The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

The King of Atlantia rose slowly, cautiously, and then
turned, his hand drifting to his side where his sword
would’ve been sheathed. The man had been hard to read at
the Chambers of Nyktos, but now he didn’t have nearly as
much control over his emotions as his gaze shifted from his
son to me.
He jerked back a step, his legs bumping into the bench
behind him. “You didn’t…” He trailed off as a blast of icy
shock chilled my skin. His eyes were wide, pupils dilating so
fast that only a thin strip of gold was visible as he stared at
me, his lips parting.
My mouth dried as I fought the urge to close down my
senses. I kept them open as he took a step forward. Kieran’s
head snapped in his direction, and a low growl rumbled
through the chamber, but Casteel’s father appeared beyond
hearing as he said hoarsely, “You were dying.”
I shivered at the reminder. “I was.”
Strands of light hair fell against the rough growth of hair
along his jaw and cheeks. “You were beyond saving,” he
rasped as Kieran appeared to relax, inching back even
though Casteel’s father took another tentative step toward
us. “I saw you. I saw your wound and how much you bled.
You were beyond saving unless—”
“I took what was left of her blood and gave her mine,”
Casteel said. “That is how she stands here. I Ascended her.”
“But…” The King appeared at a loss for words.
I drew in a shallow breath and found my voice. “I can
walk in the sun—we actually rode all day through it. I don’t
feel cold to the touch, and I have emotions,” I told him. “And
I don’t feel the need to tear out anyone’s throat.”
Casteel’s gaze slid to mine as a faint thrill of
amusement reached me.
“What?” I whispered. “I feel that’s necessary to point
out.”
“I didn’t say anything.”