Page 15 of A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash

I used to believe in the gods. I knew we came from them—created by their very own hands. But I now know what they are capable of. They do not wish to help us or protect us. They wish to spill our blood for their amusement. I have seen how He has tried whispering in Hadrian’s ear. We are no longer safe from them.

I stopped praying long ago.

Tabitha Wysteria

The Temple of Deadly Shadows crowned the highest hill, a silent guardian over the Kingdom of Darkness. Unlike the grand temples of other lands, it was humble, a testament to the priestesses who shunned vanity. Wyverians revered their gods in the quiet of daily devotion, offering respect rather than spectacle.

Mal had always found solace here. The same could not be said for Kai. Her brother, for all his strength and defiance, had never been able to mask the way his skin prickled at the sight of the priestesses, their quiet knowing eyes unsettling him. And yet, he followed her, always, never allowing her to make these pilgrimages alone.

There were no towering altars here, no golden idols to honour the divine—just a single leafless tree, its gnarledbranches stretching towards the sky like skeletal fingers. The gods had planted it at the dawn of their world, and it had stood, unwavering, ever since.

It was there that Kai found Mal, kneeling at its roots, her forehead pressed against the earth.

The temple, only a few steps away, was modest yet exquisite. Polished stone columns lined its entrance, glistening obsidian beneath the pale light. But Mal was outside, her hands buried deep in the soil, whispering prayers older than time itself.

Kai leaned lazily against one of the columns, a blackened apple twirling in his grip, half-eaten.

‘You’ll get into trouble for eating that,’ Mal said, her voice quiet yet firm. ‘Food is only to be brought as an offering.’

Kai rolled his eyes, unbothered. ‘I’m trembling.’

She lifted her head, fixing him with a pointed glare over her shoulder, those unearthly purple eyes catching the dim light. He smirked but said nothing more. Mal exhaled, shaking her head, and returned to her task.

Her fingers pressed into the damp earth, planting a single pear into the shallow grave she had dug. Covering it with soil, she whispered, ‘Deadly Gods, listen to my prayers. Protect me. Guide me along the path you have set.’

Kai bit into his apple just as she placed two fingers to her forehead, then pressed them gently against the white bark of the sacred tree. Rising, she turned to him swiftly, snatching the apple from his grip.

‘You cannot eat in the temple.’

Kai let out a dramatic sigh. ‘I will never understand the gods and their endless rules. Nor will I understand why you continue to pray when they so clearly refuse to answer.’

Mal strode past him, stepping into the temple’sentrance. Though its design was simple, to her, it was the most beautiful place in the world. Vines of ashen black and ghostly white flowers curled along the bare stone walls, their muted tones softening the sharpness of the architecture.

At its centre burnt a pit of eternal blue fire, a sacred gift from the shadow wyvern—a beast that had not been seen in ages untold. Legends claimed it had been the shadow of the very first wyverian king, a spirit of darkness given form. Since then, no other royal had ever been blessed with such a companion.

Mal stared into the flame, her thoughts lost in its flickering depths.

‘We do not pray to demand,’ she said, her voice barely above a whisper. ‘We pray for hope.’

Kai remained unimpressed. ‘And what doyouhope for?’

Mal ignored his question. ‘I suppose you’ve already heard what’s to happen to me.’

The warmth left Kai’s expression in an instant. ‘I won’t allow it.’

Mal turned to him, his dark eyes burning with quiet fury.

‘You cannot stop this from happening, Kai. The King has spoken—’

‘The King,’ he interrupted, as his fingers brushed the curved horns atop her head, pushing playfully against them as he had when they were children, but his grin did not meet his eyes, ‘is our father. Which means he can be persuaded.’

‘But I cannot.’

Kai stilled. ‘This isn’t your responsibility.’ His voice dropped lower, rougher. ‘Our kingdoms can unite without you being sacrificed.’

‘Kai…’

‘No, Mal.’ He shook his head. ‘I will not allow you to marry the Fire Prick just because some silly whispers of witches arekeeping our father awake at night.’

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