Chapter 11 AND FROM THE ASH OF THE FIRST FLAME #3
“You sure about that?” Millicent darted to the side, avoiding the arm my brother threw out.
“Wait a moment…” She squinted, as if that would help her peer through the thick mist swirling around me.
Malik cursed, moving toward her as her head jerked back, and her eyes shot up.
Scanning the vines, her lips parted, and then her mouth dropped open.
“Oh, fuck.” Her chin snapped down. “It’s you,” she breathed.
“Yeah,” Malik said, his gaze trained on me. “It’s him. Cas. Like I said.”
“That’s not what I meant, dipshit,” she snapped, causing both of us to look at her. “But thank you for the unnecessary clarification.”
“Dipshit?” Malik murmured, brows furrowing.
“Yes. You. You are a dip,” she spat, “and a shit. You put those two words together and you get dipshit.”
I almost laughed as my attention shifted to the sack. Malik had planted himself in front of her again, leaving it on the floor, unprotected. Perfect. I drifted forward—
“Millicent!” Malik shouted. “No!”
I stopped. It wasn’t the words that caused me to halt.
It was the bitter-tasting fear in them. I turned to them.
They were blurs. Malik lurched toward Millicent—and, damn, she was quick, easily slipping past him as she raised her arm.
Flickering light glanced off something glossy and black clutched in her hand.
Shadowstone.
There was only a heartbeat to react. My arm shot out as Malik’s face went as pale as bone.
I blocked her blow, stopping the blade an inch from the general vicinity of my chest. Her eyes shot to my hand and the slowly churning mist seeping from the fingers curled around her arm, then flew back to mine.
But I was still staring at her slim wrist, vaguely realizing that the Primal mist had caused her no harm.
My head tilted. It should have worked on her, special Revenant or not.
The essence had flayed the flesh from the bones of a Revenant just the other day.
It had snuck into the Great Hall, and I’d feigned sleep, letting it get close before releasing the mist. But it didn’t even cause her to flinch.
“Where is my sister?” Millicent snarled, voice thin with anger, and breathless with dread.
I lifted my gaze to hers, slowly realizing why she was unharmed.
It was me.
My will.
“Where?” she demanded, the tendons in her wrist and the muscles in her forearm trembling, betraying her bravado. “What did you do to her?”
What did I…?
A rough breath left me as the mist collapsed around me. Her eyes widened with surprise as I felt the skin along my right cheek thicken while the flesh appeared on the fingers wrapped around her wrist.
Reaching up with my other hand, I pried the dagger from her grip. Holding her stare, I let the essence flow over my fingers. The shadowy eather licked over the smooth handle, turning it to glittering ash.
“Well,” she uttered. “That was impressive and also rude as fuck.”
“Malik,” I bit out, knowing better than to let her go. “You need to retrieve her.”
“He doesn’t need to do shit,” Millicent seethed, striking out with a leg. “But you? Mister Dark Lord, you need to answer my damn question.”
Ignoring Millicent, I held her back as she kicked at the air with extremely pointed-toe boots.
Her head snapped to the side as Malik slipped up behind her. “If you put that arm around me, I will break it.”
“Stop flirting with me in front of my brother,” he replied.
Her nostrils flared. “I am not flirting with you.”
“Yeah, you are.” Some of the color was returning to his face as his gaze met mine. “You’re gonna need to let go.”
I would love to, however… “Do you have her under control?”
Malik’s mouth opened. That was as far as he got.
“Him? Have me under control?” Her laugh was harsh and quick. “Are you both for real?”
Snaking the arm she’d threatened to hurt around her waist, Malik nodded at me.
I lifted my fingers, one at a time. Stepping back, I pushed down the irritation as I saw that they were now struggling in front of me. The sack was behind them. “Can you two do that about a foot to the left or right?”
“I’m trying—” Malik grunted as her elbow slammed into his stomach. “Gods.”
I raised a brow as I felt Kieran’s presence. “Try faster.”
“You aren’t trying shit,” she hissed as he clamped his other arm around her, pinning hers down. “Let me go—”
“Or you’ll maim me,” he interrupted, narrowly avoiding a direct hit to the face when she threw her head back. “I know. I know.”
“Faster,” I urged. The essence pressed against my flesh as footsteps pounded.
Malik started to step to the side, dragging a kicking and thrashing Millicent with him. “That’s what I’m—”
“Don’t!” Kieran shouted, rounding the corner into the hall.
Malik froze as his head turned to Kieran.
Millicent, however, did not. Grabbing the arm around her waist, she pulled her legs to her chest, then swung her body forward. Malik started to tip the same way.
I sighed, eyes rolling as my patience ran out. I lifted a hand. With a flick of the wrist, I sent them both sliding sideways. Malik grunted out a curse as they hit the floor in a tangle of legs that had nothing to do with me and everything to do with Millicent. Whatever. Worked for me.
My gaze focused on the strands of golden hair. I stepped forward—
Without warning, what felt like heated wind slammed into me, lifting me off my feet and flinging me back. I hit the wall and dropped but landed upright. My head snapped to the left.
Kieran stood there, golden threads of essence streaking through his eyes and swirling along his beige-brown skin. Behind him, his father had jerked to a halt, nearly causing Attes to crash into him as the struggling on the floor ceased.
“The wolf’s got fancy new tricks,” Millicent murmured. A pause and then, “So, the three of you did get it on, then.”
Jasper frowned at her.
“Hi.” Millicent wiggled an arm free, giving Jasper a rather jaunty wave. “Me again.” Her hand froze as Attes glanced in their direction, then looked again, brows lifting. “Uh.”
“You look just like…” the Primal muttered. “Fuck me.”
“Okay,” Millicent replied, and Malik’s jaw clenched hard enough to crack molars.
Attes shook his head, blinking. He opened his mouth, but I didn’t have time for this. Pushing off the wall, I started forward.
Kieran was in front of me in a heartbeat.
I stopped, glancing behind him. “Do you know who is in that sack?”
“I do,” he answered.
“So, why are you standing between me and that fuck?”
“Because that fuck can likely tell us where Kolis is,” Kieran reasoned.
“That fuck can tell us a lot more than that,” Millicent added, managing to sit up even though Malik still had a hold of her.
“No shit,” I replied. “So, again, why are you stopping me?”
A muscle popped along Kieran’s jaw. “What happened to the last person you questioned?”
The last? It hadn’t been the Rev. It’d been a god.
“You decorated the ceiling of the atrium,” Attes supplied, joining Kieran, “with the god’s innards.”
Remembering that, I smiled as Millicent murmured, “Ew.”
“And what about the one before him?” Kieran asked.
My smile faded. That had been the Rev.
“Or the one before that one?” he pressed.
“The female god.” Attes crossed his arms. “You turned her to ash.”
“Gods,” Millicent breathed.
“They wouldn’t talk,” I defended.
“And did you give them a chance?” Kieran questioned. “And before you say yes, did you give them longer than five minutes?”
My eyes narrowed. “To be honest, I didn’t give the one god even five minutes.”
“Exactly,” Kieran stated as Jasper appeared behind him at his side.
“In my defense, he was annoying.”
The look he sent me was flat and bland.
“I just want to talk with him,” I told him. “That’s all.”
“And we both know how that talk is going to end when he doesn’t answer immediately.” The golden essence faded from his irises. “You’re going to kill him.”
“I would never,” I murmured.
Millicent let out a laugh. “Is that what wolfie-boy,” she said, causing Kieran’s brows to draw together, “is worried about? He can’t kill Callum, so let him at him.”
Surprise flickered through me as I glanced at Malik. He hadn’t told Millicent.
“Yeah,” Malik said, his jaw flexing. “He can.”
Her nose scrunched the way hers did. “What?”
“The Dark Lord,” he said, and Kieran’s upper lip curled, “over there, as you called him, can kill Revenants.”
Her gaze shot back to mine. “Oh.”
I smiled at her, baring my fangs.
“Shit,” she whispered.
“We need Callum,” Kieran stated, drawing my attention back to him. “We need him alive for however long it takes for him to break.”
“It won’t take long,” I said.
“Maybe it won’t.” Kieran held my stare. “But I’m not willing to take that risk.”
Irritation flared, cold and biting. “And what exactly are you willing to risk, wolfie-boy?”
His eyes narrowed a fraction of an inch.
“In case anyone is wondering, I agree with the wolf.” Millicent chimed in, having slipped both arms free of Malik’s hold and the cloak she’d been wearing. “We need Callie alive.”
“Callie?” Kieran repeated.
“That’s what I call him.” Her head snapped down, mouth latching onto Malik’s arm.
“Motherfucker,” he growled, releasing her.
“Good gods,” Jasper said under his breath as blood stained the sleeve of Malik’s white shirt.
“Thank you.” Millicent popped to her feet with a blood-smeared smile. She spun toward me. “Do you know how long it took me to find his annoying ass?”
I didn’t.
I also didn’t care.
“Weeks. It took weeks,” she went on as Malik rose behind her, shaking his arm. “And do you know where I found his trick-ass?”
I frowned, having no idea what trick-ass meant. “You need to wipe your face.”
She ignored that. “Where I had to go? He was in a cave full of fucking spiders in the fucking Blood Forest.” She shuddered, causing the silver chains around her waist to jingle. “And do you know what it’s like traveling with him?” She jerked her thumb over her shoulder. “With Callie?”
“I imagine it’s only slightly more annoying than this right here,” I replied.
Kieran pressed his lips together as Malik’s head swung in my direction.
“Oh, you have no idea,” Millicent shot back as she planted herself in front of Callum. “He’s a talker. Unfortunately, he doesn’t like to talk about anything useful. So, I’m going to be real pissed if you kill him before we get something useful from him.”
“And I’m about to be real pissed if you all don’t get the fuck out of my way,” I warned, jaw throbbing as Malik decided he wanted to join the party of fools.
“Not going to happen.”
My stare shot back to Kieran. “You need to move.” Essence pulsed, and I let it surface. Shadows spilled out of me as my flesh started to thin, the inky darkness pooling on the floor by my feet. A tremor ran up my spine, but I kept the wings back. “Now.”
No one moved.
No one spoke.
Until Millicent. “I don’t know why,” she said, gaze lingering on my left cheek where I knew the bone was visible. “But you’re really kind of hot”—she waved her hand in my direction—“like this.”
Malik stiffened. “For fuck’s sake, Millie.”
She shrugged a shoulder. “Just being honest.”
“Have you met Seraphena yet?” Attes asked.
The damnedest thing happened. Millicent fell silent, her face paling. She shook her head.
“She’s going to absolutely love you,” he said.
I had no idea if he was being sarcastic or not, but knowing my luck, she probably would enjoy her granddaughter’s…unique personality.
“I’m not going to ask again,” I said to Kieran, each word carrying frost.
Attes’s gaze snapped back to me, sharpening. I felt the rise of essence in him.
“Good.” Kieran’s chin lifted. “Because I don’t feel like repeating myself.”
Anger sparked, igniting a cold fire in my veins and loosening the restraints on the urge I’d kept leashed until then.
The mist thickened and rose. I lowered my chin.
From the churning mist, shapes began to take form.
Small bodies, sleek and feathered. Ravens flew out, the beat of their wings silent.
They circled above as a darker, stronger essence pulsed within me.
Thin strands of crimson appeared in the mist as the air turned stale.
I knew the moment they saw it. The urge. The chaotic promise of violence. Attes’s features hardened. Jasper’s eyes widened and then narrowed. His flesh thinned as the shadow of fur began to appear. Malik had moved to block Millicent, hands fisted at his sides, and Kieran…
The golden essence whirled through his eyes and slid over the skin of his hands. Faint mist blurred the edges of his fingers as I took a step toward him. He didn’t budge; our stares locked.
Don’t, I willed. Don’t make me do this.
Kieran didn’t blink. Tendrils of gold-tinged silver mist swirled along his hands, and—
And then he inhaled deeply.
The mist at his fingertips evaporated. The golden threads vanished from his eyes and retreated from his flesh.
His shoulders loosened. There was a flash of relief, so quick I almost didn’t see it, but I tasted it.
It was refreshing, like a cool drink on a hot day.
And then I felt nothing as his expression settled. He stared at me like he was…
Kieran looked at me like he was bored.
“Father? Attes? Why don’t you help them?” Kieran tilted his chin toward my brother and Millicent. “Make sure they put our guest somewhere safe and secure.”
Neither moved. “You sure?” his father asked.
“Positive.” He didn’t take his eyes off me. “Go.”
The others may have moved all at once or one at a time as that dark urge became a low-level buzz in the back of my mind.
I only knew that I was staring at the spot where the sack had been.
They were gone, along with Callum, and I…
I could’ve stopped them. Could’ve done so without lifting a finger. But I hadn’t.
“I was wrong.”
My gaze returned to Kieran as the oily, churning mass of energy pulled back. The mist slowed and thinned before it disappeared.
He exhaled, eyes closing briefly. When they reopened, there was a sheen to them that made the blue even brighter. My chest constricted and stomach knotted. “I see.”
I blinked. “See what?” I asked, my voice quieter, not as cold.
“You,” he answered, with a thickness in his throat that hadn’t been there before. “I see you.”