Текст книги "Born of Blood and Ash"

Автор книги: Jennifer L. Armentrout

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Текущая страница: 55 (всего у книги 63 страниц)

CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN

I staggered back in shock as the ground quivered with the clash of shadowstone and pounding hoofbeats. My gaze darted across the long field that stretched into the horizon, where the sky bled with the silver of draken fire before the snowcapped mountains.

I spun, taking in the carnage. Everywhere I looked, gods dressed in black and others in crimson were locked in a fierce battle, striking down one another with an instinctual grace that almost hid their innate brutality. The shimmering waves of energy arced and crackled across the field as sword blows gave way to deadly streaks of eather. Charging fearlessly into battle, every swing of their swords and motion was a testament to the Primal gods they descended from.

The Primal God of War and Accord, and the Primal God of Peace and Vengeance.

Ash suddenly jerked me to his chest as a horse rushed past us, the rider—the headless rider—slumping to the side.

His eyes met mine. “Phanos is not here.”

“I know. He’s somewhere—shit.” I shot to the side, eather responding at once as a massive, ugly-as-fuck kynakos launched itself into the air, snarling with a mouthful of blade-sharp fangs mere feet from Ash’s back. I threw out my hand, releasing a stream of gold-tinged silver. I winced at the yelp as the essence smacked into the Dog of War, hitting it in the stomach.

Ash twisted at the waist, catching the arm of a soldier in a black uniform with crimson cloth stretched over shadowstone armor. The soldier shouted in pain as Ash broke the man’s arm in one breath and then snapped his neck with brutal quickness in the next.

He spun toward me, eyes filling with eather. “Sera—”

“I’m not leaving,” I cut in. “I’m fighting beside you.” I sucked in a short breath as Ash suddenly lifted me and turned, shielding my body as eather erupted from his palm. A high-pitched shriek told me his aim had been deadly accurate. His gaze returned to mine. “I remember what I promised you,” I said. “No unnecessary risks.”

Ash froze for a heartbeat and then cursed. He clasped the back of my neck, drawing my head to his. “I’d better not see a single scratch on you, liessa. Not even one. So, be the badass Queen you are.”

“Always,” I swore.

He exhaled a ragged breath and glanced up. “Hold off on using the eather as much as you can,” he said quickly, picking up the shadowstone sword the soldier had dropped. He pressed the hilt into my hand. Shadows blossomed over his cheeks. “We need to get to Attes. We cannot let him fall.”

I nodded, stepping back. His hold on me firmed for a moment and then vanished. My gaze swept the field once more, easily picking out Kyn’s soldiers. Crimson covered their armor, and the crests on their helmets were the same bloody shade.

I was really beginning to fucking hate that color.

Snapping forward, I went after the closest soldier, thrusting the sword through his back as a blast of frigid air suddenly rolled off Ash. He rose into the air, his skin hardening as it turned to the color of shadowstone. Dark shadows spilled out of him, spinning and churning as the hazy outline of wings swept out behind him.

“The bitch is on the field!” someone shouted.

My gaze jerked to the right. A soldier wheeled his horse around, his helmet with its tuft of red horsehair stained with blood. “Excuse me?”

The horse charged me, its nostrils flaring as its hooves kicked up soil.

A bolt of eather-laced shadows flowed past me, enveloping the soldier and his horse. In an instant, both were shimmery dust.

“Not the horse!” I cried out.

“Liessa…” Ash rose even higher, the churning eather spinning faster and faster. “Get ready.”

I felt the essence surging within me as my hand instinctively tightened around the sword’s hilt.

Before me, several soldiers whipped around. I held my breath and began to count. One. Two. The distraction cost them as their opponents from both sides struck them down. Three. Four—

Tendrils of shadowy eather snaked across the battlefield, sweeping over soldiers in red and weaving between those in black. The pounding echoes of death came so fast I couldn’t even begin to count how many fell as the torrents of eather continued on their way, carving out a path that left only Attes’s soldiers standing and…

Horses suddenly without riders.

My lips curved into a tight smile as I silently thanked Ash.

Then I saw them.

Attes and Kyn were on a hill, locked in a battle of swords and eather.

My chin dipped, and then I broke into a run, Attes’s armies turning to follow as a roar shook the land.

A draken dove from the thick clouds, releasing a stream of fiery eather. I swallowed a shout as I slowed, throwing up my arm to ward off the heat as silver flames erupted before me. Fire swept over soldiers, indiscriminately lighting up everything on the field as the sound of pounding hooves jerked my head up. Through the receding flames, I saw a line of horses bearing down on me.

“Motherfucker,” I spat, straightening as Aurelia arrived, her greenish-black scales bloody in some spots. She swooped down, digging her talons into the back of the other draken.

From the dying flames, a god lunged at me. Don’t take unnecessary risks, I repeated to myself. With a deft sidestep, I swung the sword around, deflecting the blow and pushing him back. Another soldier drove her sword through his back.

“Meyaah Liessa,” she said, wrenching her blade free.

“Hi!” I ran, leaping onto the ruins of a wall. I twisted, the sword arcing through the sky to pierce red armor, knocking a god off his horse. “Please don’t bow!”

I took off toward the battling Primals as I summoned eather, releasing a wave of essence that swept adversaries off their feet, clearing a small space amid the chaos.

Above, the sky roared with the fire of a new draken. Ehthawn. His wings blotted out the sun intermittently, casting moving shadows over the battlefield. He unleashed his flames, turning patches of the field into infernos that consumed both soil and flesh. Even as I shoved the blade through a god’s chest, I felt the heat on my face, the acrid smell of death and destruction lacing the air. I jumped from the wall as Ash landed, shadowy tendrils whipping out.

He and I surged forward, but it was different than before when I slipped away into battle. There was a pattern to how we moved, almost as if we were one. In the back of my mind, it made sense. We were two halves of the same whole, our movements nearly synchronized, punctuated by the thrust of my sword and the arc of his.

We wove through the combat with swift strikes and fluid defensive moves. Ash would maneuver a god to meet my sword, and I would kick another into his, each act a testament to our inherent understanding of each other.

But I knew there was a difference as I met fierce blows with the same strength and lashed out with the essence. When I fought before, I could always let go of my fear. I couldn’t this time. Each swing and thrust was tinged with bitter emotion. I wasn’t scared for myself or even Ash. I worried about the babes I carried inside me. My fear for them made each swing harder, every release of energy more violent. The fear didn’t make me a worse fighter.

It made me a far deadlier one.

Overhead, Aurelia tore through a draken’s throat, releasing him as he shifted into his mortal form and fell to the ground, only to be swallowed by the warring soldiers.

I drew in a stuttered breath as the pulse of death was a continuous throb in my chest. A wave of eather whipped out of Ash, slamming into the Dogs of War. The scent of burnt fur mingled with that of flesh as I shouted, swinging the blade down on a god’s head. Blood spurted, spraying the front of my tunic and face.

The death…

There was so much.

A sudden wrenching sensation in the center of my chest caused me to stagger. I cried out, clutching at my breast, expecting to see a bone blade or blood, but there was nothing there. The pain wasn’t really pain. It was more a dull ache but not a physical one. More like a loss…

Oh, gods.

I’d felt this when Keella died, and I knew who it was. I saw them in my mind, and my heart ached.

Ash was at my side at once, folding an arm around my waist. “What is it?” he demanded. “Where are you hurt?”

“It’s not me.” I rose with his help, the sudden knowledge of where Phanos had gone with his ships and armies weakening me. “It’s Maia. She’s fallen.”

“Fuck,” snarled Ash.

A blast of intense eather drew both our gazes to the hill. My heart clenched as I saw Kyn rise into the air ahead of us, driving Attes to the ground. Ash took to the air again, but one of Kyn’s draken dove for him. Ash’s cold laugh caused a sea of soldiers to look up at the gathering dark storm of energy.

A crack of power drew my attention to the hill. Attes was once more on his feet.

The field shook with the fury of the Primal brothers’ clash as they came together, trading blows upon the hill that split the horizon like the spine of a slumbering draken. Dark clouds rolled above them, responding to the tempest of emotions inside them as their raw power beat the air. That kind of Primal energy kept the fighting gods from them, pushing the soldiers farther and farther back, but Ash and I pushed forward.

Kyn’s and Attes’s forms were blurs of motion, each strike a mirror image of the other. Their brutality was relentless, even as their swords shattered when they clashed. I pushed faster, picking up speed. I didn’t want Attes to be the one to end his brother’s life. I didn’t want him to carry that with him. My wide eyes met Ash’s. I could see that he felt the same.

Fuck.

I threw the sword at a soldier on horseback, hitting him in the chest. Then I shadowstepped, appearing several feet down the hill. Summoning eather, I started to rush up the remaining distance, Ash right beside me—

A wave of Primal power knocked both of us back as Attes yelled, slamming his fist into the center of Kyn’s chest.

The impact shattered Kyn’s armor. I stumbled, falling to my knees as fragments spun through the air, glinting like stars flung from the night sky. They fell to the ground below, merely discarded remnants.

No. No. No.

Kyn staggered, falling to his knees, his eyes widening with shock as Ash dragged me to my feet.

“Don’t do it,” I whispered—or maybe yelled. “Attes!”

He lurched forward, grabbing his brother by the throat. “Lailah,” Attes shouted, my breath wilting in my chest as he turned toward us. Tears streamed down his face, mingling with blood. Eather pooled around his raised hand, crackling and spitting. “Ascend Lailah, Sera. Now!”

I was rooted to where I stood until Ash grabbed me by my shoulders. “You need to go,” he said. “She’s on the Rise by the Black Bay. Ascend Lailah. Do it now.”

I sucked in air, gaze flying to Ash’s. “Stay with him. Please.”

“I will,” he promised, letting go. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” I whispered, stepping back as lightning erupted from the dark clouds overhead.

As gold-and-silver mist rose around me, Attes turned back to his brother. The last thing I heard before I appeared on the Rise was Attes screaming, and he sounded just as I had when I found my family impaled to the walls of Wayfair. His scream was that of a wild, broken animal full of sorrow and rage.

CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

Only an hour or so past dawn, I’d woken to find Ash gone and suspected he had been at the Pillars since the fight in Vathi had fueled violent storms that swept through the mortal realm. The destruction and death weren’t nearly as bad as they had been after Embris, but… Yeah, it was still bad.

And there was no guarantee that drawing Kolis out would prevent more destruction.

After eating a quick breakfast, I’d felt Ash’s return and left to find him. On the way, I’d stopped by Aios’s chambers and found Rhain there. I had a feeling he may have spent a decent part of the night watching over her.

“I didn’t know what happened until Aios lit up with eather,” Rhain said, standing on the other side of Aios’s bed. “Then I knew.” He sighed, thrusting a hand through his auburn strands. “We all knew.”

“I didn’t know Maia well.” Heart heavy, my gaze flickered over Aios’s peaceful features as I toyed with the button on my vest. I wanted Bele to be here for her when she woke. “But I wish…”

“There was nothing either you or Ash could’ve done,” Rhain was quick to say. “It wasn’t like preparing Saion triggered Phanos into making his choice. There was no way he could’ve readied his armies and left the Triton Isles in that little time.”

“I know.” But I also knew that Keella’s and Veses’ deaths, although for vastly different reasons, could’ve influenced what Phanos decided. It had been a risk, one we knew we were taking. I exhaled long and slow. “I didn’t feel unrest in her Court. The attack must have been quick.”

“Maia didn’t have a large army,” Rhain said. “Her forces would’ve been quickly overwhelmed.”

I nodded, hoping that meant her death was as quick and painless as possible. We’d sent as many soldiers as we could spare to secure the Court, as did Ione, but from Nektas’s quick flyover, we’d learned the capital was burning.

It felt like we were at war, even though it hadn’t officially been declared. And maybe we were. Perhaps calling it a war didn’t even matter. But I didn’t know if we were winning or losing at this point. Yes, we’d taken Lotho, Sirta, the Callasta Isles, the entirety of Vathi, and once Kithreia was secure, it would be under our control, too. But we’d lost Maia and most of Veses’ and Kyn’s soldiers.

“How’s Attes?” Rhain asked.

I shook my head. “I only saw him briefly when he returned with Nyktos late last night, but I imagine not good.” I lifted my gaze to Rhain’s. “I didn’t want it to be him.”

“I don’t think Attes would’ve allowed it to be anyone but him.”

My heart was even heavier because Rhain was right. Attes could’ve stepped back and allowed Ash to finish Kyn. He hadn’t. To kill one’s own brother? And a twin at that…

First, it was Kolis, and now Attes. Granted, it wasn’t the same, but I knew this was something Attes may never truly get past, even if his twin was a grade-A asshole. In all honesty, Kolis hadn’t. His grief and shame over killing Eythos had aided in him becoming what he had.

“Sera?” Concern tinged Rhain’s voice. “Are you feeling unwell?”

His question pulled me from my thoughts. “Why do you ask?”

“You’re holding your stomach.”

I glanced down, and yep, my hand was pressed to my lower stomach. “Yeah.” Dropping my arm, I cleared my throat and rose from the chair beside Aios’s bed. “I’m going to check in with Nyktos. We should be meeting with the others soon.”

“Sera,” Rhain called. “Are you…?”

Stopping at the door, my stomach dipped as I met his stare. “What?”

He closed his mouth and shook his head. “Nothing.” His attention turned once more to Aios. “I’ll be down when we’re ready.”

I hesitated. Had he been about to ask if I was pregnant? I was probably jumping to conclusions, but we’d have to tell everyone sooner or later. I knew they would be happy, even Rhain, who I imagined would probably be more of a nervous wreck than me.

We would tell everyone once Kolis was dealt with, and it…it would be something to celebrate. We just had to get to that point.

I stopped on the second floor to check in on Lailah again. I had sat with her last night for a little while. I had no idea if she would be out longer than Aios since their Ascensions were different, and I hadn’t been here when Bele rose as a Primal. As I neared the chamber, I felt a Primal nearby.

Cracking open the door, I saw that Lailah was still asleep. A chair was next to the bed that hadn’t been there when I’d spent time with her last night. I leaned in a little farther, spotting a pair of dark boots tucked under the bed. I tilted my head, hearing the faint splash of water. Curiosity rose as I let my senses concentrate on the Primal presence.

Attes.

Nibbling on my lower lip, I stepped back and quietly closed the door. Normally, I wouldn’t be too keen on the idea of him helping himself to the chambers Lailah was resting in, but I knew she was safe with him, and considering what he’d been through, I really couldn’t make myself be angry at him.

I went downstairs, passing several guards in the foyer and main hall. They bowed in a wave along both sides as if their lives depended on it as Rhahar stepped out of the hall leading to Ash’s office. “That’s not necessary,” I told them.

Rhahar’s lips twitched as he pivoted on his heel and fell into step beside me. “It’s charming how you keep telling them not to bow.”

“At some point, I’m hoping they’ll listen,” I said, nearing the office.

“Or, at some point, you will accept how they choose to show you respect,” he countered.

“It is unlikely either thing will happen,” Ash’s voice traveled from the office. He rose from where he was seated and stepped around his desk, the charcoal tunic he wore fitting the breadth of his shoulders to perfection. “Can you give us a moment, Rhahar?”

The god nodded, closing the door behind me. Ash extended his arm. I crossed the chamber and placed my hand in his. He pulled me to his chest, dipping his head to kiss me. It was such a soft and tender thing, but it still left me a little breathless when our lips parted.

“Sorry I wasn’t with you when you woke this morning.” Ash smoothed a stray curl back from my temple. “I was at the Pillars.”

I rested my hands against his chest. “That’s what I figured.”

“Did you eat breakfast?” he asked.

“Yes, and I drank juice, too.” I paused. “A full cup.”

Ash grinned, running the tips of his fingers down my cheek. “How were you feeling this morning? Any nausea?”

“None today.”

“That’s three days in a row,” he said. “Hopefully, you won’t have any more spells.”

“I hope so.” I breathed in his fresh, citrusy scent and nuzzled his chest, rubbing my cheek against him like a cat seeking…wait. I blinked, wondering if I was somehow developing the tendencies of my nota.

Man, would I start clawing up the furniture?

“Have you had a chance to check in with Aios or Lailah?” he asked, drawing me from my bizarre thoughts.

“They’re both still asleep,” I said, keeping Attes’s current whereabouts to myself as I stepped back, smoothing my hands over the hem of my blouse. “I should probably go ahead and try to summon a Fate so we can get the others here.” Attempting to set up a meeting with Kolis was the only way we’d be able to lure him out of whatever hole he’d crawled into.

Ash nodded as he turned to his desk, reaching for a pitcher on a tray. “I’m ready whenever you are.”

Ash poured two glasses of berry-infused water, and I took a deep breath and cleared my mind. Unlike last time, I didn’t think of Holland as I summoned the eather. “Fates,” I said as the essence pulsed through me, reverberating through my voice. “I request a meeting with one of you.” I paused and then tacked on a surly, “Please.”

Ash snorted. “The please was a nice touch.”

I grinned as I took the water from him. “I guess we just wait now.”

He nodded, leaning against his desk as he eyed me. “You started to turn golden when you summoned the Fate. It was hot.”

I rolled my eyes, sitting down on a settee.

“I haven’t seen you go full Primal yet,” he noted, taking a sip. “You were close to doing so when we were in the Callasta Isles.”

I thought about that. “I think I may have done it when I was in Lasania.” My gaze fell to the violet-hued berries floating in my water. I cleared my throat. “But I really don’t know what I looked like besides my skin kind of turning gold.”

“I’m sure you were beautiful.”

I smiled at that. Shortly after, Rhain, the cousins, and finally Attes joined us. There was no Fate among them, but the latter entered with wet hair and his features drawn into tight, somber lines. He dropped onto the settee across from me with a nod. I started to ask how he was but stopped myself as Rhain busied himself pouring drinks for everyone. I knew that I didn’t like to be asked about my feelings, especially these kinds, particularly not in front of others.

I glanced around the office, growing impatient. Where was the Fate I’d summoned? Were they just taking their sweet time or ignoring me? I knew I hadn’t done it wrong. Anxiety buzzed through me as I moved to the very edge of the settee.

“I think Aios will wake soon,” Rhain stated as Ash moved to stand closer to me, picking up two of three glasses and handing them off to Saion and Rhahar before grabbing the third. “She was starting to move a little before I left.”

“That’s good,” I said.

Ash nodded, his gaze straying to Attes. “Do you have any updates on the remainder of Kyn’s army?”

He nodded, staring at the glass Rhain had given him. “When I went back early this morning, I was informed that about ten thousand surrendered,” he shared stoically. “But their newfound loyalty to me isn’t something I’m willing to trust in battle yet.”

I hadn’t known Attes had returned to Vathi. I must’ve been asleep when he left and returned.

“Understandable,” Ash remarked.

“I assume we had defectors?” I said.

Attes nodded. “From what my generals could estimate, about ten thousand fell in battle.”

“Good gods,” I said.

His silvery gaze lifted to mine. “Yeah.” His throat worked on a swallow. “That means roughly twenty thousand are likely fleeing to wherever Kolis is.”

“That’s disappointing to…” I stiffened, eather throbbing acutely in my chest. Awareness pressed down on me, alerting me to someone powerful.

Someone Ancient.

“What is it?” Ash asked.

“I think the Fate is here.” I set the glass on the end table as everyone in the room went still. I rose, expecting a portal to rip open. When it didn’t, my frown increased. “But I don’t know where they are.”

A second later, a knock sounded on the office doors. Six heads turned in that direction.

“Well, we know it’s not Aydun since they actually knocked,” I murmured.

Ash snickered at that, putting his glass on the table behind him. “Come in.”

The door opened, and my mouth dropped open at who walked in. I almost couldn’t believe that he had answered.

Holland stood near the pillars as the door swung closed behind him, dressed in white. We were all staring at him, but it was my gaze he held with those eyes full of stars and churning colors. I was in shock, unable to move or speak. He was the very last Fate I’d expected to show. Even though I had Ascended Penellaphe, something he had clearly appreciated, I figured I would likely never see him again. That he wouldn’t want to see me again.

A fond, almost fatherly smile broke out across his handsome features, creating fine creases in his rich brown skin at the corners of his eyes. “Sera.”

The sound of his deep voice—the familiarity of it and the kindness in that single word—did something to me.

Ash tensed as I jerked forward, almost as if he wished to stop me, but held himself back. I crossed the antechamber but stopped in front of Holland, a lump forming in my throat as we continued to stare at each other.

Without saying a word, Holland lifted his arms, and I might’ve thrown myself at him. A soft grunt turned into a surprised laugh as his strong arms wrapped around me, one hand folding over the back of my head.

A shudder went through me as I buried my face against his chest, my eyes squeezed shut.

“Well, that’s not something you see every day,” Attes drawled under his breath.

“I don’t think you’ve ever greeted me in such a manner,” Holland said, his voice low and rougher than normal. “Not since you were a child. I wasn’t expecting that after…”

I inhaled deeply, soaking in the familiar scent of iron and earth. My thoughts felt a little bit messy. Even though I understood why, I was still angry with him for knowing that what happened in Lasania could’ve been possible and doing nothing, but I needed this hug from the man who was the closest thing to a father to me. I loved him, and gods, I was relieved to know that I still felt that way.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered hoarsely. “I’m sorry for what I’ve done.”

“I know, Sera.” His embrace tightened, and I knew that he recognized what I was apologizing for. “I know.”

Tears pricked my eyes as my fingers balled into the back of his tunic. “Do you…do you forgive me?” I asked, even though I knew I didn’t deserve it.

“Oh, Sera.” His chin lowered, and he spoke softly, “It is not my forgiveness you need, but you have it.”

The breath I exhaled was ragged as I held on to him tightly. Slowly, I remembered that we weren’t alone. Cheeks burning, I lifted my head.

Holland smiled and slid his hands to mine. He gently squeezed my fingers, and his stare lifted to where Ash stood, now only a foot behind me. “It is good to see you, too.”

“Same,” Ash replied with the level of enthusiasm Reaver had shown when speaking of practicing his letters.

“Ash,” I hissed.

Holland chuckled, unbothered. “It’s okay.” With one last squeeze, he released my hands. “He has a right to be wary of my presence.” Holland’s swirling, odd but beautiful gaze moved over the others, who all remained transfixed where they stood. “Hello.”

“Hi.” Saion drew out the word while a pale-faced Rhain raised a hand in acknowledgment.

Attes lifted his glass in greeting. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”

“We have not,” Holland replied. “But that is a good thing, is it not?”

My brows snapped together as Attes snorted.

Ash snaked an arm around my waist, guiding me back so he stood a hairsbreadth behind me once more.

I rolled my eyes, caught between being charmed and annoyed by him clearly stepping into his fierce protective mode.

Holland turned his attention back to me, his gaze briefly dropping to Ash’s arm. The smile widened again as he refocused on me. “How are you feeling?”

“Good. I mean, I feel stronger than I ever have.” I stared up at him, still somewhat shocked to see him and unsure how to answer. The last time we’d seen each other, well, it hadn’t been the time to exchange pleasantries. “I’m still getting used to the whole foresight thing.”

“It takes a while to grow accustomed to it, but you will soon truly be a know-it-all.”

My laugh was shaky. “And here I thought I already was.”

“So, I’m going to hazard a guess here and say you two know each other?” Attes stated.

I started to respond but stopped myself, unsure how much I could share.

“I’ve known Seraphena since she was a child.” Holland clasped his hands behind his back. “I trained her.”

“You…acted as her viktor, then.” Attes studied Holland from over the rim of his glass. “Didn’t know the Arae were allowed to get so hands-on.”

“There is much we’re able to do,” Holland replied. “As you are well aware.”

My gaze shot to Attes. The Primal had lowered his glass. Did he know what Holland truly was? Nektas hadn’t said none of the other Primals knew, only that he remembered the Ancients more clearly than some of the oldest Primals.

“I wish I could linger, but doing so would likely draw the ire of the others.” Holland cleared his throat, angling his body toward Ash and me. “You summoned a Fate?”

“That would be correct,” Ash replied.

I shot him a sharp look of warning over my shoulder.

Ash ignored it. “We appreciate the fact that you knocked. The last one didn’t.”

“That would be Aydun you speak of,” he replied. “He is not known for his decorum.”

“I can’t argue with that,” I said. “We wanted to set up a meeting with Kolis.”

Holland didn’t even bat an eyelash. “When and where?”

“In the Bonelands,” Ash said, naming the one place closest to Oak Ambler without being an inhabited place in the mortal realm. “And as soon as possible.”

Holland nodded as he clasped his hands together. “And the reason,” he said, catching my gaze, “you want to give for the meeting?”

I caught on to what he was asking. He wanted to know what we wanted Kolis to believe. He asked for the lie. “We would like to make a truce.”

One of the stars in his eyes brightened. “Is that so?”

I nodded. “If he agrees to meet with us, I’m willing to give him what he wants in exchange for coming to an agreement.”

Holland’s head tilted. “And do you request a Fate to moderate such a meeting?”

“No,” Ash answered.

“Without a Fate present, there is no guarantee of nonviolence.”

“We know,” I said. Without a Fate present, we also wouldn’t be obligated to make any deals that we would be held accountable for, which was the main reason we didn’t want a Fate there. We had no plans to offer shit to Kolis. Besides, even if we were truly attempting to enter into a new eirini, I already knew Kolis would no longer just accept Sotoria’s soul. He wanted our suffering. But I also knew he would do and risk anything to get his hands on Sotoria again. So, we were playing this game as dirty as he had because he would never see her again.

The way Holland’s eyes glimmered told me he either suspected what we were up to or had already seen it all in one of those many threads. “That is all?”

I nodded.

“I will go to him immediately,” he said. “I can’t say how long it will take before he agrees.”

“He’ll agree,” I stated.

Holland’s gaze lowered with a sigh. “If you are speaking of Sotoria’s soul, he will.”

From the settee, Attes’s lip curled. I stepped out of Ash’s hold before the other Primal could say something that would add to his troubles. “I know you can’t stay, but I…I wish you could.”

That softness returned to Holland’s features. “As do I.”

“Before you leave,” Ash said, “I do have a question about Aydun. He knew we had entered an eirini before but made no mention of that. Seems odd that he wouldn’t have reminded Sera, especially considering she just rose as the Primal of Life.”

Holland grimaced. “I wish I could say for certain why Aydun failed to mention it.” Holland’s gaze searched mine. “But he should have. I am sorry he didn’t.”

“It’s not your fault.” Something crossed my mind. He had mentioned inciting the ire of the other Ancients. My stomach pitched. “Will you get in trouble for answering the summons considering our history?”

The colors slowed in his eyes. “Some of the others were not pleased with my intention to do so, but if I were in the wrong, the realms would have prevented me from doing so. The others know this.”

“I am never going to get used to the idea of the essence as some sort of living entity capable of critical thinking,” I admitted.