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

“Great,” I grumbled, my attention shifting to the doors. I wasn’t in the mood for this.

However, Callum was in the mood. “His Majesty may have only stated his…personal reasons for wanting to Ascend as the Primal of Life and Death. Blood and Bone,” he said. “But it was not the only reason.”

Since I didn’t believe for one second that Kolis cared about the realms, I wasn’t even going to bother arguing about it.

Callum watched me, his normal pleasant half-smile returning. “It’ll only be worse for you later when Kolis realizes the truth.”

“Sure, Cal,” I muttered. “In case you’ve forgotten, you were standing right there when Ione confirmed that I was speaking the truth.”

“She lied.”

My chest knotted as I made another pass in front of Callum, my hand pressing against the golden rope belt at my waist. The goddess had lied, and dear gods, if Kolis ever discovered that? I doubted she would live long. But I nibbled on my lower lip and reminded myself that Ione knew the risks. She had to either know what had been done courtesy of the Primal she served, or she was one of the many spies loyal to Ash spread across the Courts. It was quite possible that he’d mentioned her name before and I simply couldn’t recall it.

“I think you’re in denial,” I said finally.

“I’m not.”

“You must be if you think any god would risk inciting Kolis’s wrath.”

“You’d be surprised how foolishly the gods can behave,” he remarked. “I know you’re not her.”

I sighed, walking to the table. There were multiple unused glasses. New ones were brought in daily, and I had to assume it was done to prepare for a visit from Kolis. Resisting a shudder, I poured myself some of the bubbly water.

“And you’re right. Charlatan is far too fancy a word for you.” His gaze lowered to my throat. “I can think of another.”

I stilled. My hair was down, but it had fallen over my shoulder, baring the side of my neck with the fading bite.

“Perhaps whore is more to your liking?”

Grip tightening on the pitcher’s handle, I carefully placed it back on the table. “Do you remember what I promised you the other day?”

“Probably not,” he said after a beat of silence. “You’re as insignificant to me as you claim I am to you.”

Glass in hand, I faced him. “I promised to kill you.”

“Oh.” Callum laughed, the sound light and airy. “Sure, Sera.”

I walked back to the bars, a storm of anger building inside me just as it had when Kolis held me in his arms. “I will. One day, I will discover how you can be killed, and I will make your death the thing of nightmares,” I swore, and this time, I zeroed in on the hum in my chest, and I didn’t shove it back.

Summoning the embers as I had before, I let them come to the surface. Silvery essence sparked from the skin on my arms as the chandelier above Callum began to sway. And then…then, something else happened.

It was almost as if the embers took control, or maybe the knowledge held within them did—ancient wisdom that I tapped into on some unconscious level, like when the lightning bolt had briefly appeared for me.

My chin dipped, and my lips curled as a white mist seeped in at the windows. It flowed across the ceiling, thickening and spreading, becoming clouds—rapidly darkening, ominous clouds.

A storm.

A storm to mirror what I felt inside.

Lightning streaked from cloud to cloud, charging the air. A clap of thunder followed, causing Callum to jump. He whipped back around.

The storm I had created quickly dissipated, leaving a dull throbbing in my temples and my heart pounding. Closing my eyes, I took a sip of the fruity water.

Tapping into that power probably wasn’t wise, especially after Kolis’s feeding. I didn’t know exactly how much essence I could use before I weakened myself, or exactly what the embers would decide to do. But when I opened my eyes, I saw that I’d accomplished what I wanted.

Callum had stopped smiling. The skin below the golden mask was pale. Our gazes locked, and I felt the embers hum.

The doors swung open. Neither of us turned, even though my stomach suddenly shifted unsteadily. We both knew who’d entered.

“Why,” Kolis began, “is it that you two look as if you’re seconds from committing some atrocious act upon each other every time I enter this chamber?”

That had to be the most accurate observation I’d ever heard.

As Callum turned to him and opened his mouth, I beat him to it this time. “He still doesn’t believe I’m Sotoria.”

Callum’s jaw tightened, and he took a step back as Kolis strode forward. Making sure I felt nothing, I looked at the Primal and then focused on the important things. I searched for any sign that he’d been around Ash. There was none. He looked just as he had when he’d been here before. Then again, what kind of sign would there be? Still, a tempest of disappointment brewed within me, much like the storm clouds I’d summoned moments earlier.

“He’s just in denial,” Kolis answered, approaching the cage. I sipped the water.

Watching Kolis unlock the door with a wave of his hand, I could almost feel the oppressive weight of his arms around me. My hand trembled slightly as I lifted my glass, and my back stiffened.

Kolis stopped at the cage door. “It’s not every day that one learns their sister has truly returned to them.”





CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE





Sister?

Choking on the water, I spit some out as I coughed, staring wide-eyed at the false King.

Kolis’s mouth spread into an untried, lopsided smile. “Are you all right?”

“No,” I wheezed, flapping my hand in front of my wide, stinging eyes. There was no way I’d heard him correctly. No way. “What did you just say?”

Kolis’s forehead creased and then smoothed out. “Ah, you don’t remember. He is your brother, your younger brother.”

My stare remained fixed on the false King, so paralyzed by the shock of his revelation that I wasn’t even thinking of that thing he’d done to me. “You can’t be serious. He’s not…” I couldn’t even bring myself to say it. The fact that Callum was Sotoria’s brother and not mine didn’t matter.

“I’m not what?” Callum demanded.

“Sane?” I snapped. “Likable? Reasonable? Not vomit-inducing or the opposite of a murderer?”

“Charming yet again,” Callum retorted. “She’s Sotoria but doesn’t know I’m her brother?” His lips pursed. “She recognized me the last time we met.”

“She does not remember those lives,” Kolis told him as he entered the cage, his eyes…gods, his eyes fucking twinkled. “Souls reborn don’t have memories.”

“She did last time,” Callum countered.

“That was different, and you know it,” Kolis said. “Her life was restored. She was not reborn.”

“Whatever,” Callum muttered, glaring at the opposite wall. And, man, if looks could kill, that wall would be, well…it’d still be a wall, but the Revenant looked…

He looked as disturbed as I felt.

Dear gods, could this really be Sotoria’s brother?