The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

choose to be a descendant of some deity or come back here
and break bonds or usurp any bloodlines. The only thing I
have ever chosen is your son.”
Casteel’s head tipped back, and his chest rose with a
deep breath, but he remained quiet, letting me speak for
myself.
“Did Alastir tell you that when he arrived from Spessa’s
End?” I asked.
“No,” his father responded quietly. “He did not.”
“I didn’t think so.”
Casteel spoke then. “We came here in hopes that you
two could help us determine what my wife Ascended into.
And on a personal note, I’d hoped that you’d get to know
Penellaphe a little and vice versa. But if we’re going to
rehash the past, then there is nothing left for us to do but
take our leave.”
“But we must speak of the past,” his mother said, and
Casteel went rigid. “Just not in the way you think,” she
added with a heavy exhale. I finally opened my senses,
letting them stretch out toward her. The tanginess of
anguish was so extreme that I almost took a step back. She
smoothed a hand over her already coifed hair as her
husband joined her at her side in the same silent way
Casteel often moved. He placed a hand on her shoulder as
she said, “I need to apologize. I truly didn’t mean to cause
offense, but I know that I have. My shock over the entire
situation has obviously made a mess of me,” she said,
reaching up and folding a hand over her husband’s. “But
there is no excuse. Because you both are right.”
Her gaze swept back to me. “Especially you. What was
done was not your fault or my son’s, and what I had planned
to say to you was how sorry I am for what happened.” There
was sincerity there, tasting of contrition, and I relaxed a
little. “But both Valyn and I are relieved that you are…that
you stand before us with our son.” There was a beat of
emotion I couldn’t read because it came and went so