Page 159

When Sera suggests that he needs to feed, it raises Ash’s ire, and he sends her away. But before she leaves, he asks if she truly has no fear of dying.

She still doesn’t leave, and he roars at her to go, warning her that if she doesn’t get out, he’ll feed from and then fuck her. She taunts him, and he calls her reckless, admitting that he might kill her if he takes from her—he hasn’t fed in decades.

Giving in, he feeds and tears off her gown, unable to stop the flood of emotions bombarding him. When she suggests he hasn’t taken enough, he tells her it has to be enough. As the feelings from the bite ramp up, Sera begins pleasuring herself. One thing leads to another, and he feeds more as he takes her, watching where they’re joined, the dark, hazy outline of his eather wings forming behind him as he fights his true nature.

He tells her he’s never felt anything like what he’s experiencing. When she echoes his sentiment, he asks her not to lie, then warns her that her faith in him is reckless.

What else is new? She’s always reckless.

In the afterglow, he can’t stop himself from asking her how she can be so convincing. She takes offense and tells him off again.

Ash insists he’s had more than enough blood and admits that ripping off her dress will be his favorite memory for years to come.

Coming from someone who’s been lost to the throes of passion and experiencing another lose control, it is quite titillating and something not easily forgotten.

After telling her to rest—which she doesn’t appreciate—he tells her that she’ll never get him to fall for her and reinforces that she’ll never be able to weaken him to the point where she’d be an actual threat. She challenges that assumption—as she challenges just about everything.

Ash spends some time away from Sera. The next time he sees her, he arrives just after Sera fights off Hamid’s attack in the bath. He reveals that he tasted her fear and came running. When she shows ire that he read her emotions again, it both amuses and arouses him.

As he gets the details of what happened, he’s floored to discover that her attacker attempted to strangle her. When Sera states she’ll never take a bath again, it greatly upsets him. He is about to question Hamid when Ector kills him, further irritating Ash.

He takes Sera to her bedchambers and admits that he hadn’t gotten around to assigning a guard to her today. He asks her about the attack and inquires whether Hamid said anything during. He orders Rhain and Aios to sit with Gemma and instructs them to reconnoiter Hamid’s house for clues.

Despite the circumstances and not trusting her, Ash grows concerned when Sera is suddenly in pain and weak. He worries that he took too much blood and wonders if it could be her Culling—which is impossible since she’s mortal. Still, he asks a guard to stay with her and goes to fetch some healing tea.

After Ash returns, Sera mentions that the tea is the same as the one her knight, Sir Holland, used to give her. He’s stunned to find out the teas are the same and wonders how a mortal knew about it. He explains that Sera’s headaches and bleeding gums are symptoms of a god’s Culling and says he thinks the ember inside her is giving her similar side effects. He figures she’ll have a few more weeks or months of symptoms before they subside, but she will not Ascend.

Ash tells her not to wait if the symptoms return and to instead ask for the tea right away. He then asserts that sex between them will not happen again. She’ll be safe in the Shadowlands and become his Consort as planned, but neither of them wanted this, and love was never on the table.

He states that he would never think of her even if he considered friendship and lashes out, telling her she’s merely a vessel for the ember. He can’t help responding to her flare of hurt, but still tells her there’s nothing else to discuss.

Ash is called away to Lethe to deal with an incident: Cressa and Madis led Shades into the city, so he goes to clean up the mess.

When the gods attack, he roars at them for daring to enter his Court and touch what is his. He explodes Cressa and tells Madis to join his sister.

Taric tries to use eather against Ash and it annoys him. Advancing on the god, he grabs Taric’s wrist, shattering the god’s sword into nothing. Taric taunts him, telling Ash to kill him and calling him the Blessed One. But then says it won’t matter and warns that he won’t stop—he being the false Primal of Life. He says Kolis will tear apart both realms, but it will be nothing compared to what he’ll do to Nyktos. He tells Ash that he can’t stop his uncle, neither could Eythos, and promises that Kolis will have Sera. In answer, Nyktos rips out his heart.

Ash figures out that Taric went through Sera’s memories when he bit her and reminds her not to forget that while she feels fear, she’s never afraid. To punctuate his point, he returns her dagger.

As things start to settle somewhat, he realizes that Bele was taken down in the siege. When Sera goes to her, he tells her that the ember inside her isn’t strong enough to bring back a god. Aios begs him to let her try anyway. When Sera says it’s her fault that Bele died, it angers Nyktos—because it’s not her fault.

Just before he gives the go-ahead, Ash tells Nektas to be sure the guards are ready for anything and then tells Sera to do what she does. He watches, stunned when it works and Bele revives.

Nyktos tells Sera that what she did is impossible—the ember shouldn’t be strong enough. However, despite that, she just Ascended Bele.

As they discuss what that means, Nyktos tells Sera that Bele can now challenge Hanan for control of their Court.

They talk more about what she did and discuss what happens now. He thanks her again for saving his friend and is shocked that his gratitude surprises her. He helps clean her up because he wants to, not because he feels he has to, and tells her that he summoned the Fates.

Nyktos warns Sera that Kolis will back off momentarily until he figures out what he’s dealing with. They talk more about the Ascension, and Nyktos agrees with Saion that not all gods Sera brings back will Ascend—they must be fated to. He then explains how the lives and deaths of gods differ from mortals.

Asking her if Taric said anything to her, she reveals that they were looking for her in Lasania. The viktors were protecting her. He goes on to say that it’s been a long time since he’s heard anything about them.

When he asks her if she wants to take a bath or rest, he’s uncomfortable when he realizes that she doesn’t want to go back to her room because of what happened with Hamid. He takes her to his chamber instead and falls asleep, waking to Reaver, who tells him that Nektas has returned and is in the throne room. Nyktos tells Sera that means the Fates answered.

Overcome, Nyktos kisses Sera but quickly tells her it changes nothing. The poor Primal just can’t fight what he feels for her, even though he thinks he should.

When they get downstairs, he’s surprised to see the goddess, Penellaphe. He’s told she’s come about Sera and that she brought an Arae with her.