A Fire in the Flesh by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Here is a summary with spoilers of A Fire in the Flesh

Sera wakes in Kolis’s court, chained and dying as he drinks her blood. In her hazy state, she glimpses a massive silver wolf—Ash. When Attes appears, he tries to dissuade Kolis from killing her, reminding him of her status as his graeca. Meanwhile, Callum suggests extracting the embers from her. Before anything else unfolds, the wolf steps forward, and chaos erupts as Ash unleashes his power, incapacitating Attes and Callum and battling Kolis in a destructive clash that wrecks the palace. Amid the carnage, Ash frees Sera, but Kolis pulls him back into the fray, furious at Ash’s defiance. Hanan arrives to assist Kolis but is killed by Ash, causing Bell to ascend as the new Primal of the Hunt.

As the battle intensifies, Sera feebly attempts to retrieve a weapon but is stopped by Attes, who warns that Ash cannot win against Kolis’s overwhelming power and his draken. Attes urges Sera to intervene, as the embers within her are the key to stopping the fight. Drawing on her primal energy, Sera uses compulsion to halt both Kolis and Ash, threatening her own life to force their compliance. The fight pauses, but Kolis seizes her dagger and plunges it into Ash’s heart repeatedly. Sera’s screams provoke Kolis further until Attes intervenes, warning that Sera’s condition is deteriorating rapidly. Kolis relents, has Ash imprisoned, and carries Sera to Phanos, the God of Sea and Skies, demanding her salvation.

Phanos immerses Sera in the sea, invoking the sacrifices of countless Cereen who give their lives to restore her. Sera awakens temporarily healed and seizes a chance to escape. Using shards of glass from her cell, she fatally wounds Callum and a guard. She stumbles through the palace, encountering Chosen who cry for help at the sight of her. In her flight, she discovers a horrific scene: a woman feeding on a dying man. After a brutal fight, Sera kills the woman, but the man reanimates as a Craven, forcing Sera to defend herself again before being subdued by a draken.

Sera awakens to Kolis watching her. Despite his rage over her escape and violence, he seems disturbingly calm. He warns her against harming Callum in the future and leaves her to bathe. Haunted by the memories of her life with Ash, she steels herself and strategizes her next move. Soon, Attes visits her, revealing he serves the true Primal of Life—her. He shares insights into Eythos’s plan, the courts, and Nyktos’s whereabouts, swearing allegiance to her and leaving her with critical information.

In her dreams, Sera connects with Ash, their bond so vivid it feels real. They cling to each other, exchanging confessions and comfort, but the dream exposes Ash’s suffering and her own bruises, deepening her resolve. Awake, Sera decides to play her role as Sotoria to manipulate Kolis, vowing to save Ash and end Kolis’s reign.

Kolis tests her loyalty, summoning Ione to read her memories. Though the process is agonizing, Ione lies to Kolis, confirming Sera’s fabricated identity as Sotoria. This shifts Kolis’s demeanor, though his volatile nature remains evident when he feeds on her, leaving her humiliated and unsettled. Meanwhile, Attes informs her of Nyktos’s stasis and Kolis’s efforts to exploit ancient bones to awaken him.

As Kolis shows her around the palace, Sera encounters key figures like Keella, Attes, and Kyn. Amid court politics and veiled threats, she navigates her precarious position, leveraging her wit and embers to survive and gather allies. Though haunted by Ash’s absence and the weight of her mission, Sera steels herself, determined to fulfill her destiny and protect those she loves.

Later that day, Veses visits Seraphena and convinces Callum to leave them alone for ten minutes. Veses assures Seraphena that she didn’t need her defense in court and warns that she’ll do everything to prevent Sotoria’s return to Kolis and expose Seraphena’s identity, which could impact Nyktos. Seraphena apologizes for what happened in the Council Hall but vows to see Veses destroyed before she dies. They exchange sharp words, with Veses raising doubts about Seraphena being Sotoria, but she ultimately departs without consequence. That night, Kolis sleeps beside Seraphena again.

The following day, Seraphena notices her bleeding gums, confirming her suspicion that she’s running out of time. During a walk with Kolis, they discuss Revenants and how Callum is unique among them, likely because Kolis genuinely cared for him. Kolis takes Seraphena to a parapet overlooking the Carcers and Dalos, recounting how he annihilated gods who betrayed him after seizing the embers and crown of life. When he insults her appearance, Seraphena devises a ruse, asking to see a jagged diamond like one from her mother’s jewelry. Kolis presents the Star, unaware it contains Eythos's soul. When she holds it, Seraphena realizes Kolis killed Eythos, who had sacrificed the last of his embers. Her fury rises.

Kolis demands to know what she’s seen and hurts her, triggering her embers. Fueled by rage and determination, Seraphena recalls Attes’s advice that the Bones of the Ancients can only be destroyed by the Primal of Life or Death. Her embers surge, and she embeds an ancient bone into Kolis, killing him. Freeing Ash with her embers, Seraphena collapses into an out-of-body experience while Ash fights his way to her.

Ash reaches Seraphena just in time, joined by Attes and Elias, who pledges loyalty to her. They discuss the Star and resolve to separate Sotoria’s soul from Seraphena. With Keella’s help, they succeed, freeing Eythos’s soul to its rest. Ash and Seraphena share heartfelt goodbyes with their allies, then retreat to her lake. Seraphena makes Ash promise to live fully and love deeply, even without her.

In a bittersweet moment, Ash takes her embers, seemingly letting her die, but revives her with his blood. Seraphena remembers her life and Ash’s love as her true identity emerges—she is Life incarnate. Her Ascension shakes Ilisseum, and Ash supports her as she learns to wield her new power.

Their bond deepens as they confront their past fears and accept their future together. Ash reveals his long-hidden dreams of her and the reasons he initially resisted their connection. Realizing they are heart mates, forged by fate, Seraphena embraces their shared destiny.

Together, they prepare for the battles ahead, strengthened by love, trust, and the knowledge that their union can shape the world.