“Um,” I murmured as the draken cleared the Temple, dipping low. The end of her spiked tail skimmed the side of the cliff directly above Nektas, sending a shower of dirt down on him.
Wait. Wasn’t that the draken Nektas had visited to get information from? And hadn’t Reaver said he thought Nek was sweet on her?
Nektas grumbled, shaking off the dirt as he raised his head. Eyes narrowing, his head swiveled, thin wisps of smoke wafting from his nose. Aurelia tucked her wings to her sides, landing on a cliff above and off to the side of Nektas.
She was larger than both Ehthawn and Crolee, but Nektas dwarfed her as he rose onto all fours, baring his teeth—
Aurelia was fast, stretching out her neck and snapping at Nektas as the frills around her neck vibrated.
I tugged on the back of Ash’s shirt. “Should we be worried about this?”
“Should we? Probably,” he replied dryly. “Since this is their idea of flirting, and it tends to get a bit…aggressive.”
“Kind of like how you two flirt,” Saion tossed out as he strode past us.
“Rude,” I muttered.
Ash chuckled, sending a little quiver of surprise through me. Normally, he would’ve threatened Saion, or at the very least, shut him up with a glare, but the Ash I’d first met in the mortal realm? He was more relaxed, more playful. I was seeing a bit of that now, his more teasing nature— Nektas yelped as Aurelia nipped his neck when he got too close. He jerked back, his chest rumbling.
“Just think,” Attes neared us, “if they hook up, we’ll be kind of related.”
“What a thrilling prospect,” Ash stated.
Dragging my gaze from the two draken, I remembered the other draken Attes had spoken of. “Where’s Basilia?”
“Still making sure Kolis’s draken are busy,” Attes answered, his smile deepening as he turned from Ash. One dimple appeared. “Lailah, it’s been ages since I’ve seen you.”
“Has it?” the goddess remarked nonchalantly.
“It has.” A hint of a fang appeared as Attes strode past Kars, who gave him a wide berth. “The last time I visited the House of Haides, Theon claimed you were indisposed.”
“I was.” Lailah raised a brow as I saw Saion start to grin while his cousin scratched at his short, cropped hair. “I had a headache.”
“A headache?” Attes repeated.
“Yes.” She shifted her weight. “Strangely, it’s starting to return.”
The Primal laughed, and both dimples appeared. “I do believe you are insinuating that I am the cause of this headache.”
“You’re so incredibly astute.” She blinked her wide-set gold eyes. “Perhaps you should’ve been the Primal of Wisdom.”
“I detect sarcasm. You wound me.” Attes pressed his hand to his chest. “Deeply.”
“Not deeply enough,” muttered Lailah.
I tugged on Ash’s shirt again as I whispered, “Are they aggressively flirting?”
Ash’s eyes narrowed on them.
Lailah and Theon were from Vathi. How they’d ended up with Ash was a story not yet shared with me, but the way Attes eyed the goddess had me thinking there was history there that might also involve…aggressive flirting.
Ash faced the stairs. A moment later, Keella appeared, lifting a hand as everyone started to bow again. “Not necessary,” she assured the gods, but Kars and Rhain stilled bowed. She smiled at them. “I hope all is well?”
“Perfect. One second, please.” Ash’s head snapped to where Attes was currently circling Lailah. “Knock it the fuck off.”
Attes looked up through a lock of sandy-brown hair. Quiet fell across the Temple as Keella clasped her hands in front of the pale blue cloak she wore.
“She no longer serves in your Court,” Ash reminded him.
“Thank fuck,” Attes replied. “I would’ve lost complete control of my Court if she still did.”
That statement piqued my curiosity and then some.
Lailah’s response didn’t help. “It’s okay, Nyktos. I know how to handle him.”
“I can one hundred percent confirm that,” Attes said, sending a wink in Lailah’s direction. “With the fondest memories.”
Lailah’s eyes rolled.
Okay. Now, I was really curious.
“Yes.” Keella lifted her chin. “Everything seems completely…perfect.” She turned from them. “Attes filled me in. You have The Star?”
Blinking, I stopped paying attention to…well, whatever was going on. “I do.” The moment Keella’s stare landed on me, I did everything to keep from thinking about the last time she’d seen me. I lifted the wrapped diamond. “And he told you everything?”
Keella nodded as she glided forward, her sorrow-filled eyes lifting to Ash.
“So, back to the important stuff.” Bele hopped off the stone, tossing her apple core toward the draken. Nektas moved to catch it, but Aurelia got there first. “What is a star?”
“I assume it’s not what’s in the sky,” Rhahar said as the apple core—or half of it—got flung toward Nektas.
Oh, cute. They were…sharing food.
“It’s something no one but the Arae should possess.” Keella eyed the bundle I held. “Or should’ve ever created.”
“I can agree with that.”
“But if they hadn’t, then you would not be standing here with him.” Keella stopped in front of me. “There is always good in the bad.” Her gaze met mine, and the intensity of her stare made me squirm. “I understood then, just as I do now.”
I sucked in a short breath, knowing she was speaking of the last time we’d seen each other.
“Understand what?” Ash asked.
“That there is often good behind the bad,” she said. “Are you sure of what you saw in the diamond?”
Grateful for the subject change, I nodded as I glanced at Ash. I didn’t know if he wanted anyone else here to know.
Ash’s gaze held mine, then flicked to the others before returning to the diamond. “It’s my father’s soul. It’s in there.”
Bele’s mouth dropped open.
“Are you…？” Rhain had paled. He came forward, stopping several feet from us to stare at what I held.
“I am certain.” I carefully unwrapped the diamond, letting the flimsy torn silk drift to the floor.
The milky-white light throbbed inside The Star, pressing against its edges.
“Attes told you about Sotoria?” When Keella nodded, I could practically feel the questions bursting to break free of Bele, but she remained quiet.
“It’s doable, then?” Ash’s chest rose with a heavy breath. “Once my father’s soul is free?”
“Yes.”
“And you know how that is done?” he asked. “Will I be able to do it?”
“I do not imagine it’s like drawing out other souls,” she said, her delicate brows knitting. “If it works like transferring the embers, then the soul could likely only be summoned by the one who placed it there.”
Attes cursed, having left Lailah’s side. “That’s not going to happen.”