The War of Two Queens (Blood and Ash 4)

“Or what?” Malik inclined his head in an act that was so shockingly similar to Casteel’s, I thought maybe there really was something about sibling mannerisms. “You’re going to make me?”

Casteel’s laugh was dry. “I don’t think you have to worry about me making you do shit.”

“True,” Malik murmured, smirking as his gaze flicked to me. A moment passed. “Cas is right. Millie…she would’ve been a god if she’d survived the Culling. She didn’t.”

“Wait a second,” Reaver said, wiping crumbs from his mouth with the back of his hand. “That Handmaiden is Poppy’s sister?”

Kieran sighed. “Where have you been?”

“Not in the kitchen,” Reaver snapped. “Obviously.”

The wolven rolled his eyes.

Reaver focused on Malik. “Ires is the father?” When Malik nodded, the draken’s brows flew up. “Oh, shit. She’s going to be…” He shook his head, taking another bite. “If that is true, the Handmaiden would’ve needed blood—”

“She has a name,” Malik interrupted, his tone flat. “It’s Millicent.”

Reaver cocked his head to the side, and for a moment, I feared there might be fire. “Millicent would’ve needed powerful blood to complete the Ascension into godhood. Meaning, she would’ve needed the blood of a god. Or a descendant of the gods.” He gestured at Malik. “An Atlantian, for example. Elemental. The blood is stronger in them, but there’s no guarantee it would’ve been enough. There’s never a guarantee.” He looked at me. “You could’ve even died.”

Casteel stiffened.

“I didn’t,” I reminded him, which felt silly to do because, obviously, I hadn’t.

“It wasn’t enough for Millie,” Malik confirmed. “Your blood wasn’t strong enough.”

My stomach hollowed as I turned to Casteel.

“What the fuck?” he whispered.

“Isbeth took your blood while she held you captive and gave it to Millie, hoping it would be enough. But you were too weak at that point. Isbeth hadn’t taken your captivity and what it would do to you into consideration.”

Casteel stared at Malik, his features sharpening and becoming starker. I stepped in closer to him. He was just as shocked as I was.

“But Isbeth has Ires,” Kieran said. “Why couldn’t she use his blood?”

“The cage Isbeth keeps him in nullifies the eather in his blood, rendering him powerless, and his blood useless,” Malik explained. “Another thing she hadn’t exactly considered. That’s why she kept you alive when she had other Atlantians killed. She needed your blood.”

I pressed my fingers to my temple as Casteel’s hand started moving again up and down my back. “Then how did she become a Revenant?”

“Callum,” Malik answered. “He showed Isbeth what to do.”

“The golden fuck?” Casteel growled.

“How old is this…Callum?” Reaver’s eyes narrowed.

“Old. Don’t know exactly. Don’t know where he even came from, but he’s real old. Callum knew how to make Revenants. It’s magic. Old, Primal stuff.” Malik’s jaw worked. “As fucked up as Isbeth is—and none of you truly knows how fucked that actually is—she loves her daughters. In her own twisted way.”

My stomach gave another sinking twist.

“She couldn’t let Millie die, so she used that old magic. And because Millie had eather in her blood, it worked,” Malik said after a moment. “It saved her, and she became the first daughter, and Isbeth started plotting for another chance. A second daughter.”

First daughter.

The full prophecy Tawny had shared with me had referenced the first daughter with blood full of fire and fated for the once-promised King. Good gods, we had even hypothesized that it had referred to Malik.

This Handmaiden was my sister, the first daughter spoken of in Penellaphe’s prophecy, and we…

“We are truly the product of a madwoman’s thirst for vengeance.”

“No.” Casteel turned to me, lowering his mug. “You are more than that. You always have been.”

I was. I repeated that over and over until it felt true.

Malik smiled tightly. “Millie should’ve kept her mouth shut about who she truly is. Only a handful of people know, and most of them are dead now.” His gaze shifted to his brother. “She knew what would happen if she told someone that little secret. That person would be killed, and Millie would bear the brunt of Isbeth’s displeasure.”

I stiffened.

“So, it’s got me wondering, why would she tell you that? There had to be a reason for her to take such a risk.” Malik stared at his brother, unflinching. “Wasn’t there, Cas?”

Casteel had set his mug aside. “She said some shit.”

His brother’s lips thinned. “I bet she did.”

The hand on my back slipped away as Casteel stepped forward. Kieran tensed where he sat, his eyes burning a pale, luminous blue.

“Let me clarify,” Casteel said, his voice dropping low in that soft, deceptive way it did that was often a prelude to someone being relieved of a vital organ. “She said some stuff that may be true, and other stuff that’s definitely bullshit.”

Malik chuckled. “Sounds to me like she said what you didn’t want to hear.”

“You know what I want to hear?” Casteel’s chin dipped. “Why you’re here. Why you’re helping us now.”