My chest ached. Holland had said Keella had paid dearly for intervening with Sotoria’s soul. I stopped my imagination from filling in all the terrible ways that Kolis could’ve ensured that Keella was punished. “Why wouldn’t she have?”
“Keella’s not much younger than Kolis, but she is one of the few Primals who still believes in right and wrong and a balance that shouldn’t be adjusted to fit one’s wants ornarratives.” A warm smile appeared, faint but real, and my heart skipped for a totally different reason. “She tries to be good.”
“Sounds like sheisgood.”
Ash lifted a shoulder as I took another sip, recognizing the honey-haired goddess swathed in white approaching the empty seat next to Keella. It was Penellaphe. Her stare lifted to the dais as she sat. Penellaphe smiled as she bowed her head to Keella, speaking. I looked away from her, searching for a familiar, ageless face I knew I wouldn’t find but was still disappointed when I didn’t.
Penellaphe’s appearance made me think of something else.
“The title.”
I paused while Paxton refilled my chalice. “Thank you,” I said to him.
The boy grinned and nodded, then hurried off, careful to avoid Nektas.
“What about the title?” Ash said, stare fixed on the crowd much like Nektas. His wine remained untouched.
“I like it,” I shared, feeling a bit foolish as my cheeks warmed.
“You do?” Ash asked, turning to me. I nodded. “I’m glad.”
Hoping my face didn’t look as hot as it felt, I refocused on the crowd. I found Keella and Penellaphe once more, their heads tipped together as they continued chatting. “There was a little bit of Penellaphe’s prophecy in there.”
“Not enough that it should raise any alarms,” he assured. “It was the only thing that kept coming to my mind. Your hair. Moonlight.” The center of his cheeks were the ones that flushed now. He cleared his throat. “And you do look like the brightest moon tonight.”
The buzzing warmth of happiness in my chest rivaled that of the embers, and the feeling was as exhilarating as it was terrifying. “And the blood and ash part?”
“It is something the draken like to say,” he answered. “It has different meanings. Strength of the blood and bravery of the ash is one of them. Some believe it symbolizes balance and represents life and death.” Starlight glinted off his crown as he tilted his head back. “It just all seemed fitting for you.”
“It…it is a beautiful title,” I said.
The smile he gave me was warm and real, and it wrapped its way around my heart and made me even more desperate to see Veses burn.
My gaze roamed over the faces of those below and beyond us as I shoved thoughts of her aside. There were more masked faces than bare ones. I saw many smiles, but not from most of the Primals. I imagined that if I could sense emotions as Ash could, I would likely be drowning in agitation.
I saw Saion and Rhahar step aside to allow Attes to ascend the dais stairs. I didn’t think I could’ve been more grateful to see the Primal. “I think we’re about to have company.”
“Appears so.” Ash’s fingers stilled.
Attes nodded at Nektas as he passed the draken and then stopped before the table, bowing deeply. The crown covered half the scar slicing across his nose and left cheek, but the combination of the two made him appear all the more dangerous, even though he bore no weapons—none of the Primals did. He rose. “I thought I’d be the first to give my congratulations and well wishes as I will be taking my leave soon.”
“Appreciated,” Ash remarked coolly.
The less-than-friendly greeting didn’t go unnoticed. A dimple appeared in Attes’s right cheek as he turned luminous eyes on me. “The crown suits you, Consort.”
I smiled. “Thank you.”
“As does the imprint,” he added. “That was an…unexpected development.”
I kept my expression the same, even as trepidation skittered through me.
“I feel as if I now truly must make time to visit the lakes in the mortal realm,” he said. “Maybe the Arae will bless me with a beauty such as you and an imprint.”
“Now is a better time than ever to do so.” Ash’s fingers slid over the table, curling inwards against his palm as I fought my grin and lost.
That divot deepened as Attes’s lips tipped up farther.
“I’m assuming there have been no…events in your Court since the last time we spoke,” Ash said.