“You took how many with you?” La’Sere’s armor creaked as she leaned toward the table. “Two hundred?”

  “Two hundred and fifty,” Valyn corrected.

  “Fucking gods,” Kieran muttered.

  We knew some gods would side with Kolis, but that many? We hadn’t expected that. “Did this Varus have anything to say?”

  My father exhaled as he lifted his gaze to mine. “Only that we would receive word from Kolis soon.”

  CHAPTER 45

  POPPY

  I was still trying to get past the shock of what I realized—felt—when he first entered the chamber. Something that I hadn’t been able to sense before my Ascension.

  Valyn had been keeping more secrets than previously known.

  Big ones.

  But at the moment, I couldn’t really focus on that. What he’d just said took center stage.

  We’d be hearing from Kolis soon.

  My lips pressed into a thin line as Kieran frowned. “That’s all?”

  “That’s it,” Valyn confirmed. “Then he disappeared from the Rise, and we left without further incident.”

  “His message sounds more like a threat to me,” Casteel noted, his finger tapping off the side of his glass.

  He was right.

  “That puts us at a serious disadvantage,” Sven said, lifting his glass as he glanced at Emil. “And I know that’s obvious, but I felt it needed to be stated.”

  Murin looked so pale I thought he might pass out as Emil navigated Reaver’s tail. “We have one god—”

  “You have three Primal gods,” I interrupted, leaving out the Deminyen part.

  Valyn’s head swung in Casteel’s direction.

  “And I think that evens out the playing field,” I finished.

  “You really think that?” Gayla asked, no challenge in her voice.

  “Were you in Lowertown when the ceeren attacked?” When she nodded, Casteel smiled tightly. “Then you know what your Queen is capable of.”

  “A god perished in Lowertown,” Aylard graciously reminded those within the sandstone walls.

  “A god sacrificed himself for the realms,” I fired back. “And his name was Rhahar.”

  “Fuck,” Valyn muttered, dragging a hand over his face. “Malik told me what happened in Lowertown, but I didn’t know it was Rhahar.” He lowered his hand and looked toward Casteel. “So, what does this mean for you?” He jerked his chin at Kieran. “And Kieran, I assume?”

  Casteel smiled as he let the essence rise to the surface. There were several curses and gasps when the shadows made an appearance.

  Malik sat up and leaned away. “Gods, fucking unnecessary,” he muttered.

  Valyn simply stared, the paperweight nearly falling from his grasp. “That’s…unexpected.”

  Smirking, Casteel turned his stare on Aylard. The Elemental quickly found the wall across from him very interesting.

  “Wait.” Vonetta twisted toward her brother. “Are you telling me you can do that?”

  “I got the other side of Poppy’s abilities.” His brows rose as he took a drink. “And no, I’m not into show-and-tell like Cas.”

  For a moment, I thought Vonetta might punch her brother.

  The eather within me suddenly rose, responding to the more intense pulse in Casteel. Kieran felt it, too. We both looked at him.

  His jaw flexed as he attempted to calm the essence in him.

  “Does Kolis know about you two?” Valyn asked.

  “I don’t believe so,” Casteel said.

  Eyeing his glass, Valyn nodded. “Then that is an advantage.”

  “It’s not our only advantage,” I shared. “Another Primal god will be arriving soon. An old one.” I glanced at Valyn as I drew my lip between my teeth. “A god of war.”

  Valyn’s knuckles had bleached white from how tightly he held the paperweight. One quick glance at Casteel and his brother revealed that both had noticed it.

  “A Primal God of War?” Sven questioned. “Theon? Lailah?”

  “No. A much older Primal god,” I said, quickly explaining that it was a Primal who’d abdicated his crown and Court upon going into stasis.

  Sven knew what the Courts meant. Half the chamber did not. As I explained it, I noticed how Casteel watched his father. Valyn stared straight ahead, his hand closing and loosening around the paperweight. I opened my senses. He had his shields up, probably because of my presence since he didn’t know that Kieran or Cas could also read emotions now, but there were cracks in it. That surprised me. He was as hard as Casteel to pick up emotion from, but he was exhausted, and his mind was likely on many things.

  What I picked up from him wasn’t exactly unease. Uncertainty, maybe? There was something under it, though. The nutty flavor of resolve or acceptance.

  Valyn’s gaze met mine, and I could tell he realized I knew. I thought back to how Seraphena had suggested Casteel speak to his father about how she had interfered in the War of Two Kings. But did that mean Seraphena knew who Valyn was? What he was? How could she not?

  “And when is this Primal god coming?” Gayla asked.

  “Soon,” I said. “But that was all we were told.” I cleared my throat. “The Queen of the Gods also shared that she, and by extension Iliseeum, would give aid. There will only be so much they can do given the effect the Primal gods tied to Courts have on the mortal realm while in it, but we are not standing against Kolis alone.”

  There were several nods from around the table, but I could easily sense the building unease.

  “We need to decide what our next course of action should be,” Lizeth said, drawing my attention.

  “I spoke with the King earlier regarding a public address,” Hisa stated from where she sat beside the female wolven. “After speaking with Sven and some of our commanders, I believe we can do that tomorrow.”

  “I feel it’s important to assure the people that we will do everything we can to keep them safe and that they hear it from us,” I said when several pairs of eyes landed on me. “Especially after the attack on Lowertown. But regarding Kolis?” I glanced at Valyn. “Was there any indication what kind of shape Kolis is in?”

  “No.” Valyn sighed.

  I let out a frustrated breath. “And how long ago did Varus give you his message?”

  The skin at the corners of Valyn’s eyes crinkled. “Close to two days ago.”

  My gaze met Casteel’s as I opened the notam to him and Kieran. We’re not going to learn what kind of condition Kolis is in without going there ourselves.

  Agreed, Kieran communicated. We need to decide whether we wait to see what Kolis’s next move is or make one ourselves.

  My gaze swept over Lizeth and Hisa, and I thought about what I’d overheard them say to each other before. Be careful, but be brave.

  Hopefully, Attes arrives soon, I told them. But I don’t think we should wait long and let Kolis make another move. He attacked us twice already.

  Nor do I, Casteel replied, his gaze lifting and sweeping over the generals. “We need to prepare for battle.”

  We decided to send scouts to watch the road for any movement. Ships would also be sent north toward the Bay of Bones, which lay between the ports of Pensdurth and Carsodonia.

  And both were decided with the knowledge that Kolis and those two hundred and some gods wouldn’t need horses or ships to reach the capital.

  Siege plans were discussed before things cycled back to the public address. Murin brought up his concerns regarding possibly inciting panic, and I honestly had no idea how either conversation ended. My thoughts were consumed by the fact that we could hear from Kolis at any moment. I hadn’t even realized people were standing to leave until Casteel touched my arm.

  Blinking, I looked over at him. He didn’t say anything, but his gaze was heavy with concern. I quickly scanned the chamber, spying Valyn by the door. Pushing thoughts of Kolis aside for the moment, I glanced around the chamber, no longer seeing Malik.

  Damn it.

  “We need to speak to your father,” I announced. “Now.”

  Casteel’s brows drew together, but he didn’t question me as I shoved back from the table and stood. Reaching out through the notam, I asked Kieran to follow.

  Hurrying from the table, I hated not lingering to speak with Vonetta since it felt like a small eternity since I’d spoken with her, but this couldn’t be delayed.

  When I crossed the chamber and stepped out into the hall, Valyn was no longer at the doorway. I saw him standing several doors down with his back to me.

  Delano and Naill moved to follow us, but I motioned for them to stay back, even though I knew Kieran trailed behind us. Valyn’s shoulders squared as I approached. “We need to talk,” I said, my voice low.

  “I know.” He thrust a hand through his hair. “Somewhere private.”

  I glanced around, seeing one of the halls that led toward the Queen’s Garden. My lip curled, but it would work. “Follow me.”

  I didn’t wait for him to answer; just headed toward the rounded archway, passing the guards stationed there. They bowed their heads and turned, prepared to follow. “Please stay at your posts,” I told them as we walked out into air that was even cooler than that morning—too cold.

  We were quiet as we crossed under the breezeway and stepped onto the path. Weeds had begun to grow between the marble pavers, something I couldn’t remember ever seeing as a child. It worsened as we passed under the stone arbor. Creeping vines had found their way across the path, the small yellow blooms wilted due to the cold. Hedges once neatly trimmed had begun to blur at the edges and grew irregularly. Hardier blooms had spilled from their mulched beds as I veered from where the night-blooming roses grew. I kept walking, wanting to ensure we were far enough away from prying eyes and ears. We walked past the branches of the jacaranda trees, their limbs heavy with trumpet-shaped blooms that were a dull shade of pink instead of their normal vibrant hue.

  A marble statue of who I assumed was Aios appeared behind the overgrown hedges. Stopping, my gaze swept over the spikes of blueish-purple blooms and the carpet of tiny white flowers at the foot of the statue that reminded me of snow. I turned, checking the distance between the castle and us.

  “This should work,” I said, noting that Kieran lingered just beyond the jacaranda trees, close enough to hear but not too close. Casteel stood in front of some bushy shrubs, his boots planted on the pink petals the blossoms had shed. I made sure I stayed close because I had no idea how he would respond to this.

  Valyn sat on a stone bench and dropped his arms onto his thighs, staring at where his hands dangled between his knees.

  “Does anyone want to tell me why we’re out here?” Casteel asked, crossing his arms.

  “Your father has something he wants to share,” I suggested.

  “He does?” Casteel arched a brow and stared down at his father’s bowed head.

  My eyes narrowed on Valyn. He’d better.

  Lifting his gaze to mine, Valyn cleared his throat. “I don’t know where to start.”

  Casteel stiffened, and Kieran stepped forward, his gaze fixed on him.

  I could easily think of where. “You’re not Atlantian.”

  “What the fuck?” whispered Casteel, and I inched closer, letting my shoulder rest against his.

  “I am Atlantian,” Valyn said, glancing at his son. He looked like he’d aged years in the time it took for us to come out here.

  “I can sense the eather in you, Valyn.” I had my suspicions regarding what he was, especially with Setti, and where the bloodsteed had been discovered. And, of course, with what Seraphena had mentioned. “You are not just an Atlantian. And I’m betting it has something to do with Attes.”

  Valyn turned his head slightly at the name. “I’m half-Atlantian. My mother was an Elemental, and…”

  “Your father?” It was almost as if he couldn’t say it.

  “Was—is—a god,” he admitted. Casteel’s body was so taut he practically vibrated with the tension. “My father went to sleep when the rest of the gods did.” Exhaling heavily, he reached back to rub his neck. “I imagine he’s awake now. Likely in…Vathi.”

  “Your father?” I shifted my weight as the air hummed with the rise of eather. A breeze picked up, stirring the jacarandas’ limbs.

  He nodded. “He’s Attes’s son.”

  Casteel looked at me, and I let out a long breath and nodded. “Fucking gods,” he muttered, unfolding his arms to shove the hair back from his eyes. “Attes is my great-grandfather?”

  “He is,” Valyn said, his gaze searching his son’s face.

  “And exactly who is your father?” Casteel demanded as I leaned into his side. I ignored the faint charge of energy that danced from his body to mine. After a moment, the contact seemed to help him. Some of the tension faded from his body. “Since I’m guessing it wasn’t the man you claimed died when you were a boy.”

  Valyn took a deep breath. “Elian.”

  “That’s…” Casteel trailed off, shaking his head as my suspicions were confirmed. The history I’d heard was that Elian was an ancestor, perhaps a great-grandfather, and King of Atlantia at some point before Valyn. And I didn’t think anything Casteel had been told disputed that.

  “I know you probably think this is just another lie—”

  “If it isn’t that,” he interrupted his father, “what would you call it?”

  “I’d call it something I was warned to never speak of,” Valyn replied. “Not even your mother knows.”

  That surprised me. Clearly, Casteel was shocked, too, because he went silent. Then, so did his father. I glanced at Kieran. His face was blank, but I assumed he was just as shocked.

  “Why don’t you tell us what you are?” I said, ending the tense silence. “You’re not a godling.” That was the result of a mortal and a god, and obviously something that hadn’t happened in many years. The vadentia was silent on what happened when it came to a god—who was apparently only two generations removed from the Ancients—and an Elemental Atlantian.

  “No. I’m a…demigod,” he muttered, dropping his hand as he looked up. “Not a demis or a deity. Just a demigod.”

  “Just a…?” A short laugh escaped Casteel. “Can you harness the essence?”

  “I’ve remained in the mortal realm far too long for that. I have more in me than a normal Elemental, but I can’t summon it.” He looked away from Casteel with a heavy sigh. “Not like you can.”

  Slowly, it all clicked. “You weren’t born in the mortal realm.”

  “No, my father took my mother back to Iliseeum before she gave birth.”

  My brows knitted as I turned sideways. “Why would he have done that, knowing it would weaken you?”

  “I can’t answer that, Penellaphe. My father rarely spoke of it or how any of it came about.” He cleared his throat and straightened. “He wanted to pretend he was just an Elemental—and he pulled it off somehow.”

  I watched the pink blossoms sway behind Kieran’s still form. “Magic,” I whispered, my neck tingling. Powerful, old magic. “Was it because of the war with the deities?”

  “I used to think so.” Valyn squinted as he stared at the statue. “But he was hiding what he was before the war. Again, it wasn’t something he talked about, and I knew not to bring it up.”

  “Why?” Casteel bit out the word.

  “Apparently, my grandfather had…” He dragged his hand over the stubble on his jaw. “All I was ever told was that Attes angered the Fates by messing with the threads of his bloodline. I’m not sure exactly why that would do such a thing, but I know damn well I wasn’t the first demigod. I might not even be the last.”

  I mouthed threads of their bloodline. I supposed that made sense if Attes wasn’t supposed to reproduce. But why would that be the case? Why would the Fate’s—

  And the second daughter, with blood full of ash and ice…

  The prophecy.

  Blood full of ash and ice. What did that mean? My thoughts raced. From blood and ash… Ash could mean ruin. Destruction. Their kingdom rose from blood and ruin. But ice? I wasn’t sure. The answer felt like it was right in front of my face, but I couldn’t see it.

  I held my arms tighter to my chest. “And that was all?”

  “Besides that, and Elian warning me to keep my bloodline to myself, yes.” His eyes met mine—eyes so much like his sons’. Like Attes’s. My chest squeezed as he said, “And that’s the truth, Casteel. Shit.” He dropped his hands to his knees and rubbed them. “Just talking about it has me half-expecting the Arae to appear.”

  If they did, they would have me to contend with. And right now, I doubted they wanted to test how that would pan out. “I think they know better.”

  Valyn frowned.

  I quickly moved on. “I kept thinking there had to be something up with your bloodline—why the essence seemed to be…stronger in you than in Kieran,” I told Casteel as I glanced somewhat apologetically toward Kieran, who returned my look with the enthusiasm of a rock. “Like how you can shift already.”

  Valyn’s brows went up as Casteel cut his stare to me.

  “And then there is Setti.” I stopped to look at Valyn.

  He leaned back on the bench, reminding me of Malik when he’d taken the paperweight.

  “You do know what Setti is, right?” I asked.

  “I do—and no, I don’t know how or when he ended up on my father’s estate. Or why.”

  Casteel said nothing to that as he crossed his arms once more.

  Something occurred to me. “Can other gods sense you?”

  “I think they may sense something. Like I feel different than other Elementals. But not that I’m a demigod,” he said, glancing back at Cas and then me. “Why couldn’t he sense it?” Then his gaze snapped to the trees. “Or Kieran, for that matter?”

  “Good question.” Casteel’s expectant gaze turned to me. “And don’t say it’s because you’re special.”

  I snapped my mouth shut. Damn it. “I don’t know why neither you nor Kieran felt it. It probably has to do with me being a Primal of Life and Death.” Another thing occurred to me. “And I guess the draken never sensed it either…or just failed to mention they sensed all that essence in you.”