired off rapidly as eatherhummed beneath my skin. “It’s why Kolis has been creating the beings he callsthe Ascended. So far, it’s kept the balance, but if that isn’t maintained?Whatever the Arae did that linked the balance to the Ancients who went toground will lift. They will awaken, and that cannot happen—” I gaspedas the fork I held heated and trembled. My hand spasmed open—my emptyhand.

The fork had evaporated.

My gaze shot to Ash. “I didn’t mean to do that.”

“It’s okay.” Ash stretched, picking up an unused fork. Hehalted, glancing from the utensil to my hand. “You good?”

“I think so.”

Ash handed the fork over. “What exactly happens if theseAncients wake up?”

A chill went down my spine as I swallowed. “It’s worse thanwhat the Rot would’ve done. I saw them destroying entire lands. Killing nearlyeverything and everyone. And those in the ground? They are the ones thecombined forces of Primal, draken, god, and mortalcouldn’t defeat. They could only be forced into stasis. I don’t know how theydid that, but what I do know is that no matter how long they remain in theground, they are no longer the beginning of everything—the great creators andgivers of life.”

Ash had gone completely still, his gaze not leaving me as Ispoke. I didn’t even think he blinked.

“If they awaken,” I said, Primal essence throbbing hotlythrough me, “they do so as unia and eram. The ruin and wrath of thatonce-great beginning.”

“Fuck,” Ash murmured.

Chilled to my very core, I exhaled slowly. “Thatwas…dramatic-sounding.” I laughed. “Wasn’t it?”

“Yes, it was dramatic.” Ash blinked several times. “Unia and eramare what many of the Ancients became before the end of their time, but anyPrimal can become it if their rage truly consumes them or if they go too longwithout feeding but manage not to go into stasis.”

A shiver spider-walked down my spine. The idea of any Primalbecoming that was terrifying.

Ash picked up a piece of beef with his fork. “You know, thisbegs one very important question—actually, more than one. But if the existenceof the true embers of life and death keep the Ancients basically entombedunderground, then why would a Fate train you to kill the true Primal of Death?”

“And why did your father, who had to know this, attempt tocreate a weapon that could?” I tacked on.

Chewing slowly, Ash raised his brows. “Another goodquestion.”

“Something isn’t adding up.” I brushed a curl back from myface, thinking about Holland and his kindness. I couldn’t picture him as aninfinite, unending being older than the realms. I just couldn’t.

“Many things aren’t adding up, starting with why this isn’tmore well-known. All Primals should be in possessionof this knowledge,” he said. “Why would only my father and Kolis know?”

“I…” I frowned as I studied my fork, seeing nothing in mymind except for a humming white wall. “I…I don’t know.” Frustration rose, but Icooled it before I obliterated another utensil. “But as long as there’sbalance, the Ancients won’t be a problem.” The tasty meat soured in my stomach.“You said that Kolis has been weakened due to my Ascension and that it hasbought us time. I’m guessing not a whole lot of it.”

Ash nodded, trailing the edge of his fork across his plate.“Exactly how much time cannot be answered, but there’s a bit of chaos in allthe Courts. I imagine most of the Primals are unsurehow to react to your Ascension, which also gives us time.”

Tension crept into my muscles as I stabbed another piece ofdelicious cauliflower. “Because they’re using the time to decide whether tocontinue standing with Kolis or not.”

Interest pinched his brow. “Is that what your foresight istelling you?”

“No. Just an assumption. But I can try to answer that.” Ifrowned as I eyed the glass of water, trying to determine whether I wascorrect. Instead of being met with an explanation or silence, I hit what feltlike another wall. “There’s like a…a thick cloud of static in my head. I knowyou can’t see static, but that’s the best I can come up with.”

“Sounds a lot like a mental shield.” His fork hovered overthe cauliflower. “It’s what I see or feel when someone’s blocking me fromreading their emotions.”

Sending him a wry glance, I thought that a shield wassomething I needed to work on. “It’s the same thing when I try to think aboutsomething I want to know about myself.” I forked up a piece of chicken. “Nektas said it was the same for Eythoswhen it came to anything having to do with him,” I said. I’d told Ash about merunning into Nektas between bouts of sleeping andsex.

Instead of reaching for the water, I willed it to move andcontinued. “And had to do with balance.” I gasped as the glass shot across thetable, smacking against my palm. Water sloshed over the sides, spilling ontothe tabletop.

I winced, glancing at Ash. “Oops.”

His lips were pressed together like he was trying not tolaugh. “Careful,” he murmured, picking up a napkin.

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