Page 297 of Born of Blood and Ash

But there was. If he hadn’t shown up…

Ward worked an arm under my shoulders and apologized. Iwinced. “You need to get out—” He cursed, ducking his head when a large,green-and-brown-scaled draken landed on the edge ofthe ruined chamber. “Godsdamnit,” he muttered,glaring at the draken, who stared back at us withvivid sapphire eyes.

“What is it with…you and draken?”I asked as he helped me stand. The…the imprint of that draken was familiar. Aurelia? Attes’sdraken?

“They breathe fiery eather,” hequipped. “Enough said.”

I figured he had a point. “Aurelia?”

The draken nodded.

“She won’t hurt you,” I said, taking a deep breath that hurtmy ribs, spine…everything.

“Sure.” Ward sounded doubtful.

The valley below was illuminated with streaks of eather once more, drawing my attention. I stiffened.Aurelia’s neck swiveled gracefully. She peered down into the valley, lettingout a low whimper. I pulled away from the viktorand limped toward the edge of the atrium. Snow continued to fall in heavysheets, coating the rooftops and the once rain-slicked streets. It wasn’t theonly thing that littered the tops of buildings and roads. Bodies did, too. Lotho residents moved in the streets, seeing to the fallen.

I turned away from the sight. The reminder of the trueextent of Kolis’s power was painful. “Is it Attes andKyn?”

Yes, came Aurelia’s response. It wasn’t as loud orclear as when I heard Nektas or even Reaver, but theworry in her soft voice was evident.

My hands closed into fists. “I need to get down there andhelp Attes.” I tried to summon the eather, but the pulse of power was weak. “I don’t think Ican shadowstep.”

“Going down there would be unwise,” Ward stated.

“Agreed,” another voice intruded, snapping my head towardthe still-standing interior wall.

Thierran strode forward, the hoodof his cloak shielding his head from the precipitation. The footprints the oneirou left in the snow were red. Blood. Hecarried a short sword at his side, the tip also dripping blood.

“How did you get here?” I demanded, tensing as I reachedout, taking the bone dagger from Ward’s hand. Ash said Thierrancould be trusted. Somewhat. But I wasn’t taking any chances.

“Trust no one. Smart girl,” he murmured, eyeing the dagger.His gaze lifted to mine. “I could sense…something going on down here, otherthan the obvious,” he said. “Since I am from Lotho, Ican enter without it causing a stir. No one else from the Shadowlands could dothat, so Rhain sent me.”

It made sense, but I kept the dagger in my hand. “You hadtrouble coming in?”

His head tilted. “More like I figured it was time to settlesome old scores on my way up.”

Ward grunted something under his breath and crossed hisarms. I eyed the oneirou. What had Ash said?He’d called Thierran an opportunist. A low laugh leftme.

The oneirou’s violet eyesglittered with amusement. “You’re wounded.” He paused. “And you smell ofDeath.”

“Thanks,” I murmured. “Kolis was here.”

“That’s who did this?” He looked over the side of themountain and his jaw tensed. “He finally almost succeeded.”

“In what?” I noticed the snow had slowed.

“Eradicating the oneirou.”He sheathed his sword. “I am the last.”

Gods. The weight of that was almost too much to bear as itstacked on top of all the other losses. “I’m sorry.”

Thierran’s gaze met mine. Therewas nothing to be gained from his expression. “Thank you,” he said finally,bowing his head.

Kyn tucked tail and ran, Aurelia said through the notam,each word laced with disgust. Even left his wounded drakenhere.

The draken.

I sucked in a shrill breath when images of the falling draken filled my mind. “Lotho hadhow many draken?”

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