Page 46 of Ashborne Phoenix

I was alive with love. And fueled by hers.

Grace and I were one. Our pieces rested together, locked in place.

I told her in whispers. I told her in groans. I told her in the quiet of our minds: I love you. And that will never change. You’ll never be taken from me. I will not allow it.

Weapons Against the Dark

~ VOSKI ~

Grace fell asleep just as dawn began to glow behind the curtains. The room was cold because we’d allowed the fire to go out. But I couldn’t bear to move her and wake her, so I pulled the thick blankets higher and held her against me, tucking her head under my chin so I felt her slow breath on my collarbones.

For the first time in weeks, my body was at peace. But my mind wasn’t yet ready to follow suit. As the frantic need of that night faded into languid relief, my thoughts spun.

Grace, is there any chance… are you pregnant?

The power of this union should not be wasted…

The old blood sings in her veins… the man who gave her the babe must be found and brought to us. He has great power if he’s strong enough to spark her without the vows…

Until the babe is truly safe in the womb, it would not survive the power required to reveal its presence, or parentage…

Grace… are you pregnant?

I blew out a breath and rolled slowly onto my back, bringing Grace with me, so she lay in the crook of my arm. She murmured and wriggled closer, throwing an arm over my chest, but within moments, she dropped back into sleep.

I’d been telling my mother for weeks that she was pregnant, believing that I lied. But I hadn’t lost track of the days. Grace was already a day late in her cycle—providing she’d been right about the number of days since her last bleed, when I first asked.

For a moment I stared at the ceiling, wide-eyed, remembering that night… that intense, incredible first evening with her at the treehouse, finally giving in, no longer fighting the bond. It had been almost as precious as these last few hours.

And entirely unprotected.

But if she was only nine days in, was that a risk since she’d started the herbs? I didn’t know. I just knew she was late.

Then again, if she was wrong about the days, perhaps she wasn’t.

But if she was wrong about the days, was it possible she’d taken the wrong herbs?

Around and around and around, my thoughts chased their own tail.

Grace, is there any chance… are you pregnant?

And if she was, was I thrilled? Or devastated?

The old blood sings in her veins.

That thought made me shudder, because what did it mean? Even if I never touched the Cruors’ power again, even if Grace never gave over to it, she’d given me the vow. I’d felt it take hold. We were already bonded, but that didn’t stop the dark magik from—

‘Your thoughts take a dark turn, Voski.’ Kham’s voice in my head was a simultaneous relief and tension.

‘Kham, why are you here now? It’s growing light outside!’

‘I will retreat soon. I waited for your reunion to… quiet,’ he said with an amused huff in my head.

If Grace hadn’t been asleep I would have snorted. ‘Now you know how it feels.’

The wave of smug satisfaction that came from him then made me want to snap my teeth. Of course he hadn’t had to restrain himself from Koa.

‘Smug bastard.’