Page 77 of The Primal of Blood and Bone (Blood and Ash #6)

“Well, you see, that is…a long story. The important thing is that I do know, and you two are Primal gods now.” I fiddled with the buttons on my robe. “You’re a Primal God of Life, Kieran.”

I waited for him to respond, but he only stood there silently, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

Reaching over, I tapped his chest. “Are you all right?”

Blinking slowly, he turned his attention to me. “You’re both serious right now?”

“Yep,” I said, popping the p . “You should be able to summon the eather, too. Have you?”

“No, but I…” Kieran rubbed a hand over his chest and shook his head. “The Revenant that attacked called Cas a false Primal.”

I stiffened. “Like my—like Isbeth? No.”

“How can you be sure?” Kieran insisted quietly.

“Because, even if I wasn’t sure, I would sense if you were something like a demis,” I said, my nose scrunching. “All gods would.”

Surprise flickered across Kieran’s face. “Shit.” He looked at Cas. “She’s actually right.”

“Wow,” I muttered, rolling my eyes.

“We were taught that,” Kieran murmured, his gaze returning to me. “But there’s no way you were taught that.”

“I wasn’t.” I lifted my chin. “I have vadentia .”

A crease formed between Kieran’s brows. “Foresight?”

“Yes,” I said. “Apparently, I got some of that during my Ascension.”

“You?” The skin smoothed out between Kieran’s brows as he stared at me. “ You have foresight?”

“Yes.” My lips flattened as I heard Casteel chuckle softly from where he still sat in the chair. “Why do you sound like that’s so hard to believe?” I whipped toward Casteel. “And why do you think it’s funny?”

He held up his hands, the dimple in his right cheek visible.

“Did you just ask why I find that hard to believe?” Kieran asked, drawing my gaze back to him. “Have you met yourself?”

I narrowed my eyes. “That’s rude.”

“I think he’s just upset that you will be asking fewer questions,” Casteel remarked.

“Whatever,” I muttered, folding my arms across my chest. “Anyway… Oh, that’s why you haven’t tried to summon the essence,” I realized. “You were worried you were a false Primal.”

“Yeah. It made more sense than this.”

“Well, you don’t have to worry about that,” I told him. “You know what else this means? It means you should have the ability to heal.”

“Holy shit.” Kieran blinked rapidly, clearly not considering what the essence he’d seen around himself meant. Then again, when would he have had the time?

“And maybe even restore life to someone,” I continued.

“Holy shit,” he repeated, his skin losing a little color.

“I think you should sit down,” I advised. “You look like you’re about to faint.”

“What?” His upper lip curled as he shot his gaze to me. “I’ve never fainted in my life.”

“That would be a lie, sir,” Casteel said. “There was that time—”

“Shut up.” Kieran’s eyes narrowed. “That didn’t count.”

I glanced between them, curious. “ What didn’t count?”

“Nothing,” he muttered.

I turned to Casteel.

“If you answer that question,” Kieran warned, “I’m going to break one of your bones to find out if I can heal it.”

Casteel mouthed later to me.

A low growl rumbled from Kieran. “There will be no later.”

Casteel smiled. “Of course not.”

“I swear to the gods—”

“Anyway,” I jumped in, turning to Casteel. “Back to the whole feeding thing. You can just feed from me.”

Casteel’s brows lifted. “Not so soon. You just awakened.”

“But—”

“He’s right, Poppy.” Kieran crossed his arms. “If you’re anything like an Atlantian after they finish their Culling, then you will need to feed more than usual.”

“It’s so annoying when you two tag-team me,” I muttered.

Casteel opened his mouth as what sounded like a choked laugh came from Kieran.

“What?” I frowned, and then my eyes widened, my face heating. “That was not what I meant!”

“Good. Because I think you like that kind of—”

“ Casteel ,” I hissed.

He winked at me.

“That’s not as charming as you think it is,” I spat.

Casteel laughed. “Liar.”

“Anyway,” Kieran cut in before I could respond, and the conversation spiraled further. “Is anyone going to tell me what happened earlier?”

“Going to need more details to answer that,” Casteel replied.

“It happened the night before—or maybe early in the morning yesterday,” Kieran said with a frown.

“I woke up and could’ve sworn you were awake.

” His stare shifted to me. “But then I felt something else. Something powerful. It reminded me of when we were at the Bone Temple and the realm opened. But every time I thought to come check, I was deterred.”

“Deterred?”

“That’s the best way I can explain it.” A look of confusion crossed his face. “I would start to make my way here and then just…turn away. This was the first time since that I wasn’t…hindered.”

“Poppy did wake, but I thought that was last night,” Casteel said with a frown.

“No, it was the night before,” Kieran insisted.

“Fucking Aydun,” Casteel muttered. “I knew he messed with the time.”

Kieran glanced at me and then back at him. “Who is Aydun, and what do you mean he messed with the time?”

“Aydun is likely what you felt. Either that or you felt when she…” Casteel paused and looked in my direction. “Crossed the Veil.”

“The what?”

“The Veil between the realms,” I said. As I explained what that meant, Kieran’s posture became stiffer and stiffer until I feared his spine might break.

“The reason why you were deterred and time got messed up was likely Aydun’s doing,” Casteel told him. “He’s a Fate—”

“A Fate was here?” Kieran exclaimed.

“Yes,” I said. “He came to stop Cas from following me.”

“Following you into a different realm?” Kieran looked dumbfounded. “You,” he said, speaking softly—t oo softly, “entered another realm? By yourself?”

“Uh, yes. I shadowstepped—”

“What the fuck is shadowstepping?” Kieran exploded.

“I don’t know what that is either,” Cas said.

“It’s so nice not being the one asking questions,” I murmured.

“Disagree,” Kieran grunted.

I fought a grin. “Shadowstepping is using the eather to either move really fast or will yourself where you want to go. You’re kind of…opening a doorway in the realm. Or—” I noticed Kieran actually looked a little pale. “Why do you look like I’m suggesting we fly instead of taking a few steps?”

Kieran’s brows rose. “That is not taking a few steps, Poppy. That’s opening the realm and stepping through it.”

“Yes.” I drew out the word. “Then, taking a few steps.”

“And we should be able to do this?” Casteel asked while more tension bracketed Kieran’s mouth.

I nodded and eyed Kieran. “I had to do it, Kieran. I felt…” I dragged my teeth over my lower lip as the incredulous look on his face grew. “I felt so many deaths. I had to go.”

“Okay. Just to make sure I’m clear on this,” Kieran began, moving his hands to his waist as he glanced between us. “You felt the deaths of a large number of people and decided to shadowstep—which is not like taking a few steps—into a different realm? All by yourself?”

My lips pursed. “Sounds about right.”

Kieran turned to Cas. “And you allowed it?”

“Really didn’t have a choice,” he stated blandly. “Like she said, the Fate kept me here.”

Kieran dragged a hand over his head and shifted his focus back to me. “Why did you have to go?”

“When there’s such a great loss of life, I’m sort of pulled to the source of it.

I didn’t mean to cross to the Continents.

” Seeing the expression on Kieran’s face, I added, “That’s what they called the place.

” I tilted my head as I studied Kieran. “I’m surprised you didn’t feel it.

You have the essence of life in you. Come to think of it, Cas should’ve felt something…

” I trailed off as the knowledge whispered through my thoughts.

“It’s because a true Primal of Life and a true Primal of Death already exist.”

A muscle ticked in Kieran’s jaw. “If that’s the case, then why did you feel it?”

My brow furrowed. “Because there’s…no one like me.”

“Wow,” Kieran replied.

Heat crept into my cheeks. “I mean, there’s no other true Primal of Life and Death.”

“Uh-huh.” His features softened.

Casteel rose and came to my side, gently tugging on a strand of my hair. “Just so you know, I agree with Kieran.”

“About what?”

“That shadowstepping isn’t simply taking a few steps.”

I stared at him for a moment and then felt a grin tugging at my lips. “Whatever,” I grumbled.

“I’m going to scrounge up some food,” he said, straightening the chain around his neck. “And you will eat.”

I sighed. “Fine.”

Walking to the table, he sent Kieran a passing glance. “I assume you haven’t eaten recently?”

He shook his head.

Casteel picked up the platter. “Then I’ll grab enough for the three of us.”

A brief flicker of surprise flashed across Kieran’s features. He quickly masked it, but I saw it. My head tilted as I glanced between them. “Is everything okay?” I asked.

“Of course.” Casteel paused by my side and kissed me. “I’ll be back shortly.”

I nodded and watched him as he turned to Kieran. “I haven’t had a chance to tell her about the Luxe yet.”

“What about the Luxe?” I asked.

“Fill her in?” Casteel asked.

Kieran nodded.

As Cas walked toward the door, I felt it again—that stirring of energy.

I looked at Kieran and found his gaze fixed on Cas’s back.

The way he looked at him… My stomach churned as I opened my senses.

Kieran had his walls up, but there were cracks in them.

Thin enough for a hint of…wariness to seep through.

Wrapping my arms around my waist, I thought about Casteel’s vagueness when I asked him where Kieran was. He’d barely mentioned him since I woke, and there was a tension between them that didn’t take reading emotions to feel.

The energy charge was still going, but this time, it was stronger—almost like a hum in the air. And it lasted until the door closed behind Cas.

Pulling my gaze from where he’d disappeared, I focused on Kieran.

He raised his brows.

I returned the expression.

“What?” he said, uncrossing his arms.

“Were you two communicating with each other?” I asked. “Through the notam ?”

His brows rose. “You could tell?”

“I felt the eather,” I told him. “So, you two were using the notam ?”

“Possibly.” He cocked his head. “And I can tell that annoys you.” A small grin appeared. “Someone doesn’t like being left out of a conversation.”

“This someone also doesn’t like that both of you can read emotions now.”

“I could always—”

“I know. But it’s easier now, right?”

Kieran said nothing to that.

“What were you saying that you didn’t want me to hear?” I asked as I walked to the table.

“He was just asking what I was in the mood to eat,” he answered.

“Really?” I picked up the pitcher of the fruity water and poured two glasses. Kieran nodded. But that was…odd. I couldn’t remember Casteel ever asking him that before. They knew each other well enough they didn’t have to.

“Yes.” Kieran smiled as I handed him a glass. “You sure you’re feeling okay?”

I nodded and walked to the armchair. “Are you going—?” I stopped, spying something on the floor in front of the chair. Bending over, I picked up what appeared to be either black and gold or brown…fur. I turned to Kieran and held the tuft between my fingers.

“What?” he scoffed. “You don’t think that belongs to me, do you? I’m not a shedder.”

“You shed.”

Kieran scowled. “Not like that.”

“Uh-huh,” I teased.

“That’s not even wolven fur,” he said.

I raised a brow. “Then what is it?”

“Cave cat.”

I blinked. “There was a cave cat in the chamber while I was in stasis? If so, I’m going to be disappointed—” Then it struck me. Could it be from Ires? I didn’t remember freeing him, but apparently, I had. And if I had gotten close to him, I could’ve picked up some of his fur.

I frowned as I turned the tuft over. But it wasn’t the right color. Ires’s fur was gray. Unless he had some sort of undercoat. Shaking my head, I laid it on the small, round table beside the chair.

“Never mind,” I murmured, facing Kieran. “I heard you and Casteel talking while I was asleep.”

“You did?” A smile appeared, this one looser and wider.

I nodded. “I don’t remember exactly what I heard, but I know I heard your voices. They…comforted me.”

He shifted his stance. “What do you remember?”

“About being in stasis?” I looked into the wardrobe, seeing a few shirts and pants. “Not much, except for darkness and…” I glanced at the swords lying on the chest and wondered where the bloodstone dagger was. I had yet to see it. “I was surprised you weren’t here when I woke up.”

“I would’ve been,” he said, scratching his chin, “but I ended up falling asleep.”

I took a sip of water as I turned back to him. “Is everything okay?”

He lowered his hand. “Now that you’re awake? Yes.”

I wanted to smile at that but couldn’t. “Are you sure? Things have felt…odd between you and Casteel.”

“Yeah?”

I nodded.

“I don’t know why you would think that.” Kieran smiled, but it didn’t warm his features. Setting his glass on the table, he crossed the distance between us and placed a hand on my arm. The contact sent a wave of energy through me and caused him to jerk. “Gods.”

“You felt it that time?”

“Yeah, man. That’s…” He shook his head. “That’s something else.”

I grinned, but it faded quickly as I stared up at him.

Kieran’s eyes briefly closed, and only the gods knew what he was picking up from me in those quiet moments because he looped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me against him.

“Two hugs in less than an hour?” I asked. “Have you been possessed by a friendly and affectionate god?”

Kieran’s laugh was low and rough. “Cas and I…” He exhaled heavily. “We’ve just been worried about you, Poppy,” he said, his voice low. “You were asleep for so long. It messed with both of us. But we’re the very last thing you need to be worried about. Okay?”

“Okay,” I murmured.

His arm tightened around me, and I rested my cheek against the chest of the man who had been my rock when Casteel was taken.

Kieran had kept me sane as we made our way across Solis to find Casteel. He’d always been honest with me and pulled no punches, even when what he had to say wasn’t easy. I trusted him with my life and, more importantly, others’ lives. He wouldn’t lie to me.

Still, I didn’t believe him.

He wasn’t telling me the whole truth. Something was up between them. Cas was hiding it, and Kieran was willing to lie about it. So, whatever it was…

It was something they didn’t want me to know.