Page 24 of The Primal of Blood and Bone (Blood and Ash #6)

“I didn’t,” he repeated as he knelt, adjusting the heavy, fur-lined blanket atop Poppy. It was cold down here, and the long-sleeved robe I’d managed to get on her wasn’t particularly thick. “And I know none of the others did either.”

My attention shifted back to Poppy as I turned that new piece of information over in my head. It was quite possible that Kieran sensing when Poppy woke had nothing to do with the Primal notam and more to do with the Joining. But that didn’t explain why none of the other wolven…

I straightened in the chair. “Can you still feel the Primal notam ?”

“I can.”

A measure of relief swept through me. With Seraphena awake, I had no idea what it would mean for the Primal notam . Didn’t know if it would revert back to her or not.

“It’s faint, but it’s been that way since she went into stasis.”

“And there’s been no change?”

“None.” He looked over at me. “It’s almost like she’s still in it.”

My frown deepened as I sat back, running my hand over the linen shirt Emil had grabbed for me. That didn’t make sense. Poppy was clearly no longer in stasis. “You have any idea what that could mean?”

Delano shook his head. “None.” Satisfied with the blanket, he sat cross-legged beside Poppy.

My jaw flexed as I watched him. Delano knew he couldn’t stay in the cell long. It was too much of a risk if Poppy woke with him in here. Still, I was reluctant to cut his visit short. There had always been a connection between the two of them.

My gaze swept over Poppy, looking for any hints she was stirring. When I found none, I wanted to relax but didn’t. If I did, my mind would wander to either what was inside her or the promise made between her and Kieran. I stretched my neck, trying to work out some of the tension gathering there.

“I didn’t mention this before, but you…feel different.”

Drawn from my thoughts, my brows rose. “What do you feel?”

His head tilted as he eyed me. “Power.”

That made sense. The wolven’s senses were heightened, meaning they could pick up on eather. Which likely explained why most of them took to Poppy so quickly, even before they knew who she was descended from or what she’d become.

“More than before,” he added. “You also smell different.”

“Not sure if I should be offended to hear that or not.”

He laughed quietly. “It’s not that,” he said. “It’s a scent I’ve picked up from Poppy. At first, I thought it was just her scent rubbing off on you, but I would’ve noticed it before.”

I had a feeling I knew what scent he was picking up from me that he’d smelled on Poppy, but I asked anyway. “Which scent?”

His gaze went back to Poppy. “Death.”

That’s what I figured. I rubbed at my jaw. “I think the Joining had some unexpected…side effects.”

“You don’t say?”

I snorted.

A moment passed. “Kieran feels different, too. But he doesn’t smell like you. His scent is…warmer. Fresher.”

“Rude,” I murmured.

“You know what I mean,” he replied, and I did. His gaze returned to mine. “Speaking of Kieran…”

Tension crept into my muscles. “What about him?”

“He’s not here.”

I said nothing.

Delano stared at me. A second turned to three and then tripled. “That’s not normal.”

How in the fuck did Delano realize things weren’t so-called normal when the shit went down only an hour or so ago? “He’s got things to do.”

“Is that what you’re going with?”

My fingers began tapping on the arm of the chair. “Yes.”

“Cas—”

“I think you should leave,” I stated. “I don’t want you here when Poppy regains consciousness.”

“She wouldn’t hurt me.” He leaned back, bracing his weight on a hand. “Or is it because you don’t want to talk about Kieran.”

“I don’t know what Poppy will do, but I won’t risk it.”

“And Kieran?”

“I’m not getting into it.”

His eyes narrowed slightly. “So, there is something.”

“Delano.” I sighed.

He held up his hands. “Hey, I’m just worried. It’s not often you two are pissed at each other.”

A muscle began ticking in my temple. “Did I say we were mad at each other?”

“It’s obvious. He told us what was going on and then nearly bit Naill’s head off when he walked up and asked.”

My fingers kept tapping. “Do you not have something to do?”

“He’s not here,” he continued as if I hadn’t spoken. “And you’re not asking for one of us to find him.”

Irritation surged. “I’m sure Perry is looking for you.”

His mouth quirked, and an eyebrow rose. “That’s not normal. Something went down.”

“For the gods’ sake, you wolven are worse than my mother and her favorite lady’s maid nosing around in everyone’s business,” I muttered.

“Something big went down.”

“Are you hearing anything I’m saying to you, Delano?”

“I’m selectively hearing what you’re saying.”

“Well, selectively hear this.” I held his gaze. “Nothing is going on between us. He just has something to do. That’s all.”

“Sorry. I didn’t hear that.”

“Delano.” My fingers stilled. “Enough.”

He stiffened, hearing the warning in my tone. His eyes flashed an intense winter-blue. Wolven never liked being told what to do. Or being told no.

“Fine.” Delano pushed himself up. “All I’m going to say—”

“Is goodbye.”

“Is that you two had better fix that nothing before she wakes and knows herself,” he said, meeting my glare. “Because the last thing she needs to deal with is you two being pissy with each other.”

Pissy? My lip curled in a tight, cold smile as I watched him leave. As if what was going on between us was just us being pissy with each other. His eyes met mine as he quietly closed the door instead of slamming it like I knew he wanted to. My smile immediately disappeared.

My attention shifted back to Poppy, my mind the fucking definition of troubled. I scanned every inch of her features, searching for hints that something—some one —else was lurking beneath the faint freckles and creamy skin.

Eather throbbed intensely in my chest. My grip tightened on the arm of the chair, fingers sinking through the upholstery as I thought of him being inside her. Doing what? Talking to—

The memory of her believing I’d called her weak, and how she’d stared at me as if I were someone else resurfaced. She’d seen someone who scared her.

Was that what he was doing? Telling her shit? Making her see things? Rage clawed its way through me, and I felt the wood under the upholstery crack.

Sucking in a sharp breath, I blinked to see fine dust sifting through the air, falling from the…trembling ceiling.

Fuck.

I needed to calm myself.

Taking a deep breath, I briefly closed my eyes and concentrated on the essence rushing through me.

I approached it like I would if pulling back a compulsion, cutting off the flow of power.

It took a few seconds longer than it should have—and I’d had a lifetime of knowing how to handle the essence in my blood.

How Poppy had managed to gain such control was beyond me.

I told myself that Reaver would find someone who would know what to do and could help us. I had to believe that. I had no other choice.

Once I was sure I wouldn’t bring the whole damn castle down on top of us, I opened my eyes. Thankfully, Poppy remained still.

I lifted my hand from the ruined section of the chair and stretched my fingers, staring at the missing pointer finger.

I calmly considered what I knew about the true Primal of Death, which was nothing.

The gods, Rhain and Rhahar? The ones we were told were gods of death?

At that moment, I couldn’t recall anything about them that might tell me how Kolis could get inside Poppy’s mind.

I doubted even Kieran would’ve been able to come up with something.

Kieran .

Something that felt a lot like acid burned in my gut and chest. “Why?” I uttered as I stared at Poppy. “Why would you ask him to do that?”

There was no answer.

At least, none that came from her.

My jaw locked as I fisted my hand. Never in a thousand years would I have believed I’d lay hands on Kieran like that.

Sure, we got mad at each other—more times than I could recall, actually.

As Delano would say, we got pissy with each other.

And we’d exchanged blows more than a few times, especially when I was doing everything I could to escape the memories of being held captive. But I’d never gone after him like that.

And all those times before had never involved Poppy—had never involved hurting her.

My jaw started to ache, and I shook my head. I knew Kieran wouldn’t want to hurt her. Fuck. I’d heard it in how he begged her not to ask. I knew that.

But, fuck…

Why? Why would she ask something like that of Kieran?

The sharp, icy heat of anger rose in my chest, colliding with the dull ache that had settled there when Kieran told me what Poppy had asked of him.

How could she? I looked away from her, hating the mess of fucked-up emotions building in my chest.

And why would he agree?

Why would he agree when he had to know how I would react? What it would mean.

Unable to stay seated, I rose and walked the short length of the cell as if I could somehow pace away the sense of betrayal and…

I stopped and looked at the door. Betrayal wasn’t the only emotion churning in me. Guilt was, too. And hurt. I swallowed hard as Kieran’s parting words echoed through my thoughts.

Why would she ask that of him instead of me?

I knew the answer.

Because she knew I could never do it.

I was self-aware enough to acknowledge that. I mean, fuck, I almost hadn’t been able to put her in a cell. But that wasn’t what had the anger and hurt eating me up inside.

It was that neither of them had come to me with it so we could discuss it. Be on the same page and maybe find a fucking alternative.

I turned to where Poppy lay bundled in the furs, and my lips peeled back over my clenched teeth as I looked away.

What really got me—what sank its claws into me—was that Poppy hadn’t entrusted me with her fear of losing control. She hadn’t come to me.

And she knew better.

Poppy knew I was her shelter. Her home. The foundation that helped her stand.

At least, I’d believed her when she told me that.

But she’d lied.

Poppy didn’t truly believe that.

And that cut so fucking deep that it left a gaping wound I wasn’t sure could be stitched.