Total pages in book: 222
Estimated words: 213974 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1070(@200wpm)___ 856(@250wpm)___ 713(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 213974 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1070(@200wpm)___ 856(@250wpm)___ 713(@300wpm)
“Don’t.” My fingers pressed into Ash’s chest. “Don’t harm him.”
Ash pulled the smoky eather back, but he didn’t take his attention off the god. “Do you make this request because you wish to have the honor of doing so?”
“That’s actually kind of sweet of you to think,” I said, patting his chest.
The painted wings above Elias’s brows seemed to lift.
“But, no.” I stared at the god. The shadowstone sword he held was slick with shimmery blood. My gaze lifted to his painted face. I thought of the advice he’d offered instead of how he’d knocked me out.
Before any of us could respond, I saw a flash of deep gray scales, and the entire chamber trembled as Nektas landed outside. At the other end of the breezeway, guards spilled out from the doors to Kolis’s chamber. The one spiked tail whipped across the breezeway as only half of Nektas’s horned head came into view, his massive jaws opening.
A funnel of silver fire erupted, streaming over the guards. They lit up like dry tinder, dropping their swords as their screams pierced the air.
“Or perhaps you’d prefer that Nektas burn him?” Ash suggested, his frozen-over stare still focused on Elias.
“Uh, no to that, too.” I cringed as one of the gods flailed about, swallowed by the silver flames. “At least, not yet.”
“And what is your reasoning for this, liessa?” Streaks of eather lit up the veins of his cheeks. “The realms will not suffer the loss of one more god.”
Damn.
I glanced at Ash, feeling an almost unfamiliar rush of heat. He was…savage when angry, and I found it, even amidst all of this, really arousing.
For once, I didn’t think that should disturb me as Ash finally pulled his attention from Elias. He looked down at me. One of his brows rose as warm wisps of eather stirred in his eyes. Realizing he likely sensed my desire, I found I wasn’t embarrassed. I was…gods, I was so relieved to feel that warmth swamping my veins. So damn ecstatic. Because in this moment, as I stared up at him, I felt normal.
Well, as normal as I’d ever felt. And it was because of him… Ash helped me feel that way. My chest swelled with emotion, momentarily filling the gnawing hollowness growing there.
“I love you,” I whispered.
The change in Ash was swift. His features softened as his chest rose against mine. “Liessa…”
Eyes stinging, I looked away before I started sobbing all over him. There was no time for that. I refocused on Elias, who looked slightly confused and also a little relieved. I then looked past him to Nektas. There had to be a reason he wasn’t charbroiling the god. “Do you…do you serve Kolis, Elias?”
“I serve the Primal of Life,” Elias answered.
“There’s your answer,” Ash stated, his brief warmth dissipating. “He will die, too.”
“I misspoke,” Elias amended as he lowered himself to one knee.
My heart thumped heavily in my chest. “Not this again.”
Ash frowned.
“I serve the true Primal of Life.” Crossing his sword over his chest, he bowed his head.
“It is this again,” I muttered as Ash eyed the god.
“With my sword and my life.” Elias lifted his head. “I swear to you, the One who is born of Blood and Ash, the Light and the Fire, and the Brightest Moon, to honor your command.”
Ash stiffened. “You’re pledging yourself to Seraphena?”
Elias nodded.
“It’s just the embers,” I explained, the dull ache returning to my temples as I wondered if Elias was working alone against Kolis, with a Primal like Attes, or possibly even Keella, who clearly was not a Kolis fan. “That’s what he’s swearing his allegiance to.”
“No.” Ash’s brows knitted, then he angled his body toward me. His gaze swept over me. “It’s you.”
I opened my mouth, but I didn’t get a chance to argue the semantics of the god’s loyalty. Ash dipped his head, kissing me, and honest to gods, the entire chamber disappeared around us because his mouth was on mine, and I didn’t care that I could taste the blood of those he’d fed on. I’d feared I would never feel this again. That I would leave Iliseeum, never to experience the touch of his lips on mine outside of a dream again.
Ash lifted his mouth from mine, whispering, “Tell him to rise, liessa.”
Feeling even more weak-kneed, I blinked. “Huh?”
His lips curved against mine. “He’s still kneeling.”
“Oh.” I cleared my throat. “You can rise.”
There was a hint of a smile on Elias’s face as he stood. “I’ve sent word to Attes,” Elias said, answering my question of who he was working with. “He is coming—”
The center of my chest lit up as Ash tensed beside me. “I think he’s already here.”
Elias sighed.
“Of course, I’m already here,” came the Primal’s voice from outside.
A second later, he crossed into view, the breeze lifting his sandy-brown hair as he skirted Nektas. The draken tracked his movements, his crimson eyes alert.