Page 143 of A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash

One night, she had collapsed from exhaustion, her body curling into the grass like she was no more than a wilting flower. When she awoke, Kai had been there, sitting in silence, watching over her, keeping the night at bay.

She lifted her head now, sluggish, like a creature roused from deep slumber. Her body felt hollow. Her soul—something worse.

She turned, shifting to sit with her knees drawn up, squinting against the sunlight as it framed her sister’s face in gold. Haven’s features were tight, her black eyes dark with the kind of sorrow only a wyverian could truly understand.

The grief of losing a beast. A part of one’s own soul.

‘Ash is awake.’

Mal’s breath stilled.

‘Is he all right?’ How many times had she sat by his side, watching, waiting, willing him to wake? She had come here with the intent of ending his life, and yet… Now, the thought of losing him was unbearable. ‘I must see him immediately.’

She pushed to her feet too quickly, but Haven caught her by the wrist before she could flee. ‘We need to talk.’ Haven’s voice was gentle, but firm. ‘You have been avoiding us.’

‘No. I have been praying and looking after my husband.’

Haven’s black eyes slit.‘Mal.’

Mal swallowed. She did not want to have this conversation. She turned to walk past her sister, ignoring the ringing in her ears, but then—

‘You shadow-walked.’

Mal froze.

Haven’s words struck like a dagger.

Mal did not move. She could feel the weight of Haven’s gazeboring into her, could feel the heat creeping up her neck.

‘You moved witches across a field with your mind, Mal.’

‘Who told you?’

Haven sighed. ‘You really want to keep secrets from me? Kai knows. Kage knows.’

‘So Kage told you.’

‘It should not matter who told me. All I know is that it was notyou.’

Slowly, Mal turned to face her sister. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘Did you know?’

The weight of the question settled in Mal’s chest like a stone.Did she know?She had known she wasdifferent. Had known there was something lurking within her, something she had tried to bury, ignore, pretend away.

But to wield it? To command it like she had in battle?

‘Yes, no.’ Mal ran a hand through her tangled hair. ‘I knew I had powers but…Not the extent of them.’

Haven inhaled sharply, glancing at the sky as if seeking patience from the gods.

‘Why did you agree to marry the prince?’ she finally asked, voice soft, but there was an ache behind it, a sadness that cut deeper than any blade. ‘Was it truly to unify the kingdoms or was there more to it that you have kept from me?’

Mal’s stomach twisted. She felt like a child again, being scolded, her excuses crumbling before she could even form them.

Her powers had awoken something monstrous within her, but losing Nyx—almost losing Ash—had left her feeling like nothing at all.

A hollowed-out thing. A sad mess with nothing left but sorrow and failure.

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