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September 30 - October 2, 2025
Because, for them, nothing was more miraculous than the creation of life. They cherished even their most nightmarish creations.
That everything done to prevent what was coming had only ensured that it would. Without the capability to love and hate, rejoice and mourn, gain and lose, there could be no balance. For every hardship, there must be prosperity. Hate could not exist without love. There could be no joy without knowing grief.
I saw Ancients who had gone to ground and ones yet to Awaken claw their way free, shaking the realms. And I knew they were no longer the great givers of life and the anchors that kept the essence of the realms stable. They were the end that erupted mountains and turned days into endless nights, toppling cities of steel and drying oceans. I saw them rise, full of ruin and wrath.
Two daughters. Two Kings. And the Great Conspirator. It was inevitable. The end would come.
Every beginning has an end. But for every end, there must be a new beginning. That’s what the ten dreamed. The fall of ruin and wrath. And the rise of blood and bone.
It wasn’t like the Primal mist I’d seen surrounding Kieran. His had been gold and silver. Mine was silver and crimson.
The essence that had transferred from Poppy to us wasn’t the same. Somehow, the two she had within her had split between us. Life. Death.
The plates of food remained largely untouched. His jaw tightened as he returned his gaze to mine. Foreseeing a massive, annoying-as-fuck lecture coming my way in the too-near future, I sent him a look of warning.
Gods. Hearing that would make Poppy so uncomfortable. But damn straight, they should be paying homage to her.
knew my wife was strong, but gods, the reminder was a blessing in a way.
Emil slowly turned his head toward me, his brows raised. “I think I just saw my life flash before my eyes.” That fucking draken.
“Cas?” I glanced back at him, my brows raised. “I don’t think I’ve told you this,” he began, his amber gaze sliding to mine, “but Poppy looks just as ravishing in armor as she does in her sleeping gown.” “Fucking gods,” I muttered. “You really don’t have any sense of self-preservation, do you?”
“I was surprised when Hisa said you were right behind her,” Naill said, glancing at Emil. “You two took him away from our Queen?” One side of my lips quirked up as I drew Setti to a stop. I approved of where Naill’s thoughts had gone.
“Seraphena and Nyktos are…” He paused. “They are family. So are their sons. Our bond with them is greater than magic.”
My heart stuttered at the sound of his voice. One I knew mirrored his emotions, deepening with passion, turning raspy when worried or uncertain, smooth as the finest wine or silk when he teased. And when his voice softened, it was always a warning that blood would be spilled. I would always know his voice.
“Good call,” he remarked. “And good idea.” “All my ideas are good.” He snickered. “You keep telling yourself that.”
His lips were lush and slightly parted as if he had just taken a deep breath and couldn’t catch another one.
“You’re right,” he said, exhaling roughly. “I have. And my bones will have turned to dust before I forgive myself for that.”
“You’re in pain,” he said, his voice strained with anguish. “I can take it away. My blood is yours. My strength is yours.” He shuddered. “I am yours.”
“I’m going to break every bone in your body.” Reaver rose slowly. There wasn’t even one godsdamn bruise forming on the fucker’s face. “No, you’re not.” “And when I’m done doing that,” I said, my voice a guttural scratch against my throat, full of frostbitten wrath, “I’m going to rip your hands off.” He stepped to the side just a few inches. “That’s not going to happen either.” I stalked toward him, the tips of my fingers stinging. “Then I’m going to beat you with your own fucking hands.” Reaver raised a brow, his lips moving silently as he repeated what I said. He chuckled. “That’s actually
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“I know, sweetheart.” “Sweetheart?” she gasped. “You…you’ve never called me that before.” “I know.” A shaky laugh left me. “It kind of just came out.” “I…I like it.” She panted, lashes fluttering.
“You’re a fool,” Reaver growled, his eyes wide. “You’re a fucking lovesick fool.” “Get off me.” I shoved him to the side and sat up. He rolled onto his back with a groan. “You’re welcome.”
“I don’t know why she didn’t throw you into a wall,” Reaver grumbled. “Because she loves me,” I said, straightening. “Well, she likes me,” Reaver countered. “She likes everyone,” Kieran said. “You’re not special.”
“You idiotic fucks,” Reaver snarled. “Do either of you think this is the time for your little bitch fight? And you?” He drove his knee into my back. “You need to control yourself.”
My head whipped around to face the draken, a sharp hiss of air seeping through my clenched teeth. Reaver’s eyes narrowed. “You’re so…catty.”
“You should ask yourself why she asked me to make such a promise,” Kieran said. I closed my eyes. But it did nothing to prevent him from landing a blow that hurt worse than any fists could. “And not you.”
“Speaking of Kieran…” Tension crept into my muscles. “What about him?” “He’s not here.” I said nothing. Delano stared at me. A second turned to three and then tripled. “That’s not normal.” How in the fuck did Delano realize things weren’t so-called normal when the shit went down only an hour or so ago? “He’s got things to do.” “Is that what you’re going with?”
“For the gods’ sake, you wolven are worse than my mother and her favorite lady’s maid nosing around in everyone’s business,” I muttered. “Something big went down.” “Are you hearing anything I’m saying to you, Delano?” “I’m selectively hearing what you’re saying.”
Poppy knew I was her shelter. Her home. The foundation that helped her stand. At least, I’d believed her when she told me that. But she’d lied. Poppy didn’t truly believe that. And that cut so fucking deep that it left a gaping wound I wasn’t sure could be stitched.
“Hawke,” she replied, mimicking his bland, dry tone. For some reason, my lips tipped up. “Oh, I’m sorry. I mean…Casteel,” she continued as a sharp ache pierced the area behind my eyes. I breathed through it and squeezed my legs until my arms felt like they’d snap. “Or should it be Your Highness? Or do you prefer Your Excellency of Many Names? How about Your Majesty—?”
“You remind me of someone I once knew.” The other side of the lips tipped up. “He, too, loved her.”
“Why would you be here if she’s not?” he challenged. Fuck. Was the motive behind my presence that obvious? The answer was yes.
Which, all together, was damn near the mirror image of the man standing beside me. My brother. “What in the actual fuck?” Malik choked out. I seconded that statement while glancing between my brother and the Primal god.
Malik was still for a moment, then his jaw flexed, and he stepped back. Inhaling sharply, he turned to the Primal. “I don’t give two shits what you are,” he said, his voice low. “You fuck with my brother, I’m going to fuck with you.” The Primal tipped his head to the side. “Noted.”
“That was your one shot,” Attes hissed. “Blood or not, you won’t get another.” I forced a laugh, even though it fucking hurt to do so. “You sure about that?” “Fates, you are—” “Charming and captivating?” I suggested, relieved to feel the pain lessening already. Attes’s steps faltered. “You’re so much like him,” he breathed, voice strained and cracking on the word him.
“You and her?” His head tilted toward Poppy, his features softening. And I swore to the gods… “You’re mates of the heart, aren’t you?”
“Casteel?” he called. When I faced him, he stared back with eyes churning with eather. “Be good to her.” I frowned. What a strange fucking thing to say. But I was too weary to point that out. “Always.” The smile returned. “And forever.”
Papa carried me over to a wooden bench and sat, placing me on his lap so my feet dangled high above his. “Did I ever tell you how you were named?” I shook my head. A faint smile crossed his lips. “Penellaphe is a…good friend of my mother’s.” I frowned. “Penellaphe is a goddess.” “Yes.” He tucked an unruly wave behind my ear. “She is.” I stared up at him, confused. The Queen had named me. “And your nickname? Poppy? That’s because of your grandmother, too.” He laughed then, the sound rough under his breath. “Well, it’s more so due to my father. I overheard him once comparing my
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The only thing stopping me was knowing it would upset Poppy, because, again, for some godsforsaken reason, she was fond of the draken. It sure as fuck couldn’t be because of his personality. Because that was about as sparkling as a piece of half-burnt coal smeared in shit.
But he…damn it, he was my brother, and I only met Poppy when I did because of him. Because I’d been willing to destroy cities and lives to free him from the Ascended. I loved him.
I needed Poppy. Her shy smiles. Her throaty laughter. Her blushes that pinkened her skin and sometimes even the entire length of her body. Her curiosity. Her endless questions.
“I will do anything. Give anything. Please, Seraphena. Bring your granddaughter back to me.”
“Behave yourself,” I gritted out. Poppy let out a disgruntled little growl. “You sound like a pissed-off kitten.” I chuckled roughly. “You know that, sweetheart?”
“I’m trying to be responsible.” The ache between my thighs pulsed. “It really doesn’t seem that way.” “I know.” His hold on my braid loosened. “I’m really bad at behaving.” “It’s one of the many things I love about you.” “I do remember a time when you found that personality trait of mine to be quite infuriating,” he noted.
His lips closed over mine, silencing my words. He kissed me then like a man who had spent an eternity fearing he would never be able to do so. It was a wrecking, desperate kind of kiss.
“I would prefer it if,” he spoke, and my breath hitched at the sound of his voice. It had completely changed, taking on a smoky undertone, each word laced with icy shadows that sent a tight shiver rippling over my skin. “You never say the words inside you and Kolis in the same sentence again.”
“What is it about the women of the Mierel bloodline that attracts such reckless men with so little regard for their lives?” Lifting a lid from a covered dish, he smiled at the array. “Oh! Cheese.” He reached for one of the cheeses I knew Kieran had prepared because it was sliced into small, bite-sized cubes. “Where is Poppy?” I demanded. “Not here.” My chest vibrated with a growl that crawled its way out. “No shit.”
“But can you see this?” He tilted his head and pointed at the vine-like tattoo crawling up his face. “The shit on your face? Yeah, I can see it.” He eyed me for a few moments. “Only two other beings besides my kind can see what you can. The true Primal of Life and the true Primal of Death.” The hand he had resting on the table began to tap slowly. “You being able to is one of those unexpected developments. You shouldn’t be able to, Joining or not.” The skin at the corners of his eyes creased as he squinted. “Interesting.” He exhaled heavily. “My name is Aydun.”
“When the loss of life is that great, a Primal of Life will always be drawn to it. Being that she is a true Primal of Life, she was not immune to the need. Neither was Seraphena, but she couldn’t cross the Primal Veil as easily as your wife apparently can. Seraphena was stopped. Your wife could not be.” I probably shouldn’t have felt pride at hearing that, but I did.
“Poppy,” he said in that low, gravelly voice. His voice. Vikter’s. One I’d never thought to hear again. “It’s really me,” he said, and then he gave me that slightly crooked grin of his.
