Page 163 of The Primal of Blood and Bone (Blood and Ash #6)

POPPY

I was still trying to get past the shock of what I realized—felt—when he first entered the chamber. Something that I hadn’t been able to sense before my Ascension.

Valyn had been keeping more secrets than previously known.

Big ones.

But at the moment, I couldn’t really focus on that. What he’d just said took center stage.

We’d be hearing from Kolis soon.

My lips pressed into a thin line as Kieran frowned. “That’s all?”

“That’s it,” Valyn confirmed. “Then he disappeared from the Rise, and we left without further incident.”

“His message sounds more like a threat to me,” Casteel noted, his finger tapping off the side of his glass.

He was right.

“That puts us at a serious disadvantage,” Sven said, lifting his glass as he glanced at Emil. “And I know that’s obvious, but I felt it needed to be stated.”

Murin looked so pale I thought he might pass out as Emil navigated Reaver’s tail. “We have one god—”

“You have three Primal gods,” I interrupted, leaving out the Deminyen part.

Valyn’s head swung in Casteel’s direction.

“And I think that evens out the playing field,” I finished.

“You really think that?” Gayla asked, no challenge in her voice.

“Were you in Lowertown when the ceeren attacked?” When she nodded, Casteel smiled tightly. “Then you know what your Queen is capable of.”

“A god perished in Lowertown,” Aylard graciously reminded those within the sandstone walls.

“A god sacrificed himself for the realms,” I fired back. “And his name was Rhahar.”

“Fuck,” Valyn muttered, dragging a hand over his face. “Malik told me what happened in Lowertown, but I didn’t know it was Rhahar.” He lowered his hand and looked toward Casteel. “So, what does this mean for you?” He jerked his chin at Kieran. “And Kieran, I assume?”

Casteel smiled as he let the essence rise to the surface. There were several curses and gasps when the shadows made an appearance.

Malik sat up and leaned away. “Gods, fucking unnecessary,” he muttered.

Valyn simply stared, the paperweight nearly falling from his grasp. “That’s…unexpected.”

Smirking, Casteel turned his stare on Aylard. The Elemental quickly found the wall across from him very interesting.

“Wait.” Vonetta twisted toward her brother. “Are you telling me you can do that?”

“I got the other side of Poppy’s abilities.” His brows rose as he took a drink. “And no, I’m not into show-and-tell like Cas.”

For a moment, I thought Vonetta might punch her brother.

The eather within me suddenly rose, responding to the more intense pulse in Casteel. Kieran felt it, too. We both looked at him.

His jaw flexed as he attempted to calm the essence in him.

“Does Kolis know about you two?” Valyn asked.

“I don’t believe so,” Casteel said.

Eyeing his glass, Valyn nodded. “Then that is an advantage.”

“It’s not our only advantage,” I shared. “Another Primal god will be arriving soon. An old one.” I glanced at Valyn as I drew my lip between my teeth. “A god of war.”

Valyn’s knuckles had bleached white from how tightly he held the paperweight. One quick glance at Casteel and his brother revealed that both had noticed it.

“A Primal God of War?” Sven questioned. “Theon? Lailah?”

“No. A much older Primal god,” I said, quickly explaining that it was a Primal who’d abdicated his crown and Court upon going into stasis.

Sven knew what the Courts meant. Half the chamber did not.

As I explained it, I noticed how Casteel watched his father.

Valyn stared straight ahead, his hand closing and loosening around the paperweight.

I opened my senses. He had his shields up, probably because of my presence since he didn’t know that Kieran or Cas could also read emotions now, but there were cracks in it.

That surprised me. He was as hard as Casteel to pick up emotion from, but he was exhausted, and his mind was likely on many things.

What I picked up from him wasn’t exactly unease. Uncertainty, maybe? There was something under it, though. The nutty flavor of resolve or acceptance.

Valyn’s gaze met mine, and I could tell he realized I knew. I thought back to how Seraphena had suggested Casteel speak to his father about how she had interfered in the War of Two Kings. But did that mean Seraphena knew who Valyn was? What he was? How could she not?

“And when is this Primal god coming?” Gayla asked.

“Soon,” I said. “But that was all we were told.” I cleared my throat.

“The Queen of the Gods also shared that she, and by extension Iliseeum, would give aid. There will only be so much they can do given the effect the Primal gods tied to Courts have on the mortal realm while in it, but we are not standing against Kolis alone.”

There were several nods from around the table, but I could easily sense the building unease.

“We need to decide what our next course of action should be,” Lizeth said, drawing my attention.

“I spoke with the King earlier regarding a public address,” Hisa stated from where she sat beside the female wolven. “After speaking with Sven and some of our commanders, I believe we can do that tomorrow.”

“I feel it’s important to assure the people that we will do everything we can to keep them safe and that they hear it from us,” I said when several pairs of eyes landed on me.

“Especially after the attack on Lowertown. But regarding Kolis?” I glanced at Valyn.

“Was there any indication what kind of shape Kolis is in?”

“No.” Valyn sighed.

I let out a frustrated breath. “And how long ago did Varus give you his message?”

The skin at the corners of Valyn’s eyes crinkled. “Close to two days ago.”

My gaze met Casteel’s as I opened the notam to him and Kieran. We’re not going to learn what kind of condition Kolis is in without going there ourselves.

Agreed , Kieran communicated. We need to decide whether we wait to see what Kolis’s next move is or make one ourselves.

My gaze swept over Lizeth and Hisa, and I thought about what I’d overheard them say to each other before. Be careful, but be brave.

Hopefully, Attes arrives soon, I told them. But I don’t think we should wait long and let Kolis make another move. He attacked us twice already.

Nor do I , Casteel replied, his gaze lifting and sweeping over the generals. “We need to prepare for battle.”

We decided to send scouts to watch the road for any movement. Ships would also be sent north toward the Bay of Bones, which lay between the ports of Pensdurth and Carsodonia.

And both were decided with the knowledge that Kolis and those two hundred and some gods wouldn’t need horses or ships to reach the capital.

Siege plans were discussed before things cycled back to the public address.

Murin brought up his concerns regarding possibly inciting panic, and I honestly had no idea how either conversation ended.

My thoughts were consumed by the fact that we could hear from Kolis at any moment.

I hadn’t even realized people were standing to leave until Casteel touched my arm.

Blinking, I looked over at him. He didn’t say anything, but his gaze was heavy with concern. I quickly scanned the chamber, spying Valyn by the door. Pushing thoughts of Kolis aside for the moment, I glanced around the chamber, no longer seeing Malik.

Damn it.

“We need to speak to your father,” I announced. “Now.”

Casteel’s brows drew together, but he didn’t question me as I shoved back from the table and stood. Reaching out through the notam , I asked Kieran to follow.

Hurrying from the table, I hated not lingering to speak with Vonetta since it felt like a small eternity since I’d spoken with her, but this couldn’t be delayed.

When I crossed the chamber and stepped out into the hall, Valyn was no longer at the doorway. I saw him standing several doors down with his back to me.

Delano and Naill moved to follow us, but I motioned for them to stay back, even though I knew Kieran trailed behind us. Valyn’s shoulders squared as I approached. “We need to talk,” I said, my voice low.

“I know.” He thrust a hand through his hair. “Somewhere private.”

I glanced around, seeing one of the halls that led toward the Queen’s Garden. My lip curled, but it would work. “Follow me.”

I didn’t wait for him to answer; just headed toward the rounded archway, passing the guards stationed there. They bowed their heads and turned, prepared to follow. “Please stay at your posts,” I told them as we walked out into air that was even cooler than that morning—too cold.

We were quiet as we crossed under the breezeway and stepped onto the path.

Weeds had begun to grow between the marble pavers, something I couldn’t remember ever seeing as a child.

It worsened as we passed under the stone arbor.

Creeping vines had found their way across the path, the small yellow blooms wilted due to the cold.

Hedges once neatly trimmed had begun to blur at the edges and grew irregularly.

Hardier blooms had spilled from their mulched beds as I veered from where the night-blooming roses grew.

I kept walking, wanting to ensure we were far enough away from prying eyes and ears.

We walked past the branches of the jacaranda trees, their limbs heavy with trumpet-shaped blooms that were a dull shade of pink instead of their normal vibrant hue.

A marble statue of who I assumed was Aios appeared behind the overgrown hedges. Stopping, my gaze swept over the spikes of blueish-purple blooms and the carpet of tiny white flowers at the foot of the statue that reminded me of snow. I turned, checking the distance between the castle and us.

“This should work,” I said, noting that Kieran lingered just beyond the jacaranda trees, close enough to hear but not too close.

Casteel stood in front of some bushy shrubs, his boots planted on the pink petals the blossoms had shed.

I made sure I stayed close because I had no idea how he would respond to this.