Page 84 of The Primal of Blood and Bone (Blood and Ash #6)

“More like our Shadow Council,” Casteel remarked. “You sure you’re comfortable with Malik being a part of that?”

“Yes,” I said, not even having to think about it despite what he’d been involved in. “Malik isn’t working with the Blood Crown or Kolis.”

“I know.” Casteel rested his elbow on the arm of his chair and drew his fingers down the length of the gold chain around his neck. “I wasn’t asking because of that.” His jaw flexed and then loosened. “Malik is partly responsible for your nightmares.”

My stomach clenched. “He is, but…” But he was Casteel’s brother. My sister’s heartmate. “He thought he was doing what was best…” I took a drink as his gaze hardened to a cool amber. “I’m fine with him being there. Are you?”

His gaze flickered away, and a moment passed. “I am.”

Kieran looked up from where he had been tracing the veining in the table. “I suggest we not openly acknowledge that we have a Shadow Council.”

Casteel snorted.

Kieran sat back, his gaze on Cas as he said, “We need to keep talking about Kolis.”

“As I said,” Casteel replied, his middle finger tapping the stem of his glass, “I’m level now.”

Kieran eyed him for a moment and then shifted his attention to me. “So, if Kolis wants to Ascend to become such a Primal, I think we can safely say he wants what the Blood Crown wanted: absolute power and domination.”

Unease blossomed. Was Kolis like far too many others? Wanting power and domination over all? While the Blood Crown needed power over the realm to survive, I wasn’t sure what Isbeth had wanted.

I wasn’t certai even she knew what she wanted.

Once again, that feeling from before returned—that we were thinking about Kolis through the lens of what we would do or want.

“From what little I know of him,” Casteel said, “I’m betting he won’t stop at seizing control of the mortal realm.”

My stomach twisted sharply as I recalled what Thorne had said to me. Most would jump at the chance to have such power over not only the mortal realm but also that of the gods.

“He wants to rule both the realm of the mortals and the gods,” I said.

“Would he stop there?” Kieran asked, and I knew he was asking about the other realm. “Can he cross the Veil?”

“Yes,” I said, picking up my glass. “I almost wish he’d try that. I don’t think it would work out so well for him.”

“But as the Primal of Blood and Bone…” Kieran trailed off as a low rumble of warning came from Casteel. He sighed. “Not that it would happen, but Kolis would be—”

“Unstoppable,” I said. “He’s been a Primal since recorded time. He won’t need a…learning curve like me. But he cannot rule the mortal realm and benefit from it. He’s the true Primal of Death, bonded to a Court. His presence will affect the mortals and every living creature within the realm.”

Kieran frowned. “You’re right. Then what could he possibly want?”

My mind flashed to the prophecy. “Death and destruction,” I said, staring at the glass I held. “Kolis can capture souls, just as Nyktos can.”

“He could keep mortals and Atlantians—anything with a soul—in a state of limbo, trapped between life and death,” Casteel said, following my line of thinking. “So, it wouldn’t be like he has no one to rule over.”

And he wouldn’t even need to Ascend to accomplish that.

My hand fisted in my lap. “We need to find him and not wait for him to make the first move.”

“He’s already made the first move,” Casteel said, his voice cool. I felt the icy eather stir in him. “When he exerted his influence over you.”

The truth in that sliced through me as sharp as a dagger. Kolis had made the first move, and while I knew little about war, I knew that meant he had the upper hand. Regaining control would be no easy feat.

“Poppy.”

Casteel’s voice drew me from my thoughts, and I looked up.

His hand closed over mine. “You should eat more.”

“He’s right,” Kieran chimed in. “You’ll need to eat more than usual. And as we discussed before, feed more.”

A smoky smile formed on Casteel’s full lips. “Something I am looking forward to.”

Muscles tightened low in my stomach as Kieran sat back with a sigh. “Thanks for sharing that,” he replied.

“I’m full,” I told them, even as Casteel reached for the bowl of fruit. “I really can’t…” I trailed off as the awareness of a draken crept over me. I glanced at the door.

Kieran followed my gaze to the door with a frown. My attention darted to Casteel. He, too, was eyeing the door.

“So, you can feel it?” I asked, curious. “That a draken is near?”

“Unfortunately,” Cas murmured.

I shot him an arch look as I concentrated on the faint hum of eather. The draken didn’t have unique imprints—marks—like the wolven. At least, not to me. And I’d never been able to know which draken was approaching before I saw them. But now? There was a sense of knowing that told me who was coming.

Reaver.

“Can either of you tell who it is?” I asked.

Kieran shook his head and picked up a linen to wipe his hands. “But I can hazard a guess.” Tossing the linen onto the table, he looked over. “You?”

I smiled. “Yes.”

There was a slight curl to the corner of his lips. “You look incredibly…smug.”

At the sound of someone’s approach, Casteel set the bowl down. “It’s Reaver, isn’t it?”

I nodded.

“Great,” Kieran muttered, rising.

“I don’t know why you two have such an issue with him,” I said.

“Is that a serious question?” Casteel countered.

“You barely know him.”

“I know enough.”

“You just don’t like him because Kieran doesn’t.” Sitting back, I crossed my arms. “He’s been extremely helpful, especially while freeing you,” I reminded him. “And he’s also very—”

“If you say he’s nice,” Casteel interrupted, “I’m going to have serious questions regarding your definition of the word.”

“She thinks you’re nice,” Kieran tossed over his shoulder as he went to the door. “I already question her definition.”

I snorted. “He has a point.”

“Uh-huh,” Casteel murmured, taking a drink. “I’m surprised it took him this long.”

Frowning, I started to ask what he meant, but then Kieran cracked the door open. “What?”

I sighed at the less-than-friendly greeting.

“She’s awake,” came Reaver’s low, raspy voice.

Kieran remained firmly planted in front of the door. “And?”

“Kieran,” I snapped, shoving back from the table. “Let him in.”

He extended an arm, pushing the door open farther in the slowest manner possible. I stood. Just when I thought I would have to tell Kieran he also needed to move aside, he did.

Kind of.

Reaver wasn’t small by any means, but all I saw of him as he squeezed past Kieran was a glimpse of a bare chest.

Having no idea if Reaver was actually wearing clothing, I dared a quick glance. Relieved to find he was wearing loose black pants instead of a curtain or nothing, I stepped toward him.

He stopped a few feet inside the chamber and tilted his chin down, sending shoulder-length blond hair swinging forward. “It is good to find you awake.” He lifted his head as Kieran pushed the door closed. “And that you appear to be yourself.”

I shifted on my feet, my toes curling against the stone. “Glad to be…back to myself.” I clasped my hands together as a vague memory of seeing Reaver flying backward surfaced. “And I’m sorry for anything I might’ve done while—”

“No need,” Reaver interrupted.

“For once,” Casteel said, setting his glass down, “I agree with him.”

I glanced at the fine cracks in the wall and winced. “I really feel like there is a need, though.”

“You were not yourself.”

I hadn’t been, but still. “That’s no ex—”

“I didn’t come here for an unnecessary apology, Poppy.”

“Shouldn’t you address her as meyaah Liessa ?” Casteel asked, his gaze fixed on Reaver as his finger tapped the side of his glass.

I hadn’t even caught that he hadn’t called me what roughly translated into my Queen in old Atlantian.

“The Queen of the Gods is awake,” Reaver replied, his tone flat. “Therefore, she is meyaah Liessa .”

Casteel’s finger stilled, and Kieran stiffened. “That is not what you said the last time we spoke.”

“What I said was that it has never applied to Nektas or me,” Reaver replied, crossing his arms.

“You never said Poppy was no longer your meyaah Liessa ,” Casteel said, his voice dropping low.

Too low.

It was time for me to step in. “It really doesn’t matter.”

“Disagree.” Casteel’s stare remained on Reaver.

“I’d honestly prefer if he called me Poppy,” I said, stepping to the side so I stood between them. “And you know that.”

“That’s not the issue, my Queen,” Casteel said.

“The issue is that this would be really inconvenient timing for the draken to no longer serve you,” Kieran advised, his voice tight.

I tensed, my gaze swiveling back to Reaver. Did that mean the draken would be returning to Iliseeum?

“I never said we no longer served her,” Reaver responded, his tone as dry as the biscuit I’d given Kieran. “Only that the true Queen is now awake and—”

“It’s okay.” I stopped him with a wave of my hand. “Are you…leaving?”

Reaver’s brow furrowed. “Leaving to where?”

“To return home.”

“Why would I do that?” The crease between his brows deepened.

“Seraphena is awake and…?”

“You woke us and secured our pledge to give you aid,” Reaver said. “That has not changed.”

“Could it?” Casteel questioned.

“If Seraphena summons us, then yes,” he answered. “But I do not foresee that happening unless…”

“Unless what?” I asked.

He exhaled slowly. I couldn’t tell if it was from frustration or unease. “Unless our aid is needed there, and if that occurs, it means Nektas has fallen. So, let’s hope that does not occur.”

My breath caught as what he said registered. The idea of the first draken falling was hard to even comprehend. “Yes,” I murmured, swallowing as I fiddled with a button on my robe. “Let’s hope.” Knowing Reaver wasn’t one for idle visits, I cleared my throat. “Did you need something?”

“Your help,” Reaver answered, his gruff voice even more gravelly than usual. “I need your help freeing Jadis.”