Kingdom of Ash

being a sacrifice to unfeeling gods.”
“Those gods are powerful beings.”
“Then where are they now?” She gestured
to the room, the keep. Silence answered.
“They are afraid. Of me, of Erawan. Of the
keys.” She gave him a serpent’s smile. “They
are afraid of you. You, and Aelin Fire-Bringer.
Powerful enough to send them home—or to
damn them.”
He didn’t answer. She wasn’t entirely
wrong.
“Why not defy them? Why bow to their
wishes? What have they ever done for you?”
Sorscha’s pained face flashed before his
eyes.
“There is no other way,” he said at last.
“To end this.”
“The keys could end it.”
To wield them, rather than seal them back
into the gate.