Page 40 of The Primal of Blood and Bone (Blood and Ash #6)

CASTEEL

My anger and disgust grew as I unfolded the parchment and quickly read the words scrawled in thick, rusty crimson.

The message wasn’t long or addressed to anyone in particular.

It didn’t need to be.

Your claim to Solis is as tainted as the bloodline that bore you. Our allegiance is forever pledged to the one true King of all the realms. For he has risen, and all those who stand against him and the Blood Crown will fall.

My fingers crumpling the edges of the parchment, I looked down at the signature of the jackass claiming dukedom over Pensdurth. “Eldric Ashwood,” I murmured. “Sounds like the name of an asshole if I ever heard one.”

Malik snorted.

My gaze flicked to him. “I assume you read this.”

He nodded.

I reread the first sentence. “I see Isbeth never stopped with that tainted-bloodline bullshit.”

“No, she didn’t. It was one of her favorite phrases.”

A muscle ticked in my jaw. “Are you familiar with this Ashwood?”

“Familiar enough,” Malik said. “Only a handful of Ascended were a part of Isbeth’s inner circle. Eldric was…” Malik trailed off and looked away briefly. The tart taste of unease formed. “He was one of those Isbeth sent away shortly before we left for Oak Ambler.”

“Why was he sent to Pensdurth? Wasn’t there already a Duke overseeing the city?”

“There was—or is . Goffry Beric.”

I watched him closely. “You didn’t know why he was sent there? Or where the others were sent?”

“Not until this letter showed,” he answered. “Like you, I figured she was sending them to secure the other cities or to back up those already in ruling positions there. But I couldn’t be sure.”

Since the letter came from Ashwood instead of Beric, it seemed to me that Beric was no longer in charge of Pensdurth.

“And before you ask, Millie didn’t know either. Isbeth’s trust in me only went so far,” Malik continued. “And the same could be said for Millie.”

The mention of Poppy’s sister caused my jaw to tighten. I’d been wary of her from the start but was even more so now that I knew Kolis could hijack the minds of the Ascended and Revenants.

Who’s to say he hadn’t already?

“I find it hard to believe she wasn’t privy to her mother’s plans,” I said finally.

“And how would you know what Millie was or wasn’t privy to?

” Malik’s amber eyes turned cool as he held my stare.

“You don’t know her. You don’t know shit about what she—” He cut himself off, his mouth clamping shut as he took a step back.

“There was a time when Isbeth trusted Millie, but she wasn’t a fool, and there was only so much Millie was willing to do to prove her loyalty. ”

I stiffened, having a good idea what Isbeth would’ve demanded of her daughter as proof of her allegiance.

What she would’ve demanded of him.

Malik held my stare for several more moments. “We knew about Penellaphe’s prophecy, and what Isbeth believed it meant. That’s it.”

As Poppy always said, reading emotions wasn’t a lie detector, but I believed he spoke the truth. However, I could still taste his unease. There was something he wasn’t saying.

“And how did Isbeth learn about the prophecy? Malec?”

“Callum.”

My lips flattened at the mention of the golden Rev. “I assume he’s still missing?”

“Unfortunately.” Malik sighed. “If anyone knows anything about Kolis, it’s him. The fucker is old. And he…”

“What?”

He ran his hand over his head. “It seemed like he was more puppeteer than servant to Isbeth.”

“I have a hard time imagining the bitch being okay with that.”

“I don’t think she noticed, to be honest. Isbeth enjoyed her flattery, and Callum made ass-kissing an art form.”

I was going to make an art form of ripping off the fucker’s head. “When did Callum show up, by the way?”

“Honestly?” He cocked his head. “Several hundred years ago.”

My brows rose. “Really? I never saw him when I was there.”

“I didn’t either until I…” His features tensed. He didn’t need to finish for me to understand. He meant until he gained Isbeth’s trust. Played the game. “But I got the impression he’d been around her for quite some time by then.”

Then he really could’ve been pulling the strings. “What else do you know about Ashwood?” I asked, shifting my focus back to Pensdurth.

Malik was silent for a moment. “There’s a lot you don’t know about the Ascended—about all of them,” he told me. “But Ashwood is one of the crueler vamprys. Life will not be easy for those living under his rule.”

While I was curious to learn what he thought I didn’t know about the Ascended, that wasn’t entirely relevant at the moment. Because what I did know meant that every mortal within Pensdurth’s Rise was in danger. “His rule of the city will be short-lived since he’s in open rebellion.”

Malik’s head cocked. “What are you going to do?”

As far as I knew, there wasn’t a sizable enclave of those who knew the truth about the Blood Crown and supported Atlantia in Pensdurth—nothing like the one in Masadonia.

I couldn’t enlist their aid like I had when we wreaked havoc on the Teermans—the Duke and Duchess who’d once overseen Masadonia and the Ascended there.

They’d helped me achieve my goal then, but it had cost innocent lives. Like Vikter’s. And that was on me.

Folding the letter, I thought about Reaver’s taunts regarding my duty to the realm. He hadn’t been entirely off the mark, but he also wasn’t completely correct.

“Have Kieran send a regiment to Pensdurth to give Ashwood and those there a chance to surrender peacefully.”

An eyebrow rose. “They won’t.” A faint smile appeared as he studied me. “As I’m sure you’re aware.”

“I am,” I acknowledged. “If those in Pensdurth refuse, then they are to secure the city and the safety of those within by any means necessary.”

“Sending a large enough regiment through the Blood Forest to carry out that order will be no easy feat,” he pointed out.

“No, it won’t.” A large group would draw the Craven like flies to honey.

“That’s why our father will lead forces to ensure the contingent headed for Pensdurth can do so without loss.

They can return once they’re through to the road to Pensdurth.

After all, our father is…how did you put it? Restless.”

Malik stared at me for a moment and then let out a short laugh. “I’m sure you have no other reason for sending him.”

I kept my expression blank. “Of course not.”

“Uh-huh.”

I ignored that as something occurred to me. “Have we heard from the forces we sent to Masadonia?”

“We have not.”

Shit. That wasn’t good. “Have Kieran send some scouts. We need to know what is happening there,” I said. “I need to get back to Poppy.”

Malik remained. “Is there a reason you are asking me to give Kieran these orders instead of having me send him to you?”

I kept my expression blank. “No.”

“You sure about that?”

“Why would I waste time having you retrieve Kieran, only for me to tell him what I just told you?”

He arched a brow. “That response is far too logical.”

My gaze flicked up and then returned to him, the smallest sigh escaping me.

“Fine. I’ll find Kieran and let him know,” he said, backing up.

“Just one more thing.” I stopped him. “Did you talk to our father about our recent visitor?”

“I assume you’re talking about Attes.”

I nodded, figuring Kieran had given him the Primal’s name.

“I did.” He squinted as he brushed his hair back from his face. “It was kind of a strange conversation.”

My head tilted. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know.” He lowered his hand. “He said he knew our bloodline was a strong one, but that he didn’t know anything about who we descended from.”

“What was strange about that?”

The corners of his lips curled as he pressed them together.

“Most Elemental Atlantians are proud of who they’re descended from, charting their ancestry like our mother has—she has the damn family tree painted and hanging in the palace.

Our father? Nothing. And he’s only ever spoken of his parents and Elian. ”

My brows lowered. “I hadn’t really thought of that.”

“Me neither. I just figured he didn’t care. But…” He exhaled roughly. “I don’t know. I just got the feeling he wasn’t being honest when I spoke to him about Attes.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time.”

“No, I guess not.”

“But why would he lie?” I said.

“Exactly. Still, it could have just been my impression.” He shrugged. “I’m off to find Kieran.”

I wasn’t sure what to think about that as I turned to the chamber, noticing the thick grooves my claws had dug into the wood of the doorframe. I stopped and looked back at my brother’s retreating form. “Malik?”

He halted and faced me. “Yeah?”

I sighed as tense silence stretched between us. Fuck. It never used to be this way. Sure, we’d had our scuffles growing up. What brothers didn’t? But it wasn’t like this.

Malik and I had talked briefly while Poppy first slept—or yelled at each other rather.

And I understood why he’d stayed with the Blood Queen.

It had been for Millicent. I would’ve done the same for Poppy.

But things were obviously still strained between us.

Who knew if we would ever return to how we were before?

But he…damn it, he was my brother, and I only met Poppy when I did because of him.

Because I’d been willing to destroy cities and lives to free him from the Ascended.

I loved him.

I cleared my throat. “Has Millicent returned?”

He clenched his jaw. “No.”

“You think she’ll come back?” I asked.

His gaze cut to mine. “You may still have a hard time believing this, but she wants a relationship with Poppy. So, yes. She’ll come back for her,” he said. And with that, he walked off.

I didn’t stop him a third time.

The letter from Pensdurth and the implications fell to the wayside the moment I entered the bedchamber. Quietly closing the door, I carefully made my way to Poppy’s side, navigating the thick, gnarled roots the color of ash that covered the floor.

The bed.

Poppy.