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After Sera brings Thad back to life, Nyktos orders Attes to keep the lad hidden and then tells him to bring him to the Shadowlands where Nektas can keep him safe. He warns Attes that Kolis may send dakkais after feeling the power surge and asks why the other Primal didn’t go to Kolis with his suspicions to gain favor. Attes says that he remembers who Nyktos’s father was and who Nyktos was meant to be.
Nyktos tells Sera that he trusts Attes with the secret and assumes he’ll keep quiet, at least until the coronation. He then asks Sera why she spoke out. He laments that she doesn’t deserve to have this done to her and is surprised when she says that he doesn’t either. He quips that he’s used to it and is stunned when she says that she did it for him. He insists he doesn’t deserve it.
They discuss Dyses’ resurrection and the Revenants. Nyktos hopes Kolis doesn’t have a lot of them. He knows Dyses isn’t a demis—a false god created when a god Ascends a mortal—and is certain that Kolis doesn’t have embers of life any longer. So, he’s not sure what to think of his creations.
Nyktos remembers what Gemma said about what she saw and surmises that she encountered Revenants in different stages of creation. No matter, Kolis found a way to bring about life without the necessary embers—something to convince other Courts that he still has the power.
Nyktos knows there’s no way Kolis believes that he actually thinks it was the false Primal of Life who Ascended Bele. He was only saving face. He just wishes they could have talked to Attes about Dyses.
Nyktos reminds Sera that Kolis doesn’t recognize her as Sotoria. He feels rage and asks what’s up, saying it felt different. Tasted different. She tells him it wasn’t only her anger. It was also Sotoria’s. Nyktos surmises that Holland was wrong. Sera’s not the reincarnation. There are two souls in her—hers and Sotoria’s.
Nyktos leaves to deal with a bunch of roaming Shades. When he gets back, Bele informs him that Veses knows about Sera. He blasts the other Primal with eather after telling her to shut up when she’s trying to explain why she attacked Sera. He orders that Veses be locked in one of the cells under the House of Haides.
He’s told that Veses wanted to kill Sera, not tell Kolis, and she freaked out after nearly killing Reaver and seeing Sera save him. After everything that happened, Nyktos knows it was Veses who set the Shades free. He then learns that she also sent the draken that attacked them and released the entombed gods.
Taking care of Sera, Nyktos laughs at her stabbing Veses and urges her to feed. He gets her to take blood and allows her to see his memory of her training request. He explains it to her, and then tells her he’ll wait for her in his chambers.
Sera admits to Nyktos she doesn’t hate him, and it enflames him. He orders her to fuck him and tells her that nothing feels like she does. She reminds him that he can feed if he wants, but he doesn’t—won’t—he doesn’t think he deserves it.
Nyktos realizes he can’t keep Veses locked up, but he also can’t release her because she’ll go to Kolis and likely won’t respect the Court rules. He explains to Sera how Veses could feel her but not Kolis—it’s because she’s the Primal of the Rites.
Later, the day of the coronation, Nyktos comes to Sera and takes her from Aios, telling her to breathe and calling her liessa. He uses shadows to block them from view as she calms herself and informs Sera she doesn’t have to wear the crown after tonight. She tells him that she still wants to be his Consort and calls him Ash. It touches him deeply.
During the coronation, he takes the crown from Rhain and then bows to Sera, surprising everyone in attendance. He crowns her, revealing her title—the One who is born of Blood and Ash, the Light and the Fire, and the Brightest Moon. The imprints appear, shocking everyone, and he declares that the Arae have given them their blessing. He explains that the imprints and blessings belong to her and admits he fibbed a little so everyone would think the Fates had blessed the union.
Nyktos tells Sera about Keella, the Primal of Rebirth. When asked if the Primal knows about Sotoria’s soul being in Sera, he says he isn’t sure since it wasn’t really a rebirth.
Sera says she likes her title, and it gladdens him. There is some of Penellaphe’s prophecy in it, but he kept thinking about her hair and how it reminds him of moonlight. When she asks about the blood and ash part, he tells her the different symbolism.
Attes asks for a moment to speak with them, and while cool in the exchange, Ash agrees and says he will make time. He feels satisfaction from Sera and asks her why. She tells him that it’s because she’s being included. That prompts him to say that he hates she was made to feel unimportant for so long and loathes that he ever contributed to it. He makes sure she understands that she’s both seen and heard and calls her liessa, telling her she will always matter as he kisses her temple.
When Sera meets Keella, the Primal remarks that Sera’s title may be another blessing. Nyktos is asked about his inspiration for it, and he confesses it was because of her hair. Before she leaves, Keella tells him that his father would be proud of him.
Nyktos keeps his hand on Sera’s where it rests on her lap to ground her during the greetings. Finally, the crowns are removed, and Nyktos tells Sera the soldiers will make sure the road ahead to Irelone is safe. He asks her to sit with him and massages her neck. When she calls him Ash again, he tenses. She asks him if he doesn’t like it, and he confesses that he missed hearing it from her.
He asks her what changed her mind about the coronation and made her want it. When she tells him, he reveals what’s been on his mind: her calling him Ash in her coronation dress, seeing her out of the dress, seeing her naked on the throne, and seeing her bare with nothing but the crown on. He then wonders if he’s worthy of exploring those obsessions and decides he doesn’t care if he is. He’s too greedy and selfish to care. When he finds her dagger, he tells her that seeing her with nothing on but her dagger has taken second place, and that first place has been replaced by her calling him Ash when she comes. It’s the only thing he wants.
Sera tells him she needs him inside her and does, indeed, call him Ash with her pleasure.
They talk about her thoughts on the coronation, Vathi, the dakkais, and Keella and Sotoria. He tells her that Keella is one of the few Primals he somewhat trusts. The discussion then shifts to their meeting with Delfai, and he tells her he’s excited about learning how to transfer the embers. He reiterates that her life being saved is what matters most, not him becoming the Primal of Life.
When he asks about what changed her mind about the coronation, she tells him that her emotions didn’t change, only how she wanted to proceed. Sera projects, and Ash tastes chocolate and strawberries.
Love!
She confesses that she knows the whole story about Veses, and he shatters the glass in his hand. She digs out the slivers, and he asks if she’s only calling him Ash now out of pity. She denies it and tells him she’ll kill Veses if he doesn’t. He tells her about things with Veses and how Veses really wants Kolis. He thanks Sera for simply being herself and kisses her, about to share a wish. Only he stops himself before he gives it voice.
He mentions being hungry, and she urges him to feed. He does and has sex with her, once again saying he wishes…but never finishing the sentiment.
They go to Irelone, and Nyktos comforts Sera, telling her the embers will be out of her soon. He can taste her anxiety and asks her what it feels like. She tells him, and he says he wishes he could do something to change how it feels for her.
When the guards refuse them entry to the keep, he lets loose a display of power and leaves them riches.
He and Sera meet with Kayleigh, and he apologizes for his behavior and that of others like him, then tells her who he is and who Sera was meant to be.
They meet Delfai and find him a rambling sort. Nyktos interrupts the God of Divination and explains why they came. They learn about the Star diamond and how it’s used, and Nyktos is stunned to find out how easy the ember removal process is.
Then they learn that Kolis has the embers, but they’re not needed to remove the ones in Sera. When Delfai refers to Sera as a vessel, it infuriates Ash. The god apologizes and goes into more detail on how to remove the embers from Sera. But…there’s a catch. Ash will have to Ascend her, and that means she will die.
