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It didn’t seem like he was doing nothing, but I continued. This playfulness was still so rare, and the ease with which he now interacted with me, without any reservations or stiffness, showed how comfortable he was. He trusted me. And that made me feel…well, it made me feel like I was seen. Accepted. And about a hundred other things. So, I told him what I could remember of that part of the prophecy and how Penellaphe believed Kolis wasn’t correct. By the time I finished, he had the top six clasps undone, and the vest had slipped a half inch or so. “There is a chance Keella knows about the prophecy.”
“She’s old enough to have knowledge of it.” He moved on to the string at the collar of my blouse, loosening it. “And based on what she asked at the coronation,” he added, following the same line of thought I had taken when I spoke about her earlier, “it seems like she’s heard that phrasing before.”
“That’s what I…I was thinking.” I gripped the edge of the desk as he drew the sleeves of my blouse down, inch by inch. “You are definitely up to something.”
“I have no idea what you’re speaking of.” The sleeves gathered at my elbows as the blouse slipped. Cool air followed, teasing my skin. A husky sound rumbled from his chest. “Beautiful.”
I looked down, my breath catching. Ash had bared my breasts, and with the vest positioned just below them, they were shoved up, boldly offering the beaded nipples to his perusal.
“My beautiful wife.” One cool finger swept over a rosy peak. “My beautiful Queen.” His lips parted, revealing a hint of fang. “We will need to speak to Keella about this.”
Brows knitting, I lifted my gaze to Ash’s. “What?”
“You’re not paying attention.”
“Yes, I am.”
A brief smile appeared. “I said we will need to speak to Keella about the vision and her knowledge of it.”
“Oh. Yes.” My skin tingled. “That’s not the only thing we discussed.”
“Tell me.” His hands returned to my hips.
I jumped as his fingers slid beneath the waistband. The sound he made told me he enjoyed how the movement caused my breasts to jiggle. “I’m trying to, but you’re being very distracting.”
Thick lashes lifted, and eather-streaked eyes met mine. “Your failure to maintain focus is not a reflection upon my actions.”
I sucked in a short laugh at the obvious callback to when we’d been in this very office, and I’d been doing my level best—and succeeding—to distract him. “I see what sort of poor comparison you’re attempting to make, but when you couldn’t concentrate, I wasn’t in the process of undressing you.”
“This time you speak of…you had your lovely breasts shoved in my face,” he countered. “How is that any different than now?”
My lips pursed.
“I’ve gotten better at multitasking since then.” He kissed me. “I do love you in these pants.” His lips brushed the curve of my cheek as he tilted his head, his mouth lining up with my ear. His voice was a silk-draped whisper as he said, “But do you know what I love more?”
Muscles coiled tight and low in my stomach. “No.”
“You out of them.”
A laugh burst from me. “I can’t believe you said that.”
“Believe it.” Without warning, he whipped the leggings down to where they snagged on my boots, right below my knees. “Now, please continue with what else you discussed.”
I gaped at him.
“Please.” His fingers skated up my now-bare thighs. “Continue.”
“It was about your father,” I said, gasping as a cool finger slipped over my thin undergarment. “And what he pla
“What about it?” His fingers danced over the lace.
“Just that it was too risky and…” A taut, hot shiver curled deep inside me.
His lashes shielded his gaze again, but I felt the intensity of his stare upon my breasts and his hand between my thighs. “And?”
Throat dry, I struggled to remember exactly what had been said. “That none of it worked out as he pla
“Who wouldn’t?” Ash questioned. “My father’s plan wasn’t well-thought-out. Clearly.”
“But what if it was, and we were wrong about what he pla
Ash’s exploring fingers stilled, and his lashes lifted.
“What if this—or at least some of this—is what he pla
Ash didn’t speak for a long moment. “If he believed you would be Sotoria reborn, it would make sense. You would be a true weapon and able to fully stand against Kolis.”
“Ward thought there was a chance Eythos wanted you to become the true Primal of Death. That it would be possible by using The Star,” I told him, watching a crease form between his brows. “But that’s the part that didn’t go as pla
“Is already in use,” he finished.
My gaze searched his features as seedlings of concern rooted themselves. “How does that make you feel? The possibility that he might not have intended for you to be the true Primal of Life.”
The skin between his brows smoothed. “I feel nothing.”
Doubt crept into my tone. “Nothing?”
“Nothing,” Ash confirmed, and the furrow returned. He studied me. “Did you think I would be disappointed to learn that?”
“I don’t know. Maybe? It should—”
“You’re no longer allowed to say that.” Essence streaked through his eyes.
I snapped my mouth shut, mostly out of surprise.
“And I mean that as respectfully as possible,” he tacked on. “It never mattered to me if it was my birthright. What did was stopping Kolis. That was all that mattered to me.”
“Mattered? As in past tense?”
“Yes, liessa, as in past tense. Because you are the true Primal of Life, and stopping Kolis is no longer all that matters to me,” he said. “You do.”
My lips parted on a soft inhale as I stared up at him.
“And I do mean that, Sera. Everything else is now a byproduct of that. Not a single part of me gives a fuck if that’s wrong. Besides, it sounds to me like we need to transfer his embers to me. With the exception of those embers being death instead of life, that’s what I pla
True.
“We need to entomb Kolis until Sotoria is reborn. Then we’ll take the embers.”
My heart sped up. “So, that’s the plan?” It was the most sensible one. But releasing Sotoria’s soul to be reborn meant she wouldn’t have control over her future. Just like before. Just like me. I exhaled slowly. “Then you will be the true Primal of Death. And I, the true Primal of Life.”
Ash nodded. “Yes.”
We were in agreement, but I didn’t want that for Sotoria.
“Glad it’s decided,” he said, his voice lowering as he ran a long, cool finger along the edge of my undergarment. “What I don’t understand is how this led you to Vathi.”
It took me a moment to think past how that featherlight touch sent pleasure dancing up and down my spine. When I did, the passion cooled in the rise of unease. “You’re a Primal of no Court.”
His exploration ceased, and his gaze lifted to mine. “Liessa…”
A knot lodged in my chest. “You know what that means. You’ve always known what that would mean.”
“Sera,” he began.
I gripped his shirt again. “Kolis knows we have The Star, Ash. And he also knows what can be done with it.”
“That doesn’t matter.”
“Yes, it does. Kolis is clever enough to expect us to use The Star in the same way he did. And he has to know that you could take the true embers of death. That makes you a target.” My heart felt like it had stopped—just like when I realized it before. “You can be killed without any huge impact on the mortal realm, and I know you realized that. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Why would I make you worry?” His eyes searched mine. “Over nothing.”
“Nothing?” I nearly screeched the word. “Confidence is sexy, Ash, but not when it becomes idiotic. You’re a target. That’s when I got the feeling that something bad was about to happen. And I was right. What just happened with the Dogs of War is evidence of that. If not Kolis, then another Primal will come for you.”
A lock of hair fell against his cheek. “I’ve always been a target.”
“But this is different—”
“You’re right. It is different now,” he cut in. “Because of you. Because of us.” He cupped my cheek. “Do you really think I would allow anyone to take me out when I have you to fight and survive for? That I would allow anything or anyone to steal our future? That’s never going to happen, Sera. Never.” Strands of eather spun as he held my stare. “I am a Primal of Death. You are the fucking true Primal of Life. No two beings in any realm are safer than we are. Because I also know that you won’t allow that to happen. Or am I wrong?”
“No,” I whispered, anxiety swirling.
His eyes flashed pure silver for an instant. “Say it like you mean it, Sera.”
“I do…” I stopped and took a deep breath. Ash was right. He wouldn’t allow it. Neither would I. None of that meant I would suddenly cease worrying about something possibly happening to Ash—that wasn’t in my personality. But determination was. Resolve poured in, crowding out the fear as eather hummed through me, turning the corners of my vision white. “No.”
“That’s my wife.” He kissed me and then drew back, his gaze lowering. “This is such a pretty slip of lace. Did Erlina make you many of these?”
I blinked, caught off guard by the subject change. “I think so.”
“Good.” With a quick jerk of his hands, he tore the undergarment in half.
“Ash,” I gasped.
“I’ll make sure to pay her double if you find yourself in need of more.” Grasping my hips, he lifted me with shocking ease and placed me so my ass was on the edge of his desk. He cupped my nape and guided me so my hips were angled upward. “Liessa?” His lips made their way to my ear. “I want to fuck you.”
Oh, gods.
“I have wanted to fuck you from the moment you shadowstepped into Vathi.” His cool breath against the skin beneath my ear sent a taut, enticing shiver coursing through me. “And I definitely wanted to fuck you when you took out the kynakos. You were so powerful. So beautiful. Fucking glorious,” he said. “But I need to taste you first.”
A full-body shudder took me. I watched him draw back, and my chest tightened, but for the most delicious reasons.
“And speaking of things I’ve wanted to do…” He dropped to his knees before me. Seeing him like that always left me breathless. “When you sought to distract me as I wrote names in the Book of the Dead?” he said, tugging off my boots and then my leggings. “I wanted to toss that gown up and get between your thighs.”
I was going to melt. Right here. “I wouldn’t have stopped you.”