Page 333 of Kingdom of Ash

And yet this …

Aelin clawed at the mist-shrouded ground-that-was-not-ground as the last of them vanished. Until only one remained.

A pillar of light and flame. Shining in the mists.

Mala lingered on the threshold of her world.

As if she remembered.

As if she remembered Elena, and Brannon, and who knelt before her. Blood of her blood. The recipient of her power. Her Heir.

“Seal the gate, Fire-Bringer,” Mala said softly.

But the Lady of Light still hesitated.

And from far away, Aelin heard another woman’s voice.

Make sure that they’re punished someday. Every last one of them.

They will be, she’d sworn to Kaltain.

They had lied. Had betrayed Elena and Erilea, as they had believed themselves betrayed.

Their green sun-drenched world rippled away ahead.

Groaning, Aelin climbed to her feet.

She was no lamb to slaughter. No sacrifice on an altar of the greater good.

And she was not done yet.

Aelin met Mala’s burning stare.

“Do it,” Mala said quietly.

Aelin looked past her, toward that pristine world they had sought to return to for so long. And realized that Mala knew—saw the thoughts in her own head.

“Aren’t you going to stop me?”

Mala only held out a hand.

In it lay a kernel of white-hot power. A fallen star.

“Take it. One last gift to my bloodline.” She could have sworn Mala smiled. “For what you offered on her behalf. For fighting for her. For all of them.”

Aelin staggered the few steps to the goddess, to the power she offered in her hand.

“I remember,” Mala said softly, and the words were joy and pain and love. “I remember.”

Aelin took the kernel of power from her palm.

It was the sunrise contained in a seed.

“When it is done, seal the gate and think of home. The marks will guide you.”

Aelin blinked, the only sign of confusion she could convey as that power filled and filled and filled her, melding into the broken spots, the empty places.

Mala held out her hand again, and an image formed within it. Of the tattoo across Aelin’s back.

---