A Fire in the Flesh (Flesh and Fire, #3)

“Do tell.”

I took another sip of my water, willing my heart to slow. “Nyktos didn’t know what his father did, how Eythos placed the embers in my bloodline. He didn’t even know that his father had taken an ember of life from him.”

Kolis’s unwavering stare latched on to mine. “I would prefer it if you didn’t lie.”

“I’m not,” I said, frustration seeping into my tone because that was the truth. “All he knew was that his father made a deal with a mortal King, agreeing to save his kingdom in exchange for a bride from his bloodline. He didn’t know why. And he was never told.”

Kolis said nothing.

After a moment, I decided that the lack of response meant it was okay to continue. “But he was drawn to me—to the ember,” I amended quickly. “The part of him that is in me. It connects us, and I suppose it can make one feel a…a certain way. But he doesn’t want me. He never did.” What felt like a gaping wound opened in my chest. “What he feels for me is based on duty and honor.”

The Primal sighed. “Has he fucked you?”

I inhaled sharply, my muscles coiling with tension. What he asked was none of his business, but I knew better than to say that or lie. Still, speaking the truth wasn’t any smarter. There was no good way to answer that question.

“Yes.” I forced a casual shrug. “We are attracted to each other, but he’s not the only person I’ve been attracted to—” The clap of thunder came again, much louder this time. “Or that I’ve been with. It’s not like he loves me.”

“See,” Kolis drawled, the churning eather slowing in his flesh. “I’m not so sure about that. You do not kill for another unless love is involved.”

I frowned. “People kill for every reason and no reason—”

“Mortals kill for every reason and no reason,” he corrected. “Not Primals.”

“Really?” I couldn’t keep the dryness from my tone.

That strange smile of his appeared. “Every life I’ve ever taken, I did so because of love.”

“And that is the only thing love has ever inspired in you?” I asked before I could stop myself. “Death?”

Deep grooves appeared between his brows. A moment passed. “Yes.”

“I…” I fell silent. Was he serious? I thought he was. Gods, that was so damn messed up and sad—tragic, actually. I felt an unsteady sensation in my chest because it made me think of what I’d done for my mother. I loathed the woman, yet I loved her, and all I ever did for her was kill. I imagined if that were my only experience with love, I would think the same.

Damn.

It struck me then that until I met Ash, my views on love were less demented than Kolis’s, but they hadn’t been that much different.

Glancing over at him, I sighed. “Then I’m sorry.”

Something like surprise flickered across his face, smoothing out the creases between his brows. “You have never apologized to me.”

I stilled, half-expecting to hear Sotoria’s voice, but she remained quiet.

“So, why would you do so now?” he asked.

“I…I don’t know much about love, or anything really,” I said, and that was also the damn truth. “But love should inspire one to indulge in more than just violence and death.”

He watched me in silence for several moments. “You’re right.”

I was?

I was.

Swallowing the rest of the fruity water, I sort of wished it was liquor—hard whiskey.

“But,” he said, causing my pulse to speed up even more, “I know that love inspires great acts of reckless violence, much like the kind my nephew engaged in.”

“I know what you’re getting at.” I bent, placing the flute on the tile beside my feet. “But Nyktos cannot love me.”

“What are you saying? That you’re unlovable?” He lifted a brow. “Based solely on your mouth and disagreeable temper, I wouldn’t argue against that assessment.”

My eyes narrowed. “Well, that was kind of rude.”

A half-smile appeared, and I realized he was teasing me. Shivers broke out across the nape of my neck, and the knots of discomfort grew. “But,”—I forced myself to continue—“that wasn’t what I was going to say.”

“What were you going to say?”

“Nyktos is the one who is incapable of loving anyone,” I shared, the sinking sensation in my chest now joining the knots. I hated speaking any truths about Ash to Kolis. It felt like a betrayal, but considering what I would likely have to do, it was the least of my worries. “He had his kardia removed.”

Kolis leaned back in his chair, his jaw loosening. “Come now.” He shook his head.

“It’s true.” I clasped my knees. “He cannot love.”

A heartbeat passed. Then another. A godsdamn tense minute went by while Kolis stared. “Why would he do that?”

“I don’t know,” I lied smoothly. “You’d have to ask him.”

“Well, that might be a problem.”

I flashed cold, then turned hot. “Why…why is that?”

“Because my nephew is currently unavailable for anything beyond taking up space,” Kolis said as a low-level buzz filled my ears. “He’s in stasis.”





CHAPTER FOURTEEN





Denial crashed into concern as my worst fear was confirmed. Ash had been that weakened by battle. I needed to get to him. He was completely vulnerable.

My chest began to tighten. Mostly, I reminded myself. He was protected. I clung to that and asked, “So, he’s…been taken to ground?”

“He has.”

Aware of his keen stare fixed on me, I didn’t allow myself to show even the minuscule amount of relief I felt. The ground would protect and heal him. I swallowed, looking over at Kolis as a thought occurred to me.

“Why didn’t the earth attempt to protect him in the other chamber?” I asked. “I was under the impression that it happens pretty fast if a Primal is weakened.”

“It normally does. That is if the Primal isn’t killed outright.” He jerked his chin at the floor. “You see these tiles? They’re made of shadowstone. Do you know how shadowstone was created?”

I shook my head.

“Dragon fire. Not the draken, but their ancestors. Shadowstone is what became of any life form burned by dragon fire—from trees to mortals, even the Ancients. Perhaps even a few Arae.” He laughed, clearly amused by that idea.

Meanwhile, my stomach churned as I thought about all the shadowstone in just this one chamber, let alone throughout Iliseeum and the deposits in the mortal realm—like my lake and the Shadow Temples.

Wait.

The floor of my lake was originally trees or people?

More importantly, the entire exterior of the House of Haides had been constructed from it, as was the grand staircase in the foyer, the walls of many of the chambers, and even some of the floor.

Well, that was something I could’ve gone my entire life not knowing.

“That’s…a lot of melted-down people,” I murmured, my lip curling.