A Shadow in the Ember (Flesh and Fire 1)

“Thank you,” I whispered, and Nyktos closed his eyes. His features tensed—

“Nyktos,” Rhain called, his voice sounding as if it were full of gravel.

Opening his eyes, Nyktos looked over his shoulder. “What…?” He trailed off, rising slowly. “No.”

I saw Ector first. He was pale, eyes strangely glassy in the starlight. Then I noticed Aios, rocking back and forth, her cheeks damp. The pulse. I’d felt it. Slowly, I lowered my gaze to Bele. She was too still, too pale. My heart clenched as I pitched forward.

“No,” Nyktos repeated, walking stiffly toward them.

“The dagger was in her too long. Or it hit her heart when they moved us,” Aios said, her voice shaking. “She was fighting it. I saw her fighting it. She didn’t—” A ragged sound silenced the rest of her words.

Nyktos lowered himself beside Bele. He said nothing as he touched her cheek. His chest rose. There was no breath and no words, but the pain was etched into his features, brutal and heartbreaking.

A soft trilling sound drew my gaze to Nektas. He remained on the dais, lowering his head between his front talons. Red eyes met mine.

“I…I can help her,” I said, my heart speeding up.

Nyktos shook his head. “You have an ember of life in you. That is not enough to bring back a god.”

I rose, swaying slightly. Saion was there, his hands still on my arms. “I can try.”

The Primal shook his head.

“Can’t she try?” Aios said, her breath catching in a shudder. “If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t. And if there’s a ripple of power, we can be prepared. We have to try.”

My steps were unsteady, weak, but I felt the ember warming in my chest, throbbing. “I want to try.” I lowered myself beside Nyktos. Only then did Saion let go. “I need to try. They came for me. She died because of me.”

Nyktos’ head snapped in my direction. “She did not die because of you. Do not take that on yourself,” he ordered. A moment passed, and then his gaze flicked beyond me to others I hadn’t known were in the chamber. “Make sure the guards on the Rise are ready for…well, for anything.” He looked to Nektas.

The draken lifted his head, calling out. That staggered, high-pitched sound echoed throughout the chamber and was then answered. A shadow fell over the opening in the ceiling, and then another as nearby draken took flight.

“Try,” Nyktos said.

Drawing in a deep breath, I set the dagger on the floor beside me and placed my hands on Bele’s arm. Her skin had turned shockingly cold. I didn’t know if that had anything to do with her being a god, but it felt strange under my fingers. The hum of the eather coursed through my blood, hitting my skin. A soft glow stretched out from under the sleeves of my sweater to cover my hands. Live, I thought. Live. I wanted it to work. I wasn’t sure that Bele even liked me, but she had tried to defend me. She hadn’t stepped aside and let the gods take me. She didn’t deserve to die like this, and…

And Ash didn’t deserve to have another drop of blood inked into his skin.

Live.

The silvery light washed over Bele and then seeped into her skin, lighting her veins until I could no longer see her underneath the glow. Nothing happened. Aios lowered her head, shoulders shaking, because nothing had—

The glow flared and then expanded, rolling out from Bele in a wave, an intense, powerful aura that became a shockwave. Wind roared around us, tugging at my clothing and hair. The floor shook—everything rattled as a bolt of light streaked across the sky above the open ceiling. Lightning. I’d never seen lightning here.

The aura faded. The wind and shaking ceased.

Nektas made that soft trilling sound again, and Bele’s chest rose deeply as if she were drawing in a deep breath. I lifted my hands, too afraid that I was seeing things. But her eyes twitched. Lashes fluttered up, revealing eyes the color of starlight, bright and silver.

“Holy shit,” Rhain whispered.

Nyktos jerked, placing a hand on the crown of her head. “Bele?”

Her throat worked on a swallow. “Nyktos?” she whispered hoarsely.

It worked.

Thank the gods, it had worked.

A shudder of relief went through the Primal and me and then the entire chamber. Aios snapped forward, picking up Bele’s hand, holding it tightly between hers.

“How are you feeling?” Nyktos asked, his voice rough.

“Tired? Really tired. But okay, I think.” Confusion filled her voice as she looked over at me. “Did you…did you try to stab that bastard with a butter knife?”

“Yes,” I said, the word coming out as a laugh. “Didn’t work too well.”

“Crazy,” she whispered, swallowing again. “I…saw it.”

“Saw what?” He smoothed a hand over her forehead.

Her eyes closed. “Light,” she whispered. “Intense light and…Arcadia. I saw Arcadia.”