Born of Blood and Ash

CHAPTER FIFTY

“Well.” Attes cleared his throat, breaking the tense silence left in the wake of Phanos’s departure. “I assume all those who remain have done so because we are of like minds?”

There were several nods.

“Then let’s get this show on the road.” Attes stepped forward and knelt, placing his left palm against the stone floor. “I will happily reaffirm that oath.”

I jolted as essence crackled from his right hand. All thoughts of Phanos and the others vanished as raw energy licked over his palm before shifting into a pommel and then a hilt. The eather spun out, forming a long blade. He crossed the sword of eather over his chest.

“With my sword and my life,” he said, his voice echoing throughout the chamber. “I swear to you, the One who is born of Blood and Ash, the Light and the Fire, and the Brightest Moon, the true Primal of Life and the Queen of the Gods and Common Man.”

Gods, that was still such a long title.

I felt something in my chest. Something different than when he’d made the pledge before. This sensation was very similar to how the embers felt, as if a piece of Attes’s essence now resided inside me.

His gaze shifted to Ash. “And I swear to you, the Asher, the One who is Blessed, the Guardian of Souls and the Primal God of Common Men and Endings, to honor your command with the full might of Vathi.” Attes bowed his head.

The flames above the candles flickered wildly as a ripple of energy coursed through the chamber.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

A dimple appeared on Attes’s cheek.

“You may rise,” Ash said. “And you also have my thanks.”

Attes’s head lifted, and the sword of eather collapsed. Both dimples were out in full force as he rose. I was happy to see them.

Bele stepped forward, her gaze locking with mine. “I know you’re probably thinking that it’s u

I was.

“But it’s not. I’m proud to do it,” Bele said, looking between Ash and me before following suit. A sword of eather appeared in her right hand. “With my sword and my life, I swear to you, the One who is born of Blood and Ash, the Light and the Fire, and the Brightest Moon, the true Primal of Life and the Queen of the Gods and Common Man. And I swear to you, the Asher, the One who is Blessed, the Guardian of Souls and the Primal God of Common Men and Endings, to honor your command with the full might,” Bele paused, raising her eyebrow sardonically, “of Sirta.”

My lips twitched as another wave of energy whipped the flames about, and I once more felt that strange sensation in my chest. “Thank you, Bele.”

“No need to thank me.” She lifted her head. “But can I rise now?”

“Yes,” I said, wanting to laugh, but my throat felt too thick to allow it.

Penellaphe followed suit, summoning her sword of eather and speaking her vows. We thanked her, and then the beautiful Primal Goddess of Love, Beauty, and Fertility cleared her throat.

“I have stood aside for too long and for too many reasons.” Her sandy-blond hair slipped over her shoulders as she knelt. “I will no longer do so.”

A sword of eather took shape, its light glittering off her smooth, yellowish-brown cheeks. “I swear to you, the One who is born of Blood and Ash, the Light and the Fire, and the Brightest Moon, the true Primal of Life and the Queen of the Gods and Common Man.” As the sensation of Penellaphe’s oath faded, I felt a part of Maia take root in my chest. Her gaze shifted to Ash. “And I swear to you, the Asher, the One who is Blessed, the Guardian of Souls and the Primal God of Common Men and Endings, to honor your command with the full might of Kithreia.” The candles’ flames rose several inches as Maia bowed her head.

I thanked her. Ash told her we were honored, and when she rose, I saw determination etched into her features.

As she moved back, the Primal Goddess of Rebirth stepped from behind the group. Rich brown hair slipped over her shoulders as she tilted her head back to stare up at Ash and me.

Eather streaked across her eyes, filling them until they turned the shade of a polished diamond. “I think both of you know that I believe in you,” she said, her lips curving into a smile, but there was something off about it. “But I ca

Shock whipped through me, and the entire chamber went silent. Clearly, no one else had been expecting that response either.

“Why?” Ash asked.

“When I assisted Eythos with Sotoria’s soul, I upset the balance. My involvement shifted the future of the realms. Without it, Sotoria would’ve passed into the Vale,” she said, and I saw Penellaphe fold a hand over her mouth. “And when the balance is unequal, it must be fixed.”

“Kolis would’ve found her and brought her back.” Anger was quickly replacing my shock. “How is that not an upset to the balance?”

“It is. And based on how things have turned out for Kolis, I believe he has paid that price, just as I have had to.”

“What?” Ash demanded roughly. “What price were you forced to pay?”

Her chest rose with a weighted breath. “To right the balance, the Fates decided that I must swear a blood oath to Kolis, one that prevents me from ever using my Court against him.”

My mouth dropped open.

“What the fuck?” Bele exploded. “How is that a suitable fix?”

“I ca

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Which Fate made you do this?”

Penellaphe’s head jerked in my direction.

“Kyros,” she said.

Thank the gods it wasn’t Holland because there was a good chance I would lose my shit.

“I know that one.” Nektas’s lip curled. “Never liked him.”

“I wasn’t too fond of him myself.” The wan smile appeared once more on Keella’s lips. “But it is not the Fates who decide such things. It is the essence of the realms.”

Once more, I wasn’t sure how much I believed that. Holland had intervened, as had Aydun in a way. I had a feeling that even this Kyros walked that fine line.

“You never should have been dragged into this,” Ash spoke, the sorrow clear in his tone. “I am sorry that you were.”

“I’m not. I don’t regret my actions. Nor do I regret what must be done next.” Her chin lifted. “The oath I made is between Kolis and me, not my Court.”

“No,” Ash gasped, sending a sense of dread through me.

“It’s okay.” Keella’s smile deepened, and this time, it reached her eyes. “I am very old, Nyktos. Not much younger than Kolis. And with each passing year, it becomes harder to remember the small pleasantries in life and for those we should protect.”

I sucked in a too-short breath as understanding flooded me. I pressed a hand to my chest when Maia’s eyes closed.

Keella’s gaze shifted to me. “We stood against the Ancients in defense of the mortals, each of us knowing the day would come when it would be us who lost the ability to care for them. To continue to see their beauty and appreciate them, flaws and all. I have passed that time.”

“I don’t believe that. You are not cold and cruel,” I insisted.

“That is only because I still care enough to force myself to be warm and kind.” She took another breath, then looked at Maia and Attes. “You two understand.”

“I don’t want to,” Maia whispered. “But I do.”

Attes nodded when Keella met his stare, his jaw clenched.

I racked my brain for an answer that didn’t involve this. “Can’t you go into stasis? Wouldn’t that help?”

“It would if I’d been able to do so many years ago. And perhaps if Kolis hadn’t done what he did, weakening all of us, infecting each and every one of us in some way. If so, sleep would help now. But even if I went into stasis, the Thyia Plains would still be my Court.”

“Then we will fight without your Court,” I decided. “We—”

“I am ready. I’ve been ready,” Keella interrupted. “It’s okay.”

“No.” Emotion thickened my voice. I didn’t know Keella all that well, but I liked her, and this wasn’t fair. “It’s not okay.”

“There is so much mortal left in you, Seraphena. I hope that does not fade,” she said. Ash placed his hand against my lower back. “But you are thinking of me as if I am mortal and on the verge of death. I am not dying. I will pass on to Arcadia, transformed.”

I had no idea what she meant by transformed, and my intuition was silent on that. It was not for those outside of Arcadia to fully understand, but what she spoke of was like death. And it would feel like that to those of us who remained.

“You understand, don’t you, Nyktos?” she asked.

His hand moved in soothing circles on my back as he said, “I do.”

Keella smiled. “I’ve spent the last couple of years preparing Ione for what I knew would come. She will be loyal to both of you and do all she can to stop Kolis.”

I squeezed my eyes shut. Drawing in a shallow breath, I pulled myself together. Just as Ash and the others had done. I would have to mourn the loss of Keella. My lashes felt damp when I opened my eyes.

Ash’s exhale was heavy. “When will this happen?”

“I must attend to some affairs first,” Keella said. “But we will not want to wait long. Ione will need time to go through the Ascension.”

“Okay,” I said, my throat stinging. “When you’re ready, I will do what needs to be done.”

Tables and chairs had been brought into the throne room, along with drinks, as a good part of the evening was spent discussing our plans with our allies.

It felt strange to continue discussing plans after what Keella had shared, but here we were.

Moving on.

Maia had paled a little but said it needed to be done. Penellaphe had agreed, willing to do whatever was necessary to prevent further harm to the mortal realm.

Not gaining Phanos’s support was a disappointment. If he attempted to protect Kolis from us, he had the soldiers and the ceeren to fight on land and at sea. Maia had suggested that it was possible he could change his mind. Neither Saion nor Rhahar was convinced of such. I allowed a little bit of hope to spark, but he still had a choice to make.

Each Primal knew that what we pla

I wasn’t sure. But once we’d finished strategizing and Penellaphe shared that she had located Embris’s stash of bones—it wasn’t much, but it would help—what I had potentially discovered before the meeting surged to the surface.

My gaze fell on Maia. There was no way I was asking her.