Page 4 of The Primal of Blood and Bone (Blood and Ash #6)

That was another side effect of the Joining—one that caught us both off guard when it first happened.

We figured it was due to us sharing Poppy’s ability to communicate through the notam .

But where she’d said it took a few moments to find each wolven’s unique imprint, it wasn’t like that for us.

Unfortunately, it took no effort at times.

Y ou need to see this.

Right now, the new ability was highly annoying.

Kieran laid his sword on the chest, placing it beside mine. “Can you all give us a moment?”

Hisa didn’t hesitate. With a nod, the commander stepped out. Delano, however, remained where he was. Kieran unsheathed the short swords strapped to his back and sent the wolven a pointed look.

He grumbled before rising and hopping down from the bed. As he prowled across the chamber, he bared his canines at Kieran and let out a low growl.

“I don’t think Delano is happy about us asking him to leave,” I remarked.

Placing the final sword on the chest, Kieran closed the door. “Well, you’re not going to be happy with what I have to say.”

“Then don’t say it.”

Kieran faced me. “If I don’t, it would not only make me a terrible Advisor to the Crown, it would make me a shitty friend.”

I held his stare. “Why do I have a feeling I’m going to disagree with what you just said?”

“Because you’re a stubborn jackass when you want to be?”

I smirked.

He glanced back at the table. “By the way, the mortal soldiers sworn to the Blood Crown have been questioned.”

I raised my brows at the change in subject. “And?”

“About fifteen thousand in custody disavowed the Blood Crown,” he said. “Double that refused. And about seven thousand or so…aggressively refused to swear allegiance to Atlantia.”

My jaw tightened. “After being given the choices we discussed?”

“Yep.”

“Set up the transfer for the seven thousand. Hopefully, they will change their minds. Those who didn’t violently refuse should be given another chance to choose, with the understanding that we will make it for them if they don’t.

” I closed my eyes briefly and then let out a slow breath.

Neither of those things made what needed to be said any easier.

“Begin the executions for any remaining.”

My orders settled in the chamber with a weight I never wanted.

Kieran nodded after a few seconds. “Have you slept at all today?”

“For a bit,” I said. And that was the truth. I’d made myself sleep to see if I could reach Poppy in her dreams. I hadn’t.

“Cas.” He sighed. “You haven’t been sleeping more than a couple of hours. You haven’t been eating much—”

“This is what you wanted to talk to me about in private?” I cut in. “If so, can we skip it? I don’t need a second mother.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t want to be standing here lecturing you about the basic needs of self-preservation. But here I am,” he retorted. “And why am I here having to say this shit? Because you’re a fucking mess, Cas.”

My hand tightened around Poppy’s cold one as I fought the rise of anger. “You’ve seen me when I’m a mess. You should know that I’m nowhere near that state.”

“You’re a different kind of mess,” he argued. “Instead of feeling guilt for your brother—”

“Kieran,” I warned.

He ignored me. “You’re feeling guilt over Poppy.”

“No shit,” I spat.

His jaw flexed. “Her condition is not your fault.”

“We’ll have to disagree on that.”

“We can, but that doesn’t mean what you’re thinking is correct,” he shot back. “How were you—how were any of us—to know that a Revenant would climb its happy ass up a fucking castle wall and try to take Poppy out?”

I wasn’t sure if the Rev planned on taking Poppy out or just putting her in stasis. If it were the latter, it had succeeded and then some. “I should’ve been better prepared for something like that happening.”

“How? By not sleeping?” He raised his brows. “Based on your way of thinking, am I to blame for not being here?”

“I had you out there handling things. So, no.”

He shook his head. “If the shoe was on the other foot, and this happened while you were unconscious and Poppy was sleeping, would you think it was her fault?”

I scoffed. “No.”

He gave me a hard, deliberate stare.

“What the fuck ever,” I muttered. “I cannot believe you’re asking me to leave her side for some dead Ascended.”

Kieran’s shoulders rose with a deep breath as he leaned against the door. A moment passed. “Do you think I want to leave her side? Or that I want to leave yours?”

I didn’t answer because I knew he wanted to be right where I was.

“The only reason I’m able to is because I know you’d be going out of your mind if not beside her,” he said when I stayed silent. “Terrified that something might happen to her or she’d wake up when you’re not here.”

That was true.

“That’s why I’ve stepped up. For the most part, it hasn’t impacted the running of Carsodonia or the kingdom.

But that doesn’t mean there haven’t been problems or concerns.

The people are worried and confused by everything that’s happened.

Learning the truth of who and what the Ascended really are and the fact that we remain at war with those who still support the Blood Crown.

Then there are the wolven patrolling the streets,” he went on as I started to frown.

“We also had a godsdamn god waking from under the city Atheneum. Then there’s the people’s general distrust of Atlantians.

And don’t get me started on the vamprys’ entitled fucking demands. ”

“You forgot the draken flying over the city every hour,” I tacked on.

“Yes, there is that,” he said with a dry laugh.

“ Why are the wolven patrolling the streets in that form?” I asked.

Kieran arched a brow. “Are we required to hide our nature?”

I shot him a flat, unblinking look. “No.”

“But?”

“But the vast majority of the mortals here believed the wolven were extinct,” I reasoned—pretty fucking logically, if I did say so myself. “Seeing a wolf the size of a pony would be understandably frightening.”

He smirked. “They’ll get used to it.”

I shook my head at him.

“There’s also the fact that news has spread of what their new Queen actually is,” he continued. “You have no idea how many people have come to pay homage to Poppy. Naill and Perry keep running them off.”

Gods. Hearing that would make Poppy so uncomfortable. But damn straight, they should be paying homage to her.

“Then there are the others.” Kieran loosely folded his arms. “The ones who still support the Blood Crown—the wealthy land and business owners. While we set a curfew for their safety, at least until we can be sure all Ascended are accounted for, we haven’t been able to keep people in their homes.”

“I know.” My gaze shifted back to Poppy. “People have to work. They need to bring food home. They have families to care for.”

“And while they’re doing that, people are talking. Asking why neither the King nor the Queen has made any public appearances since we overthrew the Blood Crown,” he went on. “They fear they are being misled once again. And those who remain loyal to the Blood Crown are sowing that fear.”

My head cut to Kieran. “You want me to address them? Without my Queen beside me?”

“That’s not what I’m saying. You know I don’t think an address serves any real point at this moment in time.”

“Good.” My gaze tracked its way back to her.

“Because right now, no one really knows what’s going on.

They don’t even know for sure that we are in the capital.

If I go out there,” I said, jerking my head toward the window, “people will know, without a doubt, that something is up. And it would take no leap of logic for them to believe that she is injured or in a position where she is unable to rule. That could give others ideas, including anyone loyal to the Blood Crown, the Revenants still roaming around, and Kolis.”

The unease that blew off Kieran at my mention of the true Primal of Death matched mine.

“Considering that motherfucker is apparently non-corporeal or whatever, he could be anywhere,” I said, even though he didn’t need the reminder.

“That’s the last person we need thinking that Poppy has been weakened.

That is…” I trailed off, unable to finish the thought as I drew my thumb around the ring now laying against my chest.

Kolis may already know.

Fuck.

We knew so little about the true Primal of Death. We didn’t know what he was capable of or if he could still gain strength and take on his physical form. We didn’t even know what his ultimate goal was.

Things happened too quickly after Poppy ended that bitch of a Queen for us to have any real, in-depth conversations about Kolis. Poppy had briefly fallen unconscious, and when she woke, finding her father and the missing draken became the top priority.

We’d only been able to accomplish one of those things before Poppy entered stasis to complete her Ascension.

And while Reaver was more familiar with Kolis than any of us, he had only been a child during the true Primal of Death’s reign. The only other individual who could give us more information was Nektas, and none of us had seen him since Poppy went into stasis.

“Agreed,” Kieran said. A few moments passed. “You know, when you were taken captive, Poppy wanted to come straight to the capital and burn through the kingdom to get to you.”

My lips curved up as I eyed her. That’s my girl .

“She didn’t care about being a Queen or leading an army.

Her only thought was getting to you,” he told me.

“But she knew she couldn’t neglect her duties.

Knew everything happening was bigger than you—than both of you.

She understood that if she went straight for you, not only would she be jeopardizing your life but also endangering the lives of countless others.

She pulled herself together because her heart was—her heart is —big enough for you and the people.

And you’re not that different. You care about the people of Solis. ”

I opened my mouth.