The Primal of Blood and Bone (Blood and Ash, #6)

by Jennifer L. Armentrout

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 understood that there must always be balance. Life must continue, and death must always come.

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.

I saw it all: the great power that rose as heir to the lands and skies; she, the first Chosen to fail, who was the true Primal of Life; and what the union between the bringer of life and the bringer of bone would unleash. 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. And I had no idea what that made us. Or what it meant for the future.

Poppy was right. Kieran did feel like a tree.

Im dead

“How were you—how were any of us—to know that a Revenant would climb its happy ass up a fucking castle wall and try to take Poppy out?”

“He was impaled to his tomb with the bones of an Ancient. It wouldn’t have killed him, but it would have slowly eaten away at him until only his essence remained. I suppose that could appear as a spirit.”

“The essence of any Primal is the Primal soul. The aru’lis is different from a mortal’s or another god’s. It has form, a shape, even if it appears as nothing more than a shadow to us.” He paused. “And the aru’lis can solidify for short periods of time.”

He smiled. It was painfully beautiful and…a lie. Just as everything he promised was. Because I knew who he was. What he was. He had been the end of every beginning. True Death. But now, he was the great deceiver. The thief of life and joy. The Conspirator, a manipulator who preyed upon weakness and fear. The very first and very last murderer. A monster not by design but by choice.

“Poppy.” My gaze shot back to him, and my heart twisted. He sounded tortured. Broken. “That’s your name,” he said, his tone steady again, comforting. “My name is Casteel.” A spasm rolled through me, and my lips mouthed the word. Tasted it. “And you are my—” “I know what I am,” I said in a low, hoarse whisper that scratched my throat. “I know what you are.” The muscles of his shoulders tensed. “And what are we?” My spine straightened as I inhaled his scent once more. “You…you are the end, but I’m the beginning and the end.”

My head lowered. “We are…Primal gods.” “We are much more than that.” More

I twisted and faced him, lifting my arm. He caught my wrist. “What poor manners you have,” he drawled with a bloody smirk. “Hitting isn’t nice.”

What a reaction

“Don’t!” the one above me ordered as a wave of power flooded the chamber, raising the hairs on my arms. The handle stopped moving. A moment passed, and then, “Did you seriously just try to use compulsion on me?” the wolven demanded. “You can’t even see me, you fucker.”

Im dead

“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 amusing to picture.”

Lmfao omg the antagonism

“I don’t know how, but when she spoke earlier, and when she laughed? I could hear him. And that can only mean one thing. He’s here. And somehow, he’s inside her.”

“She has always been mine.” Instantly, it was as if all my muscles had turned to stone. I saw Duke Teerman in my mind, saying almost the same words. Saw a glint of light in his dark eyes, like dying sunlight flickering in the darkness. And suddenly I knew. Somehow, Kolis had been in Teerman. My hand fisted against my thigh as I tried to keep my voice level. “And I told you that she has never been yours.”

What the fuck

“I’m going to take everyone you care about and break them.” I forced a yawn. “Doubtful.” He stared back at me through her eyes. “You remind me of someone I once knew.” The other side of the lips tipped up. “He, too, loved her.” I could feel my fingertips beginning to prickle as my nails lengthened. “Who are you talking about?” “He was also a fool.” “Who?” The eyes flickered over me, then narrowed. “Doesn’t matter.”

Only draken blood killed a Revenant. So, how did I kill one?

“You will understand why he loathed you,” she continued, nearly flipping Kieran. “You will know why he detested her.”

Im so confused

“You got any tips on how to carry that out?” Tension bracketed his mouth. “She’s in this room.” Attes’s eyes narrowed on me as anger surged. “She has the power within her.” His

“But you are mates of the heart. Your lives are not the only things linked. It means your actions will determine hers, and vice versa. If Kolis hasn’t learned that yet, he will. Don’t become the fatal flaw in her armor.”

Based on what Reaver had said when I had him by the throat, I figured they were either bound by blood or the heart.

“I don’t know how much longer I can wait—that any of us can, but…I need her to wake. I need to see her eyes open again and see only her staring back at me. I need her beside me, even if she doesn’t remember me—even if she never remembers me. As long as it’s just her,” I swore, my voice thick and strained. “If you bring her back to me…” Eyes stinging, I did nothing to stop the tears building in them as I filled my thoughts and voice with all the love I had for Poppy. “I will do anything. Give anything. Please, Seraphena. Bring your granddaughter back to me.”

A rider wheeled on him, letting out an ear-piercing shriek. “Shut the fuck up.” Casteel spun and drove the blade through the seahorse’s neck and then the rider’s throat as it fell.

Id have the same reaction

“He doesn’t know shit right now, other than he wants to tear my throat out.” My gaze snapped back to Casteel. His chin had lowered, and he bared his really big, really sharp teeth. This motherfucker was a cave cat! “Yeah, I see them, big boy,” Reaver said. “Mine are bigger.”

Still in love with reaver

“Emil?” Reaver yelled over his shoulder, breaking my concentration. “Do not come in here. Casteel is being particularly catty right now.”

Lmfao

“In case you haven’t realized, you’re making things more awkward.” Reaver strode toward the credenza and picked up a small carving knife I’d had no idea was there or why. “The one nearly standing on top of her is the husband.” He pulled an apple from a sack. “Not sure what you’d call the wolf.”

“Which one pissed you off that much?” “Just one?” I replied, pushing the weirdness of the statues aside. “It wasn’t Holland—well, I am irritated with him, but not to that level.” Her lips curled up. “I should talk you out of whatever you’re thinking.” “But you’re not going to,” Reaver cast over his shoulder. Her smile widened. “Nope.”

“Then I will take his eyes, and he will see nothing,” he gritted out. “That, I promise you.”

Nothing, absolutely nothing, has kept us apart. Weakened us. Not my dumb shit. Not the Blood Crown’s armies. Not Alastir and the Unseen. Not Isbeth. We are strong. Fucking unbreakable. There is nothing I won’t do for you. There isn’t anything you won’t do for me. And the same goes for Kieran.

Poppy’s eyes rolled. “Well, Casteel would never harm me,” she said. “So…whatever.” “I would hope not,” she replied, her gaze sliding to me. “Because if he did, he would not live for long afterward.”

Oh fuck yes

“Who eats grapes like that while naked?” Poppy whispered, staring at a statue with grapes dangling above her open mouth. “You don’t?” Malik drawled.

Who eats naked in general

“You sound like a strangled barrat when you come,” I said. “That is if you weren’t faking it.” “Who the fuck are you?” Lady Hawley snarled. “Your worst nightmare.” I paused. “Clichéd, but true.” “How dare you?” Lord Hawley huffed from beneath his wife. “Because I can.”

“I’ll go.” Casteel’s head whipped toward me. “Absolutely not.” “That won’t work on me,” I stated, putting my fork down. His eyes narrowed as essence pulsed through them. “Want to bet?” “It would be a boring bet because you would lose,” I countered. “Oh, man,” Delano murmured, fully halfway down in his chair now. “Mother and Father are fighting,” Emil remarked under his breath. “Again.”

“Sometimes, people start their suppers with their hearts in their chest.” I took a drink of the sweet wine. “And end them missing said heart and dead.”

“You really think that?” Gayla asked, no challenge in her voice. “Were you in Lowertown when the ceeren attacked?” When she nodded, Casteel smiled tightly. “Then you know what your Queen is capable of.”

The Revenant’s lips spread into a grotesque smile as blood poured from his mouth. Those lips moved. “What? I can’t hear you?” I smiled tightly and held his gaze. “Oh, you can’t get the words out around the dagger in your throat? That’s why it’s there.” The crimson aura flickered, and I lifted my hand.

Damn poppy so violent

“Guess I’m special.” “Special?” he repeated, his voice lower and thin. “I am the Primal of Blood and—” “Incredibly Foolish Actions?” he interrupted.

“I can handle that,” Reaver offered. “No,” Poppy said. “I can—or one of us.” Reaver lowered the apple core. “I know how to…bob and weave.” The image of his large, winged ass doing that almost made me laugh. “I know you can.” She softened her voice. “But we could do it from a safe distance. You would have to get close—too close.” “Then can I burn those who control the spears?” Reaver asked. Poppy sighed. “Yes, you can burn them.”

Burn them all Reaver

“With what army? We outnumber any forces he could’ve gathered.” “He has over two hundred gods,” I reminded him. “And we have three of…whatever you all are,” Emil countered, his golden eyes flashing angrily. “And a Primal of War. Fuck those two hundred cunt gods.”

Lmfao

Malik pressed his lips together. “But…but you’ve got to come back.” His voice hoarsened. “I can’t…” He cleared his throat. “I can’t lose my brother.”

Im gonna cry