“A little.”

I let out a rough, biting laugh. “Nyktos? The Primal of Death, afraid of a mortal girl?”

His breath teased my jaw. “I am not foolish enough to underestimate a mortal, female or not. Especially after what I just saw you do,” he said. “And don’t call me that.”

I frowned. “Nyktos? That’s your name.”

“I am not that to you.”

I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to be offended by that or not, but whatever. Calling him Ash was far easier than using the name that meant death.

My gaze skipped over the floor to where his arms were folded across my chest. His skin tone was several shades deeper than mine in the sunlight, and smooth under the dusting of hair. “You don’t have scales for flesh.”

“What?”

Tavius’s taunt still echoed in my thoughts as I closed my eyes, and I felt my control slip once more, letting out something other than anger. It was a rawness that came in a rush. “You rejected me.”

His hold loosened.

“And worse yet, you didn’t even realize who I was, did you?” I said, not faking the hoarseness in my voice. I wished that was an act.

A wake of tingles erupted as Nyktos’ arms slid away from me. Warm air rolled over my back and shoulders. “I always knew who you were.”

My eyes flew open, and I turned to face him. “You did?”

Quicksilver eyes fixed on mine. “I knew who you were when I stopped you from getting yourself killed when you went after those gods.”

He…he’d known and hadn’t said anything? He knew and appeared surprised by my anger?

“You knew who I was then and said nothing? You knew the night we found that body and didn’t say a word? And the night at the lake?” A tremor worked its way through me. “You knew then and didn’t tell me what the name Ash was short for?”

He bit his lower lip as he glanced at the still-impaled body. “I have a feeling if I answer that question honestly, you will be inclined to go back on your promise.”

“I’m already halfway there,” I snapped before I could stop myself. I stepped forward, lowering my voice. “You made a deal. You didn’t fulfill it, Ash.”

His jaw locked as his gaze returned to mine. “Why do you think I’m here now?”

Chapter 21

Why do you think I’m here now?

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. The floor felt like it was trembling under me again. It took several moments for me to fully register what he’d said. What it could mean. “You…you are here to fulfill the deal?”

“What other choice do we have?” Ash stated. “I cannot leave you here, not after this.” He extended his arm to Tavius’s slumped body. “Princess or Consort, you murdered an heir apparent King.”

I blinked. “You were getting ready to kill him.”

“I was.” He looked back at me. “But I am a Primal. Your mortal laws regarding killing pieces of shit men do not apply to me. You wanted his death.” His silver eyes brightened. “I do not doubt for one second that you earned it.”

I had. Many times over. But… “You’re only fulfilling the deal so I don’t face the executioner’s block?”

 “Is that now just occurring to you?” His brows furrowed as incredulity crept into his tone. “Wait. It is. Do you not value your life at all?”

I didn’t even bother answering that.

Barely leashed anger simmered beneath his skin. “You killed him believing that I would leave you to face the consequences?”

“I’m sorry, but why would I believe anything else? You refused to hold up the end of the deal you made.”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

A harsh laugh burst from me. “I know exactly what I’m talking about. I was ready to uphold the end of the bargain my forefather made. It was you who failed to do so. But it is the—” I stopped myself before I revealed my knowledge that the deal he’d made came with a time limit. If he realized that I knew that, he could discover that I knew even more. I forced the next words out. “It is I who paid for it.”

That muscle in his jaw ticked. “How exactly have you paid for it, Princess?” he challenged, and my spine stiffened. “You were given back your life, were you not? Your freedom to choose what to do and not do with it. Something I already know you value very highly.”

I gaped at him, heart skipping and then speeding up. “Do you really need to ask that question?”

His head jerked stiffly toward Tavius’s body and then slowly turned back to me. The eather whirled in his eyes. “How have you paid?”

There was no way in the entire vast kingdom I would speak to him of how my life had been. That I would ever peel back my skin like that and expose all those raw nerves. Maybe I already had based on the way he eyed me as if he were trying to pry his way into my thoughts.

“What led to this?” He took a measured step forward. “What did they do to you?”

His question pierced the chaotic storm of emotions. The sticky embarrassment that always accompanied thoughts of my family surged through me, and that was a blessing. It was familiar. Grounding. I latched onto it, finding Sir Holland’s instructions. I went through the steps until I no longer felt coated in shame, no longer felt as if I were about to suffocate.

“Impressive,” Ash murmured.

I stared at him. “What is?”

“You.”

My lip curled. Empty flattery was the last thing I needed. “You were…you were never going to come for me.” I already knew this, but having it confirmed was an entirely different thing. “Were you?”

“What I said three years ago has not changed,” he replied flatly. “What has is the situation. I will fulfill the deal now and take you as my Consort.”

My brows flew up. “You couldn’t sound less enthused if you tried.”

Ash said nothing.

It shouldn’t matter. All that did was that he was taking me as his Consort. That gave me a real opening. A chance. It gave the kingdom a real chance, but my mouth…gods, I had no control over it, and this was insulting. “And what if I don’t want to be your Consort?”

“It doesn’t matter what either of us wants now, liessa. This is the hand we’ve been dealt,” he said. “And we must go with it. I will not leave you here to be executed.”

I drew back in disbelief. “Am I supposed to be grateful for that?”

Ash smirked. “I wouldn’t dare ask for your gratitude. Not when this was inevitable. It was bound to happen one way or another.”

“Because you caused this!” I nearly shrieked. “You made the deal—”

“And I am here to honor it!” Ash shouted, startling me. His eyes were like pure chunks of ice. “There is no other choice. Not for you. Not now. Even if you managed to escape punishment for what happened here, I staked my claim on you in front of others. That will spread, eventually reaching the attention of the gods and other Primals. They will become curious about you. They may even believe you hold some sort of sway over me. They will use you, and whatever ways you have paid these past three years will pale in comparison to what they will do.”

I have plenty of enemies.

I clearly remembered him saying that. So many questions rose. I wanted to know more about these enemies—what exactly made them opponents. I wanted to know why they would want to sway him—what they hoped to gain from the Primal of Death. I really wanted to know who was bold enough to attempt to incite his anger. I had a lot of questions, but none of that mattered.

Neither did his reasons for deciding to finally fulfill the deal. I had insulted Tavius’s fragile ego, but mine was no better.

It could be pity or empathy, lust or a situation out of his control. The why behind it didn’t matter. The only thing that did was Lasania. I looked away from him, my gaze briefly falling on Tavius. I closed my eyes. What was I doing standing here arguing with him? That surely wouldn’t aid me in earning his affections and saving Lasania.