“And what do you think of it?” he asked.
I forced a half-shrug. “Nothing much except that it’s clear to me who the false one—the great conspirator—is.”
Kolis laughed. “Your attitude amuses me.”
“Happy to hear that.”
“But notthatamused.” His eyes flashed an intense shade of gold and silver. “But, yes, I do believe it was referring to me. Now, the two daughters? That has always confounded me. Still does a little, but I do believe it’s Mycella. She was, after all, promised to the once King. My brother.” He tapped his chin. “The second daughter?You. You are promised to the future King—or who would’ve been the future King once Eythos entered Arcadia, and Nyktos Ascended to take his place.
“Three parts. The beginning. The middle,” Kolis continuedbefore I could wrap my head around the fact that Ash and I had believed the middle part was some time in the future. “And then the end. There is more to that prophecy.”
“Of course, there is,” I murmured.
“There is the end.” Kolis smirked as he gripped the bars.“‘For the oneborn of the blood and the ash, the bearer of two crowns, and the bringer of life to mortal, god, and draken. A silver beast with blood seeping from its jaws of fire, bathed in the flames of the brightest moon to ever be birthed, will become one,’”he said, and my skin chilled. “That would be you again, in case you’re not keeping up with things.”
My pulse thrummed unsteadily as my thoughts whirled. “My…my title. The born of blood and ash part. The…the brightest moon.”
“Yes. Your title, bestowed on you by my nephew.” His smirk deepened. “‘Blood and ash’ is something the draken like to say. It can mean several things.”
I folded an arm across my stomach. “That’s…that’s what he said.”
“He spoke no lie, at least not then.” A hint of his fangs appeared, turning my stomach. “Blood. The strength of life. Ash. The bravery of death. Life and Death, if taken literally.”
Suddenly, I remembered Keella’s reaction to the title and how she’d asked what had inspired it.My Consort’s hair.That had been an honest answer. I knew this, felt it in my bones and heart, and Keella had…she had said it made herhopeful. Just as Delfai had said after referencing the brightest moon upon Ash not killing him. Could they be the few who knew of the complete vision? Keella was nearly as old as Kolis, and the gods only knew how old Delfai was. Then there was Veses’ guard. He knew what he’d sensed when he scented my blood. And Veses’ reaction to learning what I carried. I was betting she knew, too.
“You carry the Primal embers of life. You have from birth, thanks to my brother.” The golden flecks stilled in his eyes. “And now you are the bearer of two crowns.”
Two crowns.
I inhaled, chest tightening. The crown of the Consort and the crown of a Princess. “That was why you waited. For me to be crowned?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did you delay—?” Bringer of life to mortal, god,and draken. My stomach cramped. “You needed me to restore the draken’s life.”
That smile of his returned and sent a dual bolt of dread and anger through me. Because Attes had been playing us even then with Thad’s life.
“I needed to make sure the embers had reached that point of power. That you were at the point the prophecy referenced for the rest to take place.”
What had Kolis said when I demanded to know what taking Thad’s life would give him? He’d said it would tell him everything he needed to know. And it had. “Is there more to the prophecy?”
Callum’s laugh echoed behind me.
Kolis nodded.“‘And the great powers will stumble and fall, some all at once, and they will fall through the fires into a void of nothing. Those left standing will tremble as they kneel, will weaken as they become small, as they become forgotten. For finally, the Primal rises, the giver of blood and the bringer of bone, the Primal of Blood and Ash.’”
My lips parted as my eyes widened. “The Primal of Blood and Ash…” A shudder of disbelief coursed through me. A being that should not exist. “A Primal of LifeandDeath.”
“Clever girl,” Kolis remarked.
“I’m not a girl,” I snapped, my arm falling to my side. “And one does not have to be that clever. It’s literally said right in the prophecy.”
“No, you’re not a girl,” he purred, sending a curl of disgust through me. “You are the vessel who will fulfill what the Ancients dreamt of. Who will give me what I want.”
“And that’s…to do what? Rule over Iliseeum and the mortal realm?” I laughed. “Sounds to me like it will only give you what you deserve.”
“And that is?”
“Your death.”