A Shadow in the Ember (Flesh and Fire 1)

Gemma looked at Aios first and then her gaze settled on me. Her entire body stiffened.

“I brought someone I think you need to meet,” Aios said as she sat on the bed beside Gemma. “This is Sera.”

The woman hadn’t taken her eyes off me. A tremor went through her. Her brown eyes were impossibly wide. I came to stand near the bed.

“I don’t know if you recognize me,” I started. “But I—”

“I recognize you,” she whispered. “I know what you did.”

Aios sighed. “Well, that was far easier than I expected it to go.” She twisted toward Gemma. “You could’ve just told me the truth.”

“I know. I know I should’ve, but I…I shouldn’t have said anything to Hamid. He’s dead because of me. That’s my fault. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say anything.” Tears tracked down Gemma’s cheeks as she shook. “I was just so caught off guard and wasn’t thinking—I know better. Gods, I know better than to say anything.”

“It’s okay.” Aios went to place a hand on the woman’s arm, halting when Gemma flinched. “We’re not going to hurt you.” Behind me, Bele made a low sound of disagreement, and Aios shot the other goddess a look of warning. “None of us is going to hurt you.”

“It’s not you all I’m afraid of.”

“I know. It’s Kolis,” Aios said quietly, and my gaze shot to her. The empathy in her voice came from a place of knowledge, as did the haunted look I’d seen in her eyes.

Gemma’s trembling ceased, but she paled even more. “I can’t go back there.”

“You don’t have to,” Aios promised.

“But it’s my fault that Hamid attacked her. There’s no way His Highness will let me stay here now.” Her grip on the blanket bleached her knuckles white.

“Did you tell Hamid to attack me?” I asked.

She shook her head. “Good gods, no.”

“Then I doubt Nyktos will hold you accountable,” I told her, and her eyes shot to mine. The hope and the fear of believing in that hope was clear in her stare. “He won’t force you to go anywhere you don’t want to,” I said, and I knew without a doubt that was true. “You don’t have to be afraid of that either.”

Aios nodded. “She speaks the truth.”

An ache pierced my chest at how evident it was that she wanted so desperately to believe that. “Only time will prove my words right, and I hope you give it that time and don’t do anything…reckless again,” I said, fully acknowledging the irony of me suggesting against something irresponsible. “What did you tell Hamid?”

Her chest rose with a deep breath as her stare dropped to her hands. “I…I knew I was dying,” she said softly. “When the other god found me? I knew I was dying, because I could barely feel his arms when he picked me up. And I…I know I died. I felt it—felt myself leaving my body. There was nothing for a couple of moments and then I saw two pillars—pillars as tall as the sky—with this bright, warm light between them.”

Tension crept into me. She was speaking about the Pillars of Asphodel and the Vale. Had Marisol experienced the same? I knew her soul would not linger for long. And if so, did she realize that she had been brought back? I swallowed, hoping that Ezra had been able to steer her away from that belief or, at the very least, ensure that she never spoke of it. If she did, it could place both of them in danger, especially if it got back to a god who served Kolis.

“I felt myself drifting toward it and then I was pulled back,” Gemma said. “I knew someone had brought me back.” Her head turned to me. “I knew it was you. I felt your touch. And when I looked at you, I just knew. I can’t explain it, but I did. It’s you he’s been looking for.”

“Kolis?” Bele demanded, and Gemma flinched again at the sound of his name. The woman nodded. “How did you know?”

“I was…” Gemma pulled the blanket closer to her waist. “I was his favorite for a bit. He kept me…” She swallowed, stretching her neck, and Aios closed her eyes. “He kept me close to him for a while. He said he liked my hair.” She reached up, absently touching one of the light strands. “He talked about this…power he felt. He spoke about it all the time. Obsessed over it and how he would do anything to find it. This presence. His graeca.”

“Graeca?” I repeated.

“It’s from the old language of the Primals,” Bele answered. “It means life, I believe.”

“It also means love.” Aios’s eyes had opened. She frowned as she glanced at me. “The word is interchangeable.”

“Like liessa?” I said, and she nodded. “Well, obviously, he is referencing life.” I imagined Kolis still believed that he was in love with Sotoria. “He felt the—the ripples of power I caused over the years. We know that.”