Page 34 of Kingdom of Ashes & Bone
I couldn’t ruin the atmosphere by revealing Zephyr’s ashy little problem, could I? Zion was smiling as he chatted to his half-brother. Zariah was down on all fours as children cautiously approached him; they then shrieked with delight as they raced each other to climb up his back and neck spikes and be declared ‘king of the dragon.’
Everyone was happy except for me.
My thoughts kept drifting back to the queen. I was on edge and anxious despite what Zion had said. I was sure the queen would be occupied with a ball tonight, but they were fools if they thought she’d forgotten about us.
“Don’t you have to go to the ball?” I asked Zion. Zariah’s large dragon head swerved to face me.
Zion blinked. “You honestly think we’d do anything for her after what she’d done for you?”
A small, giddy thrill went through me, but I pushed it down just for the moment. “So she didn’t order you to attend the ball?”
Zariah growled.Mother assumes we will do a lot of things. She’s only recently beginning to realize she will have to get more specific with her orders.
That didn’t sit well with me. “What could it hurt to just go and maintain the illusion you’re still obedient in most things? You could scout out what people are saying, and–”
We aren’t going, Mari,Zariah insisted.
Zion nodded. “Fuck her.”
It made my heart lift, but the ascent was tempered a bit by the sinking sensation in my stomach. I shook my head, catching Zephyr glaring at both of his brothers. My eyes narrowed.
“Do you know I’ve read books about witches?” I jerked as Zephyr scooted closer to me, Shava busy helping a mother with a baby and Zion and Zariah playing with the children.
“Witches?” I asked dully, not really interested.
“Yes, like the one that laid this curse. They come in different kinds, I guess. Each represents an element like air, water, fire, that sort of thing.”
I stared at the remaining meat in my hands and ate it just to give myself something to do other than talk to Zephyr.
“It’s fascinating,” he continued, his enthusiasm not in the least bit dampened by my aloofness. “There’s also different kinds of magick: black and white.”
That was interesting, I supposed. “Like good and evil?”
Zephyr scoffed. “No, not at all. Different kinds of energies. Good and evil is subjective, anyway. Did you think mercy killing the demons was evil, or a ‘good’ thing to do?”
I squirmed under his intense stare, but he quickly moved on. “My point is, they’re just different types of energy. The books say magickal creatures can harness both, but it’s horrendously difficult. Most pick one or the other. Neat, eh?”
I guess. It didn’t really affect me because I wasn’t a magickal creature, was I?
Zephyr drew back, hands flexing on his knees. “I thought you’d be more interested.”
My shoulders shrugged. “There aren’t any witches around here, are there?”
He gave me a morose look, and I sighed. I should at least try to get along with him, shouldn’t I? “Well, what kind of witch do you think laid the curse?”
He perked up immediately. “Ah, now that is a worthy question. It’s hard to say. Cursing a bloodline to be dragons hardly fits a particular element, does it?”
“Maybe fire,” I suggested half-heartedly, tossing the remnants of my bone into the large fire. It sizzled where it hit the flames, the last scraps of meat and juices hissing and burning up.
Zephyr and I descended into silence: his thoughtful and mine agitated. I couldn’t keep it pushed down any longer.
“Zephyr,” I began quietly, so as not to attract anyone else’s attention, “while I appreciate you volunteering to lead the refugees to a better home, you know you can’t do that. What about the …” I gestured vaguely to his sleeves, under which I knew his demon transformation was already beginning.
I thought he’d get scared again, or even angry. Instead, at the mention of his little condition, Zephyr smiled widely. “Ah, Mari, don’t worry about that. I’ve found a solution!”
My lips parted in shock. “To stop the change?” I asked out loud, remembering how vehemently he’d protested the possibility—right before I’d almost crushed him to death.
Accidentally.
