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

“She lies,” I said, unsure why as her stare shot back to me. I smiled.

Actually, I was lying to myself now. I knew exactly why I’d spoken up. Veses wasn’t just lying to protect Ash. She was also safeguarding herself. After all, the deal she’d made with Ash was to keep my existence unknown to Kolis in exchange for Ash allowing her to feed from him.

“Do tell,” Kolis murmured.

It would’ve been wise of me to keep quiet. Exposing Veses could expose Ash, but my pettiness and spitefulness had their claws in me. “She saw me in the Shadowlands.”

“Really?” Kolis drew out the word.

“More than once,” I confirmed. “The first time was shortly after I arrived.”

Veses inhaled sharply, and my smile kicked up a notch.

“Interesting.” Kolis’s chest brushed my back as he leaned forward. “What task did I entrust you with?”

Her lower lip quivered. “Keeping an eye on Nyktos.”

My entire body flashed hot. This was new.

“And how well have you been keeping an eye on him? No—” Kolis held up a hand. “Don’t answer. It’s obvious to me that it’s not nearly close enough.”

Unfortunately, he was wrong about that.

“You were aware of her presence in the Shadowlands, yet you did not share that information with me,” he said. “Why is that?”

Better yet, why was he even asking that question? He’d known about me long before Veses ever did.

“I…I didn’t think her presence mattered.” Her upper lip curled. “She was just some mortal.”

“You are so incredibly wrong in your assumptions.” Kolis’s voice rumbled with excitement.

He was enjoying himself.

That was why he was asking irrelevant questions. It was a game to him, inquiring about things he knew one could be backed into a corner with if they weren’t careful enough with their answers. Just as he’d enjoyed manipulating me into killing Evander, he derived pleasure from the power he wielded as the King—power over me and the other Primals and gods.

“I know you haven’t been able to sense Ascensions in quite some time,” Kolis continued. “I find it hard to believe that you could not sense what is within her when you were keeping such a close eye on Nyktos. When you were aware of Primal energy being used.”

“Why would I ever think a mortal would have anything to do with that?” she countered.

I could barely resist rolling my eyes. This conversation was so pointless. Kolis had known I carried the embers since I was born. Veses also knew I had them. She’d suspected I was the one everyone had felt. I’d later confirmed it by healing Reaver. So, both were lying.

And one of them was getting pissed off.

Kolis’s fingers stilled. “You must have thought something if you didn’t tell me about her at all.”

“Her presence simply slipped my mind.” Eather brightened in her irises. “There isn’t much about her to remember.”

I did roll my eyes then.

“You are by far the most beautiful of our kind, even more so than Maia.” Kolis’s compliment brought color to Veses’ cheeks, a pretty pink flush of appreciation. “And yet I’ve often wondered how one as beautiful as you can have such a cruel tongue.”

Her chest rose sharply, and whatever earlier fear had resulted from his disapproval was gone. “You know why.”

My brows lifted as I suddenly felt like I was on the verge of witnessing a really awkward conversation.

“Do I?” Kolis leaned back. “You will need to refresh my memory.”

Ringlets brushed her waist as she stepped closer to the throne. “You truly forget?” In Kolis’s silence, she let out a soft, melodic laugh, reminding me of the Veses I’d interacted with. “Come now, why must you taunt me so?”

Kolis remained quiet.

She pulled her plump lower lip between her teeth as she knelt at our legs. “It’s the same reason I agreed to keep an eye on Nyktos,” she said, the words practically vibrating out of her.

“Agreed?” Kolis repeated softly. “I do not recall giving you a choice.”

She lifted a slender shoulder as she bent forward. My eyes dropped to her chest, able to see the pink of her areolae, and if I was looking, Kolis had to be. I didn’t care what he’d claim. “You are right. There was no choice when I would do anything for you.”

“Out of duty and loyalty.”

“Out of the need for your approval,” she purred, and I might’ve puked a little in my mouth. “Your attention.” Red-tipped fingers toyed with the scalloped lace along the swells of her breasts. “And your love.”

Damn it, I was right.

This was getting even more awkward, really fast.

“I’m not sure you know what love is, Veses.”

Good gods, the irony of him saying that...

“I do.” Thick lashes fluttered. “Love is why I would do anything for you, Kolis.” She paused. “Anything. If you asked me to cry tears of gold for you, I would find a way to do so.”

“I know.” Heat radiated from Kolis. “If I asked you to take a blade to your throat, you would do so without hesitation.” He sounded way too pleased by the prospect. “If I told you to suck my cock, you’d wrap your mouth around it before I could take another breath.”

Gross.

Apparently, Veses didn’t find that as disgusting as I did. Moaning, her eyes became hooded. “Happily.”

As I stared at her, watching her all but grope her breasts, I couldn’t help but acknowledge how incredibly messed up all of this was. Veses cared for Ash, but if she spoke the truth, she knew what love led one to do. She very well might love the false King, who was also in love with another who wanted nothing to do with him. Or perhaps that was why she believed she was in love with him. Veses was known to covet and fixate on what she could not have.

Either way, it was like being stuck in a toxic circle of rejection and unrequited love.

Eather shone from the thin slits of her eyes. “Ask this of me, Your Majesty, and I would do so right here before the Court.”

“Well, that would be somewhat difficult at the moment, wouldn’t it?” I said before I could stop myself, half-afraid that it would happen despite Kolis’s professed love for Sotoria—and by extension, me. I would seriously vomit all over both of them.

Kolis chuckled.

“Unfortunately.” Her eyes narrowed on me then. “Why are you even here?” She turned her attention back to Kolis. “I was under the impression that she was crowned as Nyktos’s Consort.”

“You would be wrong yet again if you believe that.”

My jaw clenched.

Veses’ lashes lowered as she glanced at me. A moment passed. “So, you didn’t give your permission?”

“I did not.”

The Primal goddess also knew that was a lie. “Then can I assume her presence is punishment?”

“Quite the opposite,” he said, and I could hear the eager smile in his tone. “She is here because this is where I want her.”

“For what?” One brow rose. “To keep your lap warm? I’m sure I could find you something not so…crushing.”

My eyes rolled once more, this time so far back I wouldn’t have been surprised if they got stuck.

“There’s that dagger-sharp tongue again.”

She lifted a shoulder in response, looking me over.

“Apologize.”